The Importance of Having a Muse
Why Every Creative Needs a Muse
Every creative needs inspiration in some form. That inspiration can come from people, places, energy, or timing. For me, as a portrait photographer, that inspiration comes from having a muse someone I want to photograph repeatedly, in different light, moods, and moments.
For me, that person is Aenea.
Having a muse isn’t about perfection or constant productivity. It’s about continuity. It’s about having someone who allows you to explore ideas without pressure, without expectation, and without needing every frame to work.
Photo suggestion: Aenea in soft natural light at home, relaxed and candid, showing intimacy and quiet energy.
Photographing Aenea: How It All Started
When I first picked up a film camera, the portraits I took of Aenea immediately pulled me in. There was something about seeing her on film that made sense straight away not in a dramatic, life-changing way, but quietly. I knew I wanted to keep photographing her.
Through that process, I also realised I wanted to photograph people more seriously. That feeling hasn’t gone away, and it quietly informs how I approach every client session today.
London
Consistency, Film, and Repetition
Over the last two and a half years, I’ve photographed Aenea everywhere: Dublin, London, Budapest, Mexico City, Vienna, the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Porto, Lisbon. Airports, apartments, parks, bars, beaches, streets.
At this point, I’ve taken just over 1100 photos of Aenea on film, across 230+ rolls. That’s nearly 15% of all the film I’ve shot.
Photographing the same person repeatedly teaches lessons you can’t get any other way. You notice patterns. You learn when to wait, when to move closer, when to stop shooting. Some of these lessons influence how I work with clients, though much of what I do professionally also comes from experience photographing different people in different settings.
Trust, Collaboration, and Creative Growth
If I have an idea, Aenea is the first person I ask:
“I got asked to a shoot in this location. Let’s go check it out?”
“Can you stand there for a second?”
She’s always up for it, giving honest feedback and telling me when something works and when it doesn’t. That trust matters.
Aenea isn’t just someone I photograph she’s my partner. She’s seen me grow through this photography journey, from testing film stocks to refining my eye for light and composition. That sense of collaboration quietly informs my professional approach to client sessions.
85mm 1.4 Lens
Quiet Moments and Natural Light Portraits
Many of the photos I’ve taken of Aenea are quiet. They’re made at home, in soft natural light, often without anything particularly happening: sitting on the couch, half-finished coffee, early morning sun spilling through the window.
These images shaped how I notice small details in portrait photography. They taught me that some of the most compelling images aren’t posed—they happen in quiet, in-between moments.
How This Shapes My Work as a Portrait Photographer
That way of seeing slow, observant, and unforced feeds directly into my paid work as a Dublin portrait photographer.
Most people I photograph strangers, couples, families, or parents with a newborn I’ve only spoken to briefly before I arrive. Suddenly, I’m in their home, camera in hand. My job isn’t to direct heavily; it’s to make things feel normal, comfortable, and natural.
Some of the techniques I developed while photographing Aenea letting moments unfold, knowing when to step back carry into that work. But much of my professional approach also comes from experience and working with a variety of clients in different environments.
Newborn and Maternity Photography: Calm Over Control
The same philosophy carries into newborn and maternity photography. I don’t start with poses. I observe how the space feels, how parents interact, and how settled or unsettled things are. I’m looking for moments, not forcing them.
Photographing Aenea gave me the patience to notice quiet interactions, but applying that skill in client sessions comes from observing each family’s unique dynamic. That calm-over-control approach ensures natural, intimate moments shine through.
Experimentation Without Pressure
Aenea has also been someone I can experiment with new lenses, framing, exposing for shadows, vertical versus horizontal shots. Sometimes she’s fully in the frame; other times, it’s just a detail: an arm, a shoulder, the way light hits her face.
These experiments taught me to be flexible, see small details, and test ideas before using them in client work. But experimentation in professional shoots comes from practice, observation, and adapting to each situation, not just personal projects.
From Personal Work to Client Sessions
These experiences have taught me when not to force it, and gave me an awareness of emotional shifts essential in portrait photography, newborn and maternity photography, and wedding photography. That awareness now informs how I capture authentic moments with families, couples, and newborns.
Why Having a Muse Matters
Aenea has shaped part of my creative journey, but she isn’t the sole source of everything I do. My work as a Dublin photographer, especially in portraiture, newborn, and maternity sessions, is informed by years of observing, experimenting, and collaborating with her, with clients, and through personal practice.
She has been an inspiration, a collaborator, and part of the foundation for my photographic voice. That’s the value of a muse: quietly shaping how you see over time, without needing to take credit for every frame.
