About me

CIARA
O'DONNELL

It’s more than just photography to me..

Ciara O'Donnell wedding photographer

Photographing people is when I am happiest. I really look forward to the buzz of a wedding day when I know I’m going to capture some incredible moments that will give me goosebumps when I’m editing them later. But what really makes it all worthwhile? Seeing the reactions from couples and families when they first see their photos. That joy is everything.

I want you to know this: I won’t be asking you to stand still all day. My goal is to blend into the background, quietly capturing cinematic, natural, and relaxed images, the kind of photos that make you smile years from now, and remember how it felt to be there. That’s what matters most.

Take your time browsing my work, and if it speaks to you, drop me a message, I’d love to talk about creating something special for you.

Ready to start the conversation? Contact me here.
Curious about packages? You’ll find wedding pricing details here.

ACHIEVEMENTS

MY BACKGROUND

So where to begin…I have an interesting road to this business, that’s for sure. I didn’t arrive at wedding photography straight from the womb like most photographers claim. Mine is colourful but strangely focused at the same time. I have always sketched, moulded, knitted, sculpted, doodled, carved, turned & from a very young age. I was that child who did the most obscure camp available in the Summer and art class all year round on a Saturday…until I was 22!

So I fumbled my way out of school and start the arduous task of figuring out if I could actually train professionally in any of the crafts I had spent the best part of a decade perfecting. I was pretty good at most of them at this point! Slowly but steadily I found my way. As in many creative industries people take a winding path through their working life. And it's something I wouldn't change for a minute.

Here comes the education/training bit...
Architectural graphics, Architectural model making, Special effects modelmaking, AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, Design, Film and Production Design. I am trained and have worked at all. Finally, at my degree show in IADT I got a job in RTE as a production designer. Freelance for 11 years after that in the Irish Film industry as an Art Director which was both exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure. Photography filtered in through all of my employment from architectural model maker, special effects modelmaker, art director, stand by art director & designer. Photography chased me around through all of it, peeping its head up every time I stopped. Finally, I took notice and gave all the other stuff up and moved on. To say I did the right thing is an understatement!