It has been a strange year, 2024. A lot has happened over the past number of months, not least the opening up of new social media site Bluesky.

I have at last joined, along with millions of others - a number which is growing daily.

Anyway, here is my account https://bsky.app/profile/travelimages.bsky.social so if you're there stop by and say hello.

Sidelighting, sunshine and shadow in the mountains from this week's visit to the wild landscapes of the West of Ireland.

We have had very fine weather this week in Ireland, with Sunday being the hottest day of 2023 so far.

I headed through the wide open spaces of Connemara to meet ES and JS who had arrived from the US, we met on location for an early morning photography workshop on photographing panoramic images.

And where better to photograph panoramas than here in the wide, wild west.

Both ES and JS are keen photographers although neither had made panoramas before. So for the morning here we made panorama after panorama.

First off the warm morning sidelighting and shadows on craggy mountains.

To learn how to photograph panoramas using your current camera including how to choose a location, camera settings and post-processing using multiple software contact me here at Panoramic Ireland.

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.

They liken Killiney Bay to the Bay of Naples. The coastal area south of Dublin is a very scenic place but I can't see the resemblance, I've been to Naples and climbed Vesuvius.

Yet Killiney Bay is a beauty, accessible by DART (commuter train) from Dublin and with fine walks and views it offers the visitor a flavour of the real Ireland without travelling too far.

The West of Ireland is full of landscapes like this Connemara panorama with rugged mountains and rough pasture.

It is also home to locations like this one at Pine Island.

On a bright winter's day the west is full of character for the photographer and visitor alike.