January, Northern Ireland. Central Belfast, to be precise! I've agreed to meet up with Clive, Neil and Joseph to partake in some city snapping. Now, it's cold, very cold, and my movements are slightly restrained by my nine layers of thermal clothing but the arctic temperature doesn't stop four intrepid snappers from getting together for a night's photography. I know Clive Harbison very well. We've been on many shoots together over the last three years or so. Neil Hunter, I know for an even longer period and we've spent many nights around various locations, including a stint at Inch Abbey setting fire to steel wool! Although exchanging comments and mutual respect for each other’s work on social media, I haven't had the pleasure of working with Joseph Cullen, a pro photographer from Donegal originally and now hailing from Magherafelt.

We meet up at the SSE arena and make our way to the Bridges skate park on Corporation Street. We're exchanging stories about work, my extremely heavy 20+year-old Manfrotto tripod and cameras (as you do) and the craic's good. After a short stay at the skate park, we move on to a high location overlooking the M3 motorway and after setting up tripods and attempting compositions seen often on Instagram, the rain starts to fall. No actually, as we say in these parts, it's profusely precipitating! Deciding to relocate for shelter, it looks like it's raining for the rest of the night and to save our kit from damage (and us getting soaked through), we head back towards where we have parked. Joey seems to be enjoying his session with the guys as I always do and it's been good getting a feel for what life as a pro wedding/ portrait photographer is all about. I have to say, I did a wedding for a god-daughter a few years ago and it is a daunting experience having so much responsibility. The worry of camera failure or badly inclement weather etc scares the heck out of me and I admire the pros who can confidently put together the package newlyweds are requesting. It can't be easy and to hear great feedback about it and have happy customers must be extremely rewarding.

On our way back to the SSE arena car park, I have the camera set up at the Obel apartment block to take in the cool window pane reflections, as Joey had pointed out, and I'm sheltered from the heavy rain. I ask the guys to walk on slowly and I'll capture them for the blog. One of the guys misbehaves with a playful dance (Nice one Joey!) and it relieves the effect of the soaking we're now receiving. To be frank, I haven't got much in the way of banger shots this night but it was good to get out and meet the guys, new and familiar. It's one of the great things about social media I have to say. We have much to comment on (or should I say complain) regarding Twitter etc but my friends and I tonight have met over, communicated over and planned over Instagram. It has also helped me to be disciplined in being consistent and constantly striving to keep contributing to this wonderful past-time. For anyone thinking about taking up photography, you're always going to be included in chats and groups etc when joining the socials. For anyone wishing to take up photography as a beginner, there's always someone happy to share knowledge and tips and it's not a competition or somewhere to boast about your new mega zoom lens. Reach out! I can understand the anxiety some folks would feel as a beginner. If you are feeling any anxiety about meeting new snappers, let it go!

The cold never bothered me anyway!!!

Hunter or fisher?

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”– Vincent Van Gogh