10 Fearless Awards & Why Documentary Wedding Photography Matters
Winning awards has never been the reason I photograph weddings but when I found out I’d picked up my 10th Fearless Award, it seemed like a good time to stop and have a think about it all. These are notoriously difficult to win. They’re judged against some of the best photographers in the world and the competition is pretty fierce. There’s usually 10,000 wedding photos submitted in each round and only around 100-130 winners. It’s taken me nearly ten years to collect these ten images, which is why this milestone feels so special.
Fearless Awards fall into two categories. They’re either epic portraits or they are pure moments. I’m proud to say that all ten of my awards are for documetnary wedding photography. They’re storytelling; the raw, funny, emotional, chaotic little moments that make a wedding unforgettable. And for me, that’s exactly why I love documentary wedding photography.
The Craic & Chaos
If you’ve been to a weddings in Ireland, you’ll know that they are rarely ‘quiet’ affairs and Some of my favourite Fearless images come from the mad, unplanned bits: a bouquet toss that turned into a rugby lineout, a dance floor move that defied gravity, a wedding cake attacked with a sword. None of these moments were posed or planned, and yet they say more about the joy of a wedding day than any formal shot ever could.
The Weather & The Madness
Even if you haven’t been to a wedding in Ireland, you’ll probably still be aware that the Irish weather has a wicked sense of humour. One of my winning images shows guests with with Niamh and John running through the rain, laughing and screaming, jackets over their heads. Another shows two aunties sneaking a smoke under a “No Smoking” sign. These little contradictions are everywhere if you’re paying attention and to me, those little things are what make each wedding story unique.
The Kids & The Unexpected
Children don’t follow the script at weddings and that’s exactly why they’re brilliant. From a bored flower girl, doing her own thing in the middle a church aisle to little Arthur blowing out the wedding candle right as his parents had their first kiss as a married couple. These photos remind me that weddings are really family gatherings first and everything else second. You can’t stage moments like these but they’re the ones that stay with you forever.
The Emotion & Connection
Amongst all that lovely chaos, weddings really just boil down to connection. I’ll never forget James’s face as Sarah Kate walked up the aisle in Brooklodge, completely overcome with emotion or the way. or wand ne of my favourite Fearless images ever was when Lisa decided to just bolt towards her pals through a tunnel of clasped hands. Pure celebration & pure story.
Venues & Memories
These award-winning images were captured across some of Ireland’s most beautiful wedding venues, from Clonabreany House to BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, The Merrion Hotel and Clontarf Castle. Each space holds its own kind of magic, but it’s always about the people inside them that make the photographs sing.
10 Fearless Awards feels like a big milestone, but really, these awards belong to the couples who trusted me to capture their day. Without their laughter, chaos, and love, none of these moments would exist. So thank you to every bride, groom, parent, kid, and guest who forgot about the camera and just lived in the moment.
These photographs are proof that the best stories aren’t staged and the best weddings are always a little messy.
If you’re planning your wedding and want relaxed, documentary photography that captures the real story of your day, I’d love to hear from you. You can see more of my work HERE and check availability for your date.