Long Exposure

A lonely tree stump protrudes above the water in the Gearagh, Co. Cork

Keem Beach is one of the most dramatic in Ireland, situated in a bowl of the cliffs at the western tip of Achill Island. Here, an outcrop of rock stands against the incoming tide.

A panoramic long exposure of the sea stack of Dún Briste.

Moonrise over Croagh Patrick from Old Head with a tree in the foreground and red lights over the pier.

Baltimore, Co. Cork is a popular sailing destination, and perhaps more so than most Irish coastal towns has a strong maritime tradition.
One piece of evidence for this is the beacon rising on a point above the town, at the entrance to the harbour. Known as "Lot's Wife" due to its resemblance to that unfortunate Biblical character who was turned into a pillar of salt, it was built by order of the British Government after the 1798 rebellion.
Across the channel, you can see Sherkin Island, one of the many islands in Roaringwater Bay. The Sherkin Lighthouse winks red across the water, marking the other side of the narrow entry to Baltimore Harbour.
This image was made about 45 minutes after sunset, which accounts for the rather blue/magenta colour and the movement in the clouds.

Made on a late spring evening from Bray Head on Valentia Island. Visible on the horizon are, from left to right: Lemon Rock, the Little Skellig (An Sceilig Bheag) and Skellig Michael (Sceilig Mhicíl). The Skelligs have a long monastic history and are arguably the most spectacular feature of Ireland's landscape.

Lough Leane is the largest of the Lakes of Killarney, and is seen here looking from Reen Pier near Ross Castle towards the Purple Mountain group (consisting of Tomies, Purple and Shehy mountains).
The Lakes are world famous for their beauty and I've long been looking for an image that conveyed the scale and calmness of this area. It wasn't until fairly recently that the combination of clouds, calm water and warm light made this photograph possible.

Made from the balcony of the lighthouse, the view is back towards Cape Clear Island with the base of the old lighthouse and the helipad in the foreground as the pink light of dawn grows.

The Pan's Rock is a popular fishing spot on Ballycastle Beach on the North Antrim Coast, or the Causeway Coast as it is also known.
Reachable at low tide by hopping the slippery rocks, it becomes an island at high tide, and so a footbridge has been built out to it.
In this view of the rock, made an hour or so after dawn, a long exposure of two minutes has been used to smooth out the movement in the water. This has also blurred the clouds which were moving briskly from the north. Rathlin Island is visible on the horizon.
This is another favourite image from the second Antrim trip I took in 2009, and produces a stunning large print.

Made in the Dark Sky Reserve in southwest Kerry, this shows the lunar eclipse of 2015 near totality. The blue glow in the water is bioluminescent plankton.

The steps leading down to the old landing at Dunlough Bay on the Mizen peninsula

The Muglins lie about half a mile northeast of Dalkey Island, and are a danger to shipping. Many ships came to grief on these rocks until a light was established at around the turn of the 20th century.
This image was made on a very fine night, and shows the northeastern extent of Dalkey Island, with the Muglins light beyond. On the horizon, the Kish lighthouse winks at us.
This is one of the images that I'm most happy with. It is simple, but there is plenty for the eye to wander over and appreciate - most notably the line of clouds near the horizon and the fine detail in the Moon's reflection. The sea is slightly smoothed as it was a long exposure - perhaps 15 seconds or so.
This is the second image I've made of this location. Slightly earlier in the night than the first, and in almost identical weather conditions, it adds colour which I felt was lacking in the original.

Seen from Lough Acoose in Glencar, the snow-covered Macgillycuddy's Reeks rise up to the stars.

We don't get much in the way of thunderstorms in Ireland, and when one does arrive it's usually pretty mild. On this evening, however, I experienced a storm that seemed stronger than anything I'd encountered while living for 10 years in the American mid-west.
Once things calmed down enough to permit photography, I grabbed the camera and this is the result. I love the dark tones and the way the lightning has lit the underside of the clouds.

A panoramic version of the Meeting of the Waters photograph.
The Old Weir Bridge in the Killarney National Park is the gateway to the Meeting of the Waters where the Upper Lake (via the Long Range river), Muckross Lake and Lough Leane converge.
This image was made shortly after sunset as the light was fading from the sky.