Best of the Northland

Three Irish Girls

Happy couples, musicians and naked babies: these are merely a few of the things Three Irish Girls Photography covers in their work. Who doesn’t like adorable pictures of babies and happy couples? We’re glad Three Irish Girls won’t be around to take photos at the Reader office. No one wants to see the quiet desperation that exists on deadline night. (More beer please) We had a chance to speak with Three Irish Girls founder, Sharon McMahon. McMahon originally ran a yarn company and wound up shooting photos for her own catalog. She returned to the Duluth area two years ago after a stint in the Washington DC area and began getting requests to do photo shoots. “I was so into this business that I finally sold my yarn company and now just do this full time,” said McMahon. McMahon’s photography business has been active in the area since fall of 2012. McMahon explained how the company’s name came to be, “It was a term of endearment from my husband. He would come home from work and see me sitting on the couch reading to my kids and he’d say, ‘there’s three Irish girls.’ It used to refer to me and my two daughters, I’ve since gone on to have a third daughter and I suppose I could remove myself from the equation and it could be about the three of them. I am the only photographer, but the name is a family term of endearment.” McMahon indicated that she has gotten a lot of support from the area, “I have been amazed how wonderful the city of Duluth has been to me. I’m just so honored to be able to capture really important moments for people…that everyday is a privilege.”

2nd Place: JaneCane Photography