Photography

Ronan Callahan

I'm a Dublin-based photographer specializing in portraiture and studio work. Over the years, I’ve developed a meticulous approach to lighting, composition, and posing, ensuring each image strikes a balance between technical precision and emotional expression. I believe photography holds an important role in helping us witness experiences beyond our own, offering new perspectives and fostering connection. 

Whether I'm in the studio or out in the field, I adapt my method to suit the moment. I work to create a relaxed, open environment. I’m mindful of how vulnerable it can feel to be in front of a camera, and I try to honour that by creating space for reflection, connection, and shared storytelling through each image I make. 

/ Website / Instagram / My fondest memory of school...

Four Blows of The Leather

Four Blows of the Leather is an immersive, narrative-driven project exploring the emotional imprint of schooling on Irish male identity. Rooted in personal and collective memory, it focuses on how rigid disciplinary systems and moral dogma in educational institutions have shaped emotional expression, masculinity, and inner conflict. 

At its core are semi-structured interviews, intimate oral histories that reveal stories of camaraderie, repression, vulnerability, and resilience. These reflections are paired with contemporary portraits captured in symbolically charged spaces: disused schools, crumbling classrooms, and abandoned schoolhouses, evoking a haunting sense of past and present. 

The title refers to a common disciplinary ritual, serving as a metaphor for internalized control and emotional suppression. Rather than simply recounting trauma, the work creates space for reflection and healing, offering a redefinition of masculinity. Through sound, image, and story, it prompts viewers to consider how education continues to echo long after we leave its walls. 

My Fondest Memory of School...

"My Fondest Memory of School..." is a photographic exploration of the lasting imprint of schooling on male subjects, examining how these institutions have shaped, and often conflicted with, their emotional development nd life paths. The project explores the tension between moral frameworks instilled in youth and the personal evolution that follows. 

Visually, this project interweaves contemporary portraits with the use of old school pictures, creating a dialogue between past and present. This contrast highlights the innocence of childhood and the complexities that emerge later in life. A heightened emphasis on location places subjects within disused schools and abandoned schoolhouses, evoking a confrontation between institutional influence and personal identity. 

Through this approach, "My Fondest Memory of School..." offers a personal and collective reflection, inviting viewers to consider the psychological impact of education long after its walls have been left behind.