Late nights, bright lights

Have you ever awoken with a heavy head after a messy night out, only to recall later your ridiculous posing in front of the bar photographer?

Unfortunately for you, I remember it all too well, and probably enjoyed your silly drunken antics.

For over six years my work as a bar photographer bore witness to the highs and lows of Omagh’s nightlife, and when I tell you I’ve seen everything – I mean it.

It certainly isn’t an easy job, contrary to common belief. “Sure it’s just taking wee photos,” is something I’ve heard a lot, but that’s really only the surface.

Alongside the late hours, editing time and maintenance of equipment, the crux of the job is dealing with the intoxicated public – though this can also be the most enjoyable aspect, some of the time.

You get many different types of drunk people: The happy type, the comedians, the sob story tellers, the fussy ones, the nuisances and the outright hateful people.

For obvious reasons the preferred bar models are the giddy types and comedians, as they made the best photos. They are more than happy to have a joke and create the more interesting photos.

One time, whilst working in a nightclub, a slightly larger man approached me whilst I was perched on a platform. He had the look on his face that he wanted a photo, so I primed my camera in his direction. However just as I was pressing down on the shutter release he lifted his shirt, exposing his bulbous belly in shock-horror fashion.

I obviously deleted the photo, after a good laugh, but it was interesting to see his comedic approach to art.

Another time a group of farming men saw my presence as a great opportunity to show off their tattoos. However these weren’t just any normal arm or chest tattoos, these ranchers wanted to show me their branded buttock tattoos. They were absolutely adamant that I photographed their unsavoury behinds to show off their hilarious markings. The branding of a cow came to mind.

At the same time, as there are various photographic comedians, there are just as many, if not more, fussy people who are unhappy with any attempts to take their photo.

What these people don’t realise is that the camera is not a magic device that can replicate a desired look. It is instead the only true unfiltered image not tainted by preferred perfection.

All too often I have taken up to six photos, all in different ways, only to be met with the classic lines, “Take it again that’s wile looking,” or my favourite, “You’re an awful photographer for making me look bad.”

The nuisances and sob-story-tellers can be categorised into one group, depending on how many times they’ve sobbed to you. I actively avoided these people, not out of any apathy, but because it was usually circa 2am and I was trying to get a job done and the last thing I needed to listen to was the same story from two weeks ago.

One particular nuisance comes to mind, an older man who would come in and ask for the same set of photos and then constantly beg to get on to the DJ booth. He was an absolute nightmare as he would chase me down throughout the bar to get the same posed photo.

Another nuisance I would have actively hidden from was a younger man and I can’t even tell you what he would yap about, because his voice became white noise after some time.

What I do recall, is that he had no sense of personal space, and after taking drink onboard he would stand toe to toe, spitting on every syllable. Again, like the first man, he would ask for the same photo every time.

It goes without saying, as I imagine anyone who has been in a bar knows, that alcohol can make some people into nasty pieces of work.

All too often the short, bespectacled man with a camera became a victim for these degenerates.

Despite my work being completely innocent and courteous, I’ve had glasses and cigarettes thrown at me, I’ve had a drinks poured over me; I’ve been hit, and attempts to damage my camera made, all in the name of people who can’t handle their drink.

I could never understand why anyone would go to the bother of spending their weekends making bar staff, who are there only to facilitate people’s nights out, miserable.

Credit to the doorstaff in these establishments, who receive the worst of the treatment, they ensure that the perpetrators of disturbance are swiftly and justly ejected from the sites.

I have enjoyed my six years as a bar photographer. I’ve had some great nights and met some amazing people, whether they be DJs, bouncers, bar staff or members of the public who have made my night.

However in recent times I have become semi-retired, as I’ve grown fond of my precious weekends.

There is only so long you can sacrifice your own free time for other people’s enjoyment.

I only hope that people look back on the photos I’ve taken over the years and appreciate the sentimental value I captured for them on their nights out.