They say the weather is one of the most talked about topics of conversation here in Ireland, the past few weeks would probably prove that.

The end of winter saw snow storms, spring was cold with some blisteringly hot days and now we have stormy conditions as we enter May, many column inches and headlines have been dedicated to the topic of the unusual weather.

Ireland's green landscapes are looking particularly vibrant at this time of year, we're into the spring month of May now and after the wettest April in Ireland for decades, since the 1940s I believe, we are finally getting some warmer temperatures and sunny days.

It's been a busy week here at Panoramic Ireland, I've been leading photography tours and workshops all over Ireland and here, this image from yesterday shows some of the beautiful landscapes through which we travel regularly.

The weather - it's often said that if you don't like the weather in Ireland just wait five minutes.

It's not a widespread saying throughout Ireland, and I know of other cities and countries around the world of which this is said.

But at certain times of year we certainly do get the changeable weather that gives sunshine and showers in quick succession, often with a drop or rise in temperature.

This was true this week while out on tour in Dublin with Andrew from Chicago - we had rain then sun then rain then sun and more sun.

And today as I worked on images back at base we saw this weather, first sunshine as in the image above then cloud, hailstones and heavy rain as in the image below. There is less than 30 minutes between both images being taken, 23 minutes to be exact.

But don't let that put you off visiting Ireland or taking a photo tour with Panoramic Ireland, we see this weather often but it doesn't always last and we can adapt to conditions like these. The image as seen here was also taken in April of these beautiful pink cherry blossoms.

Here of course is the logical extension of this stormy weather, the always beautiful rainbow as seen here rising off Dublin's River Liffey shooting skyward almost paralleling the Samuel Beckett Bridge.

Join Panoramic Ireland to learn how to photograph in inclement conditions, making the most of what the elements throw at you - always remaining positive and ready to photograph no matter what the weather.

As the sun sets, three horses walk along a ridge in an Irish field with clouds catching the end of day colour in the open sky.

It's the end of April, the trees are still somewhat bare but colour is slowly returning into the countryside here in Ireland.

A cold evening with a strong wind, the horses make their way towards me but stop at the bales of hay and take a bite to eat.

The fence, its barbed wire illuminated by the low sun is hardly suitable to contain these majestic animals.

Join me on a photography tour in Ireland's countryside to capture scenes like these.

It's been a busy few weeks here for me in Ireland, and with Earth Day I wanted to post an image that shows some of the beauty of the world around us.

Bumblebee Bombus enjoying fresh rosemary flowers Rosmarinus officianalis on a warm spring day in Ireland.

I wrote in my last post yesterday that the long cold winter days are behind us as warm temperatures have finally arrived in mid-April 2018.

The bees, of many types, visited flowers throughout the long, sunny day and I captured some on camera as they went about their busy buzzing.

Spring has finally arrived in Ireland, we're more than half way through the season meteorologically speaking, it's mid-April and we have finally got warm temperatures, low winds, blue sky and sunshine.

I've been busy photographing throughout the winter, notably for the New York Times, but it is always a delight to see the first days of spring arrive.

Butterflies flit and flutter throughout, bees buzz and hum from flower to flower and the trees have awoken from their months-long slumber.

Welcome to longer, warmer, brighter days of spring and summer.

And that means it is the perfect time to join me, Panoramic Ireland, on a photo tour and workshop in Ireland. From the sunny streets of Dublin to the Caribbean-looking waters of the west of Ireland.

Recently while leading another photo tour to my own part of Ireland, County Antrim, we stopped off at the Dark Hedges.

Choosing a morning before all of the groups arrived we had the famous avenue of beech trees pretty much to ourselves as S.S. visiting from California photographed Bregagh Road on this, his first visit to Northern Ireland.

Snow - it's been a snowy winter here in Ireland.

As I've written before, and will no doubt again, it doesn't snow as much as you might think in Ireland but when it does snow it doesn't stick for very long.