Sometimes the weather forecast shows for cloudy, boring and rainy weather here in Ireland.

That was true of the morning when I made the effort to head to the coast, one could have been forgiven for abandoning the morning's photoshoot or at least for not expecting much in the way of good images.

Yet here is the reward for patience, the lower clouds undulating across the sky pick up the first rays of the sun while those above slowly change colour.

I have spent a lot of time in the west of Ireland throughout the years, photographing and travelling through this beautiful Irish region.

This summer of course has been very warm and dry, yet the west of Ireland's landscapes often have more interest in the sky than in other parts of Ireland.

You can now book directly a private one-to-one photography workshop in Ireland's west with Panoramic Ireland, in Connemara which is the western part of County Galway.

Connemara is perfect for learning how to make better images, the landscapes as well as seascapes are big and wide open.

Join Panoramic Ireland on any day of the year, to suit your schedule, and take away a better understanding of light and landscape.

Click here to check availability and book: http://panoramicireland.com/photography-workshops-ireland/coastal-photography-course/galway-connemara-coastal-workshop

A stormy day on Ireland's west coast, known now as the Wild Atlantic Way.

Here small fields enclosed by stone walls running straight to the Atlantic separate rough ground with little green in this landscape - is there any green indeed?

This image is a reminder of how difficult life was on the west coast of Ireland, here on the Atlantic - what little soil there is inundated with salty ocean water.

It has been a long time coming, after weeks of calm, warm and sunny weather the west coast of Ireland is now receiving storm winds and rain straight off the Atlantic.

Hopefully of course it won't last too long and the real Irish summer weather takes hold again soon.

Here waves crash all over the west coast, topping over rocks of ancient origins and filling the air with salty sea spray, but what a day to be alive and enjoying the sights, sounds and smells - don't you think?

Join Panoramic Ireland on a photography tour of the west coast of Ireland all year round and in any weather - here in conditions that a typical tourist would insist on staying indoors. Let's capture the energy of a day on the Wild Atlantic Way.

It's all blue by the coast, before sunrise on the coast of Ireland and the stillness and calm of the open sea is immense.

Sometimes the weather isn't what we expect in landscape photography, and weather is a big factor in determining the look of an image. So landscape photographers are not just typical moaners about the weather, it's key to creating the final piece - we would stand out in any conditions to get an image and we only complain when it's the wrong weather for what we want.

Dublin's Baily Lighthouse, overlooking the UNESCO designated wildlife reserve of Dublin Bay the lighthouse is a famous sight for locals and tourists alike in Howth and County Dublin.

The lighthouse on Dublin's Howth Head has guarded ships entering and leaving Dublin Bay, Dublin Port and Dun Laoghaire, as well as those moving through the Irish Sea, for over 200 years.

Sometimes the early morning just gives more than you expect.

Making the effort to get out early for sunrise makes a lot of sense, especially on the east coast of Ireland.

On this occasion I knew the tide would be out giving the opportunity to get a wet sand foreshore that will reflect the sunrise sky's brightness and vivid colours such as here in this image.

What is harder to predict is the actual sunrise, but it is always worth making the effort to get up and get out with camera ahead of the arrival of a new day.

What we look for in sunrise skies are some high level clouds, blue sky and a clear horizon. That allows the early morning sunlight to shine across the sky and landscape catching the edges of those clouds above and any buildings down here on the ground.

On this morning the perfect combination - just look at that colour!

It doesn't have to be epic, just appropriate and the sunrise will make it beautiful.

The coastline of Ireland comes in many different forms - the sandy beaches with turquoise waters, rocky headlands and coves, pebbles and stones. All of these elements make up the ever changing and ever beautiful coast of the Emerald Isle.

Here I made this image from a visit to the north coast, the rocky peaks just offshore look a little like a film set especially when seen against the post-sunset sky with its pinks and oranges fading into blue.

I have added a little post-processing to give a more mystical, moody feel to this seascape.

Join me on a photography tour and learn how to make images like these, from €220 for a private one-to-one workshop.

The wild, stormy and rugged coast of Ireland varies from sandy beaches to rocky headlands.

Here seen on one of the many stormy days driving wave after wave onto the coast, swirling white water draining over black rocks.

I often get asked about bad weather and photography such as is it possible to photograph on stormy days, what about 'bad' weather.

What is 'bad' weather? Weather affects the feeling of an image, there really is no such thing as bad weather in photography. A sunny image with calm seas can lack impact, even lighting is not as interesting as contrasty conditions typical of a stormy day and the motion of the ocean upon the shore is one of dramatic interest.

Storms bring waves, Ireland being a small island where you can only be 80 miles from the sea means a trip to the coast as seen in this image is very easy and worthwhile.

The challenge of landscape photography is of course to deal with the elements, anticipate the weather using knowledge and the forecasts and be ready to adapt to what local conditions are like.

Stormy days sometimes bring sunny weather between the windy, wet weather such as here on the Antrim Coast.

Join me on a photography workshop on the coast of Ireland, contact me for dates and locations for Panoramic Ireland's coastal photography workshops in Ireland 2018 and 2019.

I have been photographing and leading photography workshops in Dingle, County Kerry for many years now.

On a recent visit we made more than one stop at the famous Dunquin Harbour out on the west of the peninsula, close to Ireland's (and Europe's) most westerly point.

Seen here is one of the images created on that workshop, can you spot what makes it different to the typical view of this iconic Irish location?

Send me your answers in the comments section below or via the contact page.

Join me on one of my Dingle Photography Workshops, read more about a previous visit to Dingle.