Nutan is a renowned photographer who has established an unrivalled reputation in creative photography.
Born in Belgium, he has made the West of Ireland his home, and Irish topography, people and music his life’s work since the late 1960’s.
For the last fifty five years, Nutan has worked as an editorial photographer for most of the worlds photo-oriented magazines. He has lived wherever stories led him, travelling all over the world covering current affairs.
A member of RAPHO, the Paris photo agency which lists Robert Doisneau, Willy Ronis, Roland Michaud, Hans Sylvester, George Gerster, Sabine Weiss, and François Le Diascorn on its books.
A winner of a Pentax gold award in 1969 and the Benson & Hedges gold award in 1990, Nutan has published in National Geographic, Geo, Stern, Airone, Figaro, Time, Newsweek, Zeite, Sunday Review, Independent, Observer, Sunday Times Country Living among others.
Corporate clients include: Board Failte, Tourism Ireland, Aer Lingus, Duchas, OPW, Department of Architecture, Heritage and The Gaeltacht, Oilean, The Islands federation, TG4, Y.E.S. orchestra, MIDI classical instruments, and Comhaltas Ceoiltoìri Eireann.
He has had, to date, 21 books of his work published and many of his images have been used by Irish and American musicians for their album covers.
Bring Your Story to Life — Work with Nutan
Nutan is a highly experienced and widely published photographer known for his unique ability to connect with people and capture the unseen. With decades of work behind the lens, his images are rich in story, depth, and quiet power — revealing moments that often go unnoticed.
From major international assignments to personal commissions, Nutan brings a sharp eye, a deep sensitivity, and a rare instinct for human connection. His photography doesn’t just document — it reveals, resonates, and endures.
Available for commissions, editorial work, and creative collaborations of all kinds. If you're looking for authentic, soul-driven photography, get in touch — let’s create something truly meaningful.
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
The bodhrán, now a powerful symbol of Irish music, culture, and identity, only entered widespread recognition in 1959 through John B. Keane’s play Sive and rose to prominence during the traditional music revival of the 1960s, championed by artists like Seán Ó Riada and groups such as The Chieftains and Planxty. Despite its ancient name and roots as a utilitarian object, the bodhrán’s history as a sophisticated percussion instrument is relatively recent, with its modern form developing mainly since 1960. Beating Time explores this surprising evolution, tracing influences from British military bands, the music trade, and even American blackface minstrelsy, while highlighting its transformation from tambourine to bodhrán. Rather than viewing it as Ireland’s oldest instrument, the book argues for its celebration as one of the newest—its meteoric rise rivaling that of the guitar on the global stage. The book is richly illustrated with photographs by Nutan, whose evocative imagery brings the people, performances, and cultural journey of the bodhrán vividly to life.
Read more about the book here.
Order the book here.
Booklaunch of Beating Time – The Story of the Irish Bodhrán
July 2nd, 2025
Fall/Winter 2025
Exhibition of “Dublin 1969” photo series
The Little Museum of Dublin
In 1969, young Belgian photographer Jacques Piraprez — better known as Nutan — came to Ireland to complete his final year of photography studies. What he captured was a vivid and deeply human portrait of Dublin at a time of transformation. His black-and-white photographs celebrate the everyday lives of people with dignity and honesty — women with determination in their eyes, men engrossed in newspapers or sharing moments in pubs, and scenes of a city still rooted in tradition. A book, featuring the Dublin photographs, has been published in 2016 to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising, this remarkable collection of nearly 200 images will soon be exhibited, offering a rare and moving glimpse into Ireland’s recent past — a powerful tribute to its spirit, character, and enduring beauty.
Read more about the story and the published book, ‘Irlande 66/69’: photographs of Ireland taken in the 1960s’, in The Irish Times article.