With the weather being so good this weekend, and the chances very high that we won't get weather this good again until next year, I decided to take myself off once again into the Mourne mountains in county Down.
My favourite view point is from the summit of Slieve Loughshannagh. From here you can almost see the whole mountain range and over to the coast on the west.
One peak that dominates the view is Doan, and even though it is very close to Slieve Loughshannagh and looks very accessible I've never actually climbed it, so I made a decision to do just that to see what the views are like from there!
I wanted to get some panoramic shots from the summit of Slieve Loughshannagh so I thought I would climb this first, get the shots then climb down the otherside then climb up Doan. I would then have to go back the way I came to get back to the car park. How hard could it be? Harder than I thought!
The climb up to the summit of Doan is actually more of a walk than a climb and is relatively easy. Once you reach the summit you are greeted by the most spectacular views. Doan sits almost in the very center of the Mournes so from here you have a 360 degree panoramic view of the whole area.
So if you are planning a walk in the Mournes, I highly recommend a visit to Doan.
If you are not up to a long hike then I recommend that you take the route that I did from the carpark just off Slievenaman road at the base of Slieve Loughshannagh.
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Glens of Antrim and Glenariff
The forecast on Monday was for clear weather with some sunshine, one of the few days this month to be rain free! and since there had been so much rain the previous few days, I though it would be a good idea to go up to Glenariff forest to get some shots of the waterfalls in full flow.
The glens themselves sit in a massive valley carved out by a glacier some 10,000 years ago, providing s wonderfully dense and varied landscape containing forest, waterfalls and rivers. There were two waterfalls in particular that I wanted to photograph, Ess-na-Crub and Ess-na-Laragh.
The last time I was here it never crossed my mind to bring wellies so that I could get up close and personal with the waterfalls, so this time I cam prepared! However by the time I walked down into the valley towards Ess-na-Crub I soon realised that entering the river was completely out of the question. There had been so much rain the previous few days that the water volume coming over the falls had probably doubled in volume, raising the water level enormously and producing so much spray and mist that photography was out of the question.
It was quite a sight though and the heavy rain did have the advantage of making the many smaller and normally unnoticed waterfalls quite spectacular!
Ess-na-Laragh was also more spectacular than usual and again the water levels and spray were way higher than normal meaning that entering the river was again out of the question, although I did manage to get a few shots from the walkway.
If you have never been to the Glens of Antrim or Glenariff then I highly recommend that you do. It is one of the most outstanding areas of natural beauty in Northern Ireland and well worth a visit. you won't be disappointed!
The glens themselves sit in a massive valley carved out by a glacier some 10,000 years ago, providing s wonderfully dense and varied landscape containing forest, waterfalls and rivers. There were two waterfalls in particular that I wanted to photograph, Ess-na-Crub and Ess-na-Laragh.
The last time I was here it never crossed my mind to bring wellies so that I could get up close and personal with the waterfalls, so this time I cam prepared! However by the time I walked down into the valley towards Ess-na-Crub I soon realised that entering the river was completely out of the question. There had been so much rain the previous few days that the water volume coming over the falls had probably doubled in volume, raising the water level enormously and producing so much spray and mist that photography was out of the question.
It was quite a sight though and the heavy rain did have the advantage of making the many smaller and normally unnoticed waterfalls quite spectacular!
Ess-na-Laragh was also more spectacular than usual and again the water levels and spray were way higher than normal meaning that entering the river was again out of the question, although I did manage to get a few shots from the walkway.
If you have never been to the Glens of Antrim or Glenariff then I highly recommend that you do. It is one of the most outstanding areas of natural beauty in Northern Ireland and well worth a visit. you won't be disappointed!
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Historical Belfast City
I've been living in Northern Ireland for nearly six years now and have worked quite a few of them in Belfast, although for some reason I've never actually taken any photos in or around this amazing city until now.
I guess it's because like most people who have something worth seeing right on their doorstep, they never actually get round to doing it because they can do it anytime they like! It was the same when I lived in Scotland. I was only a 40 mile drive from Loch Lommond but very rarely went there. Now that I'm living in Northern Ireland I wish I had made more of an effort to visit parts of Scotland like Loch Lommond when I was there.
Belfast is a city steeped in amazing history and one place that is really worth a visit is the titanic quarter, where the ill-fated titanic was built.(titanic dock and pump house shown above) This area is also home to the famous giant Harland and Wolff cranes which are fondly named "Samson and Goliath". These cranes dominate the skyline and can be seen from most parts of the city. Of course this area also still operates as a port today so some places are out of bounds to the general public and to photography as I found out when I tried to take some shots of the large operating cranes unloading the ships!
Now that I have been around the dock area its given me a taste to explore more of Belfast city, so if you have somewhere close by that you regularly think of visiting but never do, go and make a point of doing it and get out there now.
I guess it's because like most people who have something worth seeing right on their doorstep, they never actually get round to doing it because they can do it anytime they like! It was the same when I lived in Scotland. I was only a 40 mile drive from Loch Lommond but very rarely went there. Now that I'm living in Northern Ireland I wish I had made more of an effort to visit parts of Scotland like Loch Lommond when I was there.
Belfast is a city steeped in amazing history and one place that is really worth a visit is the titanic quarter, where the ill-fated titanic was built.(titanic dock and pump house shown above) This area is also home to the famous giant Harland and Wolff cranes which are fondly named "Samson and Goliath". These cranes dominate the skyline and can be seen from most parts of the city. Of course this area also still operates as a port today so some places are out of bounds to the general public and to photography as I found out when I tried to take some shots of the large operating cranes unloading the ships!
Now that I have been around the dock area its given me a taste to explore more of Belfast city, so if you have somewhere close by that you regularly think of visiting but never do, go and make a point of doing it and get out there now.
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Fine Art Monochrome Prints
I am pleased to announce that as from today, a selection of fine art monochrome images are available as prints from the fine art print collection.
All photographs will be printed by a professional lab using the Giclee process on Hahnemuhle fine art papers, of which I am currently offering two types:
Hahnemuhle Pearl - A bright white slightly textured 285gsm paper holds excellent detail, enables impressive contrast and depth while giving a beautiful pearl semi-gloss finish.
Hahnemuhle German Etching - A heavyweight 310gsm paper which is silky smooth with a fine surface texture, giving a matt finish and the attractive warm white shade of the traditional artist's board.
Both print types are available in sizes ranging from A5(5.8" x 8.3") right up to A2(16.5" x 23.4").
In the near future the option to have the prints mounted and matted for framing will also be available.
All photographs will be printed by a professional lab using the Giclee process on Hahnemuhle fine art papers, of which I am currently offering two types:
Hahnemuhle Pearl - A bright white slightly textured 285gsm paper holds excellent detail, enables impressive contrast and depth while giving a beautiful pearl semi-gloss finish.
Hahnemuhle German Etching - A heavyweight 310gsm paper which is silky smooth with a fine surface texture, giving a matt finish and the attractive warm white shade of the traditional artist's board.
Both print types are available in sizes ranging from A5(5.8" x 8.3") right up to A2(16.5" x 23.4").
In the near future the option to have the prints mounted and matted for framing will also be available.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Abstract Smoke images
With the weather being unpleasant again this weekend and me itching to get some camera action, I decided to try my hand at more abstract photography, only this time with smoke rather than ice.
As with images of water droplets, you will see quite a few examples of this type of abstract photography on various photography websites the Internet.
These types of images are actually quite easy to do. All you need is a camera on a tripod, an off camera flash, a black back drop, some incense sticks and a bit of patience!
Once the images are captured all manner of things can be done in Photoshop such as inverting the image, hand coloring the smoke trails and compositing different smoke plumes together.
As with most abstract work of this nature, big prints look really amazing and make excellent center pieces in the living room, dining room or several hanging along a hall.
If you are interested in detailed instructions on how these types of shots are done then please go to my Digital Photography Tutorials site where a tutorial will be available soon.
As with images of water droplets, you will see quite a few examples of this type of abstract photography on various photography websites the Internet.
These types of images are actually quite easy to do. All you need is a camera on a tripod, an off camera flash, a black back drop, some incense sticks and a bit of patience!
Once the images are captured all manner of things can be done in Photoshop such as inverting the image, hand coloring the smoke trails and compositing different smoke plumes together.
As with most abstract work of this nature, big prints look really amazing and make excellent center pieces in the living room, dining room or several hanging along a hall.
If you are interested in detailed instructions on how these types of shots are done then please go to my Digital Photography Tutorials site where a tutorial will be available soon.
Saturday, 20 June 2009
Recommended Photography Sites
There are literally hundreds of photography websites out there, some great one's and some mediocre one's, so I'm recommending a couple here that I visit on a regular basis because they are very informative, entertaining and may even help you improve your photography.
First up is The Mindful Eye. Until recently this was the Radiant Vista which is run by professional photographer and teacher Craig Tanner.
Craig is an outstanding photographer who really has a passion for teaching and photography in general. This site is really about helping photographers improve their craft for amateurs and pros alike.
The site offers a daily critique where you can send in an image and if you are lucky, Craig will post a video of him analyzing and then editing your shot in Photoshop. These videos offer great insight into how a professional photographer can see the final shot before editing and then the work flow involved in getting the shot there. This is an invaluable source of information if you are struggling with editing in Photoshop or any other image editing software.
There is also a large community forum where the users actively encourage each other and offer positive criticism and help on all aspects of their photography.
The second site I visit regularly is by photographer John Beardsworth. John is one of my favourite black and white photographers and has an excellent book available on the subject which I highly recommend.
His site offers a very entertaining blog which covers a wide variety of subjects including Photoshop, Aperture, Lightroom, color and monochrome photography, DAM, the visual arts and even computing tips.
Many of John's black and white images are also available to view on the site and I would highly recommend that you take a look.
First up is The Mindful Eye. Until recently this was the Radiant Vista which is run by professional photographer and teacher Craig Tanner.
Craig is an outstanding photographer who really has a passion for teaching and photography in general. This site is really about helping photographers improve their craft for amateurs and pros alike.
The site offers a daily critique where you can send in an image and if you are lucky, Craig will post a video of him analyzing and then editing your shot in Photoshop. These videos offer great insight into how a professional photographer can see the final shot before editing and then the work flow involved in getting the shot there. This is an invaluable source of information if you are struggling with editing in Photoshop or any other image editing software.
There is also a large community forum where the users actively encourage each other and offer positive criticism and help on all aspects of their photography.
The second site I visit regularly is by photographer John Beardsworth. John is one of my favourite black and white photographers and has an excellent book available on the subject which I highly recommend.
His site offers a very entertaining blog which covers a wide variety of subjects including Photoshop, Aperture, Lightroom, color and monochrome photography, DAM, the visual arts and even computing tips.
Many of John's black and white images are also available to view on the site and I would highly recommend that you take a look.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Fine Art Photography
What is your definition of fine art photography? The Wikipedia definition is "photographs that are created to fulfill the creative vision of the artist." This is the definition that I like. To me it is also any piece of beautiful artistic photographic work that is non-commercial that can be a landscape, a portrait, an abstract image or a macro image of some kind.
Different people have different definitions of what fine art photography is, some say it has to be black and white or monochrome, others say that the print has to be matted for framing before it can be called fine art. I do not subscribe to these at all. In truth fine art can be black and white / monochrome or color but I must admit that I do prefer black and white. My own fine art images are exclusively in black and white as I prefer this format for printing and framing. To say though that the photograph must be matted is a little obscure in my view. Surely it is about the image at the end of the day?
One thing I do see on a regular basis are personal photography websites touting themselves as fine art photographers and offering so-called fine art prints. Unfortunately many of these lack any artistic quality whatsoever and are merely record shots or snapshots. I doubt very much if they will see many sales of these! At the other end of the spectrum I also see truly fantastic photographic art on display in photography magazine reader galleries, that the photographer is not promoting or offering for sale or for print from their own site. I'm pretty sure this is down to lack of confidence from the photographer in their own work.
Different people have different definitions of what fine art photography is, some say it has to be black and white or monochrome, others say that the print has to be matted for framing before it can be called fine art. I do not subscribe to these at all. In truth fine art can be black and white / monochrome or color but I must admit that I do prefer black and white. My own fine art images are exclusively in black and white as I prefer this format for printing and framing. To say though that the photograph must be matted is a little obscure in my view. Surely it is about the image at the end of the day?
One thing I do see on a regular basis are personal photography websites touting themselves as fine art photographers and offering so-called fine art prints. Unfortunately many of these lack any artistic quality whatsoever and are merely record shots or snapshots. I doubt very much if they will see many sales of these! At the other end of the spectrum I also see truly fantastic photographic art on display in photography magazine reader galleries, that the photographer is not promoting or offering for sale or for print from their own site. I'm pretty sure this is down to lack of confidence from the photographer in their own work.
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