October in Ireland

Are you visiting Ireland out of season? While most head to the Emerald Isle during the longer days of summer when temperatures are higher, the autumn, winter and spring offer much more interest photographically.

When I’m asked what Ireland is like in October, is it worth coming to for photography and definitely my answer is always that Ireland is worth visiting for photography in October.

What to photograph in Ireland in October

Woodlands are an obvious choice, but I also like photographing rivers and waterfalls at this time of year. After rain, wet leaves and dark tree trunks can bring out the autumn colour. The coast offers something different: changing skies, passing showers and brief breaks of light can transform a scene in minutes.

Keep your plans flexible. Autumn colour and weather vary from year to year, so it is worth choosing locations for the conditions on the day rather than relying on a fixed list of stops. Bring a waterproof layer, or maybe two, and a cloth for your lens to keep the rain off the front element or filter, and allow time for the light, October is not a time to be in a hurry in Ireland.

Here are some of my favourite images from Octobers over the years, a small selection but waterfalls and woodlands make up a lot of the locations.

Ireland is usually still quite colourful to the end of October, autumn colour in the leaves before they fall. Sunlight is golden, the skies dramatic and sunrise and sunset is much easier to photograph on the same day than in summer.

So if you are planning to visit in October, or the other off season months, check out Panoramic Ireland’s photography tours and workshops.

Check out a gallery of October scenes from Ireland below: