Ruth McGinley, Yoga master...

Had the great privilege of photographing world-renowned classical pianist Ruth McGinley for Hidden Lives this week. Ruth, who jets all over the world for performances, likes to chill out with a little yoga in her spare time. I captured her at home, atop her piano, practicing her yoga moves instead of her concertos...

Raymond McCartney, sports fan

Met with Raymond McCartney and his family this week for Hidden Lives. Raymond, a Sinn Fein councillor, is mad about sports and I captured him and his son in their garden playing the beautiful game. If Stephen Kenny ever quits Derry City FC could be looking at their new manager, judging by the expertise of these headers...

Pól Callaghan, new dad

Had the honour of photographing MLA Pól Callaghan and his baby girl Blaithnaid up at the studio for this week's Derry Journal Hidden Lives. Pól, his wife Fiona and their beautiful girl dropped in for the snap at the weekend in between Pól's full-on canvassing schedule ahead of the elections. Blaithnaid, just five months old, takes up all her Daddy's time away from the world of politics.

Declan McLaughlin, Environmenal man...

Met local singer/songwriter Declan McLaughlin this week for the Hidden Lives feature. Everyone knows Declan as one of the north's finest musicians. But when he's not onstage he can be found boosting the environment around the Bogside and Brandywell with street art. I snapped him here, beside the flyover, with one of the environmental murals he painted alongside local kids.

Martina Anderson, carer

Had the honour of photographing Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson alongside her mum this week for Hidden Lives. When Martina isn't in the corridors of power at Stormont she's at home, caring for her mum alongside her family.

Dan Pinta Quigley, personal trainer

Met World Champion Kickboxer Daniel Quigley last week for Hidden Lives. Dan, or Pinta as he's known to his mates, spends every spare minute he has training others in the martial arts which have made him a household name. He's still buzzing from his big win a few weeks back but managed to spare me a few minutes for a picture before his class at the Lifford Gym he works in.

Mickey McGuinness, bridge builder...

Met local historian Mickey McGuinness this week for Hidden Lives. I took him to the windy waterfront walkway along the Foyle to capture him beside the statues of the emigrating Derry folk. Mickey's hidden passion is building bridges to Canada, and in particular New Brunswick, were many Irish folk would have disembarked after sailing to Canada from Derry Port.
Mickey's a really interesting character, a wealth of knowledge on emigration and Derry history and a great portrait subject. Check out his feature in today's Derry Journal.

Peter Doherty, movie maker

Had the pleasure of putting cameraman Peter Doherty on the other side of the lens this week for the Derry Journal's Hidden Lives. Peter, who spends his working life chasing news stories for RTE, can't leave his camera down and spends his spare time making films. A love of film making started when he was a kid and carried him through to his teens where his experience behind the lens landed him the job he's now renowned for.

Wile Man, actor

Shot Wile Man this week for the Journal's Hidden Lives feature. The wisecraking wordsmith is well used to being the centre of attention being one of Ireland's finest rappers and, never one to stray far from the stage, his hidden passion is acting. We shot his portrait at the Context Art Gallery at the Playhouse. Thanks to JR and Grainne McLaughlin for the loan of the skull!

Anna Quigley, clothes designer

Had Q102's Anna Quigley at the studio this week for the Derry Journal's Hidden Lives feature. Anna, who started off her career working with us on our ID magazine a few years ago, is well-known in Derry as a radio presenter. In her spare time she designs and alters vintage clothes so we got her at the studio with some of her creations.

Phil Cunningham, Painter

Had the pleasure this week of meet fellow photographer and Guildhall Press author Phil Cunningham. In between his writing Phil captures the landscape around Derry and Donegal on canvas. He first became interested in painting after retiring from Arntz in Pennyburn. Being a naturally creative man and with a lot more time on his hands he put his talents to painting, spending more than enough money on materials before settling with watercolours as his medium.
His work is stunning, and sought after around the world.
I captured him here at home, in a self portrait of sorts, surrounded by his paintings.

Pat Ramsay, man of faith

Had the pleasure of meeting the SDLP's Pat Ramsey this week for the Derry Journal's Hidden Lives. Pat is a member of the Cursillo group up at Termonbacca and his faith is very important to him. I captured him in the chapel at Termonbacca in a brief moment of peace in his head-spinningly busy schedule. In a radical move, we steered off the black and white photograph road and went for colour this week, what do you think?

Niall McCaughan, photographer

Photographed the Playhouse's Niall McCaughan this week for the Journal's Hidden Lives feature. Niall, who is a champion of artistic development in our city, has a passion for photography when he's not running the Playhouse. I captured him here, in the ballet room of the Playhouse... the man in the mirror.

Margaret Keys, Stargazer

Had world-famous Derry-born singer Margaret Keys up at the studio this week for a shoot as part of the Derry Journal's Hidden Lives feature. Margaret loves old movies and spends her time, that is when she's not jetting all over the world entertaining thousands with her music, delving into the lives of 50s and 60s movie stars. Audrey Hepburn is her favourite starlet so we attempted to capture some of that old Hollywood spirit in this shoot.

Marie-Louise Muir, singer

Snapped the BBC's Marie–Louise Muir at Radio Foyle for this week's Journal Hidden Lives. The Derry-born girl spends most of the time in my home town of Belfast presenting Arts Extra on Radio Ulster, but heads down the road to bring it from Derry on Wednesdays.
Her hobby is singing and she spends her spare time raising the rafters with an easy listening group called the Swingals.
There's no doubt music is in her blood. I met with her Mum Carita Kerr, who was up at Radio Foyle during the shoot, who told me all about her days as an opera singer. Very talented family...

Martin McCrossan, tour guide, swimmer..

Had to get up early to snap Martin McCrossan for the Derry Journal's Hidden Lives feature this week. The man, who is without a doubt Derry's best ambassador, gets up at 6am every morning for his daily swim. His schedule is so packed that this was the only time I could catch him for a photo. So at an unGodly hour of last Sunday morning, while the rest of you slumbered peacefully in your beds, I met the legend that is Martin McCrossan at his local pool for a picture, and this is the result.

JR McLaughlin, Artist

Snapped Children in Crossfire's John Ryan McLaughlin this week for the Derry Journal's Hidden Lives. John Ryan, or JR as he is more better known as, fine tuned his artistic flair at St Columb's and art college in Newcastle and London.
JR realised on a trip to Mozambique a few years ago – where he taught art to street children – that he could combine his two passions to make a difference and turned his attention to heading up fundraising efforts at Children in Crossfire.
I got him to paint on one of the windows of his house for this shot. And we made sure to wipe it all before his missus got home!