PHOTOGRAPHY, THEATRE, PORTRAIT
Irene Kelleher. Promotional photograph for Stitch. Cork. 2024. Marcin Lewandowski | soundofphotography.com ©
Stitching Ideas From Concept to Curtain: A Theatre Photography Journey
Initial Collaboration
Back in the early 2024, I had a warm and focused conversation with Irene Kelleher — the writer and performer of Stitched. We’d loosely spoken about the idea before, but this was the point where things really took shape. Irene had written the piece for herself and was up against a tight deadline for an arts grant submission. After a video call, we quickly moved into a whirl of WhatsApp messages - exchanging visual references, ideas, and inspiration. These informal, fast-moving chats helped shape a clear visual direction that reflected Irene’s personal and creative goals for the production.
A Few Test Shots
With a strong concept already in place and not much time until the shoot, I started playing around with a few test shots on my own. One idea we were both initially excited about involved casting a shadow of a cat into the frame — something subtle but atmospheric. I experimented with silhouettes and light to explore how that might feel visually. I sent a few images to Irene to help refine the tone and direction, and to make sure we were creatively in sync.
Test images before promotional photoshoot for Stitch. Cork. 2024. Marcin Lewandowski | soundofphotography.com ©
The Shoot
While Irene was getting her makeup done by Maeve Readman on the day of the shoot, I was setting up the lighting and sorting out logistics with the Everyman team. We wanted to use a smoke machine, which meant coordinating with the theatre to temporarily disable smoke detectors in one section of the building. That subtle haze really helped build the mood we were after.
The shoot itself was short and focused - we were going for that one image, plus a few thoughtful variations around it. We had about two hours and two setups, which I both prepared ahead of time. It was intense but smooth, and by the end, we had a strong selection of images to work with.
Irene Kelleher. Promotional photograph for Stitch. Cork. 2024. Marcin Lewandowski | soundofphotography.com ©
Image Selection and Postproduction
After the shoot, I ran basic colour correction and some light postproduction, then sent Irene a shortlist of proofs with a few different editing styles. We reviewed them together and quickly settled on a single image that captured the essence of the piece. The turnaround for retouching was super fast - I believe the final version was delivered within a couple of days of the shoot.
Irene Kelleher. Promotional photograph for Stitch in various processing options and final, retouched image. Cork. 2024. Marcin Lewandowski | soundofphotography.com ©
From Archive to Spotlight
Over a full year passed before the images went public. During that time, Irene continued developing the play, which eventually found its home in the Cork Midsummer Festival. The chosen photo appeared on posters, in the festival programme, and across social media. Because we had captured several variations during the shoot, those extras became valuable marketing tools — offering more visual material to keep the conversation going online. I shared the images on my own channels too, helping to keep the buzz alive. Around that time, I was invited to photograph the final dress rehearsal.
Irene Kelleher. Promotional poster for Stitch. Cork. 2025. Marcin Lewandowski | soundofphotography.com ©
Photographing the Dress Rehearsal
The play is intimate and site-specific, staged in a small and atmospheric location beautifully designed by Jenny Whyte. The final dress rehearsal wasn’t open to the public - it was performed solely for the camera, with only the core creative crew present to observe and look out for any final tweaks. I had the freedom to move throughout the space, working closely with Irene to find dynamic, emotionally rich images. The lighting designed by Cormac O’ Connor was sparse and moody, echoing the dark tone of the story. I relied on fast prime lenses and a bit of intuition - always trying to stay a step ahead of the action, ready to capture those charged, fleeting moments that invite curiosity.
Production photographs from Stitch. Cork Midsummer Festival. Cork. 2025. Marcin Lewandowski | soundofphotography.com ©
Building Buzz
The rehearsal images were quickly picked up in press coverage and shared widely on social media by the production team, the festival, and audiences. The response was warm and enthusiastic - which is always deeply satisfying, especially when you’ve seen a project grow from a quiet idea into a fully realised piece of theatre, and had the chance to support it visually along the way.
BTW, at the time of writing this post, the show is completely SOLD OUT :)
A Typical Theatre Photography Journey
This project is a good example of how theatre photography often unfolds: starting with an idea, simple message thread, quickly moving into action, then waiting patiently until the work resurfaces when it’s ready. Even though it’s not always linear, when there’s a strong relationship with the artist - and a shared passion for creating something lasting - the process finds its own rhythm.
If you’re planning a production and think I might be a good fit to help shape the visual side of it, I’d love to hear from you.
Let’s start a conversation and see where it leads.
Marcin Lewandowski | soundofphotography.com
BTS photograph from production of Stitch. Cork Midsummer Festival. Cork. 2025. Marcin Lewandowski | soundofphotography.com ©