the big Q & A.....

Who are you?

Aaron Leavy. Professional Wedding & Portrait Photographer based in Portarlington, County Offaly/Laois, Ireland.

What do you look like?

That's me in the photo (the photo is a couple of years old and I airbrushed myself just a little...)

Is Photography your only job?

Yes, I am a full time professional photographer with over 20 years experience. I studied photography at Griffith College Dublin and worked for some other photographers before setting up my studio.

Do you have any children?

Yes, two boys. Aged eleven and seven. They have a mum, she's an 'internet shy' school teacher so I'm not allowed to talk about her much but she's lovely.

Do you have an actual business premises?

I have a 'bricks and mortar' photography studio which is attached to my home. It has an actual door you can knock on! It's located close to Portarlington town on the Offaly - Laois border. I know it's popular for photographers to exist online with just a mobile phone number but I think my clients like to know they can call in person.

What will you be like if I hire you for my wedding?

I approach weddings in as natural a way as possible. My objective is to blend in with your guests and capture real moments as they happen. Most of the time that means you wont know I'm there but some of the time you will. I've been doing this for a while and have worked out when its best to blend in but also when you'll need me to keep things moving along. I talk about this more in the info section of this site under 'wedding style'. But in summary, I aim to get the photos I know you'll want without making a huge fuss while getting them!

Can I see samples of your work?

You've most likely seen my wedding portfolio here or my portraits here. Those galleries should give you a good idea of the style of photos I like to do. However, I suggest you call to my studio and a have a look at some real wedding albums or portraits on the wall... It's good to see other couples finished albums as it gives you a realistic idea of what to expect yourself. You’re welcome to call in, have a chat and see what I do.

Where's that big list of testimonials other sites have?

Ah, the list of clients telling me how amazing I am... I thought I'd skip those, spare you reading them and spare me making them up! But seriously, if you'd like to talk to former clients- I can put you in contact with real people, you can ask for their honest opinion. Most people I photograph are referred to me by former clients, that to me is better than any testimonial. Also in the blog section you can see the faces of some recent people who have trusted me to do a good job.

Are your prices ridiculously expensive?

Of course not! I have a broad range of prices and packages for both weddings and portraits. Usually I can tailor a package to suit your budget. I am not the cheapest wedding photographer on the planet either, I aim to hand my clients an album or set of images that they will be proud to keep for the rest of their lives. I only use the best quality albums and materials and spend as much time as needed to give out quality work. So my pricing is probably middle of the road but with excellent value (value being a combination of quality & Price..). Give me a call and well go through the options...

What happens if it rains on my wedding day?

Umbrellas for you, get wet for me. But other than that the style of photography I do remains journalistic and unobtrusive, wet weather shouldn't affect the quality of the photography.

Can you recommend a Videographer?

I have worked with some great videographers and some not so great ones. Most clients who book me do so as they want natural images captured in an unobtrusive manner, so you'll usually want a videographer who works in a similar way. Have a look here for some recommendations for great wedding videographers I work with regularily as well as some other service providers.

My children are very bold, will you be able to get nice portraits of them?

Challenge accepted. Studio portraits of children can take a little time so that’s the way I approach it, you can't rush them! I discuss this in more detail in the Portrait section here...

Will you post my photos on facebook?

I will post your photos only if you ask me to, otherwise I'll assume you prefer them to be private.

Is there anything else I need to know about you?

Really the only way to know who your dealing with is to call over and have a chat.  You will spend most of your wedding day in the company of your photographer so go meet them in person first!