Research-Giles Norman

Giles Norman.

Giles norman lives in kinsale, co.cork born in 1961 to Belgian and English parents, Giles has lived in kinsale since 1976.

While completing his formal schooling, a chance request to photograph a school project provided him with his first real opportunity to use a camera. this experience proved to be a very positive one and in 1979, he received his first camera for his 18th birthday. by 1981 he had begun creating his first portfolios.
Quickly developing his own distinctive style of black and white photography giles began to successfully sell his black and white photographs to craft shops around Ireland. to support this demand he rented darkroom space in kinsale, where a small window to the street drew a steady stream of visitors. This welcome intrusion convinced him to open his first black and white photography gallery.
By selling work from his earliest portfolios of kinsale, dublin, kerry and west cork, the gallery became successful and gained giles recognition as one of Ireland’s leading black and white photographers.
Going on to add to his collection he returned many times to the west of Ireland photographing the aran islands, clare and galway, while also visiting donegal in the north and wicklow in the east.
Giles made his first trip to paris in 1994, returning again in 1997. in the intervening years he visited venice and florence,this necessitated a move to a larger premises in 1992, which is now home to the complete black and white portfolios of Giles Norman.
while Giles spends much of his time in kinsale he also finds time to add to his portfolios, more recently launched collections include beara, new york and dingle.

Below  picture,
"From the furthermost tip of the beara peninsula to the edge of connemara and further to donegal, these images take us on a journey filled with enigmatic rural landscapes. the irish coast is beautifully captured in photographs that blend wild shores, dramatic clouds and the constant movement of the ocean."

Seagulls, coumeenole beach, dingle, co. kerry, ireland, 2010.

Crashing waves, coumeenole beach with blasket islands in the background, dingle, co. kerry, ireland, 2010.

The style of photoghraphs are documenary they are telling you about the place, his photos give a real feeling of the ruggedness of this coastline and how the sea is a force in it's self, going to Ireland every year as a child I can realate to these Pictures, you can see the whole series on his gallery website of which there are 22 pictures of the same coastline all of which portray the drama of the sea and the beauty of this exceptional coastline. The photographer is inspired by the very landscape where he lives and I cant think of anything better than to everyday see more and more of what is around you.The photos themselves inspire me to take photos of the sea something that I am yet to do.