Behind the Image - It’s not called catching its called fishing.

It’s not called catching its called fishing

AUG 2025: Holiday is West Cork is one of the highlights of my year. With two young(ish) kids in tow The Warren Beech at Rosscarbery has become our go to swimming spot these last few years. On our first evening there we went down to the beech as the tide had started to recede.

We have a spot we always go two alongside one of the breakwaters and not too far away from us on this occasion I spotted two fishermen. It was unusual to see them given this beech would not be a place where you would normally find fishermen. They would normally be out along the nearby pier or indeed fishing off the rocks.

While I was there trying to improve my long exposure photography skills I saw one of these fine gents coming towards me. My first thought was that I hoped we hadn’t disturbed their lines but after some introductions these fine gents had a simple request. “What would I charge to take a photo of the two friends together.”

My reply was simple. “It would cost you nothing I would be happy to do it.” We got talking and over the half hour chats I realised these guys were just like me. Fishing to them is what photography is to me. It’s time to unwind, destress and just enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. They don’t always catch something pretty much the same way I dont always shoot a great photo. It is not always about the catch or the photo it is about the chase and the enjoyment of it.

What made this chance encounter even more memorable is that these two gentlemen have been friends for life and fishing is their thing together. A recent heart attack for one of the lads made them realise that after all these years they have never had a photo taken of them together doing what they love.

It was such an honour for me to take a series of shots for them and talk to them about what fishing means to them and photography means to me. We certainly found a lot of common ground.

Afterall it’s not called catching it’s called fishing.

OM System OM1 MK11 / OM System 8mm-25mm F4.0 Pro.