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David Cavan David Cavan

Matthew & Emma // Engagement // Helens Bay

Matthew & Emma had a beautiful wedding the Summer and before they got married I met up with them at Emma's family home and got them used to having their photos taken. Look out for their wedding photos coming in the next of couple of weeks. 

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Personal David Cavan Personal David Cavan

The Cavan Family - Christmas 2016

I HAVE A CRAZY FAMILY

I have known this for a while, but its only in recent years the craziness has reached new levels. 

Mum and Dad raised us really well, they both worked really hard to provide for us, with Dad selling cars and Mum saving lives and then making a small turn and focusing on delivering new life into the world. 

I never remembered a moment where I didn't appreciate their hard work and love for us, but I'm sure there where a few years when my attitude maybe didn't reflect that. 

I have four siblings;

Sarah leads us off, she is wicked smart and kind she is a great person to follow into a room as people glow in her wake. She leads the family to be better, more kind and more thoughtful. She has never been given the luxury in our family to take herself to seriously, and she seems ok with that. She is married to Simon, a family loving, whiskey drinking, creative rockstar who tours the world playing music to thousands of people. Simon has added a lot to our family, most importantly, now, as of this year, landed himself the job of cooking the extended family christmas dinner, as he SMASHED it this year. They have the youngest of mum and dads grandchildren, Elliot, who has to be experienced. He's a beautiful addition to our family, bringing light, noise and dinosaurs in abundance. When Elliot does something, he does it right. Watch this space world. 

Victoria follows Sarah. Victoria is a trailblazer, a rule breaker and has one of the kindest hearts that I know. She was married to my brilliant and hilarious brother in law Peter for 12 years or so before they recently got a divorce. They have 3 children, the first three grandchildren for mum and dad, and parent them brilliantly through what has been a rough few years for everyone involved. Eve is beautiful young lady, who is the first to run up and give you a hug, even if thats when your in her school doing school photos. She loves deeply and is deeply loved in return. In May when I was taking the photos of hockey and rugby teams at her school, I made it crystal clear my feelings for Eve and everyone had to treat her with love and respect, much to her understandable embarrassment, but what else should a proud uncle do in those situations. Joel is a superstar and the definition of still waters run deep. A very talented sportsman with an exciting future ahead of him, watching him grow and mature requires close attention, as patience is the key when getting to know the real him. Finn is a monkey, who has the sort of look on his face the majority of the time that is a constant reminder that he is up to no good. A wonderful sense of fun and brilliant sense of humour, matched with a stern frustration with me when I wind him up, especially when he's tired. Victoria is a brilliant midwife, following in the footsteps of mum. Victoria is going out with Melissa, whose kind stillness brings a sense of peace to our crazy family occasions. 

After I was born, I think mum and dad must of sat down and had a discussion, looked at all they had with the first three, and plotted to fill in the gaps with one person, a final jigsaw piece, the beautiful hurricane that is my little brother, Matthew. Matthew has brought so much energy and life to our family, that mixed with a fair few moments of concern and worry, however I think he did that just to remind us how boring our family would be without him. I am planning in 2017 to do a documentary about this Matthew as his story and life is something that constantly intrigues me. If you are the sort of person that is too lazy to get to know people and just know of them through their labels, you would have a field day with this one. Currently single, gay, HIV+ actor and drag queen who has been given more grief about who he is than most people I know. When you set these labels down and find out who the human being is, you'll find a beautifully complex young man, who has the ability to captivate a room at the drop of a hat [of which he has many]. A young man who no matter what life throws at him, as the internal strength to throw back the middle finger and continue being who he was made to be. Now does this human being frustrate the life out of me? Yes of course but is that not one of the main roles in being a little brother. He is a young man I am immensely proud of. Whether on stage as his brash drag alter-ego Cherrie Ontop [I roll my eyes every time I say that name out loud] , or off stage as Matthew Cavan, my pride does not dwindle. 

Our family is headed up by our visionary without sight, my Granny, better known to most as Nessa, or Nenna to the great grand children. An old blind lady who makes up for all that she lacks, mainly her sight, with an incredible determination to live a 'normal' life. She can recount carrying her guide dog through broken glass ridden streets of Belfast, in the aftermath of a fresh bomb, so that the dog didn't cut its paws. A lady who went blind at 22 and proceeded to becoming a mother, raise two children, play a big part in raising her 6 grand children and is still going strong. I challenge anyone who meets Granny, to start a conversation with her and not be smiling from ear to ear within the first few moments. Granny's lack of sight has been a massive part of our lives growing up, however, in Granny, someone who has not seen her own refection in 60+ years, I don't know if I have ever met anyone who could see so clearly who she was, and the others around her. I have memories of her gentling moving her hands across my face as she drew her mental picture of what I looked like. However, even more impressively, I would ring her regularly growing up and within seconds of her answering the phone with the consistent Heeeeellllo, she could tell when something was wrong and like a magician it only took a further few minutes before I was opening up to her. 

Mum and Dad within 2 weeks of each other retired before Christmas. So during our Christmas meal, the Thursday before Christmas, we made sure we recognised this moment in their lives that hopefully allows them some of the luxuries they have provided for us over our lifetime. 

Oh my family life is a mess! A TRUE MESS! We have definitely taken the path less travelled in our ever changing formation. A night with our family you might see this in reality, you might see the personalities I've described, you might see what my wee family brings to the mix through Julie's warmth, and Reuben and Ollie's gentle joy, you might see the scars from years of pain and heart ache, you might see the laughter lines of each face, you might see people stretching over each other, sitting on each others knees, holding hands, and you might see the space people have left behind as they move on that we refuse to fill. 

Family is tough, you don't choose these crazy folk, you can't control everything they do or what happens.

But let me tell you, they are my crazy folk, they are my mess, and I love it! I love them in the way something you love makes you laugh til you cry, cry til you laugh. 

I have watched love in action all my life;

I have watched a broken Mum walk side by side with her son through Pride parades in Belfast, walking that bit closer as they walked past the righteous group protesting the outrage of the event. 

I have watched a Dad not skip a heart beat in offering me everything and anything I needed. 

I have watched Sarah listen, and quietly guide ALL of us through really tough times in our lives. 

I have watched Victoria in work, sitting beside a grieving mother of a still born, giving her comfort in her silent companionship. 

I have watched a baby brother stand there when people around him take turns in telling him how much of a 'fuck up' he is and how his 'lifestyle' disgusts them and then watch him try and stay true and positive to himself. 

And these are only a few counts of times I have been overwhelmed with pride for my family. 

Just before Christmas we had the rare chance of getting everyone in the room at the same time. 

This is my family. 

I am proud to be a Cavan. 


THE MAN HATTER: 
Have I gone mad?
ALICE: 
I am afraid so, you're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret, ALL THE BEST PEOPLE ARE

Lewis Carroll - Alice in Wonderland


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Wedding David Cavan Wedding David Cavan

Thomas & Jude // Virginia Park Lodge // Ireland

It would be a rare and unfortunate wedding, where the bride and/or groom don't show some sort of excitement to get married, but when it comes to the most amount of excitement to get married, I think these two take the prize.

Thomas & Jude planned their day down to the smallest of details, from mix CD's for people to take with them in the car for the long journey down to the beautiful Virginia Park Lodge, to have their first dance outside with sparklers, everything was thought through and was beautifully presented with style and class.

What a great day to celebrate these two getting married during the summer. Thomas I have known for a while not only as manager for David C Clements, who I have worked closely with over the last 18 months, and Callum Stewart, another local singer songwriter I have done some work with, but he is also the drummer in one of my favourite wedding bands, The Gents. Jude on the other hand I knew a bit less but her circle of friends I know slightly better, if her friends where anything to go by, I knew Thomas had found himself a keeper. I think you will be able to see for yourself, just how much fun they had! 

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Ross & Louise // Chateau De Saint-Martory // France

Life has a strange way of coming full circle, when you leave school you say goodbye to people, knowing you may see them every now and again but you realise there may be a chance your lives go off in different directions. 

I can remember in school when Ross & Louise started going out. I was a few years above them and as things are in school days, the news was a big deal. 

Fast forward ten or so years and I get a lovely email from Louise telling me that Ross proposed and they where planning a wedding in France. They had been to the venue, an old Chateau, and had a massive party planned. So they booked Chateau de Saint Martory and it was an absolute honour to then be asked to fly out and do my best to try and take photos that did the wedding and the beautiful surroundings justice. Starting out with the White Night Party the night before, to the wedding party that went on to 4am and everything else in between, including a special trip to a sunflower field! 

If you would like to get married in a French castle, please check out Chateau de Saint-Martory

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Adam & Hannah // Slieve Donard // Winter Wedding

Adam & Hannah // Slieve Donard

When you get emails from couples enquiring about the potential of you doing the photography at your wedding, you never know who they may be. 

But when they say they got your name from friends of theirs, and it turns out their friends are some of the best people you know on this earth, you started to get excited. It did not disappoint. 

Adam & Hannah // Slieve Donard

When you get emails from couples enquiring about the potential of you doing the photography at your wedding, you never know who they may be. 

But when they say they got your name from friends of theirs, and it turns out their friends are some of the best people you know on this earth, you started to get excited. It did not disappoint. 

Venue: Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, Co Down, Northern Ireland

Make Up: Deborah Harper Make Up & Beauty

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David Cavan David Cavan

Meet Selena // Tearfund

There was a moment in Malawi that I won't forget. A moment that makes me cringe at the thoughts that went through my head. 

We had been filming and gathering stories all day, it was hot, and it had been a really frustrating start to the day and I was feeling it. When we first landed in Malawi we wanted to find a story that best told of what we saw. We saw huge devastation to the land and lives of the people who relied on it. However, over the first few days, we couldn't find the right jigsaw piece; the story that would best translate what was going on, on the ground. 

As our final day of filming was coming to a close, Trywell, our amazing Malawian host [man at the start of the film] brought us to see a lady that he knew. Her name was Selena. We got everything set up for the interview on camera. A secondary camera had been set up and it was good to go.  As I set up the main interview camera I set the frame of the shot and paused. I looked through the camera at Selena who was sitting there composing herself.  For some reason I knew this would be our story even though I had no knowledge of this lady. We rolled the cameras and below is the story we got. 

Selena was incredible. Her story speaks for itself and as we listened to her it was clear just how strong and determined she was even though she was fighting against the odds trying to make things right for her family. 

As I finished up the shots of Selena and prepared to head out two things happened.

First I had the immediate sense of outrage like a pressing sense of the injustice, followed shortly [too shortly] by a sense of that if I just forgot what I saw then my life didn't  have to change one bit. 

I can remember being horrified at myself as we packed up the van and said our goodbyes to the village. I closed the door on the van as the kids surrounded us and I remember the weird sense of relief that I felt when I closed the door and got back into the air conditioned van. There was now a physical barrier between me and the horror that I had experienced. 

It's not the first time I have been faced with stories and realities that I struggle to process, and my reaction has been cold. 

I can remember filming stories of people on the Syrian boarder telling us how their children had been killed or other family members and I felt nothing.

I have thought about this feeling long and hard in an attempt to understand it. There is clear evidence that I am deeply affected by the stories and realities that I have experienced during trips to countries around the world, but understanding this numb feeling has brought me to the conclusion that when I experience something in life where I have the option of putting distance between me and the reality, I will pick that. My reality was that I was getting back into a air conditioned car and was able to fly home to the comfortable life that I had created around me. 

The comfort I have created in my life is like a drug. A drug that I have become addicted too. A drug that is robbing me of true connection with the world around me because surely if I wasn't so addicted to the comfort around me, when I experienced the realities of the people that I met in Malawi, my life would be forced to change? Do I really want that? 

The differences between Selena's reality and mine are VAST. However, what I have found is that the source of a lot of the differences are choice. I have the choice to jump into a car and forget about what is going on. I have the choice to ignore that people's lives are being destroyed by violence in Syria. I have the choice to go wrap myself up in comfort. Selena and millions of people around the world through no fault of their own have no choice but to live the life that they have been given, so whenever her crops fail due to unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change, the only choice is to find, something, ANYTHING, that will give some sense of nutrition to her family.

The choices I make in my life might be good choices for me and for my family, but how can I make choices that affect the people around the world whose choices are extremely limited? How different would my life look if for one year in 2017 I challenged myself to make smarter choices, choices that go beyond my need for comfort but seek to change the lives of others around the world. Not to be a hero, far from it, Selena is way more of a hero here, but if I start to get my head around the fact that I have choices in life that negatively affect people around the world like Selena, SURELY I should be trying to do something about it. 

In 2017 the choice I will be making is to live my life in a way that positively affects others. Challenging myself out of the comfort, challenging myself to show true care, not just the sort of care that sounds good. 

“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
— Albert Einstein
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Malawi // Tearfund

In April this year I travelled out to Malawi to document how the changing weather patterns across the world are effecting the poorest communities. 

I went out to shoot a film about what I saw and come back with some stories. I will post the film in tomorrows blog but here are a number of stills that I got from all too short time in the beautiful country of Malawi. 

Malawi was one country I had heard LOTS about but never been too, as my mum did part of her study in her academic journey to move from being a nurse to a midwife. At the time, Mum being in Malawi meant one thing to me... I had unlimited access to her car and I could treat it like my own. A few days into having this access, when I had parked the car on a street to head into my work to complete a shift in a local clothes store, I get news that the car had been burnt out. So the memory of Mum being away is a vivid one. I also remember when she came home I would wind her up [nothing strange there] that if anyone spent longer than 30 secs in our house, she would get the Malawi pictures out. 

A few hours after landing I started the see why it had such an impact on my mum. First thing I notice when I get to a place are the people, they are what interest me, not always the landscape or the surroundings. The Malawian people we met as soon as we arrived made it clear the trip was going to be a memorable one. 

In tomorrows post I will share more about the specific stories of how the changing weather patterns are having a negative effect on the ground in especially the rural communities in Malawi. 

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Music David Cavan Music David Cavan

Foy Vance // Ulster Hall, Belfast // 5th December 2016

My first full time job was a youth worker in a church in Bangor. I remember being there for a week or so whenever I heard a song come on someones iPod that I recognised but had never heard the voice before...

My first full time job was a youth worker in a church in Bangor. I remember being there for a week or so whenever I heard a song come on someones iPod that I recognised but had never heard the voice before. 

'She was more like a beauty queen, from a movie scene'

I was mesmerised and kept hitting repeat. When I enquired about who this guy was singing Billie Jean, I felt like I was being let into a Bangor secret. 

Don't know if this mans' talent was ever a secret or I was just late to the party but I have been following and loving the music of Foy Vance ever since. 

After being in touch with his management I was invited down last Monday night to the Ulster Hall to photograph the whole night from start to finish including getting photos of the band with their final Movember efforts [well done lads]

This was the first of a two show run in the Ulster Hall, the second being tonight of  Foy's three studio albums; his latest, The Wild Swan, is the one I have given least attention to. I don't know why. I just wasn't getting it.

When Foy plays live, he creates an energy in the room that few others can. I have experienced this energy many times. One of my favourites was a surprise Christmas gig he did in a brilliant small pub/club in Belfast called The Menagerie. It was once owned by local DJ and producer David Holmes. During the build up to the gig there was music being played over the sound system that really moved me, I remember going up to the sound guy [who I then later realised was David Holmes himself] and asking what the music was and he, full of animation told me it was a small singer songwriter from America he had been introduced to called Bon Iver. He told me to go buy his new album 'For Emma, forever ago'. So the night after I called into HMV in Belfast and picked up the CD and it has been one my most played albums ever. 

Both Bon Iver and Foy have moved their music careers forward both in the creation of music and in public recognition.

Monday I was honoured to witness the best Foy show I have ever seen on almost every level. The size of the venue [sold out over two nights], THE BAND, the production, the arrangement, song selection, support acts [Dana Masters & Ryan McMullan], crowd... etc etc.

People who are heading into Belfast tonight to see the final show of a long tour leg are in for an early Christmas gift. A gift FULL of emotion, passion and traditional Foy humour. 

The Wild Swan has been an ever present sound in my ears this week, with a feeling that the trick that I missed on its initial release, I have finally caught the heart of it at this show. I now with slight embarrassment say, I get it! 

Let me carry your burden
Get you back on a high when you’re feeling low
When the weight’s too heavy but you won’t let go
— Foy Vance - Burden

[Make sure you are there for the support, as its been hand picked by Foy due to raw talent]

Credits & thanks to...

Foy Vance - Headline Act

Dana Masters - Support Act

Ryan McMullan - Support Act 

Lee Mitchell - Tour Manager 

Ulster Hall - Venue

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Family David Cavan Family David Cavan

A deafening silence.

When you are a photographer you get asked to be present and capture some of the most important moments in peoples lives. In these moments, you become acutely aware of the emotions in the room, you are looking for verbal or more often than not, non verbal cues to give you the opportunity to be in the best position to take the picture that most poignantly captures what is happening...

When you are a photographer you get asked to be present and capture some of the most important moments in peoples lives. In these moments, you become acutely aware of the emotions in the room, you are looking for verbal or more often than not, non verbal cues to give you the opportunity to be in the best position to take the picture that most poignantly captures what is happening.

Towards the end of October, during a wedding I was photographing, I sat down to dinner, with most of my days work finished, my mind started racing with all the last minute things I'd yet to do before flying to LA the next morning with work.  My whirring thoughts were interrupted by a text from my sister Victoria. She was wondering what I was doing. Not realising I was getting on a flight first thing, she was contacting me to see if there was any chance of me coming down to her work in Belfast to take some photos of her friend.  

At this point I should mention my sister is a midwife and this friend had just given birth to a little baby boy called Padraig earlier that day. 

Two days earlier the family had been given the devastating news that they couldn't find a heartbeat. 

Briege, Padraigs very brave Mum still had the unimaginable task of delivering him. 

He was delivered the afternoon and I said to my sister the only time I could do was late that night. So after finishing the wedding in Bushmills, I jumped in the car.  The whole 50 miles I spent trying to get my head around how Briege and Mario must be feeling. 

I was acutely aware of the privilege and the pain of being invited to photograph the wee man before his Mum and Dad had to say goodbye to his little body. 

The moment I stepped into the room, the silence was deafening. 

Vicky and myself spent the next hour with him and his amazing Mum and Dad. I sat and listened, trying to understand how they must be feeling and only coming inadequately close as I tried to place myself in their shoes. On a couple of occasions the silence was pierced with the faint noise of a baby waking in the room next to the private room we sat in, bringing into stark contrast the silence of our room. 

I have always been a big fan of the work my Mum (who is also a midwife) and sister do, aiding new life into this world everyday. That night though I swoll with admiration & pride for the amazing work they (that is often unheard and unseen) when things don't go right for new parents.

I often get to be part of the very best and brightest days in people lives, the family reunions, the first dances, the vows, the smiles and I get to share a little in their joy.  And that stays with me.

But etched in a deeper part of me still, is the honour of being allowed into that sacred silent space of saying goodbye, to capture the courage of loving parents to face into the unimaginable.  And what a privilege to have got to see with my own eyes, little Padraig.

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David C. Clements // The Empire Music Hall // Belfast December 2015

The week leading up to Christmas I continued working with David C. Clements in the lead up to his album launch in February at a very memorable  gig in The Empire Music Hall...

The week leading up to Christmas I continued working with David C. Clements in the lead up to his album launch in February at a very memorable  gig in The Empire Music Hall.

I had the opportunity to document the whole night and a lot of fun doing it.

Massive shoutouts have to go to:

Thomas at Old Fang.

Ian Jordan and everyone who fought against a temperamental in house sound system all night.

Jaime Niesh for his beautiful support performance.

and 

DCC and all his team. Incredible night. 

This debut album 'Longest Day in History' comes out on the 19 February, you can pre order it by clicking on the album cover below. He will also be playing an album launch show on the 11th March in Belfast click HERE for more details.

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