Raw Photography Podcast - EP63 - A conversation with John Gillooley

After a little summer break, RAW is back for Episode 63 and we’re joined by the brilliant John Gillooley.

John will already be a familiar name to many wedding photographers, both through his work and his presence on Instagram. In this episode we get into his journey into photography, how his style has developed over the years and his approach to photographing weddings with authenticity, humour and, when the opportunity presents itself, a little bit of mischief.

We talk about finding your own voice as a photographer, the importance of consistency, creativity and storytelling, and why sometimes the chaos and unpredictability of a wedding day can produce the very best photographs. John also talks about social media, awards, client relationships, editing, favourite venues and the experience and intuition that comes from doing this job for a long time.

There’s plenty of photography chat too. We get into cameras and lenses, John’s experiences with different systems including Nikon and Sony, flashes and accessories, pre-wedding calls, dealing with difficult weather and venues, and why being able to adapt when things don’t go to plan is such an important part of being a wedding photographer.

There’s also a much more personal and moving side to this conversation.

John speaks openly about the loss of his son Max and the profound impact that had on his life. He talks about grief, resilience and how photography became intertwined with that journey.

We also hear about John’s incredible work with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, an organisation providing remembrance photography to families experiencing the loss of a baby. John talks about photographing families in hospital, the challenges and responsibility that come with that work and the enormous value those photographs can have for a family.

For anyone interested in volunteering or learning more about Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, we’ve included details below.

Despite some of the heavier subjects, this is very much a conversation with John Gillooley, so naturally there are plenty of laughs and stories along the way.

A conversation about weddings, creativity, gear, grief, resilience, community and ultimately the extraordinary power a photograph can have.

John’s Links

John’s Website

https://www.johngillooley.com/

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

https://www.nilmdts.ie/photographers

Photographers Mentioned.

Billy Dee

https://www.instagram.com/billydeee/

Strange Victory

https://www.instagram.com/strange.victory/

Rodney Smith