If the name Alan Magner rings a bell, it's likely because you've seen one of his stunning landscape photos of Waterford, Clare and beyond, or soared over the Irish countryside in one of his videos combining aerial videography with drone shots. When he isn't capturing Ireland in all its wonder, Alan works as a wedding photographer, a craft he loves equally.

Here, Alan talks about his path to becoming a photographer, taking his work to the sky, and the inspiration he finds in the Irish landscape. To see more of his photographs, click here.

I have always loved photography and went through countless disposable cameras when I was growing up in Clare. Finally, I got my first "real" camera from my parents for Christmas when I was 16 and I have never looked back.

The fact that a simple push of a button can save a moment in time still blows my mind. The ability to interpret that moment whatever way we want through the way we use cameras is what sets us apart as photographers.

I love being a wedding photographer, it allows me to meet some amazing people, travel to some interesting places and work in a happy atmosphere. When I'm not photographing weddings, I'm expanding my skills, putting together personal projects, climbing mountains at 4am to capture the sunrise, flying an aerial camera over cliffs because I can.

I have won awards and had my images published both in national and international media and for that I'm extremely proud.

I owe a lot to 3 photographers in particular who helped push me in the right direction and who gave me invaluable advice: David McMahon, Ivan Power and Keith Fitzgerald. Though they may not have realized at the time what their words and advice would mean to me, I would not be the photographer I am today without their help.

Getting into aerial photography/videography was a very natural progression for me. I love photography, every form of photography and everything that photography entails. I also love exploring and seeing the world from angles that few others get to experience and being able to share that with people through photography. Land is too easy, and I've tried water too, being an avid kayaker, so the natural next step was to take my photography to the sky.

There are some obvious limitations with aerial photography, and some very serious considerations to be taken before each flight but once all the health and safety concerns are covered, the possibilities are extraordinary.

I take a massive pride in where I'm from and there are so many beautiful locations in Ireland that are overlooked. I just felt I had the ability and opportunity to put together some videos that could show off some of Ireland's beauty, hidden beauty and some not so well hidden beauty but from new angles and in a new light. It's a new way that I can push myself to create stunning scenes from this stunning country, it gives me yet another reason to go exploring, and as long as people keep enjoying my work, I'll keep on sharing it.

Click here to enjoy a gallery of Magner's work or, click here to visit his Facebook page.