Peter Maguire is a Dublin-based accountant with some serious knack for photography. He has pointed his camera and trained his eye at almost everything, from landscape to astro, but he’s mostly known for taking cityscape shots in Dublin. Last year, he won Huawei Creatives 2018 Instagram Photography Competition capturing a  stunning view of rowers on the river Liffey at sunrise. After discovering his work, we decided to message him to see if he would be interested in answering a few questions about his creative pursuit.

In your opinion, how important is having a unique style as a photographer? How would you describe your style? 

Rowers on the River Liffey, Dublin. Photograph by Peter Maguire, used with permission from the creator.

It depends on what you want out of photography really. If you’re just shooting for social media it’s quite important as the likes of Instagram are very saturated and a personal style is usually needed if you want to stand out from the crowd. If you’re just starting out as a photographer, I’d place more emphasis on learning about correct exposure, composition, etc., and then develop your style afterwards. I don’t think I have a certain editing style to my photos that would make you associate a photo with me, I like to try and learn different editing styles. One thing I always try and go for in my shots though is a lot of depth. I usually get this by having leading lines or different layers in the shot, and I think that is probably my personal style/signature if you want to call it that!

Which photographers influenced you, and how did they influence your thinking, photographing, and career path?

Rainbow over Howth inspired by Galen Rowell. Photograph by Peter Maguire, used with permission from the creator.

I’ve been influenced by many photographers, but the ones that really stood out for me are Galen Rowell (check out his Rainbow over the Potala Palace shot) and Chris Burkard, for their stunning landscape photos. Their images have such amazing colour and depth, and the composition is always spot on. They really made me think about how to get as much depth as possible into a shot, and for me, that’s what elevates a picture from being just a snapshot to a photograph.

According to you, what makes a good picture stand out from the average?

Glendalough, Ireland. Photograph by Peter Maguire, used with permission from the creator.

A good picture for me is one that challenges me as a photographer, one that makes me stop and wonder how another photographer has achieved their shot, whether it be their composition, or how they’ve edited it, etc. It’s a great way of learning.

What’s the one piece of photo gear you couldn’t live without?

Wooden Bridge, Dublin, Ireland. Photograph by Peter Maguire, used with permission from the creator.

Definitely my Leofoto LS-223C mini tripod. I can fit it in any backpack and it’s really sturdy. I do most of my shooting around Dublin city centre at the moment and that tripod is perfect for it as it saves me from having to lug around a big heavy tripod all the time.

Do you have a single favourite photo you have taken so far? Could you explain the background story behind it?

The Remarkables, Queenstown, New Zealand. Photograph by Peter Maguire, used with permission from the creator.

I think this is probably my favourite photo that I’ve taken. It’s was taken from the Remarkables in Queenstown, New Zealand at sunset with my old Nikon D3300. The lighting was amazing and that place is just incredible. Can’t wait to go back there again some day!

Any final words of advice or encouragement to aspiring photographers out there?

The Custom House, Dublin, Ireland. Photograph by Peter Maguire, used with permission from the creator.

The best way to learn is by getting out with your camera and shooting. You’ll get to know your camera better so everything becomes second nature with it and you’ll also get a feel for different lighting and different environments. It’s the only way to improve.

Thanks for reading this interview with Peter Maguire. Be sure to follow him on Instagram here. Feel free to let us know of any other Instagram creatives you would like us to reach out to in the comments below. If you’re a photographer yourself and want to be featured on our blog, please contact us at [email protected].

All photos used in this post are © Peter Maguire, used with permission. Use of any content from this page, for any purpose, is strictly forbidden.

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