Since at least 36AD when Chinese astronomers first noted the annual light show that is the Perseid meteor shower, people have been watching the spectacular night sky in August each year.
Earth passes through the dust and debris left by the comet Swift-Tuttle as it travels through our solar system on its 133-year orbit around the sun. As the small particles enter Earth's atmosphere they burn up approximately 80km above the surface of our planet. In doing so they create bright, colourful streaks across the sky. If it is night time and if the moon isn't bright like this year then the Perseids are a wonderful sight.
Today I took a good long walk through Dublin on a photo tour with an out-of-towner, Jeff from Toronto, Canada.
Jeff booked a few weeks in advance, something I always suggest you do to guarantee availability and we planned to start early in the afternoon. With sunset at 16:45 we made a plan to get some low light and night shots in the city centre.
My favourite images today came from Christchurch, it is a location that almost all visitors to Dublin visit. I usually come past here on a photo tour, and it brings me to an interesting point that because Dublin is quite a flat city it is an easy city to walk around.
Slieve League Sunset - Mainland Ireland's Highest Marine Cliffs
On my recent odyssey along the coast of Ireland, I visited the magnificent cliffs at Slieve League in County Donegal, part of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.
Return to Saint John's Point - Northern Ireland's Unusual Lighthouse
The distinctive yellow and black painted lighthouse is situated on the eastern end of Dundrum Bay in County Down, Northern Ireland and differentiated from most lighthouses that are decorated in the usual black and white or just white.
Not to be confused with Saint John's Point lighthouse in County Donegal; the unusually-coloured County Down lighthouse is one of the finest in Ulster with rocky foreshore, the Mourne Mountains in the distance and its bright colour adding to the appeal of the long drive into the peninsula on which it sits.
The woodlands of Ireland make a perfect location for photography during all seasons, late spring is just perfect with fresh green leaves and mixed lighting giving the perfect combination for capturing colour.
Just like the autumnal scenes I photographed here, the spring path through this Irish forest gave us a splendid afternoon of photography on a recent photography workshop with Jim from San Diego.
The day started with images of a nearby lake, its character lay in its densely wooded shores and islands with a blue cloud-filled sky. Following a downpour and break for lunch we headed on to this location, an old woodland, but not ancient, comprised mainly of beech, ash and a few horse chestnuts.
At one point a group of walkers pass us by and we wait for them to amble off into the distance before continuing on our own journey again. A few ruins dot the forest, the walls covered with moss lie in tumble-down condition with hawthorn growing low and spreading in one corner. Taking another path we find some more interesting woodland scenes.
Photography in woodlands presents many challenges, the quality of the light is as important as it is for any landscape photography, even in the depths of a forest the slightest breeze can cause movement in branches.
Panoramic Ireland's photography tours, photography workshops and experiences are suitable for everyone, from woodland landscapes to street photography and for all levels. You don't need a high-end DSLR, just a camera (preferably with manual controls) and lots of enthusiasm. For more information contact us here.
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