If you're reading this because you're planning a wedding in Cork or Kerry or anywhere in Ireland and want a photographer who captures real, relaxed moments rather than forcing poses, you're in the right place.
Visit My HomepageCollections starting from €600
- Sneak peeks, often the very next day
- Private online gallery
- 4–6 week delivery, usually far sooner
- Travel included throughout Munster, all Ireland on request
Wedding photography · Cork, Kerry & all of Ireland
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Real, honest & completely unscripted
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Surprise Proposal at Baltimore Beacon, West Cork | Nic & Jennifer
Baltimore is a place I’ve spent a huge amount of time in, long before I ever photographed proposals there. As a landscape photographer, the Beacon has been part of my life for years. I’ve slept out up there waiting on a sunrise, stayed through countless sunsets, and even brought my son and his friend up to lie on the ground and watch shooting stars over the Atlantic. Standing high above the ocean at night, looking out into the dark, you realise very quickly how special this place is.
So when Nic told me this was where he wanted to get down on one knee and propose to his long-time girlfriend Jennifer, it instantly made sense.
The proposal — captured on video
Planning a Surprise Proposal in Ireland
February is notorious in Ireland. Rain, hail, wind — sometimes all in the same hour. We were right in the tail end of winter, and it honestly felt like it had been raining forever. When Nic first got in touch, I told him straight: if we were doing this at the Beacon, there was no cover. Rain or hail, we go for it. There’s no hiding up there.
Planning anything outdoors in Ireland is never easy. We’ve all heard the saying about four seasons in one day, and it couldn’t be more true. When it comes to a surprise proposal, you’re not even asking for sunshine — you’re just hoping it stays dry.
There’s an old saying here as well: I’ll believe the weather forecast when I’m standing out in it. That one has never let me down.
A Winter Morning at Baltimore Beacon
The morning of the proposal, I was out early walking my dogs, already running the shoot through my head. The sun was trying to push through the cloud cover, not fully committing, but enough to give us hope. As long as it stayed dry, we had a chance.
I drove to Baltimore about an hour early to grab some drone footage and get a feel for the conditions. Pulling into the small parking area at the foot of the Beacon, the sun was absolutely glaring through the car window. It was bright — really bright. There were lower clouds around, but the sun itself was completely uncovered and sitting higher than the Beacon.
Walking up toward the cliff edge, it honestly felt like I could touch it. The light was casting a winter haze across everything, and I knew straight away this was going to be a bit of a challenge — but a good one.
Setting the Scene
We had decided that Nic would propose either side of the Beacon. What I hadn’t fully prepared for was just how directly overhead the sun would be at that exact moment. In my head I was already thinking, right, this will be interesting.
I set up a small GoPro resting in my backpack, pointed toward the Beacon, just to capture a bit of behind-the-scenes video. With about ten minutes to go before they arrived, I sent the drone up, hit record, and took my position.
Nic and Jennifer walked past the GoPro completely unaware they were already being filmed. They stepped toward the right side of the Beacon and I could see Nic getting ready. At the last second, Jennifer moved around the front of the Beacon to the left — so Nic had to follow. I shifted position slightly, lined up from further back, and waited.
Then he went down on one knee.
A Yes, High Above the Atlantic
High above the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Ireland’s rugged coastline and natural beauty, Nic asked Jennifer to marry him. She didn’t hesitate. She said yes.
I gave them a moment to take it all in before I picked up my bag and made myself known. Jennifer was smiling so much she honestly couldn’t believe what had just happened. The emotion was raw, real, and completely unfiltered — exactly how it should be.
From there, we took our time. No rushing. Just letting the moment settle before moving into portraits, walking the landscape, and soaking up everything Baltimore had to offer that day.
Why Baltimore Beacon Is So Special
The Beacon isn’t just a landmark — it’s a place that feels exposed, honest, and powerful. There’s nowhere to hide up there. The wind, the light, the ocean below — it all becomes part of the story.
That’s why it works so well for proposals. It strips everything back to what matters. Two people, one moment, and a decision that changes everything.
I photographed a second surprise proposal at the Beacon later this year, this time at sunset: Brendan and Lauren’s surprise proposal at Baltimore Beacon. If you are planning your own, here is my guide to planning a surprise proposal in Ireland.
Nic & Jennifer’s Story
Nic is originally from Germany, and Jennifer is from Lebanon. They met while Jennifer was living in Germany, and their story has already taken them across countries and cultures. Right now, Nic is training in Ireland with Ryanair to become a pilot — which somehow makes this moment even more fitting. Soon, he’ll be flying above the very landscape where this next chapter of their lives began.
We want to wish Nic and Jennifer nothing but the best for the future. It was an absolute pleasure to be trusted with such a personal moment, and one they’ll never forget.
Wedding Photography Collections · Cork & Munster
Choose the coverage that feels right for your day.
Weddings don’t all run to the same timetable, and I don’t think photography should feel like it does either. These collections give you a starting point, from a smaller celebration to the full story of the day. Whichever you choose, I’ll photograph it in the same relaxed, natural way.
Collections start from€600See Intimate ↓
Intimate
Small celebrations
Small, simple and meaningful.
For elopements, civil ceremonies and smaller weddings where you don’t need a full day of photography, but still want the important people, moments and atmosphere remembered properly.
Collections start from€600
- 150+ professionally edited photographsThe people, the moments and the atmosphere of your day
- Relaxed, natural storytellingYour celebration as it genuinely unfolds
- Private online galleryView, share and download in one place
- Unlimited high-resolution downloadsWhile your gallery is live
- Gallery available online for 3 months
Moments
Part-day coverage
The heart of the day.
For couples who want the excitement beforehand, the ceremony and everything that happens afterwards, without needing photography into the evening.
- 300–400 professionally edited photographsThe main story of your day, beautifully told
- Relaxed documentary coverageReal moments, just as they happen
- Folio presentation box with USBYour photographs, presented properly
- 50 professionally printed 6×4 photographsTo hold, share and frame
- Private online galleryWith unlimited high-resolution downloads while your gallery is live
- Gallery available online for 3 months
Most popularMemories
Full-day coverage
The complete wedding story.
From the nerves and excitement in the morning to the dance floor that night. This is for couples who want the whole day remembered naturally, without turning the wedding into a photoshoot.
- 500+ professionally edited photographsFrom preparations right through to the evening
- Natural documentary storytellingThe whole day remembered naturally
- Folio presentation box with USBYour photographs, presented properly
- 50 professionally printed 6×4 photographsTo hold, share and frame
- Private online galleryWith unlimited high-resolution downloads while your gallery is live
- Gallery available online for 6 months
The album collections
Your wedding story, made to be held.
Forever
Full day + heirloom album
Your wedding story, made to be held.
Everything you need from the wedding day, finished with a proper handcrafted album. Not something that lives on a screen, but something you can sit down with, pick up and keep.
Your handcrafted 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12" album, shown here with the acrylic cover- 500+ professionally edited photographsThe whole day, from preparations to the dance floor
- Handcrafted 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12" wedding albumMade to sit down with, pick up and keep
- Up to 80 photographs designed into the albumYour story, laid out page by page
- Your choice of beautiful album finishesIncluding my favourite, the Acrylic Prestige
- USB included with your wedding album
- Private online galleryWith unlimited high-resolution downloads while live
- Gallery available online for 6 months
Eternity
The complete album collection
One story. More than one home.
The complete wedding-day collection with your own handcrafted album and additional parent albums, so the story of the day isn’t kept in just one home.
Your handcrafted album and parent albums, shown here in linen finishes- 500+ professionally edited photographsThe whole day, from preparations to the dance floor
- Handcrafted 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12" wedding albumMade to sit down with, pick up and keep
- Handcrafted parent albums includedFor the people who will want to turn the pages and relive the day with you
- Up to 80 photographs designed into the albumYour story, laid out page by page
- Your choice of beautiful album finishesIncluding my favourite, the Acrylic Prestige
- USB included with your wedding album
- Private online galleryWith unlimited high-resolution downloads while live
- Gallery available online for 6 months
Moments & Memories
Presented to be picked up.
Both collections arrive in a Folio presentation box with your USB, alongside 50 professionally printed 6×4 photographs. The kind of thing you can put on a table, hand to a parent or slip into a frame.
Your full gallery is still waiting for you online, with unlimited high-resolution downloads while it’s live.
James’s Recommendation
Acrylic Prestige
The album I keep coming back to.
A wedding album should feel as good as the photographs inside it.
Albums are usually an extra on top of the photography price. In Forever and Eternity, yours is already part of the collection.
Forever and Eternity include a handcrafted 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12" wedding album, designed around up to 80 photographs from your day. You’ll have a choice of finishes, but if you ask me which one I’d choose, I’ll nearly always point you towards the Acrylic Prestige.
The crystal-clear acrylic cover gives the photograph real depth and the lay-flat design lets the story flow beautifully across the page. It feels substantial without being fussy, and it’s exactly the kind of album I want my couples to still be taking down from the shelf years from now.
- 30 × 30cm / 12 × 12"
- Up to 80 photographs
- Lay-flat design
- Handcrafted finish
- USB included
See a little of it while it still feels fresh.
I aim to share a small selection of sneak peeks as soon as I can after your wedding. If I’m not photographing another wedding the following day, that can often mean the very next day.
Your complete gallery is delivered within 4–6 weeks, although, as many of my reviews mention, it’s almost always considerably sooner.
Download them. Back them up. Keep them safe.
Your private online gallery makes it easy to view, share and download your photographs in high resolution. Intimate and Moments galleries remain online for 3 months, while Memories, Forever and Eternity galleries remain online for 6 months.
You can download as often as you like while your gallery is live. Once it arrives, I always recommend downloading the complete collection and keeping at least one extra backup somewhere safe, as the online gallery isn’t intended as permanent cloud storage.
Make it yours
Enhance your collection.
Start with the collection that suits your day. Then add something only if it actually matters to you. There’s no need to squeeze your wedding into a package just because that’s how the price list was written.
Another pair of eyes on the day. Particularly useful for separate morning preparations, larger weddings and those moments happening in two places at once.
A relaxed session before the wedding, with no wedding-day timetable. A chance to get comfortable in front of the camera and come away with photographs you actually like.
Beautiful handcrafted versions of your wedding album for the people who will want to sit down, turn the pages and relive the day with you.
Something different
Your wedding doesn’t have to fit neatly into a box.
If none of these collections quite fits the way your day is planned, get in touch. I’m happy to talk it through and work out what actually makes sense for your wedding.
Drop me a line
Thank You
Thank you to Nic and Jennifer for trusting me with your surprise proposal.
Thank you to Baltimore for once again delivering something special.
And thank you to everyone who gave them space on the cliffs to enjoy their moment.
