The common lizard Zootoca vivipara building up warmth in the heat of the middle of the day.

It seems a bit odd to call this lizard common in Ireland as they are not often seen and many people don't even know we have them - extrapolating the ancient story of Saint Patrick banishing snakes after having been bitten by one - to mean lizards as well. The common perception is that lizards are found in exotic Asian or Mediterranean countries but not in Ireland.

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.

Thinking about taking a swim?

It was a bit stormy on this occasion even for this man who swims often.

I chatted with him for some minutes as the sun made its way higher in the sky, the bold colours fading to daylight tones quickly. As it happens I had met him before and after our chat he left as I was packing away my camera equipment, the swell was too strong for a pleasant swim.

The summer so far in Ireland in 2015 has been wet, cold and cloudy. Quite challenging for the landscape photographer really. And very challenging for tourists. Yes many visitors to this small island have already heard the stories of how cold and wet it is but in reality it's usually not too bad.

White clouds at sunset tinged pink and orange by the last rays of the setting sun in Ireland's West, blue sky behind; this is a landscape photographer's ideal.

I had made the short trek down to this lake in the west of Ireland, with very changeable conditions earlier in the evening there wasn't much to hope for in terms of landscapes but just as I arrived the skies cleared and some colour burst forth.

The summer is well and truly underway here in Ireland, only no-one told the weather. Cold, wet and lacking in sunshine, with high winds all making it seem autumnal more than summery.

July is nearly over and it's still possible to smell peat fires burning in the villages and towns of rural Ireland, people carry jackets, gloves and hats; sandals have been relegated to the foreign holiday packing list.

Yet there is something happening very soon that will lift the spirits of at least 40,000 of the country's residents; Electric Picnic - a three day festival of music and arts is taking place as usual this year at Stradbally in Co. Laois from 4th - 6th September. The end of the summer and the end of the festival season.

The late spring and early summer of 2015 has so far been quite wet in the west of Ireland, in fact a recent visit to a lake that I know very well showed that the levels were higher than those at the same time last year; this is despite some parts of Ireland being extremely dry. Dublin had only 17% of its Long Term Average (LTA) rainfall in June 2015. May, however, was very wet with some parts of the west recording over 200% of the LTA and Knock Airport had its dullest May since 1996.

All the recent rain and cloudy skies make for a difficult but always entertaining time for the dedicated outdoors photographer.

Today I revisited a river in the west that I have been to often but not in recent times. And this time I took some photos of the peaceful surroundings of my rest stop.

A busy start to the summer has seen me visit much of the west coast and south of Ireland.

A recent visit to the west coast, to see Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, took me to a high point on Achill Island in County Mayo.

Achill is a place that I have visited often, having holidayed there on numerous occasions and photographed with visitors to the west of Ireland.

After a long day's travelling I made it to my vantage point just before sunset. The sun itself on this occasion being mostly obscured by thick cloud over the ocean.

For me it was the post sunset colour that was of most interest and so patience was required; watching the sun's accelerated dive below the horizon, listening to the wind and wild birds tweeting ahead of darkness it was a relaxing and enjoyable wait before making the final exposure of the evening.

Any part of Ireland's coastline makes a great landscape photography location, Panoramic Ireland create photography experiences from Northern Ireland's Antrim Coast to the urban coastline of Dublin and the west of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way. Contact us for more information.

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.

Poulnabrone on a moody day

Poulnabrone probably needs no introduction to most who have visited or intend to visit Ireland, it has long been a principal tourist attraction and is located in the UNESCO Geopark that encompasses the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren in County Clare.

Last time I visited this iconic location in the Burren in County Clare the sky was bright and colourful with white clouds tinged pink from the late evening sun.