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See Ireland with a Creative Eye
What Is A Photo Tour?
What is a photo tour and is it different to a photography workshop? This is a question we get asked a lot. There is no real difference but simply, a tour is more focused on seeing the place with a photographic emphasis while a workshop is specifically designed to concentrate on one or more aspects of your photographic technique, equipment or composition. Both tour and workshop are interchangeable and there is a degree of overlap.
Because we tailor each tour to suit your needs, we choose the appropriate locations and times to maximise your time in Ireland and help you to improve your photography.
If you would like to know more about our photography workshops in Ireland please contact us here and join an Irish photographer for a day in your favourite part of Ireland.
Don't forget that we offer Gift Vouchers for Christmas and all year round for birthdays and other occasions. A photography gift voucher entitles the holder to the same benefits as a direct booking: one-to-one photography tuition, a choice of locations in Dublin, Wicklow and the rest of Ireland, morning or evening photography workshops, follow-on advice and critique on images. To buy a Panoramic Ireland Photography Gift Voucher for a friend, relation or even for yourself please follow this link or Contact Us.
Find out more about our Dublin Photo Tours here, for our Northern Ireland photo tours click here and Galway and rest of Ireland you can find out more here.
What makes Ireland so special? Perhaps it is the landscapes, the history, the people or a combination of all of these that bring 7 million visitors every year to this little island.
Dublin is the capital of Ireland and the chief city on the island, Belfast is the second largest, and the chief city of Northern Ireland. The island has two currencies and two governments but there no border controls between the north and south; indeed it is quite easy to drive from one side to the other without knowing it.
It is true, in Ireland it rains a bit (isn't that why it's so green?) but don't let that put you off because it doesn't rain as much as you think. With some good luck there will be fine weather during your visit. The best months to visit are April, May, June and September. The days are long, the weather is often perfect and it isn't high season. Is there any better place to be than driving along a country road somewhere in Ireland on a warm, sunny day?
Ireland makes a perfect location to improve your photography or to enhance your image collection. Contact us today to learn more about our bespoke tour options.
Panoramic Ireland (that's me) Meets Irish President Michael D. Higgins
Here I am (just so you know that I am actually a real person) meeting Irish President Michael D. Higgins at the Festival Interceltique du Lorient in France.
Image of the Month
Winter 2024
The beauty of the Irish countryside in winter, still green and with colour in the sky above the ancient fort of Emain Macha in Armagh.
For 2025 take one of Panoramic Ireland's private photography tours in Ireland from Belfast to Cork to Dublin to Galway - perfect for avoiding the large crowds and finding scenic seascapes, landscapes and cityscapes to photograph. Bookable now for 2025 and beyond.
Find out more by going to the Contact page.
Seven Essential Places to Photograph in Ireland
- Dublin - home to Guinness, Croke Park and The Book of Kells; you can't miss Dublin, a city that has improved over the past 10 years.
- Wicklow - mountainous and empty yet less than an hour from Dublin, Wicklow is home to the most famous hermitage in Ireland at Glendalough.
- Belfast & the Antrim Coast - the land of myths and legends, saints and scholars, Northern Ireland has some of the finest landscape photography. The stunning landscapes are now easy for all to see, Game of Thrones has added to that appeal.
- Dingle - the furthest west that you can get in Ireland, and a peninsula that has as more pubs than you could ever visit. Visually stunning.
- The Burren - a unique geological landscape, The Burren is home to arctic, alpine and mediterranean plants.
- Connemara - rugged and wild, full of bogs, sea and sky as well as a few ponies of distinction.
- Donegal - the most northerly county in Ireland, the Atlantic coastline is second to none in Ireland with the sea cliffs of Slieve League and miles-long sandy beaches.
Have a look at the blog section of the site for more stories, events and information on the places mentioned here.
Enjoy the site, we hope you learn something and when you come to visit us here in Ireland/ Why not book a photography tour with us, learn something about the real Ireland and learn how to make better images.
LATEST POSTS FROM OUR BLOG
Featured Posts
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Winter Lights Dublin 2019 - Millennium Bridge
Written by Darren McLoughlinIrishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
in Guide Read more...
Dublin's Winter Lights have illuminated some of the city's famous buildings for the second year. Created by Dublin City Council the lights switch on at sunset every night in December and stay on until 02:00.
There are 14 buildings and areas in total, including Trinity College, Hugh Lane Gallery and Christchurch.
As well as the buildings there are a few streets and Dublin's Millennium Bridge pictured above. This bridge has in recent times become known as the Rainbow Bridge and is back for winter 2024.
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Snow, Sand Dunes and Sunshine in Winter, Carrauntoohil and MacGillycuddy's Reeks as Seen from Dingle, Ireland
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
in Photo Tours
You can never guarantee snow in Ireland but it does snow a little every year even if only in the mountains.
Here, the famous MacGillycuddy's Reeks with Carrauntoohil the highest peak at 1038.6 metres above sea level, it is Ireland's highest mountain and only one of three peaks that top 1,000 metres.
The snow line can be seen easily and the tops of the peaky mountains almost match the clouds moving out of scene to the left.
These mountains sit on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, home of the famous circuit scenic drive the Ring of Kerry but are seen here from Dingle, the peninsula that brings you as far west as it is possible to go in Ireland.
The foreground is bathed in a golden glow, typical of the clear winter light on sunny days in Ireland.
Panoramic Ireland are running photography workshops and tours in Dingle, County Kerry in 2023. Use the Contact page to find out more or visit: https://panoramicireland.com/photography-workshops-ireland/book-a-dingle-ireland-photo-tour
Recent Posts
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Happy New Year from the West of Ireland - First Sunset of 2025
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Written on Wednesday, 01 January 2025 20:37 in Photo Tours
It might make more sense to post the first sunrise of a new year from New Year's Day rather than the first sunset. But where I am, in the west of Ireland, with wide views to the west and high ground to the east, sunset is a more appropriate time of day for photography.
So here, a scene from the colourful west of Ireland at sunset.
Indeed, my last post of 2024 was of one of the final sunrises of the year - weather and aerial perspective suited here.
Keep an eye out for more posts here on Panoramic Ireland, or come to Ireland to join me and learn how to photograph in the landscapes of the west of Ireland.
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Happy New Year - One of the Last Sunrises of 2024, West of Ireland
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Written on Tuesday, 31 December 2024 22:56 in Guide
Well, we're only an hour away from the start of a new year here in Ireland, 2025 is soon upon us.
The West of Ireland is one of Panoramic Ireland's favourite places, here a scene from sunrise in the last days of 2024 before the weather turned wet and windy for the 31st.
The end of the year is of course a time to reflect on what has happened over the past twelve months but also a time to look forward to another 365 days orbiting around the sun.
Here in this image, intense colour from sunrise between the horizon and that low cloud, a brief moment for the light of life to shine across the landscape bringing warmth to the winter landscape.
Happy New Year from Ireland.
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Ireland: Newgrange - Neolithic Irish Monument - Come and Join the Livestreaming for the Winter Solstice 21st December 2024
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Written on Thursday, 12 December 2024 22:35 in Guide
Come and join Ireland and the world enjoying one of the most amazing human-natural spectacles, the winter solstice sunrise into the burial chamber at Newgrange, Ireland.
I have written about Newgrange before here on Panoramic Ireland, the ancient burial mound that should rightly be considered Ireland's greatest.
Older than the pyramids (by 600 years!), older than Stonehenge and much superior to that monument in terms of its construction, Newgrange covers more than an acre and it's possible to climb inside on a guided tour - by lottery on the days closest to the winter solstice on 21st December.
For approximately 17 minutes on the shortest day of the year, and a shorter amount of time on the days either side, the chamber receives direct sunlight - if there is any to be had.
In 2024, the solstice will be the morning of the 21st of December at 09:20 when the Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn and hence at it's lowest latitude relative to Earth. From here on the days get longer.
So for 2024 the livestream from inside Newgrange will be on Saturday December 21st from 08:40 (Irish Time, obviously) and will have voiceover by Dr Clare Tuffy and Dr Frank Prendergast. It's available to watch in these places:
- RTE Player
- OPW (Office of Public Works)
- Heritage Ireland
- OPW - YouTube
If you're in Ireland for the winter solstice or beyond, Panoramic Ireland (that's me) create photography tours in Ireland for photographers and anyone interested in seeing more of the beauty of Ireland including our wonderful landscape and heritage.
For more information contact me via the contact page.
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Scenic Drives: Driving the Vee, One of the Most Scenic Roads in Ireland
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Written on Monday, 09 December 2024 00:45 in Guide Read more...
Deep in the heart of Ireland lies County Tipperary, a beautiful and scenic place with lush green countryside and prominent mountains including the Galtees and Ireland's highest inland mountain, Galtymore.
Here in the south of the county lies the Vee, a twisty mountain pass forming a scenic drive between Cahir, the Golden Vale of South Tipperary and Lismore in West Waterford.
This is a an area, off the usual track, with views all around and stopping places to admire the stupendous views.
Captured here on a sunny day with blue sky and white cloud in spring.
Here is my YouTube video of this fine journey through the Tipperary countryside, up to the Vee and to the viewpoint over Bay Lough, close to the Tipperary / Waterford border.
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Stone Walls of Ireland Inscribed onto UNESCO List of Protected Intangible Cultural World Heritage
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Written on Sunday, 08 December 2024 01:06 in Guide Read more...
Finally, Ireland's famous stone walls have been added to UNESCO's list of protected heritage world practices.
In 2018 France, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy and Cyprus were all inscribed onto the list.
Strangely, Ireland wasn't included despite the prevalence, both geographically across the island of Ireland, and historically through time from the neolithic Cedide Fields through to modern field boundaries that vary by region from Connemara to the Mournes of County Down.
The Céide Fields of County Mayo have some of the oldest field systems on the planet, fields bounded by stone walls dating back 6,000 years.
I've written about stone walls before here on Panoramic Ireland, but this is the first time that Irish stone walls have gained international prominence.
It's interesting that intangible cultural practices include customs, traditions, crafts, games and practices that are part of people's lives and identities both individually and wider communities, and are passed on from generation to generation.
Yet surely a stone wall is tangible, a physical structure which is of course touchable, viewable and part of the wider community.
Anyway, the ancient Irish, and modern, landscapes are filled with traditional Irish culture and adding Ireland to this list will undoubtedly help in the realisation that stone walls are more than just a scenic addition to the Irish landscape, they are an integral part of Ireland.
Panoramic Ireland has built many stone walls over the years and enjoyed every single minute.
But more importantly, Panoramic Ireland is continuing to photograph Irish landscapes such as stone walls.
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Red Sky at Night, Shepherd's Delight - Snow in Ireland Ahead of Storm Bert
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Written on Friday, 22 November 2024 00:58 in Guide
The question is always: Does it snow in Ireland? Well, there aren't many days in the year when Ireland has snow, really only a few in a typical year and November is an unusual month to have a wee bit of the white stuff.
2024 has seen somewhat of a good dusting over the west and south of Ireland as well as the north. Actually, as is usual for Ireland, above 300 metres above sea level but there has been widespread disruption in places even lower.
Here, a snow-dusted landscape scene with a bright pink-orange sky behind, indicating according to time honoured tradition, the old phrase (red sky at night, shepherd's delight) that a good day tomorrow will follow, even if only tomorrow - ahead of Storm Bert set to hit Ireland this weekend.
Whether there is snow or not, Ireland is a scenic and at times magical place to photograph. Join one of Panoramic Ireland's photography workshops and tours in Dublin, Wicklow, Antrim, Connemara, Donegal and beyond to find scenes like these.
Panoramic Ireland's tours and workshops run all year round, when it's snowing like here in November or when it's roasting hot in July.
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Early Morning Quiraing, View of SH Vega from the Isle of Skye
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Written on Tuesday, 19 November 2024 21:04 in Guide Read more...
It was an early start, here on location already at 05:05 on 06/06. A still morning, high on the Quiraing, a landslip ridge on the north end of the famously beautiful Scottish Isle of Skye. Awaiting the sunrise
I was in Scotland to photograph puffins and landscapes and on this morning I photographed in the blue hour light, a stormy purple at this moment, rather than the classic view of this location as I wanted to save that for the golden hour
Imagine my surprise when a ship should enter view out on the Atlantic, I recognised her shape and sure enough, after a quick Google search I found that Swan Hellenic's SH Vega was indeed in Skye at that time.
I had been on board the small polar class cruise ship last year when she made her first visit to Dublin and Ireland. At that time I said "I hope to see her again soon." And here, now in Skye photographing in the most scenic of scenes.
The view along the ridge was spectacular, I can only imagine how this scene looked from one of the 76 staterooms on board the ship; seeing the Quiraing slowly lighting up with the clearing sky and shadows across the rocky ridge.
