With the huge advancement in digital imaging, photography has become totally accessible to anyone who fancies themself as a budding photographer. In addition there are countless styles and methods when it comes to presenting an image. Some still hold fast to the traditional methods while others embrace all that technology can offer. However, regardless of what camera, film, digital image, or retouching is deployed, there will always be that split second that separates the masters from the minions. It’s that perfect synchronisation between event and eye, and the honed instinct that says ‘now’ at that perfect moment, and that perfect moment becomes an image, frozen in time, captured, unique.

Where does the ‘now’ factor come from? With some photographers its years of training and practical experience, with the exceptional few it’s a natural talent – In Gerry Morgan’s case it’s lots of both plus some very unique training.

Perhaps his background might give some insight into his razor sharp eye. Gerry was born and bread in the heartland of Dublin, Ireland. His family ran a printing business and he was involved in the print works from his early teens. Over the following two decades he would master every aspect of print and would go on to win numerous awards from his peers for outstanding printing. This intimacy with image reproduction gave Gerry a total understanding of composition, colour balance, tonal values and detail, and ultimately a finely tuned and perceptive eye.

Gerry’s lifelong interest in photography started to turn into an obsession in the early 90’s as his wife Deirdre and in turn his three children became ongoing subjects for his lens to follow. Initially he studied the crafts of traditional film and processing techniques to give himself a solid grounding. Once he felt competent in this area he turned his focus to the opportunities that the digital revolution presented.

As with anything that Gerry does ‘token involvement’ isn’t acceptable and very quickly he immersed himself fully into the art of commercial and freestyle photography, winning business in the first and accolades in the latter. His commercial work in itself spans mouth-watering food shots for some of the worlds largest food and beverage companies, to stunning architectural commissions. Gerry’s freestyle work however shows him at his creative best, every subject and location is a possible target for his lens. Locally – the faces in the streets of Dublin, the beauty of the Irish landscape or the portraiture of its wildlife. Globally – a portfolio of reportage images from his travels that the tourist witnessed but didn’t ‘see’.

And each time Gerry’s inner eye says ‘now’ a unique and refreshingly honest image is created.

Gerry Morgan, printer, photographer, artist - Dublin Ireland July 2009.