Remain in Light Photography (Mairéad McDaid)

Knowing your signature voice and style is half the battle when it comes to being a successful wedding photographer. “I’d say I’m a mix of fine-art and documentary photography,” says Mairéad McDaid, “using creative portraiture for the posed and intimate photographs, and documentary for all the moments in between.”

For the documentary shots, McDaid says the most important thing is to get into the flow of the day—”chat and laugh with the couple and the guests, and feel when and where the emotions are high.” Also important, she adds, are portraits of the bride and groom on their own. “I love to imagine generations to come looking at these photos in 100 years and thinking ‘Wow, my great-grand-x was so cool.”

Two of her biggest visual inspirations are films and record covers. “I studied film in university and devote a lot of time to watching movies with my husband. I also love collecting vinyl and have absorbed these types of images into my work.”

Check out the official announcement of this year’s 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography, along with the editors’ observations on the list of 2021.