The People In Your Neighbourhood: Peter Neill

In late 2009 my then fiancé and I decided we'd get married in Ireland. The problem is, once you start mentioning to Irish suppliers, dress makers, photographers (etc) that you'd be procuring their services for a wedding, two things happen - first, the price suddenly has an additional zero added to it, and secondly, you're bombarded with traditional conceptions of what an Irish wedding is supposed to be.

I spent months wading through website after website of Irish wedding photographers (astonished at how many didn't even have websites, just phone book listings). All of them the same. All. Of. Them. The same posed photos, the same pic with mum and dad, with his mum and dad, with auntie so-and-so, uncle whatshisname, and so on.

My Wedding by Peter Neill

Then I came to Peter Neill. But it was not his wedding photography that struck me, in fact I can't actually remember seeing any of his wedding work. Instead it was his concert and event photography that drew me in. Having photographed concerts and events myself, I know it's not easy, but Peter had managed to master capturing key moments in amongst the constant movement and changes in lighting.

Right from the get-go I knew this guy would be able to take our alternative (in the Irish sense of the word) wedding and give us some truly memorable images as a keepsake. Turns out, I was right.

Despite the wonderful job he did, it was clear weddings weren't Peter's passion, and although grateful for the wedding work he has done he admits the stress associated with it started to take its toll. 'It was when that started to happen, I knew I had to make a change', Peter tells me, but is quick to acknowledge the learning curve wedding photography afforded him.

'Firstly, it taught me to think fast, you have to be aware of everything and then commit one hundred per cent to a decision if you are going to get the shot', says Peter. 'Secondly, it taught me to be more creative. I know it almost sounds counter intuitive, but because I was doing so many weddings, in an effort to keep interested I was looking at more and more alternative ways to capture a moment. That's why I enjoyed your wedding so much,' awww, shucks, ' you live and breathe creativity and it set me free in your wedding, so to speak'.

Doing wedding work also showed Peter that it just wasn't the place for him, long term. 'I learned that I was not going to be able to stay creative if I stayed in weddings, at least not to the extent that I wanted to be. Simply put, weddings were killing my love for the medium'. I can understand why. '[That said], I do think if I had stayed in wedding photography there was enough of a market for my style, but a move abroad would probably have helped'. And move he did, to London, but not for weddings, rather to follow the dream of concert photography.

Imelda May by Peter Neill

When I first met Peter, he was not a full time photographer, working a day job in IT. It was the global economic crisis, which hit Ireland particularly hard, that made Peter take the plunge into photography. 'I had to make a decision about whether I would be doing something sensible or work in an area that I was passionate about. I was passionate about photography, so I made the same leap many people do, and I decided to go into wedding photography'. To make it work, Peter had the benefit of his IT background to guide him, 'I had to use every aspect of my previous experience, such as web development, online marketing, loss leader promotions etc'.

'Now that I work in concert photography, that journey is [still] not over, though I do feel it's reaching the point that it will [soon] be my only income. For anyone considering a leap like this I recommend it, but boy it's tough'. Peter is realistic, and tells me that from making the jump, building his business and maintaining interest in his work is a round the clock effort. 'These days I think the biggest factor is social media, you have to be damn good at it to stand a chance right now'. 

Coldplay by Peter Neill

Pursuing his love of photography has not been without risk, with Peter, his wife and daughter making the tough decision to move away from their home, family and friends in Ireland and take a chance on London. 'We took a gamble, to see if I could go further in concert photography. I was hitting a ceiling in Ireland and I knew that I had to move to London if I was going to be noticed by the decision makers. Up until that point I had been doing mostly free photo work for promoters in return for portfolio and although I started to get noticed by some bigger bands, the creative directors, producers, labels etc had their offices in London'. The difference since arriving in London has been huge, 'one difference is their outlook, there is an understanding that good work is worth its pay. Sadly this was missing in Ireland and at the highest levels this attitude creates a problem'. Unfortunately, Ireland is not the only place where getting paid is a struggle for photographers and other creative professionals.

Placing a bet on London appears to be paying off for Peter, who is now considered a 'local' by the labels, has been busily establishing relationships with the creative decision makers and taking up new opportunities, 'due to these [efforts] I have added Ennio Morricone, Gary Barlow, The Script and Justin Timberlake to my list of regular clients', and in recent weeks Peter could be found photographing Depeche Mode. Jealous, much?

Bono by Peter Neill

When I asked Peter about how he first came to concert photography he graciously acknowledges the help he has had along the way, 'my big break came due to one man, Steve Averill. I had gone after an IT contract in the office where he worked just so I could meet him'. For those not in the know, Averill named U2 and has had a lot to do with their design work, including most of their album covers. 'Shortly after meeting him, before I ever shot a gig, I showed him a few pics I had taken by sneaking a camera into events, and begged him to help me get a chance to shoot U2. He made a few calls and soon after that I had my first gig, shooting U2 in Sheffield! So, I owe my career to both Steve and U2 and I'm very grateful to both'.

'I discovered that the medium of concert photography has only one brief: shoot your heart out', which suits Peter down to the ground. 'This was made all the more real for me recently when talking to Justin Timberlake's creative director. I asked him what he wanted from me and he said: I just want you to go nuts, do what you love, have fun and do what you always do, that's what I want'.

The Script by Peter Neill

No pressure, huh? 'The only times when I've felt pressure is when I've created it myself', something I'm sure many photographers and creatives will find familiar, as often we can be our own worst enemies. 'At this level the artists seem to understand that they need to let you do what you do and not try to dictate. They also value you as an artist in your own right'. What about the challenge of working with the unpredictability of concerts - the light, the movement, everything that's going on around you - thankfully, Peter says, you're not expected to produce volume, just quality, 'so if I can give them a great bunch of shots they love, they're thrilled'.

There are already some pretty big names on Peter's clientele list, but does he ever get starstruck? 'My most starstruck was probably meeting Jessical Biel when I met with Justin Timberlake the first time. Simply because I didn't know he was married and I didn't expect to meet her. However, I'm very used to keeping my composure at this point and can contain the inner scream!' And this, fellow readers is Peter in a nutshell, he's talking to international pop sensation Justin Timberlake and is internally screaming at meeting his lovely wife, Jessica Biel.

Gary Barlow by Peter Neill

Any other special moments on the journey so far? 'There have been so many, but the funniest has to be one that occurred last October in New York. I was working for The Script at a gig in Radio City and had an AAA pass, meaning I could go anywhere. About half way through the gig I went up one of the side walkways, which is like a path up the side walls of the venue. This security guard who had not been briefed on who I was legged it up after me to drag me down. That's not so bad in itself, except that some dumbass decided to point a spotlight at me so the whole crowd could see. Mortified!' I can just imagine Peter as an old man telling that one to the grandkids!

I like to think that we (my husband and I, and our wedding) had some hand in the beginning of something big, but let's face it, Peter is two things: one of the nicest blokes you'll meet and a very talented photographer, so he probably would have made it on his own anyway.

You too can check out his work and join the Peter Neill appreciation club via his website, on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

-Stevie O'C

Duran Duran by Peter Neill

Alice Cooper by Peter Neill

Slash by Peter Neill

The Script by Peter Neill

The Script by Peter Neill