October 2, 2014

Don’t Give Up.

For years I’ve admired their work from the other side of the atlantic. It’s not just their work I admire – it’s their ethos, their way of story telling and recording peoples lives. These people are The Parsons. Ashley and Jeremy to be precise. I first met them when Dee and I attended their Don’t Give Up workshop in Belfast back in early January of this year. The two days at that workshop to some extent changed my life and Dee thought the very same. We came away feeling refreshed and with a different outlook and perspective on not just wedding photography but on what it means to be a photographer. The Don’t Give Up poster is framed and positioned over our kitchen table so we are reminded of their message on a daily basis.
At the end of those two days in Belfast Ashley and Jeremy told us that if we are ever to visit the states then we must come and stay in their home in Kansas City – which is exactly what we did in June just a few months ago. And on that night in June sitting on their front porch we told them that they must return to Ireland one day and hold another workshop as we know of so many people who would benefit from it. Just three months later and they are standing at our doorstep in Kilkenny and just a day away from the Dublin Don’t Give Up workshop. Amazing.
We took them to Dunmore East for some sea air, fish n chips and guinness. A proper Irish welcome. The next two days were spent in Dublin amongst some old friends and new friends as we listened and learned from these two great people and then topped it all off with a proper Irish farewell in a Dublin pub.
Until the next time folks.

ashley and jeremy arrive at our front door dunmore east bay ash and jeremy parsons dunmore east bay a family enjoying fish and chips ash and jeremy parsons dunmore east bay dee at dunmore east bay dee and the dog at dunmore east bayash and jeremy parsons dunmore east bay ash and jeremy parsons dunmore east bay ash and jeremy parsons dunmore east bay ash and jeremy parsons dunmore east bay ash and jeremy parsons dunmore east bay dee at dunmore east bay ashley parsons at dunmore east ashley parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0018 dontgiveup_0019 dontgiveup_0020
ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore eastashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore eastjeremy parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0025
jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley parsons at dunmore east ashley parsons at dunmore east ashley parsons at dunmore east ashley parsons at dunmore eastashley parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0036 jeremy parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0038 dontgiveup_0039 jeremy parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0041 dontgiveup_0042 jeremy parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0044 jeremy parsons at dunmore eastjeremy parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0048 dontgiveup_0049 dontgiveup_0050 dontgiveup_0051 dontgiveup_0052dontgiveup_0054 ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore eastashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east jeremy parsons at dunmore eastdontgiveup_0060 dontgiveup_0061 dontgiveup_0062 ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0065 ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore eastdontgiveup_0069 ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east dramatic skies dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0077 dontgiveup_0078ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore eastashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley and jeremy parsons at dunmore east ashley parsons at dunmore east dontgiveup_0088 dee mcclelland at dunmore east wild berries on cliff top at dunmore east evening slies dunmore east jeremy parsons playingdontgiveup_0095 don't give up table kilkenny with the parsons jeremy parsons playing ashley and jeremy parsons calling homeashley and jeremy parsons calling homeashley and jeremy parsons calling home ashley and jeremy parsons calling home ashley and jeremy parsons calling homeashley and jeremy parsons calling home ashley and jeremy parsons calling homeashley and jeremy parsons calling home ashley and jeremy parsons calling homedontgiveup_0116 Don't Give Up Workshop Dublin Crowdfinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline dontgiveup_0180final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline final night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dublinefinal night fun at the don't give up workshop in dubline