Hu O'Reilly Photography

Ireland Homeless World Cup team

2011-08-13T02:33:00.000-07:00

This is a project for an group exhibition called InFocus, which helped raise awareness of and raise money for the homeless in Ireland.

I photographed a group of young Irish men who are preparing to travel to Paris to represent Ireland at the Homeless World Cup, from 21^st to 28^th August 2011. To qualify to play in this competition the players must have lived in emergency accommodation at some stage in the past year. These men are using sport as the positive catalyst they need to help get their lives back on track. They are an example to us all.

I met photographed the players and staff at a presentation ceremony in the Mansion House, and also at their training centre in Dublin city.

Murderous Pirate Scum

2011-07-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

I took some photos of a few friends who play in a 5-a-side soccer league. Their team name is Murderous Pirate Scum and they had these jerseys designed incorporating the jolly roger. I used a Photoshop technique called the Dragan Effect to increase the dramatic effect of the portraits.

Tesco 1000

2011-05-10T03:24:00.000-07:00

This shoot took place in Ardmore Studios, Bray, in March. I was taking stills photographs for an ad, which was used in-store, in press, on bus sides, bus shelters and billboards. There was a crew shooting it for a TV ads also, which made it a tricky shoot as you don't get as much time as you would like to set up. But it worked out well in the end.

I took some of these 'behind-the-scenes' photographs to show some of the production of the shoot. And the last 2 photographs, below, are of the final ad and how it looked on a bus in Dublin.

Art Direction by Dillon McKenna at McConnells.

Mozambique portraits

2011-03-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

I photographed these members of an Emergency Response Association in the Govuro region of Mozambique. Each member of the association has a specific job to do in the case of a cyclone emergency. Trócaire work alongside local organizations to help educate and support local communities to deal with the threat of cyclones.

Natalia Barira Ndakambayi (45) and Joaquim Antonio Ngueta (30) with megaphones and a bicycle which are use to warn the local community of an imminent cyclone.

Mario Jasse Natal (39) with a kerosene lamp.

Adelaide Josel (22) and baby Altenina Jone with cards used to educate people about what to do in the event of flooding.

Joao Jeque (40) listens to a wireless radio, where local radio stations give up-to-date weather forecasts with cyclone warnings.

Gina Antonio Mandima (35), leader of the association, uses a machete cut back fallen trees and branches.

Katie Taylor, Imelda May & Graham Canty

2010-12-16T11:27:00.000-08:00

I photographed Katie, Imelda and Graham in De Studio in Donnybrook. They were all taking part in a TV ad on the same day, so I did not have much time with each of them. It was a pleasure working with all of them. Katie is a hero of mine, and she's a really lovely and down-to-earth person. Imelda is an amazingly talented singer, and is a great character, absolutely crazy and super fun. I had photographed Graham before, and even though he captained Cork to an All-Ireland victory since the last time, he was still a true gent and a great ambassador for gaelic football.

The Search for Water in Kenya

2010-12-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

I travelled to Kenya in November to take photographs for Trócaire's Christmas 2010 Global Gifts campaign. We visited the Enziu River in Maatini village, Kitui, which is about 100km east of the capital, Nairobi. As it was the dry season, people (mostly women) came here from miles around to fill jerrycans with water for their homes, and some to sell also. To get the water, they had to collect from a hole dug in the sandy river bed. I was amazed that, in these times of advanced technology, such primitive techniques are still being used by so many people to get what is most essential for our survival- water.

Water is one of the 9 life-saving Global Gifts, which you can get on Trócaire's website-

www.trocaire.org/globalgift

People gather to collect water at the dried-up Enziu River in Maatini village, Kitui, about 100km east of Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

Women collect water from a hole dug in the dry river bed. This is used as drinking water, as well as for other household and agricultural uses.

Raeli Kabubu carries 20 jerrycans per day, to her home, 2.5 km away, one at a time on her back. She sells 10 jerrycans and uses the rest for her homestead.

Nancy Nzilani Mbuvi is a mother of four. She walks 20km every day to get water.

Women help to load six 20-litre containers on Kamene Kalega's donkeys.

Kamene Kalega takes 4-5 one-hour trips with her donkeys, which can carry 6 cans per trip. She uses the water for her homestead and sells some also.

Curious local women look on.

A Kenyan woman begins another long walk carrying water to her home. During the dry season, a hole dug in the dried Enziu River bed is the only source of water for miles around.

Graham Canty for O2

2010-09-20T00:14:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Cork on winning their first football All-Ireland in 20 years! Here's a portrait that I took of their captain Graham Canty for O2 last year. Graham is a really nice guy, as well as being a great leader on and off the field. Well done to Graham and everyone involved in their success.

Art direction by Dillon McKenna at McConnells.

Women of Nepal

2010-08-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

Journalist Siobhan Tanner and I travelled to Nepal to make a project about gender inequality. We interviewed women who have been directly affected by this, some of whom have turned their lives around with the help of various local organizations. Nepal is a country rich in culture and spirituality, and it's diversity of people and geography make it a photographer's paradise. But beneath the beautiful exterior, there lies a dark culture of inequality towards females and members of lower caste communities.

Ful Patpasi and her daughter, Srijana, who are dalit (untouchable).

Sumon Kumar, a child bride, aged 14.

Sante Pattarkatta, who set up a small business with the help of micro-credit.

Muna Mongol, former sex worker.

This dalit lady is learning how to embroider a dress, like the one she is wearing.

Ishwori Baniya, banished from her home after she contracted HIV from her husband. She now is President of an organization helping other females with HIV.

Mannet Nessa with her son Sajira, she receives education on maternity from a local mobile clinic.

This project was funded by the Simon Cumbers Media Challenge Fund.

Tony Quinn Designer Jewellery

2010-06-18T02:02:00.000-07:00

I photographed jewellery in Tony Quinn's studio, in the beautiful surroundings of Glendalough in Co. Wicklow. It was a challenging shoot- to do justice to these contemporary designs with an array of colourful stones, created with skilled craftmanship. These photographs are for Tony's

website which is in production.

Tony Quinn Designer Jewellery (086) 848 8540

World Cup Trophy Tour

2010-04-09T01:51:00.000-07:00

I was asked to photograph the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour in Belfast and Dublin by Platinum One Group. As it was my boyhood dream to lift this trophy, I thought I might finally get the chance. But unfortunately only formers winners and Heads of State can lift the solid gold trophy. Still, it was amazing to see it up close- it's more impressive in reality, and also I got the chance to meet two of my boyhood heros- Pat Jennings and Paul McGrath. I also met and photographed Italy legend and Rep. of Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli. He won the World Cup with Italy in '82, so he can lift the trophy.

Dublin Cityscapes

2010-03-23T18:38:00.000-07:00

In March 2010 I photographed some cityscapes in Dublin. There's great light at this time of year, both at sunrise and sunset.

Trócaire in Rwanda

2010-02-28T06:32:00.000-08:00

In February 2010 I travelled to Rwanda with Trócaire to take photographs for their 2010 Lenten campaign, which focused on hunger. I was amazed at how much the country had progressed since the terrible genocide of 1994. While poverty is still a major issue there, most of the racial hatred that led to the genocide seems to have gone, and it is also one of the least corrupt countries in Africa. It's hard to believe that it's only 16 years since the atrocity which claimed the lives of up to 1 million innocent lives. The people are warm, friendly, and well educated, and the lush, undulating landscape gives rise to it's nickname as the Land of a Thousand Hills.

View more photos on Flickr

Trócaire's website is www.trocaire.org

Real Madrid

2009-08-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

I photographed Real Madrid's pre-season training in Carton House, Co. Kildare, for Platinum One Group. This was a great experience, as I am a big soccer fan, and to see players like Raúl, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema play and train every day was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I was pretty nervous when I had to set up and shoot a team photo- knowing that these players were worth 350 million euros- but it went well and even got most of them to smile. My favourite photographs however are the ones taken of Heinze and Pepe, when they found a Ronaldo pin-up calendar which a fan had for Ronaldo to sign.

West Bank Protest March

2009-03-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

In January 2009 I went to Palestine with journalist Tom Rowe. We were making a project about how Israel controls the drilling and supply of water within the West Bank. As part of this project, we went to a protest match in the border town of Ni'lin in the West Bank. The locals were protesting about the building of an illegal wall, the Israeli West Bank barrier, through their land. The protest march had been taking place for months- every Friday after morning prayers. There was great tension, as one week earlier 2 young stone-throwers were shot dead here by Israeli forces. You can see their graves in some of the photos. Tom and I had to walk through fields with a complete stranger to avoid an Israeli checkpoint, as the Israelis did not want Westerners in Ni'lin. After the march, many young Palestinian men traded stones from their sling-shots with tear-gas and then live rounds from the Israeli army. I photographed one man as he was carried away by others after he was shot in the leg. I was then hit by a tear gas canister. It hit the ground in front of me, and then bounced up at me and luckily hit the shoulder-strap of my camera bag. It went off in my face and I ran for cover where locals helped me by giving me perfume to inhale to stop the tears. It was the most unbelievable experience of my life- a complete rush of adrenaline, excitement, fear, and anger.

Burmese Refugees in Northern Thailand

2009-02-24T07:09:00.000-08:00

I travelled to Northern Thailand with Trócaire to work on their 2009 Lenten campaign, which focused on displacement. I had not known much about the plight of Burmese refugees before this, and was shocked by what I learned. The military dictatorship in Burma make it impossible for many minorities to live there, and tens of thousands have been fleeing across the border into Thailand over the past 50 years. Many Burmese refugees only realize the extent of the problems in Burma when they reach Thailand, as that is the first time they have access to free media and education.

Here is an Irish Times photo-slideshow.

Trócaire's website is www.trocaire.org

Powers

2009-01-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

This was a photoshoot for Powers whiskey, for use in press ads and billboards. The brief from the advertising agency, McConnells, was for a natual look- and I think we achieved that. I used my cousin and three friends from my football team as the models, and used natural light as much as possible, just supplemented by reflectors and a little artificial light.

Art direction by Tom O'Haire and styled by Siobhan O'Donovan.

Walton's New School of Music

2008-12-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

I photographed the various music classes for a new website for Walton's New School of Music on George's St., Dublin 2. This was a very challenging job, as I had just 30 minutes to photograph each class and try to find interesting compositions and to show what was happening in each lesson. I used flash to supplement the natural light, but did so such a way to make it look as natural as possible. I enjoyed this job as there was so much variety of classes, people and instruments, and you can see that both students and teachers are passionate about their music.

www.newschool.ie

Chad

2008-05-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

I travelled to Chad with journalist Tom Rowe to make a project about refugees and internally displaced people (IDP). Chad is one of the poorest countries in Africa, and has suffered from civil war and military coups since it's independence from France in 1960. It's geography, as a mostly desert, landlocked country has given it the nickname 'the Dead Heart of Africa'. Irish troops formed part of the EUFOR (European Union Force) which was deployed there, with the mandate of protecting refugees and IDPs. The conflict in the bordering region of Darfur in Sudan has led to hundreds of thousands of refugees and IDPs forced into temporary camps in Eastern Chad.

See www.chadexhibition.blogspot.com and www.msf.ie/chad. Project funded by the Simon Cumbers Media Challenge Fund.

Transport 21

2008-03-14T10:04:00.000-07:00

This shoot for Transport 21 was with McConnells advertising agency for use on press and outdoor ads. There was a lot of pre-production for this shoot- like model castings and prop finding, and we had 2 days to photograph 7 set-ups. They say you should never work with children or animals, and although it was challenging, these children worked well and we were all happy with the results.

Art direction by Dillon McKenna. Styled by Siobhan O'Donovan.