Donal Moloney

Dublin based Donal is a pro-photographer with a wicked sense of humour and a great eye for photography. Having worked commercially for many years with great success he's turning his hand to other projects these days. RooM being one of them. We're very excited to have him onboard so read on and enjoy!

“It was the best fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on”

Can you tell us a little bit about how you got into mobile photography, how you came across Instagram and what your mobile journey has been like so far.

I’m not sure how and I’m still not sure if I’m “into” it. It’s certainly instantanious fun but there’s a side of me that feels ashamed to have allowed it simplify a dying craft. I suppose it’s like Facebook etc in that we feed our egos with likes, compliments and new friends.

Digital photography and apps like Instagram have without doubt democratized photography. Do you feel that has changed the way people perceive photographers and photography?

Absolutely. In the past, the photographer was perceived as being a craftsman, an artist, almost rockstar like. We took our time by creating carefully lit images that had to be exposed perfectly. We would then retire to a darkroom for many hours to create the magic.

I embraced digital photography a long time ago but it worries me sometimes that the post-production is becoming more important than the pre-production.

Everyone is now a photographer. The instantanious ability to create arty images from average shots gives everyone a sense of being part of the arty world. A world they had never considered previously. A world they never thought they could enter. Everyone’s an artist.

You’re an established advertising photographer and you’ve worked for global brands such as Vodaphone, Heineken and Coca-Cola. How do you see mobile photography developing in the commercial space and have you had the opportunity to shoot any high profile campaigns with a mobile yet?

No, I havn’t but I wouldn’t rule it out. If the art director’s idea lends itself to mobile photography, then so be it.

I must admit though, it worries me to think that possibly someday a man(or woman) in a suit, a tie and a balance sheet will be taking the shots for a client and not a skilfully trained photographer. Worse still, the suit will take the shot and the photographer will do the retouching.*shiver*

You’ve been focusing more and more on personal projects in the last year or so. Your photographs of Martin on Instagram are especially moving while your ongoing Chair project is more playful and your Intruders collection perhaps more challenging. Are they a reflection of the kind of work you most enjoy producing?

Yes, quite possibly although I mostly enjoy shooting interesting people in interesting environments. However, if I have a strong enough idea or project, I’ll give it my full attention. Ideas are what excites me. If I get a strong idea into my head, I’ll go full steam at it and it consumes me.

The Intruders project took over 5 solid months to produce but it was the best fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on. I was like a impatient child in a sweet shop. Much of it was also illegal which was also very exciting http://donalmoloney.com/intruders/ It came at a time when commissioned work was slow and I hate being idle.

‘Chair’ was the same. https://www.facebook.com/storyofchair It also took about 5 months to produce. It went with me everywhere and even my wife was beginning to wonder if she was competing with a piece of kitchen furniture.. Haa. It sat in the back of my car every day. I would take off around the country for days at a time and shoot eveywhere and anywhere. What it also done was keep me photo fit. It’s very easy to get rusty when commercial work is slow and these projects kept me match fit.

The ‘Martin’ story/shots are something I just stumbled upon and it’s also a subject that touches me https://www.facebook.com/DonalMoloneyPhotography

I’m also working on another personal project that looks at amateur boxing in Ireland. The sport is largely dominated by people from poorer backgrounds and the traveller community are also heavily involved. Shooting portraits of these individuals in their own environments is very powerful.

You split your time between Ireland and Dubai which is many people’s idea of heaven. From a photographic standpoint they’re very different – does that affect how and what you shoot?

Well, I only travel to Dubai once a year for a couple of weeks. Shooting in Ireland offers a lot more freedom as there are more etiquette rules in Dubai for cultural reasons. I love working with people and much of my routine when shooting is to have banter with the cast. I have to curtail my Irishisms if you get my drift. Advertising photography is Dubai is safe and veything is retouched to high heaven. People in posters look like androids and much of it looks the same retoucher..haa. Advertising in general is very safe and ideas are very thin on the ground.

There is one advantage though. When I shoot in Dubai, all the stress of casting, reccies and much of the pre production is done by the production company. This leaves me totally free to concentrate of the composition and the lighting. In Ireland I practically have to organize the whole shootin match.

“Post-production is becoming more important than the pre-production”

Photography is something that interests most people and there are a lot of amateurs that would love to turn their hobby into a career. What advice would you give and is there anything that you wish someone had told you when you first started out?

There’s a lot more competition around nowadays and it can be a lot of stress finding work. There’s a lot to be said for a regular wage packet every Friday, Haa. You have to honestly ask yourself what it is you have that others don’t?

Many professional photographers get caught up in the commercial world we depend upon and forget why we loved photography in the first place. I’m having as much photographic fun now as I did when I was a kid.