Frequently asked questions
How much does the service cost?
The cost of each commission depends on the scope of the commission, the location involved and any additional, specific requirements you might have. A typical commission which includes a 30 page leather bound, gilt stamped album costs from around $500 and includes travel time, a days photography and all editing and preparation work involved in producing the album and insuring it arrives safely on your doorstep.
What information do you need from me?
Any information in relation to research you have already done on your family’s origins which might include web pages, townland names, church names, graveyard names, maps etc. On the basis of initial information, I will make contact with you to clarify any outstanding issues and agree the nature of the photographic commission involved.
What if the building no longer exists?
Many locations in Ireland remain unspoilt and undeveloped over time and appear very much unchanged over time. If a building which you have requested to be photographed is now a ruin or is no longer standing, I will take photographs of the remains of the building, the location where it stood and the surrounding countryside.
When can I expect the work to be done?
I am currently taking commissions for 2008 and 2009 and as you are aware, the weather conditions in Ireland can be changeable at best. I try to capture each location in bright weather so it may at times be necessary to delay work until the weather improves.Normally commissions are undertaken within one month of when deposit is received.
Can I use the photographs which you supply for inclusion on my own family website?
Yes you can use them.All I ask is that you include a reference to my website so that other people may be made aware of my services. I do not allow reproduction of the photographs for commercial purposes. I retain permanent rights to the images that I capture which means that I retain the freedom to use them in my own website and for promotional purposes.
What kinds of clients use the services of www.ancestralphotographyireland.com?
Many of my clients have already been to Ireland but for whatever reason be it poor weather, inadequate equipment or photographic technique did not get the photographs which they hoped. Some clients have planned to travel for years but for practical or health reasons have never gotten around to it. Some clients wish to get an impression of how the area looks now before planning a trip at a later date. Some clients wish to have an album produced for an elderly relation or even to mark the passing of a family member and celebrate their Irish ancestry. Anybody with Irish ancestry who wishes to have professionally taken photographs of a location precious to their hearts can have their requirement met by www.ancestralphotographyireland.com
can you give some suggestions about what I might include in a commission?
Here are some suggestions for the sort of commissions which ancestral photography ireland has undertaken in the past. In general a commission would always involved a number of the suggestions below and some others that I have not listed.
- Photographs of the church, both exterior and interior where your ancestors or indeed where you were married.
- Photographs of a specified graveyard and perhaps all the gravestones with a particular surname in that graveyard.
- Photographs of the exterior and interior (subject to permission) of the local school.
- Landscape photographs of the local area, the roadscape, local rivers and streams and local landmarks like waterpumps, monuments, dancehalls etc.
- Photographs of houses and farms at specified locations which might include family members still living locally (subject to their permission)
- Narrative of how the general area looked, my experience of the area, how I was greeted, encounters with local people, the weather, how things have changed and how things appear not to have changed.
- If it is practical and possible and I am shown family photographs which may be of relevance to you, for instance by a distant relative, I will take photographs of these photographs for you.
- Anything else which you can suggest which might assist you in connecting with the area where you or your ancestors originated.
E-mail: info@aperture.ie
