Discovering that you have an eye for photography opens you up to a whole new way of experiencing the world. You notice the parts that most people don’t, you find the hidden spots of beauty in the mundane and you capture those precious moments of life. For Kieran Delaney, this is his passion.
Kieran is still young in the scope of photographers out there. At the age of nineteen he’s starting to build up a strong portfolio of work. However, he first picked up a camera at just twelve years old, making this the moment he found his love for photography. “I owned an iPod touch at the time, and visited the Fountains Abbey ruins in Ripon. For some reason I decided to start taking pictures using the camera on my iPod. They certainly weren’t the best of images but I kept on trying, and from that moment on I have just loved taking pictures!”
Of course, age and experience shouldn’t and certainly doesn’t hold Kieran back. Having that naivety within his work allows him to not be cautious, experimenting in however which way he desires. Photography is mostly experimenting with angles, composition and most importantly, light. One of Kieran’s favourite styles of image is slow shutter speed shots. “By slowing down the shutter speed on the camera, photography can become extremely creative. In one of my most successful images, I used a slow shutter speed. The location was under a bridge in York, the time was around 11pm, so the environment was very dark. By using a slow shutter speed, the lights from traffic passing over the bridge were exposed, as well as the reflections from the water. It was a huge success and left me with a brilliant image that represents my home town!”
His work varies from striking architecture to the rolling hills of the country, from the beauty in portraiture to those macro shots of nature. If it strikes his attention, he’s shooting it. “I love shooting in urban environments, as there are so many different things happening. Different people in the streets, architecture within the environment, reflections casting off different buildings. I’ve had a lot of experience shooting urban photography, as I am fortunate enough to live in York, a fantastic place to photograph. I have also visited Leeds many times, a city full of life and ideal for street and urban photography. I would love to have more experience with the countryside and taking more images within that environment. A few months ago I visited Sutton Bank, a beautiful location with one of the best views of Yorkshire I have ever seen.”
Networking is a substantial part of becoming successful within any form of creative outlet, a concept that he has taken on with his love of social media. “I think the main aspect that I get excited about is the opportunity to meet new, talented faces within photography. This is why I love social media, particularly Instagram, as uploading images can capture the attention of people from all around the world. It can potentially lead to many different pathways, whether that be new friendships, or meeting up for photo shoots. That’s what drives me to get out and take my camera with me, and just capture moments!”
Here at TBI, we’re excited to see where Kieran goes next with his work. He has improved a vast amount since first starting out, and can only improve further. “Throughout the past year my photographs have really improved, and I believe I’m taking images now that are the absolute best of my ability. The proudest moment however has got to be when I took this incredible panorama image of a storm cloud that passed over York. The image was successful enough to make the York Press, the local newspaper!”
This was an affirming moment for him in the start of his career. A milestone that boosted his confidence and desire to keep on shooting. “There are many things that I want to achieve when it comes to photography. My first aim is to be seen, getting my name out to the public and for people to see the work I produce. I would love to be featured in more magazines, newspapers, articles etc (like To Be Inspired!) and just to be successful as I possibly can be, by producing more images that attract attention. My absolute dream would be to own a gallery, and for the public to come and look round and see my work, and to inspire the younger generation to get out!”
If you’d like to check out some of his work, follow his Instagram.
Images by Kieran Delaney.
