Weddings award for photographer Rashida Keenan
Local photographer Rashida Keenan scooped a major award when she was named as Photographer of the Year at the Irish Wedding Awards recently.
Originally from Warrenpoint, love brought Rashida to Co Louth when she met and married Cooley man Ivan Keenan and the couple now live just outside Faughart with their two young children, Isaac and Arabella.
‘I grew up with a passion for art and creativity,’ says Rashida. While she considered doing a photography degree at university, she was encouraged by others to pursue a different career path and went on qualify as an occupational therapist. She spent almost ten years working in Louth and Meath, where she was based in the community.
Following the birth of Arabella in September 2014, she began to think about photography again.
‘I was watching my children grow and reach milestones and I felt that I should record these precious times. I lost my own mother while I was still at secondary school something that I found very difficult to except at that time. Losing her made me realise the importance of memories and indeed photographs. I wanted my children to have beautiful memories to look back on. And so for my 31st birthday my husband bought me a camera.’
She took a career break and began studying photography at the Southern Regional College, Newry and also enrolled for an on-line diploma course with the Photography Institute, graduating last spring.
As she began uploading photos onto her Facebook page, she got requests for photo shoots from family and friends, leading to her setting up her own business.
‘I have been in business one year and I honestly can’t believe the response I have received. It has went from strength to strength. My life has completely changed and I’m finally doing something that I love. It definitely doesn’t feel like work.’
Now, just sixteen months after getting her first camera, she has been named as Photographer of the Year at the Irish Wedding Awards.
‘I am absolutely thrilled and would like to thank all those that have shown their support and encouragement,’ she said.