Today, September 22nd 2024, marks the autumn equinox as the Sun passes Earth's equator at 13:44.

The equinox marks the point of equal night and day throughout the world although at certain latitudes, such as in Ireland, this won't happen for a few more days.

But it's fair to say that it's as close to the point of shorter days than nights in the northern hemisphere and lengthening in the southern hempisphere that we have, especially as the Sun is rising due east and setting due west.

The equilux is the actual point of equal day and night in any location and as mentioned it occurs a few days after the autumn equinox, in spring it occurs a few days before the spring equinox.

Hours of daylight will shorten until the winter solstice and then we will and lengthening again.

In the meantime, expect images of the colour that autumn brings to the Irish countryside.

Why not join me in September, October, November and beyond to photograph Irish landscapes.

A calm evening close to sunset with cloud obscuring the best of the western sky over the edge of Ireland.

Yet it's still a scenic view as a few breaks in the cloud allows the orange-red sun rays through to briefly illuminate the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.

Panoramic Ireland's photography tours and workshops are running all through autumn, winter and into 2025 here on the west of Ireland Atlantic or in the urban streets of Dublin, Belfast, Cork and more.

It's no secret that the West of Ireland is one of Panoramic Ireland's favourite places.

Join me in 2024 to photograph in the beautiful scenic surroundings of Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.

Here, the first sunset of 2024 in the west as the sun heads for the horizon. 

We've had the solstice on December 22nd, 2023 and around now, early January we see the mornings getting brighter earlier here in Ireland.

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year and from then on the sunset gets a little later until the start of January when sunrises also become a little earlier. 

So, lots to look forward to even though January and February are the coldest months on average in Ireland.

The days continue to get longer.

Panoramic Ireland's photography workshops and tours are running right through the coldest months, the spring and the warmest months of the year in Ireland - all year round - Join me when you visit Ireland.

Storm Gerrit rolled in after Christmas this year, but in the calm between the storms with Pia denying Ireland a white Christmas, a break in the weather to give a beautiful Christmas Day sunset here in the west of Ireland.

Colour and cloud combined in the sky over Ireland's wild west as seen here.

2023 saw me photographing sunsets, sunrises and scenery from January to December.

Above, the latest gorgeous sunset and here another two.

One from the start of the year when there was little snow but enough here to be obvious in the landscape even if only at altitude.

And in the middle of the year, a late evening sunset of mountains, lakes and wooded islands.

Panoramic Ireland will of course be photographing throughout 2024 and you can join us on a photography workshop or tour in the Irish countryside.

We're big fans of sunsets here at Panoramic Ireland, you'll find plenty of images of the evening golden hour throughout the site.

It seems that someone with artisitic skills and a spray can in Dublin is also a fan, after painting this sagely advice on a wall in the city centre of Ireland's capital city.

Join Panoramic Ireland to photograph more sunsets and get yourself away from too much Netflix, all you need is your camera.

Summer, or the light half of the year, ends at Halloween or more accurately, Samhain, in the Irish tradition.

Here, a sunset seascape from the Irish coast as the light half of the year ends, the Celtic new year begins and although this will be the dark half of the year, the light will be fantastic.

While daylength shortens now until the winter solstice on December 21st, what light we do get is often bright, clear and colourful. 

On those rainy, cloudy days where the sun really doesn't make an appearance the light is still great for photography.

Autumn, winter and spring are perfect seasons for photography and with the added bonus of fewer tourists, Ireland in winter should be a photographer's preference.

Join me, Panoramic Ireland, to learn how to photograph and to see Ireland. Tours and workshops available all year round.

There is no doubt that the Giant's Causeway is one of the most scenic places in Ireland and it definitely one of Panoramic Ireland's favourite places to photograph.

Here, some of the 40,000 basalt columns of the causeway receive the last sunshine of the day before the sun sets for the evening.

Crashing waves cover the lower rocks during a long exposure.

To learn how to photograph seascapes, long exposures like this join me, Panoramic Ireland, for a photography workshop on the famous Antrim Coast and Giant's Causeway all year round.

Find out more here: https://panoramicireland.com/photography-workshops-ireland/northern-ireland-photography-workshops-photo-tours/book-a-photo-tour-in-northern-ireland-causeway-coast

Red sky at night, shepherd's delight goes the old saying. And that red sky in the evening does usually bring good weather the following day.

There is science to back up the ages old phrase, a red sky is caused by small particles of dust and other airborne particles are trapped in the atmosphere by high pressure.

These particles block light from the sun, scattering or deflecting the light as it passes through the atmosphere.

The shorter wavelengths of blue and violet get scattered more easily leaving more of the longer wavelength red light to make its way across the sky.

Of course, to see this weather phenomenon often it helps when the predominant weather comes from the west which it does in Ireland.

So between you and the sun is the incoming high pressure from the west with dust that scatters shorter wavelengths of light.

Photographers usually enjoy photographing sunsets, so maybe it should be changed to Red sky at night, photographer's delight.

Join me, Panoramic Ireland, to photograph fine sunsets like these all over Ireland.

There are currently plenty of challenges with visiting Ireland, the country is now the most expensive in Europe for the cost of living, hotels are charging astronomical rates and the recent car hire challenges are being reported almost daily in the international press.

And of course that's assuming you can get here, flights are relatively cheap but with many cancelled flights in and out of Ireland and huge delays at Dublin Airport the difficulties are real.

While all of the above is true, there can be no doubt that Ireland is one of the most beautiful countries to see and to photograph.

Join me, Panoramic Ireland, to photograph in the Irish countryside such as here at these fine stone circles - Beaghmore, Co. Tyrone, one of my favourite places to photograph.

A fine summer sunset greeted me on a recent visit west. Colour filled the sky after the late evening sun set and only the sound of birds and lapping waves could be heard.

A busy few weeks for Panoramic Ireland covering various parts of Ireland including Dublin, the Antrim Coast, Connemara and Dingle.

Join me here in Ireland to photograph summer sunset scenes such as seen here, or later the beautiful autumnal Irish landscape.

Contact me to find out more.