​I'd a new photography experience during the summer when BBC Studios asked me to provide the #unitstills and #behindthescenes photography for the recording of a new series of @cbbc's Bro's in Control - which stars fellow Derry folks in @adambyt & @callumbyt, as well as their good friend @taskerjoe ...

My first morning on joining the crew was spent at @skydive_ireland where Joe & Adam were put through their paces before both completing tandem jumps while trying to solve anagrams - as seen in Episode 1, Series 2 on @bbciplayer now...

It was a real learning experience being able to watch the professionals on the crew do their thing, and a real confidence boost to be asked to just document the morning as I saw fit as it unfolded...

​So what do wedding photographers so when they're not photographing weddings?

One thing is that every (other) October a few dozen of them descend on Culdaff in north Inishowen to take part in Jay Doherty's Learning to Fly Wedding Photography Retreat... it's a coming together of like-minded souls who, in Jay's words, gather as a community to listen and share, laugh and cry, forge new bonds and relight old unions. On top of that there's also the opportunity to learn from some of the top photographers from across Europe...

The 2021 retreat bought together a first class line up of educators - including Victor Lax, Simon LeClerq, John Gillooley, Paula O'Hara & Lauren Chambers, with the bonus of Doreen Kilfeather sharing her stories from the world of editorial photography. Everyone of them a great photographer, artist, business person, and all just really lovely people too.

So why am i telling you all about six superbly talented photographers, educating a couple of dozen, amazing in their own right photographers?

Well long story short, Jay asked me to tag along over the two days of the retreat to document the goings on - to take photographs of the photographer - no pressure there then! The results can be send in the video used as part of the ticket launch for the 2023 retreat.

It was a very enjoyable experience to wander around the town with the performers taking part in Echo Echo's Together Alone: Solos In The City - part of their annual Festival of Dance & Movement.

​The four performer each chose three spots around the city with meaning to them where they danced - without music. The performances were recorded, before made into a short film - Amid The Noise & The Haste by Colin Norrby, a local musician and filmmaker.

I was, predominately, there as a proud parent with Emma being one of the performers, but couldn't resist taking my cameras along to document the day...