Nocturnes

One of my favourite nocturnes, this was made late at night at Long Strand. The light on the horizon is Galley Head Lighthouse. The Milky Way dominates the sky, and the light on the rocks in the foreground is a portable studio light I brought along. As there was no moon, without that, there would be no light on the foreground.

This image shows the Little Samphire Island lighthouse as a crescent moon sets behind it.

Fanad Head is one of the more dramatic and photogenic lighthouses around the coast. Made around midnight, I picked my way carefully along the adjacent headland by torchlight and found a good spot.
The photograph was exposed for four minutes, giving plenty of movement in the clouds and some significant star trails which are visible in the clear patch above the light itself.

This image of Ballycotton Island and lighthouse was made late at night. Two exposures were necessary to make it - one to capture the lighthouse, island and water, and the other to capture the starfield and sky.
The result is an image that is a true representation of what it was like to stand on the cliffs looking out on this fantastic scene.

Made during my trip to visit the Bull Rock Lighthouse in early Summer, 2010. This image was made on the way down from the old fog signal station and shows the illuminated lighthouse against the empty sea beyond.
As this is a night image, the exposure was long and thus the waves and clouds are completely smoothed out, creating a timeless look.

This photograph was made in the evening after the lantern had come on in the lighthouse. The open door is very inviting - lighthouses were always very hospitable places. Unfortunately, since automation more often than not the doors are barred as there's no one present. When work is ongoing, for a brief time some of that old hospitality comes back to life.

In early March 2013, comet PANSTARRS made its first appearance in the northern hemisphere. On two nights, it appeared in conjunction with the very slender crescent moon. The first night, the clouds didn't cooperate with me, but on the second one I was able to get this image.
The comet can be seen behind the thin band of cloud near the middle of the frame. The crescent moon appears very bright, but the area in shadow is illuminated by Earthshine - the reflected light from the Earth itself. To finish it all off, the lighthouse on Skellig Michael makes an appearance, winking its light at us.

Being mainly famous for its 6th century monastery, the dramatic island of Skellig Michael also boasts two lighthouses built in 1830. This image was made of the lower lighthouse from the road to the upper (which was discontinued and abandoned in 1870).
Made shortly after moonrise, the image shows the light in its new guise. Just a couple of weeks before this image was made, the old fresnel lantern was decommissioned and a modern LED lantern mounted on the balcony. In a large print, this new light can be seen illuminated. It has great advantages in cost of operation, but unfortunately means that the rest of the lighthouse complex is surplus to requirements and will be closed up. The end of an era, but on this trip I was fortunate enough to enjoy the hospitality of the lighthouse for possibly the last time ever.
This is one of my favourite images of recent times. I love the line of the road leading down to the light, and even more the evidence of nature's relentless assault in the cracked and damaged walls, and the overgrown road itself.

Being mainly famous for its 6th century monastery, the dramatic island of Skellig Michael also boasts two lighthouses built in 1830. This image was made of the lower lighthouse from the road to the upper (which was discontinued and abandoned in 1870).
Made shortly after moonrise, the image shows the light in its new guise. Just a couple of weeks before this image was made, the old fresnel lantern was decommissioned and a modern LED lantern mounted on the balcony. In a large print, this new light can be seen illuminated. It has great advantages in cost of operation, but unfortunately means that the rest of the lighthouse complex is surplus to requirements and will be closed up. The end of an era, but on this trip I was fortunate enough to enjoy the hospitality of the lighthouse for possibly the last time ever.
This is one of my favourite images of recent times. I love the line of the road leading down to the light, and even more the evidence of nature's relentless assault in the cracked and damaged walls, and the overgrown road itself.

This view of Tory Island Lighthouse was made late in the evening, some time after sunset.
It was a hazy evening and I noticed that the beam of light from the lantern was very well defined as it swept across the island. I put on my headlamp, grabbed the camera and tripod and walked out halfway to the lighthouse, where I could get an uninterrupted view of it.
This is the composition I decided upon, a relatively wide view of the scene, and a long exposure to show the beam on both sides of the tower as it swept around its arc.
To prevent the lantern itself from becoming overexposed, I had to cover the lens with my hand every time the light passed over my position.

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.

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.