Shelter from the elements is often provided by the canopy of a woodland, but when you have a fine old stone bridge it gives even more than shelter from rain and wind, it provides shade and a frame to set the scene.

The small river was fast flowing and deeper than my wellies in places, rocky and clear but under the bridge there was a small area to set up my tripod away from the riverine vibrations.

Photographing in the Irish countryside doesn't always mean the famous locations, many parts of Ireland are scenic and perfect for improving your photographic techniques.

Join me on an online photography session to learn how to photograph better and learn how to organise and edit your images.

Find out more here: https://panoramicireland.com/photography-workshops-ireland/online-photography-class-tutorial-professional-photographer

We can't journey as much through the Irish countryside right now with current restrictions on movement.

Here an image that makes me keen to get back out into the green, mountainous scenery of Ireland.

It makes me think of this quote from On the Road by Jack Kerouac:

“All he needed was a wheel in his hand and four on the road.”

While many of us are at home looking through image archives it makes for a good time to learn and to improve photography, why not join me on a private online photography class to cover any topics you want - from Lightroom (tone curve, sharpening, exposure adjustments, presence etc), managing image libraries, Photoshop, planning photographic projects and critique of images and portfolios. 

Find out more here: https://panoramicireland.com/photography-workshops-ireland/online-photography-class-tutorial-professional-photographer

So if you can't join me on one of my photography tours and workshops in Ireland, why not join me online using whatever video app you prefer.

By now you'll probably be quite aware that I have written about sheep before, here is another sheep-filled scene from the sunny Irish countryside in spring.

It seems that during the whole lockdown due to coronavirus / COVID-19 that everything has stopped but life does go own, nature has its own rhythms and the seasons change just like they do every year - although in recent weeks we have seen a very warm spring.

That warm spring means long, sunny, warm days; maybe not conducive to working on images indoors but photographing and capturing wildlife is.

Here is a video of a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in Ireland in March 2020.

This ancient, tree-lined, grass-covered lane hasn't seen much traffic except for hooves of sheep for many decades.

Here it is filled with sheep and lambs in spring, nibbling the hawthorn hedge and grass - flowers escaping their graze.

To learn how to make better images, contact me for private online, virtual tuition via Hangouts, Skype, email, Zoom etc.

Life in some ways during the current lockdown due to Coronavirus / COVID-19 is continuing as normal, at least in the countryside.

Here sheep roam the fields, one field actually, this triangle-shaped field on the edge of the mountains.

A large tree stands guard over the small patch of land, and along with most of the low-level trees here, remains leafless - for now.

Higher, above, conifers line the top of the flat topped mountain.

In the hedges yellow-orange of the gorse bloom can be seen, a plant that flowers all year round in places.

Ireland's Wicklow Mountains are amongst the most visited in Ireland; situated just a short drive south of Dublin the Wicklow Mountains offer access to expansive landscapes like in this panorama overlooking Lough Tay.

I have written about Wicklow before, especially Glendalough and also indeed of Lough Tay.

This lake is also known as the Guinness Lake, the estate in which it sits used to be owned by the famous Guinness family and has recently been sold.

It looks exceptional on a fine, sunny day with no wind and a big blue sky above filled with white clouds but usually this lake is choppy with the strong windy gusts sweeping across the treeless mountains.

This part of Ireland is also out of bounds for now, the movement restrictions placed across the country due to Coronavirus / COVID-19 mean that few people have legitimate reason to visit this remote area.

Help to keep Panoramic Ireland going during the current crisis, each week bringing you more images and scenes from Ireland, you can donate a small amount below and my current goal is to reach enough to buy a microphone to record my podcast and other material. It also helps to keep the website going, there is no advertising on Panoramic Ireland.

Sunset is a magical time in photography, along with sunrise it makes up the best portion of the day for landscape photography.

Here, on the edge of the Atlantic, on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way is sunset over the Aran Islands with a red-orange glow.

To learn more about photography during the current Coronavirus / COVID-19 quarantine, why not take a personal online photography workshop with me any day of the week, any time of day to suit your timezone via Google Hangouts, Zoom etc.

Contact me to find out more - sessions from 45 mins to 1 hr 15 mins.

Learn how to use Lightroom, Photoshop or other editing software and manage your image collection as well as photography concepts such as depth of field or sunset photography and post processing.

Learn from a professional photographer who has photographed for the biggest names in worldwide publishing.

We may be looking through the archives but here is one that never fails to make me laugh.

As I was explaining depth of field on a photography workshop with JMcC from Ontario, Canada this donkey popped up and crashed the shot and perfectly illustrated the concept of depth of field and selective focus.

To learn more about photography during the current Coronavirus quarantine, why not take a personal online photography workshop with me any day of the week, any time of day to suit your location via Google Hangouts, Zoom etc.

Contact me to find out more - sessions from 45 mins to 1 hr 15 mins. Learn how to use Lightroom, Photoshop or other editing software and manage your image collection as well as photography concepts such as depth of field.

As we're all stuck indoors, it's time to look through old images - travel through the archives, not the backroads of Ireland.

And here is a collage of images from Ireland, featuring cows and flowers and sheep; sunsets and trees.

These are just a few of my favourite images taken over the years, more to follow as I travel through folders on hard drives rather than the backroads of Ireland.

Stop by and ask for images of your favourite places in Ireland, use the contact page or button on the page to send in your requests.

Today, 17th March, is the feast day of Ireland's patron saint (one of three actually) Saint Patrick and it has been marked with a doodle on Google's search pages of Ireland's Cliffs of Moher.

I know that the Cliffs of Moher are one of the most famous and iconic places in Ireland but I do find it interesting that Saint Patrick never visited the cliffs, nor did he actually visit County Clare.

According to local tradition in County Clare, Saint Patrick blessed the county from across the River Shannon before heading to the north of Ireland.

It's just an observation and I have added my own sunset image from the Cliffs of Moher above.