Starting Fri., 1/22 - Get To Know Aidan Bradley

[Kalen Braley]

Aidan,

Excellent stuff, a few questions from me.

1)  How does it feel to be a photography God?

2)  How do you deal with all the on-rush of the co-eds due to #1? 

3)  P.S.  Do you have some of your early work to post to show that there may be hope for the rest of us? Or were u born with the magical raw talent? 

[rjsimper]

Hi Aidan,

Here are a couple that I'm hoping you can answer:

1 -
What time of day do you find that you end up taking most of your photographs?  I find that for my amateur snapshots, the last couple hours of the day produce great images.

2-
Any tips for shooting mid-day?

3-
What was the hardest part about getting to the point where you could make a living taking photographs?

4-
Do you have any examples of photos that you hated but your client loved, and vice versa?

5-
What kind of instructions do you typically get on an assignment, or are you typically just asked to "do what you do"

 

[David_Elvins]

I notice you take a lot of shots looking back down the hole with the green and pin in the foreground

David........ this is the same hole shot from in front and behind. Who is to say which is right or wrong. They both have a story to tell. Depending on where you put the ball, these are the views you will see.

Aidan,

Thanks for taking the time to post a few photos.  I like photos from behind the green as I think green contours are such an important part of architecture and they are not present in most photos.  But I find that on some courses, that is the only photo I take that looks decent. So thanks for a few other ideas.   

I like the two photos you posted of the European Club. Not only are they both really nice photos but together they compliment each other in showing the hole in detail. IMO, together they tell a great story, as you say.  Do you ever present photos as a series?  Or aim to take 3-4 photos that are designed to be displayed together?  or do you see each photo as an individual piece of art?

[Mark_F]

Mark, the things I miss most about Ireland, besides friends and family, are soups, fireplaces, and meaningful conversation (a lost art).

Aidan,

Is food as important a part of your life as Irish Whisky?   What is your favourite food?

Paul Wakefield and Jan Morris did a rather poetic and evocative book on Ireland a good number of years ago - did you like it?

Did you ever meet, or have met and/or conversed with a couple of the other great Irish photographers, Bob Carlos Clarke or Eammon McCabe?

[Kevin Pallier]

Aidan

Any plans to come "down under" at some stage ?

Which time do you prefer to take photos re: the light = early AM or late PM ?

[Aidan Bradley]

I'd like to see what you could do at Balbirnie!!!!

Marty ............. as soon as they come up with a few shillings (two wee baron to send to college), I am there......

Did you ever get into Ektachrome or are you a bit too young for that?

Went through a lot of it lad.....

P.S....... if I were you, I would stick with Charlize Theron.

[Aidan Bradley]

Do you have some of your early work to post to show that there may be hope for the rest of us?

If you don't have the energy, motivation, desire, curiousity, or dream within........... there is no hope for you (photographically speaking).

[Aidan Bradley]

What time of day do you find that you end up taking most of your photographs?

Two hours after sunrise, two hours before sunset.

Any tips for shooting mid-day?

Yes, order a spicy bloody mary and enjoy your lunch.

What was the hardest part about getting to the point where you could make a living taking photographs?

Perseverance and eating a lot of spam sandwiches......

Do you have any examples of photos that you hated but your client loved, and vice versa?

Everyone is critic. You have to put your ego aside and realize that others may not share you view. Once you are comfortable with that concept, chances are, you may live a lot longer.

What kind of instructions do you typically get on an assignment, or are you typically just asked to "do what you do"

For the most part, yes, which is cool, but I have found it really helps if you to ask your client what they would like or expect. After all, it's their money.........

 

[Aidan Bradley]

Any plans to come "down under" at some stage ?

Kevin.......... absolutely. My mortgage is due and I figure I can take a few sheckles off David Scaletti.

[Aidan Bradley]

Is food as important a part of your life as Irish Whisky?   What is your favourite food?


I find it to be a necessity and it serves as a good base and soakage for the latter. The Salar salmon at The Borradale Hotel just up the road from Askernish is  a delight......

[Kalen Braley]

Aidan,

On a scale of 1-10, how would rate this photo I took a couple of months back?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Kalen

Looks as good as your cart driving, does it need to be turned 90 degrees?

Melvyn

[Garland Bayley]

Aidan,

I've got this one for you. Kalen, that's a five. I don't care whether 1 or 10 is high. It's a five. It's about as average as you can get.

[Eric Smith]

Garland please allow me to submit one of your finest...a sure fire 10 in my book

[Bill_McBride]

Aidan

Can you tell us more about your trip to Askernish and can you post any new photos explaining why you have selected them.

Also have you ever been to Windermere Golf Club and taken any shots of the course and its surroundings?

I am still considering whether to take matters into my own hands re the ICE in the glass of single malt and remove it myself or seek to have you charged for Driving a bottle of malt to a glass full of ice, although I expect you may claim diminished responsibility and get off Scott free – yet many feel it’s a crime against humanity and should not go unpunished. Can’t understand it and from a man with a little Irish in him (when he can get hold of a bottle of Bushmills)


Warning Beware of Aidan ’The Ice Man’ Bradley the Malt Destroyer.

Look forward to your report and more photos on your Askernish trip

Melvyn

Today I drink single malts and good Irish whisky nea, no ice, but I will never forget my first trip over.  I ordered a single malt in a pub and asked, "Is there any ice?"   The bar man pointed to a saucer with two rapidly melting cubes and said, "There you are, lad!"   

[Melvyn Morrow]

Bill

If we still have to teach you guys how to drink a man’s drink, then your education will not be complete until we teach you how to play the game of golf.  

Melvyn

[Garland Bayley]

Garland please allow me to submit one of your finest...a sure fire 10 in my book

You have a long memory my friend! And here I was half expecting you post a picture of that ditzy blonde with the extreme pushups.

[David_Tepper]

Aidan -

Could you remind me again what golf course & what hole is pictured in the 2nd photo from the top of this page?
Thanks.

DT

[Bill_McBride]

Bill

If we still have to teach you guys how to drink a man’s drink, then your education will not be complete until we teach you how to play the game of golf.  

Melvyn

Melvyn, what part of this was not comprehensible?

"Today I drink single malts and good Irish whisky neat, no ice...."

I learned! 

Good night!

[Aidan Bradley]

Monte Rei, Algarve, Portugal (Jack Nicklaus) hole # 8

[Kirk Gill]

Aidan - for Christmas my wife gave this photo a proper framing:



What I love about this photo is that it is not only a picture of a golf course, it captures that place, and enhances my memory of it. Well done, and thank you.

kg

[Melvyn Morrow]

Bill

May I suggest you re-read my comment, but this time as if we were friends talking in a pub

“If we still have to teach you how to drink a man’s drink, then your education will not be complete until we teach you how to play the game of golf. "

Bill, I know you have learnt but was there a need to say ‘Melvyn, what part of this was not comprehensible?’ Yet this is the reaction I tend to get on here, is it the American way to prefer to be aggressive first (which by the way is one hell of a sign of insecurity) before asking some simple questions. No Rye sense of humour perhaps clearly so I would stick to beer or gin in future

Melvyn

[Bill_McBride]

Bill

May I suggest you re-read my comment, but this time as if we were friends talking in a pub

“If we still have to teach you how to drink a man’s drink, then your education will not be complete until we teach you how to play the game of golf. "

Bill, I know you have learnt but was there a need to say ‘Melvyn, what part of this was not comprehensible?’ Yet this is the reaction I tend to get on here, is it the American way to prefer to be aggressive first (which by the way is one hell of a sign of insecurity) before asking some simple questions. No Rye sense of humour perhaps clearly so I would stick to beer or gin in future

Melvyn

Melvyn, you are always there with a dig, you never fail, yet you inevitably react with shock to any pushback. 

It is the American way to expect honest discussion.  Your way, it seems to me, is to fire off a dig and then express indignation when the recipient responds.   How can this lead to friendly dialogue?  It appears you are the only one who can needle anyone else, when it happens to you it's anti-British or anti-golf!

[Melvyn Morrow]

Bill

I am sorry you take it that way

Melvyn

[Garland Bayley]

Bill

May I suggest you re-read my comment, but this time as if we were friends talking in a pub

“If we still have to teach you how to drink a man’s drink, then your education will not be complete until we teach you how to play the game of golf. "

Bill, I know you have learnt but was there a need to say ‘Melvyn, what part of this was not comprehensible?’ Yet this is the reaction I tend to get on here, is it the American way to prefer to be aggressive first (which by the way is one hell of a sign of insecurity) before asking some simple questions. No Rye sense of humour perhaps clearly so I would stick to beer or gin in future

Melvyn

Melvyn, you are always there with a dig, you never fail, yet you inevitably react with shock to any pushback. 

It is the American way to expect honest discussion.  Your way, it seems to me, is to fire off a dig and then express indignation when the recipient responds.   How can this lead to friendly dialogue?  It appears you are the only one who can needle anyone else, when it happens to you it's anti-British or anti-golf!

It's really quite simple Bill. Melvyn starts with the assumption that we are all friends here. Then he makes his friendly "digs" just like as if you were sitting in a pub together.