This guide is for you if you want photographs of yourselves in Dublin, not just of Dublin, and are thinking about two hours with a photographer. It covers what to decide before you book: the time of day, the date, what to wear, who comes along, and how to fit the session into the rest of your trip.
Pick the time of day first
Light matters more than anything else here, so think about it when you book. The best-known shot in the city, the white arch of the Ha'penny Bridge over the Liffey, is better early or late than at midday, when the light is flat and hard. The front arch at Trinity gives long light at the right hour, and the photographer knows when that is.
There is a second reason to avoid the middle of the day: other people. Temple Bar is busy, and Tourism Ireland describes it as the part of the city known for its pubs and evening life. Your photographer knows which corners stay quiet, but a session away from the evening crowd gives you more of them.
If you only have one free slot, take it. The route is flexible, and on the day the light decides the order.
Pick the date with care
Two dates make the centre fuller than usual. St Patrick's Festival fills the city every March, and Bloomsday brings celebrations across the centre on 16 June. Both are fun to be in. Neither is ideal if you want clean backgrounds on the bridges and in the old streets. If your trip overlaps with one, book the session on a different day.
Rain is a different matter. Wet cobbles and reflections in the Liffey photograph well, and the session only moves for a real downpour. If that happens, you choose another day. So do not plan around a forecast. Plan around your diary, and leave a spare day later in the trip if you can.
What to wear, and what to bring
This is the only preparation the walk asks of you, so give it ten minutes before you pack.
- Colours that work together. If several of you are in the shots, choose clothes that sit well side by side. Avoid big logos and very fine stripes.
- Layers that look good on their own. A coat you are happy to be photographed in matters in Dublin, because you may keep it on.
- Shoes for cobbles. You walk for two hours, over cobbles at Temple Bar and Trinity.
- A small umbrella. A clear or plain one can end up in the pictures.
- Anything personal. A scarf from home, a team shirt or a ring box. Tell the photographer at the start what it is for.
Who comes, and how many
The session is for up to 8 people, and the price is fixed however many of you come. That opens a few options worth thinking about before you book.
- Couples get two hours of the photographer's attention on the two of them, with posing help that takes the awkwardness out of it.
- Families can bring grandparents and children. With up to 8 people, most families fit in one session, and you leave with a family photograph that has everyone in it, including whoever usually holds the camera.
- Friends travelling together can split one session into group shots and individual portraits.
Two hours on foot suits most people. If someone in your group walks slowly, tell us when you book. You can choose the locations, so ask for places close together.
Fitting it into your trip
Dublin is compact, and Tourism Ireland calls walking one of the best ways to see it, so the meeting point at O'Connell Bridge is easy to reach from most central hotels on foot or by public transport. We send the exact spot and the photographer's number when you book.
Some combinations that work:
- Early in the trip. The gallery arrives by email, usually within three to five days. Book the session early and you will have the photos before you fly home.
- With a car tour on another day. Our Dublin chauffeur tour covers the cathedrals, the castle and Phoenix Park in four hours. The photography walk covers the river, Temple Bar and Trinity on foot. Together they show you most of the centre, from two angles.
- Before a day trip. If you are heading out to Wicklow, the west or the north, keep the walk for a day in the city with no early start.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits couples marking something, families who never appear in their own holiday photos, and anyone who wants pictures of Dublin with them in it. A proposal is also one of the most common reasons people book it; our article on planning a proposal in Dublin explains how that works.
Think twice in these cases:
- You want prints or an album. You get full-resolution digital files, which you can print anywhere, but prints are not included.
- You want a sightseeing tour. The photographer knows the city, but the two hours are built around photographs, not history. For the history, take the chauffeur tour.
- You are more than 8. The session is for up to 8 people, so a larger group does not fit in one.
For everything else to do from Dublin, see the guide to day trips from Dublin.
Questions people ask
We are not used to being photographed. Does it matter?
No. Posing and framing guidance is part of the session, from the first shot to the last.
Can we ask for a place that is not on the route?
Yes. Tell the photographer at the start, or ask for it when you book.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the session
Ask for a morning or late-afternoon session, avoid the festival days if you can, and agree on what everyone wears. Then book on the Dublin photography walking tour page, where the price for the session is shown.
