When award winning Irish director Niall McKay approached me to work as his Director of Photography on a spot for the annual San Francisco Irish Film Festival I listened carefully as he laid out the idea. Think Ireland maybe 40 years ago. The Pope and JFK. A man of the cloth in bed. With a woman. A dog hanging out. Delicatessen type mood. I couldn’t refuse.
We shot at a location outside San Francisco, an old hotel which is rumored was an old brothel back in 1880’s. Bats nested in the awnings and the mirrors were an oxidized black. I couldn’t get Pyscho out of my head. You could film the perfect horror there or if you were otherwise inclined, get married there. Almost similar, depending who you talk to. Or if you’re like us you could film something a little naughty.
Definitely a fun creative project to work on with a great director who I hope to work with again in the future. My thanks to everyone involved.
As I’ve gotten older I appreciate more with each year that passes the type of man my father is. I owe so much to my Dad. I’d say it was from him where my sense of wonderment at the world and love of exploration sprung from. One of my earliest and fondest memories of childhood was when he’d take me on the road with him and we’d drive through the Irish countryside in his Fiat exploring and singing songs as we went. Belting out old Irish rebel classics like ‘We’re on the one road’ at the top of our lungs, out of key of course but that didn’t matter. It was only the cows and sheep that could hear us. Still to this day when I’m home we head out in the car together when I go off to take pictures.
My first bike was bought second hand and completely refurbished by him. He could and still to this day can fix anything. When you’re a daughter that grows up with a father like this it’s a surprise and somewhat of an inconvenience when you meet a man that cannot. I have Dad to blame for that.
His amazing love for animals is glaringly obvious and they gravitate towards him. Dogs lap at his heels and survey his work as he busies himself in the ever expanding garden. Pheasants and their chicks come every season for the scraps he feeds them. He tends to them as they grow and tries to keep them on his land out of harms way of the hunters. He’s not happy when their numbers start to dwindle and they disappear but he’ll do it all over again the following year.
He’s a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen but my mother will insist she cooks cabbage better than him. He relinquishes cabbage control to her to maintain harmony. He has a joke and anecdote for almost every situation you could find yourself in. It is an encyclopedia of humor in stark contrast to my own ability to maybe have one joke ever at any one time at my disposal.
Yes I am thankful and lucky to have my Dad. Happy Father’s day Dad. It goes without saying that I love you very much.
The June issue of San Francisco Magazine features a shoot I did with Duggan McDonnell, co founder of Cantina one of the city’s most popular cocktail havens. This was a great shoot, my first with Alejandro Chavetta, San Francisco magazine’s Art Director. McDonnell was an easy subject arriving full of Californian enthusiasm and ready to show off his new Pisco (a peruvian liquor) which will be in stores this month. We shot at Cask a high end liquor store in downtown San Francisco, a veritable candy store for the liquor connoisseur. We also shot in the Tenderloin district where McDonnell’s favorite old school liquor sign could be found. A taste test of Encanto was included and proved popular with the Irish photographer. McDonnell’s new Pisco Campo de Encanto will be in stores this month.
Thanks to Ceri Garfield for photo assistance on this shoot.
