Spring has finally arrived in Ireland, we're more than half way through the season meteorologically speaking, it's mid-April and we have finally got warm temperatures, low winds, blue sky and sunshine.

I've been busy photographing throughout the winter, notably for the New York Times, but it is always a delight to see the first days of spring arrive.

Butterflies flit and flutter throughout, bees buzz and hum from flower to flower and the trees have awoken from their months-long slumber.

Welcome to longer, warmer, brighter days of spring and summer.

And that means it is the perfect time to join me, Panoramic Ireland, on a photo tour and workshop in Ireland. From the sunny streets of Dublin to the Caribbean-looking waters of the west of Ireland.

The green fields of Ireland, looking lush green on a December day with snow-covered mountains.

Ireland doesn't receive a lot of snow, given that Dublin lies on the same latitude as Edmonton in Canada and northern Donegal is almost parallel with Moscow.

Sometimes summer in Ireland is just not what you would expect. Well, perhaps it is what you might expect.

Usually our summers are filled with long days, sunshine and cloud with a good deal of rain but much blue sky - like this.

Summer 2017 has so far proved to be a good bit different with many grey days, lingering cloud and reduced sunshine. It has still been warm but all of this provides a challenge to the photographer.

After a day when the weather was supposed to have been better, the evening's stormy sky changed to bright golden sunshine at sunset.

But only for a brief moment or two.

This image is of that sunset light, the embedded post below is of the stormy sky just before sunset and after the day's rain had ceased.

That's how the Irish weather goes, it's difficult to say if the weather will be good or bad but there is always going to be something worthwhile for the photographer.

I always leave for the day with a plan for landscape photography, and adapt according to the weather and other factors.

To learn how to photograph in any conditions such as these or these contact me using the contact page.

Atlantic storm Doris is due to strike the northern half of Ireland during the early hours of February 23rd 2017 when winds of up to 120 km/h are predicted for parts of the country and a status yellow weather warning in effect for all of Ireland and a status orange warning in effect for many counties.

As I write this post it is still quite calm and it got me thinking about this image from a few years ago from Ireland's Atlantic coast, part of the famous Wild Atlantic Way.

From a foggy day in the west of Ireland.

It was an hour before sunset and heavy rain was doing its best to disrupt the photography workshop with CT from the USA.

The rain was also helping to keep this lake full and the islands floating in the thick fog.

I had a meeting in Downpatrick today, a bustling town in the east of Northern Ireland's scenic County Down.

A productive meeting, I then went around the coast of the very beautiful county that is home to miles of beautiful coastline and Northern Ireland's highest, and most famous, mountains - The Mournes.

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.

The weather wasn't going to cooperate on this day that I had set aside for some photography in Sligo.

 And yes, the white specks are sheep on the mountain side.

Photography in Stormy Weather

Stormy weather and photography often produce spectacular results, large waves, storm clouds and lightning in the sky are exciting subjects. Wind and rain means very wet conditions, despite how much you try to waterproof your camera water will always find its way in. Some SLR cameras have water resistant seals on the buttons, dials and on the lens mount but in heavy downpours your equipment is at risk.