Irish landscapes Photo Guide Dublin and Wicklow by Amy Walsh

Irish Landscapes Photo Guide Dublin and Wicklow

How to create wonderful digital landscape photographs

Donal Walsh

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Powerscourt

Chapter Two

Lough Dan

Chapter Three

Autumn in Wicklow

Chapter Four Exposure and Creating Sharp Landscape Images

Chapter Five

Sunrise and sunset

Chapter Six

The Beach and Three Swans.

Chapter Seven

More Images of Dublin and Wicklow

Fast Find Topics.. Capture NX2 software chapter three Composition all images Contrast and Key chapter seven, sixth image and fig.4 Depth of field chapter four Exposure chapter four Exposure delay chapter seven, first image and ch.4, third image Filters chapter seven, fifth image Harsh and soft light chapter seven, fourth image Hyperfocal focusing chapter four and figâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3(a) and 3(b) Motion blur chapter one, fifth image, and chapter seven, third image Over exposure warning chapter four Scale chapter one, powerscourt waterfall b+w The Histogram chapters four and seven (fig.3) White Balance chapter five, Sunrise from Bray Harbour

This ebook and the following poem, is dedicated to the memory of my nephew, Donal Walsh 1997- 2013. A poem inspired by a photograph. The Gift When the sun light breaks through cloud, And paints a scene of solitude , And you could capture all the hues, You have a gift, and more, to use. When a scene will catch your eye, A mountain stream, a tree so high, And you could capture reasons why, You have a gift, until you die. Donal Walsh

The photograph which inspired this poem, is called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tree Lightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and is the third photograph in Chapter One.

Preface

he production of Irish Landscapes, Photo Guide, Dublin and Wicklow, was a labour of love and I am delighted to have it published. I bought my first camera in 1988 while on honeymoon in Galway and sometimes think what my wife, Ann-Marie, thought of this. Until recently, I would describe myself as a casual photographer, fitting in trips to the hills, between family life and my work as a Civil Engineer. All this changed in 2011 when I purchased a digital camera and re-discovered my combined passions of the great outdoors and photography. This practical ebook is written primarily for all those who would like to combine photography with a love of the great outdoors. It is also written for those who are familiar with digital photography and would like to read about how someone else creates landscape photographs. If you have little interest in photography, and would like to ramble in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains and visit some of the wonderful locations I have chosen, this ebook is also for you. Though it relates to Dublin and Wicklow, near Dublin City, on the East coast of Ireland, all of its technical and artistic content can be applied to any location. All images and all text and diagrams are my work.

Nikon D90: Lens -18-105mm zoom, 42mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8: Shutter speed - 1/500 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Part of the long avenue of beech trees leading to Powerscourt House and Gardens

I Powerscourt

owerscourt Estate is a large country estate and a popular tourist destination near the village of Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, a road trip of 35km from Dublin City centre. It is famed for its house, originally a 13th century castle, and its landscaped Italian gardens. It all started when lands in Co. Wicklow were granted to the Wingfield family, by James I in 1609. Much has been done since then, the best of which has been the decision to open to the public. Powerscourt is a wonderful place and we are lucky to have it so close to Dublin City, the largest population centre in Ireland. The avenue leading to the house and gardens is a magical place to walk with many mature beech trees towering overhead on both sides and has a wonderful view of the Sugarloaf Mountain off to the South. With the right combination of Autumn colours and light, there are few places to match this tree sanctuary for views and photo opportunities. The Italian gardens adjacent to the house are a stunning display of landscape gardening and receive many thousands of visitors each year. Morning sunlight is best as you enter through the main gate and come in along the avenue. Sunlight on the white beech trunks and branches is wonderful and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to get to the end of the avenue without setting up the tripod, once or twice. Evening brings completely different photo opportunities including tall stands of beech and horse chestnut, panoramic views of the tree lined avenue, and the wonderful Sugarloaf Mountain in the evening sunlight. As well as changing from morning to evening, photo opportunities change from month to month. Fortunately, I live about 5 km away and I am a frequent visitor, so I am familiar with the ever changing views. To capture the landscape at its best, be it wonderful Autumn colours or distant snow capped hills, the photographer must be in touch with the location, the best vantage points, where the sun rises and sets, and what weather conditions might produce a good shot. I am frequently surprised by new photo opportunities in areas I have visited for years, sometimes because of the way frost has lingered on a North facing hill side late into a cloudy morning or because of a reflection in still water. On a more practical level, a significant benefit of knowing an area is that you can get to, around and from the good locations quickly. This shot was taken in the Summer, and makes an interesting change from the gorgeous reds and yellows of Autumn. The sweeping road and kerb are used to lead the eye into the image while the foreground trees provides a sense of scale. The wind was up so I opened the apperture to f8 to get a fast shutter speed to compensate for shake. As always, I used a tripod for added weight. How I prepare to take a photograph is discussed further on the third page of chapter four.

Nikon D90: Lens -18-105mm zoom, 42mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f16: Shutter speed - 1/80 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Powerscourt Pine

he setting sun reddens the bark of a pine tree along Powerscourt Avenue. I am always willing to take a photograph from an unusual point of view, particularly if it adds to the appeal of the image. This image is all about the bare reaching tree trunk and its wonderfully reddened bark. Going for a conventional shot here by standing in front of this tree would have been less than interesting, and would have had more trees in the background to distract the viewer. This tree has the viewer all to itself, nothing to compete with, no risk of distraction. By laying flat on my back and resting the camera on my face, as well as attracting some strange looks from passers by, I also managed to emphasize the tree trunk and its reddened bark in a way that would be very difficult to achieve had I been in front of the tree instead of under it. Only from underneath is it possible to see the effect of the sun on so much of the bare trunk as it reaches up to the foliage. The tree height is ideal, any higher and detail would have been lost. The diagonal orientation of the tree makes for a dramatic overall composition. Right in the centre of the image, the trunk divides into two more diagonals, adding to the drama. My eye sees two distinct parts to this image, left and right of the vertical centreline.To the left, a solid clean robust tree trunk, on the right, disarray and instability. Even though the general overall orientation is diagonal, the trunk has a vertical piece half way up and a near horizontal piece across the top, just left of the divide. Along with its clean good looks, this allows the trunk to come away with an element of stability. Balance is between left and right, between the robust and stable trunk and the weaker and more dependent tree top. Also, on the left, the trunk is bright and sharp, on the right, not as bright, nor as sharp. The relative distance of left and right also play a part in the composition of the image. The proximity of the trunk adds to its stability, similarly, the distant top appears like it needs and depends on the support of the trunk.

Nikon D90: Lens -18-105mm zoom, 40mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f13: Shutter speed - 1/25 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Tree Light

he low light came in from the left and behind the tree, lighting and colouring some areas and leaving more in shadow. I wanted to get as much leaf detail as possible and also wanted as much of the tree as possible in the frame. This image is about allowing the Autumn colours to come to the fore while not overpowering the ‘tree’ - it’s about getting the balance right. The mostly dark tree trunk has little detail that might serve to distract the viewer from the bright coloured foliage and yet forms the centre piece or anchor for the image. There is a diagonal element to the image composition which together with a sort of dark randomness, adds a sense of the dramatic. The mix of light and shadow is well spread out except for the bottom right corner, and the image is big enough to carry this. Even with a significant amount of light, the mood of the image is generally dark, a mood which is enhanced by the way the tree towers over the camera. The random nature of the branches also adds to its moodiness. This is an example of a low key image, explained further in chapter seven. At this stage, you might think, how on earth can I take a balanced dramatic moody photograph. As for many activities, over thinking a situation is not good. Why did I stop at this tree, simple, it caught my eye, no other reason. I wasn’t thinking balanced, dramatic, moody, light or shadows - it just caught my eye. When this happens, I very quickly decide if I have something to work with. On average, I stop for about 50% of images that catch my eye. A scene can look very tempting, but it may be too far away, there may be something in the way, the sky might not be good or it may not fit easily in a frame. As you practice your photography, you will become more selective and save yourself a lot of time and effort. You will also learn to capture the reasons why the scene caught your eye in the first place. This is why photography is much more of an art than a science and why you need to trust your eye. Among other things, the way I expose an image is covered in detail in chapter four, but here is a harmless preview. Imagine you were to take several shots of this tree, from too dark to too bright and everything in between. Well, this shot is in there somewhere. Why, because it’s somewhere between dark and bright, you have covered all the options, it’s there. This is what you might call, the artistic option, and believe it or not, a digital camera is perfect for this option as it can take multiple images quickly and at different camera settings and all at no cost. Let’s call the alternative, the scientific option, which essentially means trying to figure out the camera settings that will allow you to capture the above image with a single shot. Why would you want to do that, I hear you say. One reason might be if you have a film camera, but you don’t, you’ve got a digital camera, isn’t that right. Ok, lets say a friend of a friend has a film camera. He can’t see the image on an LCD screen like you can, it costs him every time he pushes that button and he doesn’t know what’s too dark and too bright until the film is developed. So he might be interested in a way to get it right in one shot. This can be done by carefully taking exposure readings of the scene and estimating the camera settings for his particular artistic requirements. This was the norm when working with film cameras and it certainly produced a discipline which has created many fine photographs. For me, the scientific option is a couple of steps away from keeping it simple, doing no more than the bare minimum to get your perfect shot every time and minimising your time at each scene. This photograph is the inspiration for a short poem called The Gift.

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f16: Shutter speed - 1/125 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Powerscourt Waterfall

owerscourt Waterfall, at 121m, is the highest waterfall in Ireland and a road trip of 32 km from Dublin City. It has many photo opportunities, up close and from a distance and can be magnificent in bright conditions after heavy rain. Heavy rain has a double advantage, it clears the air and brings more water over the falls. The falls are on the Dargle river which rises to the West between War Hill and the Tonduff â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and flows North East to the sea, via Bray Harbour. This single shot was taken over a kilometer away using a 300mm lens. Although most of the falls is in shadow, this image shows how light and shadow can complement each other. When they achieve harmony in a scene, the effect can be breathtaking. If this image contained little or no dark areas and everything was as bright as the trees at the bottom of the image, it would have little or no artistic appeal, similarly for too much shadow. Many of the great landscape photographs have a strong light/shadow interaction which works with black and white and with colour. The trees at the bottom anchor the image and prevent the eye from going off the bottom of the image as it follows the motion of the water. I have placed the waterfall to the left so as to achieve balance with the bright area on the right. The area on the right side of the image is very dark and any detail here would take your eye from the bright areas each side of the falls. The subject in this image is the light on each side of the falls and not the darker waterfall itself, the light on the rock and vegetation around the waterfall is what I was after. Were it not for this light, I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have stopped. Yes, the waterfall is part of the image and plays an important role. Imagine the waterfall removed from the image, it would still be an interesting image. The waterfall adds interest and character and also permanence and stability due to its vertical orientation, and goes some way to giving the image a sense of scale. There is a wonderful view of this waterfall and the surrounding hills and mountains from the road between Enniskerry and Roundwood, (third class road, yellow on OS map, sheet 56), known as Long Hill, just South of latitude 12. There is an earth bank at the road edge and room for a single car to pull over. Standing on the bank provides a wonderful view of a distant Powerscourt Waterfall. Walking carefully, over rough ground towards the falls for approx. ten minutes, provides another wonderful panorama view of the falls, with Djouce Mountain to the South and Maulin to the North with War Hill and the Tonduffs in the distance. Such roadside viewing points are usually sign posted with an area for car and bus parking, but many are not and are there to be discovered and explored just as they have been for thousands of years.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm zoom, 90mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8: Shutter speed - 1/125 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Powerscourt Waterfall â&#x20AC;&#x201C; black and white

hether standing at its base, or viewing it from miles away, it’s difficult to escape the captivating effect of Powerscourt Waterfall, which is why this is one of a pair of images of the falls in this chapter. Here, I try to capture this effect and emphasise the never ending relationship between rock and cascading water. Sunlight is welcome to a scene like this, as the rock is dark enough to deal with it, without risk of overexposure. Some of the water is overexposed but in this case, this adds to the dramatic appeal of the image. Many excellent photographs suffer from the absence of a sense of scale or a reference point, something to tell the brain how big or small the subject is. Were it not for the person standing at the base of the waterfall in this photograph, your brain would have a hard time figuring out the scaleof the image i.e. how big or small it is relative to something that’s recognisable. Immediately, this person informs the viewer that the base of the falls is indeed large in every sense. Many landscape photographers would never consider that a person might actually enhance a scene in this way. Some scenes don’t need a person, there’s a tree or a ruined building in the scene which serves the same purpose. This image is about many things, three in particular, water, rock and light. The water is good, not too much and not too little. The rock is dark and wet, so it’s easy to expose and its darkness allows the water to shine. The sun is low, so lots of shadows and contrast. This image is best viewed full screen to appreciate the details, textures and tones involved. There are three or four waterfalls here at the base, each screaming at the camera for inclusion in the image. The dramatic nature of the image comes from the cascading waters and also from the diagonal elements in its composition. Diagonal lines are a great way to create dramatic effect. The chaotic mix of water, rock and light also add to the drama in the image. I considered using a slow water effect here (motion blur) by reducing shutter speed to around one second and closing down (large f number) the aperture to compensate. I quickly realised that the slow water would do all the wrong things for this image. It would hide detail and texture in the rock and water as well as reduce the dramatic effect of the diagonal elements. Contrast would also be greatly reduced. The low light shining onto the many rock surfaces and bouncing off the tumbling waters are a key element of this image. The eye catching mix of light and shadow, created by the horizontal and vertical angle of the sun, is the reason the tripod got set up. Imagine the sun shining from the direction of the camera location. The shadows would be less interesting, and the rock diagonals would be less visable, as they depend on shadow for definition. Contrast and dramatic effect would be lost. This image is known as a low key image, explored further in chapter seven. It is generally accepted that good composition and good balance, go hand in hand. As well as photography, this applies to music, writing, painting, dance, theatre, and many more artistic disciplines. It must also be accepted that the eye is often attracted to the dramatic and the unstable. Art, and indeed life, might be less than interesting if everything and everybody was balanced and orderly. Beauty, order, balance, harmony, stability, tension, drama, disarray and utter chaos enter our lives from time to time, and often make us better and more interesting, for the experience. Capturing these elements is the life blood of art, and any one, or any combination of them can be seen in a portrait painting, read in a poem, performed in a play or heard in a song. For both the creator and the viewer, it comes down to personal choice. All of the images in this book have a piece on composition, and I have generally adopted a policy of equating good composition and good balance. This formal approach won’t suite everyone, but remember, even dynamic, unstable and dramatic art can still have a sense of balance. If you want to learn and develop photography skills, learn the formal basics of composition first and take it from there. For this image, composition is unstable and dynamic, with movement to the fore. The strong diagonals in water and rock makes for an unstable, moving and dramatic composition with no obvious help to balance these strong elements. Let’s forget the rules and look at the image. Age old, dark and deep solid rock and bright, light, fleeting water, flowing on the surface, a definite, if not obvious balance. Known as informal balance, it’s not immediately obvious how balance is achieved, not as simple as two evenly weighted objects, or two matching spaces, though no less effective.

II Lough Dan

his is looking North, from high on the lake’s West side cliffs. The East beach, which is privately owned, can be seen in front of the red roofed cabin. Lough Dan is an expert when it comes to reflections and I have seen nothing to equal. You won’t get clear water every time you visit, but it is well worth persisting until the magic happens, and when it does, you need to work quickly, as it’s generally short lived. Reflections come in many forms around the lake, it could be the yellow gorse near theWest beach in Spring, the lower slopes of Brown Mountain in Summer, the trees on the West beach in Autumn, and in Winter, the snowcapped Mullaghcleevaun reflected in the waters of the Inchavore where it enters the lake. The dark waters seem to enhance the reflections similar to the way a dark background will make a bright object look brighter. Apparently, an objects background can strongly influence not only the brightness, but also the hue and saturation of the object, a phenomenon known as ‘simultaneous brightness contrast’. I choose this image because of the sky reflected in the clear waters, the matching diagonals of the foreground tree line, and the dark reflection on the right. The image has excellent depth from foreground tree tops all the way to the distant hills and the clouds above. The image histogram is of the general shape of fig. 2(a), with the entire light range falling within the range of the camera sensor. Many photographers might darken the clouds, but I felt the image needed brightness contrast with the dark hills and shadows. This is a good example of why a landscape doesn’t always have to be in landscape format. The portrait format gives the image its wonderful sense of depth.There are really two Lough Dans. This is because the lake has a dog-leg which goes off to the West, to the left of this image, with the main part of the lake going South, back to the right, behind the camera. It’s all one lake but each part has its own unique artistic attractions.The West lake is more accessible and contains the wonderful West beach and Inchavore river, while the views from the high cliffs on the West side of the Southern lake, the shooting location for this image, are equally wonderful. The West lake is dominated by Knocknacloghoge mountain at 534m, part of whose lower slopes can be seen on the left of this image. Behind the West beach, these slopes are strewn with many large boulders and are a perfect backdrop for many shots of the West beach, see Lough Dan – West Beach, in this chapter. Knocknacloghoge itself contains many excellent vantage points for shots of the lake below, together with the surrounding area. The next image was taken from a rocky crag high on her South facing slopes. This is the perfect location to capture the Inchavore river and it’s relationship with the lake. During the months of March, April and May, you need to be on the mountain shortly after sunrise to allow time to scout the best locations and to capture the early light as it rakes the land.The pair of obvious diagonals in the image are associated with unstable and dynamic forms.On the other hand, we have a large, calm, reflective lake. The composition is well balanced by these two opposing elements.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm zoom, 28mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8: Shutter speed - 1/500 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Lough Dan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Calm Waters

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450 mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8: Shutter speed - 1/320 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Lough Dan - West Beach, Where the Inchavore River Enters the Lake

single shot with my Nikon D90 camera and 300mm lens, a combination which is equivalent to a 450mm lens, due to the cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cropped sensor. This shot was taken from a rocky crag high on Knocknacloghoge. It looked less spectacular on the morning, when I got back home and had a look, it looked as if I had been almost directly overhead. I think this effect is due to the telephoto lens pulling the image in under the camera as it brings it closer. The river is the Inchavore where it flows into Lough Dan. This is an area of exceptional beauty. Unfortunately, Lough Dan is outside the Wicklow Mountains National Park and the beach, in particular, suffers from vandalism from time to time. It is not unusual to see several tents on the beach during Summer weekends and while most occupants are well behaved, some have chopped limbs from the beautiful trees on the beach to fuel their fires. In March, April or May, before everything goes green, and the water is dead calm with the sun still rising, the reflections in the lake and the Inchavore can be magical. On a few occasions, I have seen perfect reflections of Knocknacloghoge, the trees on the beach, the lower slopes of Brown Mountain immediately South of the beach, and many smaller features. On these occasions, a camera on the beach pointed in any direction can take spectacular photographs. It would be nice to think that this area would be protected and brought under the control of the Wicklow Mountains National Park at some time in the not too distant future. Access to Lough Dan - West beach as follows, head South on the R755 (Enniskerry/Roundwood road), turn right onto the R759 and take the second left marked L5056. After approx. 5km, take a right turn soon after crossing an obvious bridge over the Avonmore river. You will shortly pass the Scout Center on the right, with parking further on the left. This is a road trip of 45 km from Dublin City. From here, continue on foot for approx. 20 mins. to a small wooden gate on the right, soon after crossing a stone bridge. Through the gate and follow the path all the way to a second wooden gate, go through and turn right onto a wide, well worn path, downhill to the ruins of a stone cottage at lake level. From here, head North toward the Inchavore to pick up a well worn path to the lake. To access the beach, there is no requirement to cross the Inchavore. Access is also possible from the Lough Tay side. Park on the R759 above the lake (road side parking) and walk through a gate style toward the lake. Follow the path South all along the greenway to an abandoned two storey house on the shore of Lough Dan. Follow a sometimes overgrown path at the rear of the house all along the lake edge until the beach comes into view on the left. It is necessary to cross the Inchavore well beyond the beach and return on an obvious path. This is significantly longer than the Scout Center route, but has many more photo opportunities along the way. There are three striking aspects to this image, the overhead perspective, the lading diagonal where the beach meets the water and the white beach itself. There is a definite sense of elevation and exposure about this image. As I have said earlier, I think this has more to do with the telephoto effect of my 450mm lens, and less to do with me hanging off the edge of a cliff. The leading diagonal between the beach and the waters of the Inchavore, adds a sense of movement to the composition of the image. The pair of trees and the low shrub make a second diagonal, parallel to the first, adding to the drama of the composition. The wonderful white beach is full of detail and texture with diagonal sand lines at right-angles to the principal diagonal. There is an element of balance between the dark Inchavore triangle and the lighter beach. The tree shadows cast by the early morning light, does this image no harm. I chose this image for the cover of this ebook because of its eye catching perspective and its striking diagonal elements. I hope it works for you.

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8: Shutter speed - 1/250 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Lough Dan - West Beach

he largest natural lake in Wicklow, Lough Dan has deep, dark and moody waters, which have the power to create a wonderland of scenery, all around the lake edge. When wind, temperature, light and atmospheric pressure conspire, this area can be transformed into a spell binding arena of colourful reflection. The car park near the scout centre is a road trip of 45 km from Dublin City. The lake waters rise and fall each day with the sand bar on the Knocknacloghoge end of the beach going completely under when the water is up. Compared to Glendalough, the waters of Lough Dan are calmer with a much better chance of good reflections, and there is much to reflect. The beach itself presents great opportunities for interesting photographs. The combination of beach and trees with mountain and lake as backdrop is ideal and regularly draws me back to here. The Inchavore river flows at the back of the trees, just visible on the right, and enters the lake further on the right. When calm, its waters are perfect for close up beach as foreground and the reflected slopes of Knocknacloghoge as background. This image is created by stitching together three single shots, side by side. When reflections are involved, harsh sunlight helps to light up the reflected trees and to show the white beach in good light. Soft, diffuse light would be more appropriate for shots from the beach, which didn’t involve reflections. The shoot location is the sloping land on the lake side of the access path, between the second wooden gate and the ruined cottage at lake level. This is private land and the owner’s permission to enter should be sought. It’s elevated enough to show off the beach and to show the depth of the wonderful reflection, but from here, it does require a telephoto lens. Bright, light, surface colours and dark, deep, reflections create a sense of balance. There are two distinct areas in the image, the beach and above, and everything below the beach. These equal areas also balance the image. Remote, calm and peaceful reflection are the main element of composition.

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450 mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8: Shutter speed - 1/250 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Lough Dan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Reflection

ough Dan, with the sun well up in the sky and perfectly calm water. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not easy to get good reflections in this part of the lake and shortly after this image was taken, the mirror like effect had given way to gently turbulent waters. This image was taken from the overhanging cliffs high on the West side of the Southern lake. If you have any issues with height, exposure or safety awareness, this area is best avoided, as it is overgrown, steep, and has a sudden overhanging drop into the lake below. After several attempts, I managed to find a good location, high on these cliffs, with no interference from trees. From here, I have an excellent, elevated shooting location for much of the lake edge South and North of where the Cloghoge river enters the lake. Never assume that your first set-up location is the best. Always walk around where you have dropped your rucksack and consider several locations, each one will produce a different image. You will be surprised at the difference between two photographs of the same scene taken as little as five meters apart. This also applies to vertical distance apart, which can have an even greater effect than horizontal distance. This location only allowed for limited vertical movement, but I could raise and lower the tripod. The composition in this image is dominated by the calm reflective waters and the straight horizon between water and land, all adding to the still, peaceful calmness. Balance is achieved by equal areas above and below a straight horizon. The diagonal between sky and trees does little to upset the balance of the image. Without the reflection, this would be a more difficult image to justify in portrait format. The reflections extend the vertical interest, which would be extended even further, with a cloudy sky.

III Autumn in Wicklow

owns and villages can provide many fine opportunities for an interesting combination of street and landscape photography. The tidy towns initiative has helped enormously in this regard and much effort has gone into creating wonderful floral displays in towns and villages through the country. Trees have a proven positive impact on our physical and mental well being as well as the benefits of capturing and storing carbon from the atmosphere. Ireland is one of the least wooded countries in Europe with less than one-third of the European average for land planted with trees. Ireland has agreed a target of 17% of land covered by forest by 2035, 25% by 2025 would be good and would have a better ring to it. National Tree Week is an annual week long festival celebrating all positive aspects of trees in our lives and environment. It is a wonderful opportunity to get involved in any of several events from nature trails and workshops to tree planting and tree hugging. I hadn’t paid much attention to the Killarney Road trees, but one bright Saturday morning in early October, as I headed for the waterfall at Powerscourt, this autumnal display caught my eye and I began to think about the best location for a shot, Powerscourt was suddenly dropped for Killarney Road. It’s a busy road and safety was an issue as I needed to move off the footpath and onto the cycle lane to get a good shot. I considered waiting until Sunday and less traffic but the conditions were good with little wind, so out came the tripod. Traffic was heavy and I needed to make sure that my shot would avoid shadows from passing vehicles. There were also many people out walking, which delayed matters further. As the sky was cloudy, the sun was intermittent so between traffic, safety, walkers and interrupted sun, I knew this would take a while and it did. I spent the next hour and a half taking no more than 25 shots. Walkers and vehicle shadow were the main challenges and the requirement to move and re-setup twice to avoid cyclists didn’t help. Foreground interest is good in this photograph and needed to be sharp. I tend to adopt a minimalist approach when it comes to enhancing images using software such as photoshop, or in my case, Nikon’s Capture NX2. In this photograph, there were some issues to watch out for during processing, over exposure of the wall behind the trees, underexposure of the trees and over saturation of the cycle lane. My software allows me to experiment creatively with an image and to compare any changes with the original image. It allows me to selectively darken or brighten all or part of the image, to sharpen all or part of the image, to reduce or enhance the tone of a particular colour without affecting other colours, to erase unwanted objects, to control distortion, to convert to black and white and lots more. It was therefore possible to selectively reduce the exposure of the wall behind the trees, to brighten the trees without brightening anything else and to control the saturation of the cycle lane. Using software to enhance digital images is sometimes frowned upon, mostly by people who don’t take the time to understand why it’s necessary. The process of manipulating the image starts in the camera. All digital images are born colourless and need to be worked on by camera sensor technology to become rendered by a series of calculations, estimates and guestimates. This process is carried out by very clever in-camera software which puts any flaws beyond the capacity of the human eye. Further manipulation by the photographer is almost always technically necessary, even if it’s only to sharpen the image. Some photographers like to enhance beyond what’s technically necessary and when done right, can be very tasteful. More, like myself, want to cut computer time to an absolute minimum and avoid drilling down into time consuming image surgery, just because it’s available. As with all artistic endeavor, it is up to the artist to create the work and up to the viewer to decide if the creation catches her artistic eye. Many photographs and paintings are purchased because of colour or an atmospheric look or because of the way the artist depicted light in the work. The work may be less than excellent in other respects, but it’s what caught the viewers eye that counts. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. I have purposely said nothing about the composition of this image. Please have a go and see how you get on. Look for lines, curves, patterns and textures. Try to figure

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm zoom, 25mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f16: Shutter speed - 1/100 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Killarney Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450 mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f10: Shutter speed - 1/320 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

The Lower Slopes of Maulin Mountain

his image was taken close to Powerscourt Waterfall, which is what I had planned to photograph on this particular day. A cloudy day with bright spells, bright sunlight tracking across the trees caught my eye and resulted in several images captured with my 300mm lens. It makes a welcome change from the less colourful commercial coniferous plantations that cover so much of Wicklow. It’s all about chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants which absorbs blue and red light from the sun, but is a poor absorber of green light. Greek: Chloros (green) and phyllon (leaf ). Because it’s not absorbed by the chlorophyll, the green light gets reflected into our eyes making the leaf appear green – so, the leaf appears green as long as the chlorophyll is present. During Summer months, bright sunlight causes chlorophyll to decompose and break down but it is regenerated in the leaf which allows it to remain green. Low temperature and bright sunshine destroys chlorophyll. The shortening days and cool nights of Autumn triggers changes for trees causing a reduced flow of nutrients to the leaves and a decline in chlorophyll production, causing fading of the green leaf color. The dying chlorophyll allows underlying pigments, which have been there all along, to show off their colors, the colors we know as Autumn colors. Red maples and red oaks display the brightest reds and purples. In some parts of the world, leaves are big business. In the state of Wisconsin in the USA, fall tourists spend $1billion each fall. In Ireland, the words October and Wind are no strangers. Low temperatures and bright sunshine won’t be much good if the wind blows the leaves off the trees before they turn. For a perfect Autumn, everything has to come right at the right time. Ireland’s climate is not generally conducive to good Autumn conditions, but we do get them, somewhere, every now and then. Here, I wanted to capture the abundance of deciduous tree cover on the slopes of Maulin Mountain, along with those wonderful greens, browns and reds, all mixed together. The uniform composition prevents the eye drawing attention to any one tree, thereby emphasising strength in numbers. Repetition and texture are strong compositional elements here. Objects arranged in a recognisable, repeatable arrangement form a pattern.When the arrangement is random or varying, a texture is formed, and so it is with this image. Textures are natural and random. The relative distance between trees and their densities vary and the corresponding variety leads to a natural structure. This natural, organic, random texture is what caught my eye. The requirement for balance in an image is cancelled here, by the overriding uniformity of the image, there is simply nothing to balance, or, it could be said, the image is in complete balance.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm prime, 21mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f11 Shutter speed - 1/40 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Woodland Light

You can get lost in Wicklow, lost in its breath taking scenery, lost in its woodland trails and lost amongst its high lakes. As well as the metaphorical lost, you can also get LOST, which is why I carry a hand-held GPS unit. It’s a super device and allows me to head off to the hills and not worry too much about how to get back. One of the functions in a GPS unit will record your track as you proceed. When you wish to return, you simply follow the track on your screen, back to the start. Tracks can be named and saved for later use. Without a GPS, you need to bring a map and compass, regularly consult your map, and know how to use your map with your compass. These are valuable skills for the hiker and anyone who ventures into the great outdoors. All this can be time consuming and serve to distract the photographer from his work. A GPS is the perfect navigation tool for the great outdoors and doesn’t require a map or compass. Some units have built-in maps which can be useful and expensive. As a back-up or out of habit, I always bring a map, but my GPS is my navigation tool of choice. You do need to attach your GPS to your rucksack or jacket with a lanyard so as to avoid loosing it or leaving it at the last place you took a break, and don’t forget the spare batteries, sorry, the spare charged batteries. There are dozen’s of wooded hills and valleys throughout Dublin and Wicklow containing excellent material for the photographer. One of these is Cloghleagh, approx. 11km North West of the Sally gap on the R759, and marked on OS map, sheet 56. It is well known to photographers for it’s wonderful trees and brilliant Autumn colours. Some more that I’m familiar with include Knocksink (near Enniskerry), Glen of the Downs, The Scalp, Barnaslingan (near the Scalp), Coolattin Woods (near Shillelagh), The Devil’s Glen (near Ashford), Djouce Woods, Crone Wood (Glencree Valley), Ballinafunshoge Woods (Lough Dan) and Glendalough. Several of these are deciduous woodland with many more colours and generally better light than coniferous plantations. Many more Dublin and Wicklow woodland areas are on my to-do list and will make an appearance in part two of this publication. Unlike a large open landscape such as ‘The Cloghoge Valley’ image in chapter seven, photography of wooded hills and valleys is more challenging and can be more rewarding. For me, the biggest attraction to these areas is the trees, the opportunity for surprise and the countless opportunities on the forest floor and tree canopy above. The ‘Easter Sunday’ image in chapter seven, is a good example of this. This was a complete surprise and includes trees and the forest floor as well as light breaking through the canopy above. Wooded areas are harder to get to know and take up significantly more time than open country. On a day out, I will often try to combine the two. The ‘Easter Sunday’ and ‘Cloghoge Valley’ images, both in chapter seven, third image from end and fig. 4, are a ten minute walk apart, a day with a camera, to equal any. This image is about harsh light breaking through to the woodland floor and lighting trees and foliage as it does so. It’s a low key image (see fig.4) with good contrast, texture and light. Vertical lines in a photograph suggest order and formality. The large sunlit tree dominates the image and radiates a sense of strength. The camera position, looking up at the tree, confirms its position of strength, as does the tree size and proximity, compared with the surrounding trees. The sunlight on the floor pulls the eye away from the dominant tree to other parts of the image and helps to generate interest in the image as opposed to the tree. The formality of the vertical trees is balanced by the less formal patchy light on the woodland floor foreground. A good photograph needs to balance the orderly with the dramatic in a way that doesn’t compromise simplicity.

IV Exposure and Creating Sharp Landscape Images Exposure Figures 1(a) and 1(b) show my camera’s meter reading display through the viewfinder. Increasing the shutter speed or reducing the aperture (larger f-number) gives a reading to the left of 0, darker image. Reducing the shutter speed or increasing the aperture (smaller f-number) gives a reading to the right of 0, lighter image. The correct exposure, according to any camera meter, is always a 0 reading. So when you point your camera at a scene and the reading is, say one stop to the right of 0, you must work the shutter speed dial and/or the aperture dial to bring the reading back to 0. You are now trusting your camera meter to expose properly. What does this mean ? Middle grey tone (reflects18% of light) is half way between black and white and corresponds to a scene with a full tonal range from black to white and with equal amounts of black and white, think of a black and white chess board. All camera meters are designed to expose correctly when looking at a scene whose average tone is mid-grey. Let’s point our cameras at a lovely giant oak tree in the middle of a green field. Does the camera light meter see this scene – no, it can’t, the only thing that can see this scene is an eye attached to a brain. The camera meter ‘sees’ only light and dark tones, it sees the tree trunk as a dark tone, the crown of the tree as a lighter tone, the grass as another tone etc. It then adds up the tones and figures an average tone for the scene. If this average tone is mid-grey, the scene will be exposed perfectly and the camera meter reading display will be on 0. Lets say the camera meter comes up with an average tone darker than mid-grey, reading to the left of 0, on my camera, fig. 1(b). To expose according to the camera’s considered recommendation, we must now work the aperture and/or shutter speed dials until we bring the reading to 0, i.e. to force an exposure value corresponding to a mid-gray tone. This will produce an overexposed image, but the camera doesn’t know this, it’s just telling you what it’s calibrated to tell you. This is the battleground between Art and Technology with final control in the hands of the photographer. Photography is about understanding and controlling the camera, in a way that delivers your particular artistic wishes. The camera recommendation for a stunning salmon pink sunset will deliver an overexposed image every time, because it’s calibrated to expose to the mid-gray standard, thus overexposing those rich sunset colours. We can use this fact to our advantage and use the camera to achieve our own unique artistic interpretation of any scene. If we have a scene that’s darker than mid-gray, then we know that our reading should be to the left of 0, to avoid overexposure. There are various rules for how much to the left. Dark green foliage, shadow side of caucasian skin – one stop to the left (one unit of f-stop or shutter speed). Dark textured bark on shadow side of tree, very dark gray where detail can be seen – two stops to the left. Similarly for a scene that’s lighter than mid-gray. Average caucasian skin in sunlight, bright sunny day – one stop to the right. Bright light gray, weathered white paint, silver hair – two stops to the right. For further reading, ‘The Zone System – A Basic Explanation’ by Arsene Baquet and Steve Holtz. A popular approach is to look at the brightest or most important part of a scene and decide if you want to retain detail, brightness or shadow etc., adjust your meter reading accordingly and shoot.Remember, when you change the f-stop, you are affecting sharpness and depth of field, something that’s easily forgotten. If you simply went for a 0 exposure reading every time, as many people do, how bad would it be. We live in a mid-gray world, many scenes have similar amounts of dark and light tones in them. For example, a typical landscape might consist of equal areas of sky, water and beach or sky and trees. The average tone for these scenes is unlikely to be exactly mid-gray, but it won’t be far away. This is why so many casual shots come out good and why anybody can take a well exposed photograph. It is also why it makes sense to have mid-gray as the calibration standard.

1 (a) meter readng display in viewfinder Exposure reading is 1+1/3 stop brighter than mid grey

Figure 1: Viewfinder Meter Reading Display The Histogram Nearly all digital cameras have a histogram, which is a graphic of the distribution of brightness or tonal range within an image. The horizontal axis measures pixel brightness at all levels between black (0) and white (255). The vertical axis measures how much of the image is found at any particular brightness level. The best tool available for evaluating exposure of a digital image in the field is the histogram. Reading a histogram is more about art and less about science. You need to develop a feel for when a histogram looks good, and not so good. Remember, you have to expose the shot before you can view the histogram, if it’s a bad one, simply delete it and re-shoot. Fig. 2 shows three examples of histograms and fig.4 shows how histograms relate to contrast and key. The worst place for a histogram to be, is stacked up against the right hand side, as in fig. 2b. This indicates overexposure of the highlights. The ideal exposure produces a histogram fully contained within the range of the camera’s digital sensor, represented by the vertical line each side of the histogram, as in fig. 2(a).

Over Exposure Warning Over exposure warning or highlights warning is a very useful feature to have on your camera. An overexposed part of the image will blink, black and white, in the LCD screen. The histogram will also let you know when you are heading for over exposure, it will begin to stack up on the right-hand-side, but how do you know you are seeing all of the histogram. How do you know there isn’t another separate peak on the right, off your histogram view, on the LCD screen. This could happen when the light range of the image is greater than that of the camera sensor, see fig. 2(a). This can’t happen when you use the overexposure warning.

How I Expose an Image The biggest advantages of the digital camera is its convenience and its cost free operation. These far outweigh any issues people may have with digital photography. A digital camera allows the user to take several images at different exposure settings in a few seconds. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no film to be loaded and removed, processed or purchased and the results can be on a computer monitor in a fraction of the time it takes film to be developed. This means that several shots can be taken at different exposure settings and viewed later on a monitor. The following ten steps outline how my single shot images are exposed: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Fix camera on tripod and reduce movement to a minimum. Choose lens focal length for composition. Choose lens aperture for required depth of field, and shutter speed. Focus to give required depth of field. Turn on over exposure warning. Turn on exposure delay. Look through the viewfinder and take your eye around the four sides of the scene to make sure there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t anything that shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be there, like the branch of a tree sticking into the frame. 8 Shoot until image with least over exposure warning is identified. Histogram is touching the right-hand-side. 9 Shoot several more images, each with exposure reduced by 1/3 stop, images getting darker and histogram moving to the left. 10 Observe each image on the LCD and decide when the darkest image required is achieved. With practice, fewer shots will be required to achieve the keepers and these steps can be completed in a few seconds. The process can be repeated for any aperture or any focal length. This is a fast, practical and fool-proof way to come away with the perfect exposures every time.

Creating Sharp Landscape Images Creating sharp images is a fundamental skill for the landscape photographer. Your image needs to be sharp from front to back. Front, can be half a meter in front of the camera. Back, can be those distant hills several tens of kilometers away.

Hyperfocal Focusing Hyperfocal focusing is a method used to maximize the front to back depth over which an image is sharp. Figure 3(a) shows the near and far focus limits in relation to the subject, and can be read directly from ‘depth of field’ tables. Figure 3(b) shows the near and far focus limits when focused on infinity, and can be read directly from ‘depth of field’ tables. A good understanding of fig’s 3(a) and 3(b) makes hyperfocal focusing easier to grasp. Lets start by focusing on infinity. If your lens has an infinity symbol, that’s the figure 8 on its side, it’s easy. Rotate the lens and bring the infinity symbol opposite the focus mark, done, you are focused on infinity. When you rotate a zoom lens, the only option available is focal length, not much good when trying to focus on infinity. The only option here is to look through the view finder and with autofocus on, focus on the furthest object in the scene, usually a cloud in the sky. Don’t forget to switch autofocus back to manual. When focused on infinity, your image will be sharp from infinity to a point in front of the camera called the near focus limit. The distance between the camera and the near focus limit is called the hyperfocal distance. The depth of field (dof) is the sum of the distance (in sharp focus) in front of, and the distance behind the point of focus, the point you have focused your lens on, or, it is the far focus limit less the near focus limit. When focused on infinity, it becomes the distance between infinity and the near focus limit, see fig’s 3(a) and 3(b). You might think that’s a long distance to have in sharp focus and good enough for any landscape image. However, this distance can be increased on the all important camera side of the near focus limit. If you focus on an object at the hyperfocal distance (i.e. the near focus limit), everything from infinity to a point half-way along the hyperfocal distance will be in sharp focus. You are therefore extending the near focus limit toward the camera by half the hyperfocal distance. This is the recommended way to get sharp foreground objects in a landscape image. How do you know where the near and far focus limits are. You can read them off your lens scale, if your lens has a scale, or you can print out a set of ‘depth of field’ tables. DOFMaster has a good set of tables. Wide angle lenses, 20 to 50mm focal length, are best for hyperfocal focusing. Lenses greater than 50 or 60mm focal length are not suitable for hyperfocal focusing or for getting large depth of field. Try to avoid f stops smaller than f22 (larger f-number) as they can be associated with lens diffraction, an effect associated with small aperture openings and resulting in a softening of the image. There are differing views on lens diffraction, so test your lens at different apertures.

Alternative to Hyperfocal Focusing. There are some alternatives to hyperfocal focusing, one in particular by Harold M. Merlinger. This method says to focus on infinity and reduce the aperture (large f-number) just enough to get sharp detail throughout the image. The lens diameter is used in this method. The lens diameter (actual f-stop opening diameter) is the lens focal length divided by the f-number. So for a 50mm lens using aperture f8, diameter is 6mm. This method states that for typical normal and wide angle lenses, especially lenses having focal lengths less than about 50mm, regardless of camera format, set diameter between 2 and 5mm, focus on infinity and shootSeveral combinations of focal length and f-number will work here: 32mm/f8, 32mm/f11, 32mm/f16, 50mm/f11, 50mm/f16, 25mm/f8 and several more. The chosen focal length will depend on how much of the scene is to be captured, composition etc. This method is fast and does not require tables. Getting images sharp, front to back, is a fundamental skill for the landscape photographer. Experiment with each of the two methods described here and see what works for you and your lens.

When you focus your lens on a subject, sharp focus will extend in front of and behind the subject indicated by the near and far focus limits respectively. These can be read off 'depth of field' tables. Both near and far focus limits are measured from the camera. The further away the camera is from the subject, the greater the depth of field. Depth of field tables for different cameras and variable apertures, focal lengths and subject distance are available on the web. DOFMaster is a popular site. It is generally believed that wide angle lenses give a greater deph of field than telephoto lenses. I have recently read credible articles that argue otherwise.

Fig.3(b), shows the near and far focus limits when focused on infinity. Depth of field extends from infinity to the near focus limit. The distance between camera and near focus limit is the hyperfocal distance and can be read directly from 'depth of field' tables.

In fig.3(b), the depth of field can be extended on the camera side. This is done by focusing your lens on a point at the hyperfocal distance from the camera.. This increases the depth of field by half the hyperfocal distance and gives the maximum depth of field, as indicated.

V Sunrise and Sunset

n early morning panorama created from a digital stitch of two images, side by side. The histogram peaks on the lefthand-side and has a broad base, with the entire light range falling within the range of the camera sensor. This indicates a low key image with good contrast. Key and contrast are explained further in chapter seven, sixth image, Easter Sunday. Good cloud formation is a key element of a spectacular sunrise. A colourful cloudy sky is a good indication and may be visable up to 30 minutes before sunrise. The peak of the light show can often occur 10 to 15 minutes before the sun breaks the horizon but there are no hard and fast rules here, except one, get there in time to set-up your gear, which must include a tripod. My house is 6 minutes away from Bray Harbour and my front door faces the rising sun. I can tell with reasonable accuracy what’s in store well in advance. Some of the best photo experiences I have ever had were at the end of the harbour wall in the early darkness with frozen fingers and the smell of the previous evenings fish bait along the wall. It’s easy to panick when the reds, pinks, yellows and orange light start to unfold and mingle with the clouds. What lens, aperture, shutterspeed, focal length, depth of field, WB etc. It doesn’t help when you know that it will be all over in 10 minutes or less. For sunrise and sunset images, it’s actually quite easy. The last thing you want is for the camera to neutralise these magic colours with the wrong. White Balance (WB) setting. For a sunset or sunrise, the wrong WB is auto WB, which is often the default WB setting on many cameras. Auto WB software will sense the lovely rich colour casts in the sky and apply corrections to balance these colours and make the scene look as if it’s illuminated by neutral white light. This is avoided by using the daylight WB setting. Within reason, any lens is good. A telephoto may not be the best idea as it will tend to localise the scene instead of take it all in, which is the best approach for a sunrise or sunset shot. A 50mm lens is great, it grabs the sky way above the horizon as well as both sides. My favourite is my 18 – 105 zoom as it allows me to quickly zoom in on interesting features to capture secondary shots. Focus on infinity. Generally there’s nothing in the foreground of any interest, so focusing on infinity gives the quickest way to get everything in sharp focus. Use the infinity symbol on the lens and switch to manual focus. If the lens has no infinity symbol, switch to auto focus, focus on the furthest object in the scene, usually a distant cloud, and switch back to manual focus. If you don’t switch back to manual focus, your lens will re-focus, everytime you press the shutter release. As depth of field is less important, aperture can be large. The best aperture for any lens is the one that gives the clearest sharpest image from edge to edge. This is often found somewhere in the middle of the aperture range. Avoid aperture extremes, in fact, avoid any extremes associated with photography. My lens is nearly always on or close to f11 and in manual mode. By fixing the aperture, the camera will choose the appropriate shutter speed for the scene exposure. You can’t take enough shots. With a digital camera, every shot is free. For every scene, work the shutter speed dial up and down from the camera’s choice. Remember, the camera’s choice is for a mid-grey solution, not good for a sunrise. You should never have less than three shots of every scene. I never come away with less than 10 shots from over to under exposed and everything in between. Delete to your heat’s content when you are back at the computer with a warm cuppa. For single shots, don’t waste too much time trying to get the horizon level, it can easily be corrected with software. Just get it looking reasonably good. For a multishot panorama image, horizon must be level – more about this in part two. The cloud formation makes this shot. The horizon was pulled down, to show as much sky as possible, but to also include the reflection in the sea. The atmospheric sky is dramatic, unstable and volatile. The straight horizon and calm sea reflection attempt to balance the image, but the backlit sky is all powerful in this dramatic image.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm zoom, 48mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8 Shutter speed - 1/100 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Sunrise from Bray Harbour

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm zoom, 92mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f11 Shutter speed - 1/100 of a second: Image quality - JPEG : Exposure mode: Manual

A Rare Amber Sunrise, from Bray Harbour

traight horizontal lines indicate calmness, stability and strength. Here, the horizontal alignment brings a sense of atmospheric order to the image. While the amber strip dominates the scene, it gets a lot of help from the waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inky blackness. Essentially, this is a backlit scene, often associated with strong dramatic images. The histogram is low key. Dark objects look further away. Without the light on the water in the foreground, the natural order of the image might be lost. The only feature of this image that can be said to challenge or balance its stability is the location of interest at the top of the image. We expect to see most interest on the lower half of an image, definitely not the case here. So, we can identify a certain balance between order, as indicated by the strong horizontal influence, and the unexpected, as indicated by the dark foreground. The centre of interest is, without doubt, the three colourfull tones above the horizon. It appears as though the sunlight is trapped in the amber layer, and is leaking out into the layers above. On the next page you will see a similar compositional effect to the last image, but the balance here is more obvious. An unusual cloud pattern with no vertical or horizontal lines, creates a sense of drama, movement and uncertainty. The bottom half is static and calm, leading to a wonderfully balanced panorama. This image is created from three images, stitched together, side by side. I had approx. 15 minutes to capture 8 images, which included walking the length of the pier at Bray Harbour and setting up and leveling the tripod. The sun broke the horizon in less than three minutes from the last of the three images of this panorama. As the focal length was near 50mm, the perspective is normal, if I had put down the camera, this is what I would have seen. The centre of interest is undoubtedly the dramatic sky with itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unusual, sometimes repeating wavelike patterns. Three good things about sunrise: no two are the same, you never know what your going to get and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one every day. Sunrise in Ireland can be a hit and miss affair, but when it appears, it can be as dramatic and as colourful as any in the world. This is because an Irish sunrise is likely to have cloud and there is no sunrise like a sunrise that lights up the underside of a cloudy sky. Within minutes of the sun breaking the horizon, all colour was gone from the scene, and the so-called golden hour was over.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm zoom, 58 mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8 Shutter speed - 1/160 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Another Rare Sunrise from Bray Harbour

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm prime, 70 mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8 Shutter speed - 1/2.5 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Backlight

he setting sun in a coniferous tree plantation at Djouce Woods between Enniskerry and Roundwood. Coniferous tree plantations, though often seen as empty and lifeless, can appear spectacular when sun light and weather conditions are favourable. This includes the morning or evening sun rolling across a distant wooded hillside or, as in this image, a scene from within the woods capturing penetrating light breaking through the gaps at the edge of the woods. It can be difficult to get good shots in commercial coniferous tree plantations, as little light tends to penetrate, but when it does, it can be very eye catching. If you know your woods, planting line orientation, slopes and direction of sunrise/sunset, you can get some wonderful images especially when the sun is low in the sky. There are many such opportunities in Djouce Woods, accessed from Long Hill, (third class road, yellow on OS map, sheet 56), between Enniskerry and Roundwood. Park in the lower car park on Long Hill, the nearest car park to Enniskery, and follow the main trail from the car park, peeling up to the left on an obvious tree lined path after approx. 5 minutes. Evening sunshine with little or no wind and a little luck, can deliver spectacular images if you manage to find a good spot. Opportunities for this type of image arise in most wooded areas, pick a location and take your GPS for a walk, starting well before sunset. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important, and much more productive not to over think your approach and focus more on keeping a look out for an eye catching scene. Nothing is wasted if you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see anything you liked as you are now more familiar with the area and this will help on your next visit. On a first visit to an area, I rarely separate my camera from its bag, but I make a mental picture of the position of the sun, the lie of the land, camera locations for a panorama, elevated positions and tree lines. I will often mark good locations on my GPS for easy location in the future. I would guess that very few great landscape photographs are taken without serious effort by the photographer in getting familiar with the shoot location. Landscape photography is a time consuming process involving hard work, long hours and lots of petrol. This is not the popular image, but think about that 5am sunrise shot from the top of a snow covered mountain in Donegal, Wicklow or Kerry and think about the effort of getting there and back and the possibility of nothing to show because the weather came in. So as not to put you off, let me add that all the effort is soon forgotten when you get those magazine quality images that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do your reputation any harm and might even help to pay for some of that petrol. This image is dominated by the bright backlight of the setting sun in a light mist. The shutter speed is increased enough to keep the trees dark and detail free, which allows the light to take control without competition. The position and orientation of the light within the image is striking and appears to be trying to overcome the darkness. The striking nature of the image is down to the backlighting and to the vertical orientation of the image, both associated with strong stable images. There are two related compositional elements to this image, firstly, the vertical orientation, adding to the permanence and stability of the image, and secondly, the near symmetry about a vertical centre line, associated with order, power, authority and importance. A credible attempt is made at compositional balance by the fallen branch and the associated uncertainty and drama of this diagonal element.

VI The Beach and Three Swans

ctober Bank Holiday 2014, overcast, some light rain, and intermittent sunshine. I wanted to see the leaf colour on the trees at the West beach of Lough Dan, they might be good enough to go there next weekend before Autumn disappeared for another year. Beyond the second wooden gate, the beach came into view below in the distance but no Autumn colours could be seen. Arriving at my usual elevated shooting location, there was just a hint of colour on the still distant trees, still overcast and still no sunshine to light the set. Suddenly, a pocket of light appeared in the distant hills and made its way quickly toward the beach, moving as fast as the clouds overhead. As it followed the Inchavore river to the beach, I could see it veering toward Knocknacloghoge in time to miss the beach altogether, now I knew it might be worth hanging around. How would I get a well exposed shot if the trees caught the light for only a few seconds, would I have enough time to estimate a good exposure setting. The main risk was an over exposed image, so I estimated I had to be at least two stops darker than zero. I took a test shot of the unlit beach at this exposure and it was darker than I expected, with little detail of beach or trees and water rendered pure black. The best approach was to try for three shots, my chosen exposure and one each side, a technique known as bracketing. I may not get the exposure right first time but I would know by looking at the LCD if I was in the right ball park. Even with exposure delay, this could be done in about three or four seconds, would it be fast enough, and would any of the shots be good enough. The camera was on a 300mm lens, which is worth 450mm of focal length on my cropped sensor camera, a favourite telephoto combination with many photographers. This pulled the beach right in and more than filled the canvas. There was a breeze blowing and catching the lens, side on, so I stood in its path. I weighed the tripod with a stash of rocks which I have used for several years and which avoid the need to bring my own or to waste time collecting. All of my favourite photo locations are marked by a similar stash which you are welcome to use. More light drifted across the scene and carefully avoided the beach, it was as if there was a consorted plan to deny me this last attempt to capture the beach in what might be its Autumn glory. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted three swans slowly moving in the direction of the beach from much further down the lake. They looked majestic, white against the dark lake. Was this part of a plan to scupper my plans, would these creatures land on the beach and ruin any chance of artistic and compositional merit for my planned work of art, or would they land obligingly out of shot. Enough blue sky appeared over the lake to provided good light for a shot of the swans on a now bright lake. I turned the camera and focused on a swan, shooting several images and keeping an eye on the LCD. They looked good, finally, something to show for the day. I watched their course carefully, keeping an eye on the beach and the unpredictable but necessary sunlight. I was now multitasking, not at all what I had planned for the bank holiday. Among the many challenges faced by the landscape photographer is the unannounced arrival of the complete opposite of what you had carefully planned. Not too long ago, I had planned a trip to Lough Cleevaun, deep in the Wicklow hills. As I passed Lough Tay, en route, I looked down to see a bright blue lake in the early morning light with the, as yet, unmanned set of ‘The Vikings’ adding to the pull of the scene. My planned trip was readily abandoned and the morning was spent shooting this magical lake and surroundings. As suddenly as it started, the drifting light from the hills was no more, the sky darkened and all, it appeared, was lost. I decided to wait it out. An optimistic interpretation of the previous evening’s weather forecast could lead one to the conclusion that the day would gradually improve, a thought which I now decided was the forecasters real intent. After nearly twenty five minutes, there it was, fast light tracking in along the Inchavore and heading for the beach again, and again, not quite making it. Then the light appeared to widen it’s track as it approached the beach and sure enough, for the first time, it briefly swept over the beach and trees with an almost spotlight effect. The colours were somewhat less than rich Autumnal colours can be, though well worth further effort. I got off five shots including the planned three and such was the brightness of the light that four were over exposed and only one made the grade. Finally, I had some idea of where to position my meter reading for the next onslaught of sunlight. By now the swans had obliged handsomely, with all three landing at the end of the sandbar which forms one end of the beach, well out of a beach shot and providing yet another photo opportunity. They stood, equally spaced, in a straight line with the sand bar off to the left, as if they knew their day had come.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18 -105 mm prime,98 mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f9 Shutter speed - 1/640 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Light on the Move

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f9 Shutter speed - 1/200 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Swans Heading for the Beach.

or the next fifteen minutes, the beach was lit several times, each time for only a few seconds, enough to get an exposure setting that would capture all the colours of the sunlit beach, with little or no over exposure. Viewing the LCD was key to capturing the image below. The situation was changing too fast to depend on the over exposure warning or the histogram and because of the light quality, the LCD provided a clear image, invaluable in this lighting scenario. Some of this light landed on the white swans and over exposure was an even greater risk here. A shot of the beach and the swans was not possible as both would not fit in the view of the 450mm lens. Also, it would not have worked as the swans would have been an unnecessary distraction to the harmony of the beach image. I came away with twenty five images of the beach, of which only three were exposed to my liking. Little if any post processing was required, except for sharpening. The swans eventually scattered, never to return under the same conditions.

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f9 Shutter speed - 1/1000 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

The Obliging Swans Resting on the Sandbar

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f9 Shutter speed - 1/400 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

The Unlit West Beach with Light Approaching

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f9 Shutter speed - 1/500 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Finally, the West Beach Under Favourable Light

VII More Images of Dublin and Wicklow

single shot of the Suger Loaf mountain with a 300mm lens on a Nikon D90 camera. Because the D90 has a cropped sensor, a 300mm lens becomes a 450mm lens. This is a very useful feature of a telephoto lens when attached to a cropped sensor camera. This was taken from high on the Eastern Scalp, over 7 km to the North of the Sugarloaf and gives an excellent view of the mountain. The setting October sun lights up the Western side and reveals many interesting features.The little peak just below the skyline and just to the right of centre is a bronze age cairn, one of a pair known as Glencap Commons Cairns. The other smaller cairn is nearby. Several walking trails are visible including one sneaking left and right toward the summit at 501m elevation. Although not a high mountain, there can be a surprising difference between a Summer climb and the same route climbed in Winter. The most popular route up is from the car park at the South side just off the R755, which is at 300m elevation. The last leg before the summit consists of a path cut deep into rock outcrop, where care should be exercised in all weather conditions. There are several other more interesting paths from the North and East which begin well below the car park level and therefore take longer. The biggest practical challenge for the landscape photographer is to avoid movement of the lens during exposure of the image. Movement will eliminate any chance of a sharp image and must be controlled in the tripod/camera/lens system. My telephoto lens is an old Nikkor 300mm 1:4 and weighs in at 1.4kg (over 3 lbs). This is screwed to a home-made steel pano-head bracket which is gripped by a ball head mount which is screwed to a heavy leveling plate which is screwed to the tripod. All of this is good news because it adds wight to the system, though not nearly enough to deal with movement. To really steady the ship, I use up to 5kgs (over 11 lbs) of rocks in a bag and suspend it from the tripod pole. This is a particularly good solution on a windy day on an elevated location, as was the case for this image. In addition, I turn on exposure delay in the camera, which allows vibration from the shutter release to die away before exposure. I always carry a supply of foil-backed bubble wrap to place between lens and bracket, anything to act as a cushion. By-the-way, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t carry those rocks around with me, although I sometimes collect them on the way to a shoot location. I have now managed to stockpile five or six rocks at several good shoot locations throughout the hills. If you come across them, please feel free to use and please replace when done.

Nikon D90: Lens - 300 mm prime, 450mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f8 Shutter speed - 1/640 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

The Great Sugerloaf

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm prime, 34 mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f9 Shutter speed - 1/200 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

The Blue Church

ur Lady of The Wayside, Kilternan, Co Dublin. Kilternan village is a road trip of 17 km from Dublin City. Known locally as the blue church, this wonderful building, in the foothills of the Dublin mountains, is a real gem. It was built of wood in 1929 and is based on an Italian design commonly found in the United States. The church has a seating capacity of 150 and is very popular as a wedding venue. It must be the most photographed church in Ireland and a welcome change from some of the less photogenic stone church buildings throughout Ireland. While photographing this building, I couldn’t help comparing it to another building just down the road. The Kilternan Hotel and Country Club was recently reported to have been bought for €7m, just 4% of what it cost to build, likely to be one of, if not the largest write down since the start of the Irish property and banking crisis. Like all too many more victims of the so called celtic tiger, it has lain unoccupied and unfinished since 2009 and to put in mildly, does not fit in with the surrounding countryside. I thought about the people who planned, built and paid for these buildings, the different times in which they were built, the purpose of each one and the people who have and will frequent them in the future...a lot to ponder. There is a certain fascination about shadows, light, detail, texture and character all coming together in a wonderful old building. This could be a farm shed or a magnificent mansion or it could be a close-in detail from either. Building materials such as stone, wood and metal can be wonderful in a photograph and have been used to great effect in many great photographs. Their interaction with light is critical and bright and sunny may not be the best approach. As with a landscape, it is important to walk around the building and give careful consideration to different shooting locations and the composition associated with each. I intend to include more interesting buildings in part two of this publication. I photographed this building in mid November 2014, and was happy to include the photograph here. On a bright Sunday morning, Dec. 7, I was driving past and looked in through the front gate, something was different. I couldn’t see it at first, and then, there it was, the front door was open. It had been closed in the earlier shot and I didn’t think about a shot with the door open. It made all the difference, the church wasn’t just a building anymore, it was now a warm friendly place, a place of welcome, a place of refuge. Many landscape photographs encounter the same situation when the foreground contains a fence line or stone wall with a gate. With the gate open, the landscape is welcoming and the eye is easily led from foreground to background. An open door in a building is a very effective way of mobilising the viewers imagination and holding their interest in the photograph. The image composition is dominated by the vertical orientation of the building together with its symmetry about a vertical centerline, both of which are associated with permanence, stability, order, power, authority and importance. This is balanced by the less formal and friendly aspect associated with the light blue colour and the open door, a well balanced composition.

Nikon D90: Lens - 50 mm prime,: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f13 Shutter speed - 1/1.6 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Mountain Stream - Glendalough

eather conditions can cause streams and rivers to get blocked and sometimes overflow their banks, often providing good photo opportunities for those prepared to venture out. In this case, following a severe storm in January 2013, a mountain stream at Glendalough had been dammed with branches, leaves and twigs. Glendalough is a road trip of 52 km from Dublin City centre. Stream water forced it’s way through at two adjacent locations as seen in the image. To get motion blur, the slow water effect seen here, the shutter speed needs to be way less than normal, in or around one second is a good place to start. With a shutter speed this slow, so much light would pour through the lens that the shot would be way over exposed. To avoid this, it was necessary to reduce the aperture to f13. Examination of exposure in the LCD is critical here if overexposure is to be avoided. If the scene is bright, it may not be possible to capture a slow water effect, in this case, there were enough trees around to provide enough shade to capture the shot and to avoid going for an even smaller aperture. This image is created from two images side by side, digitally stitched together using PTGui, my stitching software. The stitched image was cropped, losing some of the image to the left and right. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the stitched image. As the image contains lots of moving water, the stitch shouldn’t have worked at all, at lease not without serious user interaction with the software. Stitching errors would only be visible in the water, so maybe the slow water effect masked any errors. On a return trip a week later, the entire scene was gone, the dam had given way and debris was strewn all around. I could still make out some of the rocks but there was nothing worthy of a tripod set-up, a one-off mountain stream. Composition is dominated by the stream. It brings a sense of easy, orderly, elegant motion to a complex and less than orderly scene. This balance between soft and hard, orderly and disarray is the essence of the image’s composition. The motion blur and overexposure of the flowing water makes it stand out from the disarray of colours, shapes and textures present and enhances the water’s balancing effect. Without motion blur, the dominance and balancing effect of the water would be lost. The stream coming over the log is in danger of leading the eye out of the bottom of the photograph, but the large rock on the left and the smaller rocks further down serve to prevent this. The eye first dwells on the bright falling water and then down and over the log to the leaves at the bottom right corner. With nothing here to lead the eye astray, the obvious path is up along the right side to the green mossy rock. As well as tonal and colour contrast in an image, there are many other ways in which contrast can be present. In this image, contrast is present in several ways including hard and soft (water and rock), motion and permanence (moving water and rock), light and dark, and orderly and disarray.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm zoom, 50mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f11 Shutter speed - 1/20 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

The Scalp - County Dublin

he Scalp is an area of outstanding natural and rugged beauty and is located on both sides of the R117 between Kilternan and Enniskerry, 2km South of Kilternan Village and a road trip of 19km from Dublin City. The Scalp (meaning chasm or cleft) is a narrow glacial valley formed around 12,000 years ago during the latter part of the last ice age. As the ice melted, several glacial lakes formed, one of which found a weakness in the underlying strata and gouged out the channel now known as the Scalp. The Scalp is about boulders, pines and elevation. The larger boulders are enormous, the pines are tall, straight and red in the sunlight and the elevation is serious. Certain parts are popular for bouldering and climbing but, in general, visitors are scarce and the sense of wilderness is real. At first, it’s not the easiest place in the world to photograph. It’s in your face with no obvious distant panoramic views, and it takes a while to get to know. This image is created from four images using stitching software to quickly put it all together. I have taken this image several times over the years but was unhappy with the way the boulders came out. The boulders are the main feature of the image and it is essential to have them exposed properly. My problem was lighting, too much lighting. Most photographs are taken in sunlit conditions and this can work for a lot of subjects, particularly when the sun is low, and the subject is not too close. This allows for contrast from the combination of light and shadow in the image. However, this location is orientated such that it is never lit by low sunlight and even the background in the photograph is relatively close, a challenging combination for a good photograph. Sunlight directly onto the boulders and some of the foliage made it very difficult to expose the overall image properly, in your face direct, light, up close with little or no shadows. The above image was photographed on a bright day with the sun high in the sky, but hidden behind cloud, resulting in soft light, which is diffused before it reflects off the boulders. When light comes from a point source such as the sun in a clear sky, it’s known as harsh or direct light. The effects of soft and harsh light depend on the direction of the sun. When compared to some of my earlier images, the boulders were very natural and light with nice detail, texture and tone throughout. The entire image was nicely exposed because it was bright, yet free of direct sunlight, a good combination for this type of image. Sunlight can be wonderful on dark objects such as tree trunks and distant forested hills, and not so good on brighter objects, particularly when up close. Think about the difference between bright and sunny and how to use each in your landscape images. A word of caution: When visiting the Scalp, come prepared. Proper footwear is essential as underfoot conditions are rough and uneven. Unless you are familiar with exposed elevation, avoid the higher places and if possible, bring a friend. Highly recommended for a day out, just include safety in your preparations. From a photographers point of view, the most interesting part of the Scalp is on the left as you travel South from Kilternan village to Enniskerry and this East side is well positioned to take advantage of sunlight for several hours of the day. There are also excellent opportunities for panoramas high up, on the West side of the R117, looking back to the East side. The Sugarloaf is a prominent feature off to the South. There are no obvious trails leading up the West side and it can be a bit of a scramble to progress, though well worth the effort. The County boundary runs along the R117 here with the East side in Dublin and the West in Wicklow. Apparently, this area was popular with photographers in the Victorian era. Back then, it was the cumbersome, large format bellows type cameras on tripods and it would have been difficult terrain to negotiate with this equipment. What would they have thought of a digital camera, with an instant view of the shot and each image costing nothing to capture with a camera that weighed a couple of kg’s. I have a favourite spot high up on the East side with wonderful views of the Sugarloaf. The first photograph in this chapter was taken from here and I plan to use it over this Winter to get some good shots for part two of this publication, here’s hoping for a bright, snow covered Sugarloaf. This is a complex scene with, at first, no obvious linear or physical features to provide a sense of order and balance, but the pair of large boulders in the foreground have a stabilising effect. They are large and bright, solid and permanent and in just the right location for stability. They are placed at the bottom of a pyramid of ever increasing boulders whose top is at the centre of the top edge of the image.This pyramid is cut by a diagonal of three large bushes going from bottom right to top left. So the orderly pyramid with it’s solid base is balanced by the less orderly diagonal as it tries to break up the solid stability of the image. This image is also about colours, textures and light and how they interact. The texture and colour of the pair of large boulders is a direct result of the soft diffused sunlight present for the shot. The green mossy patches on the boulders adds to the effect. Another compositional effect of the soft light, is to make the foliage look normal and allow the brighter boulders to attract the eye.

Nikon D90: Lens - 50 mm prime: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f11 Shutter speed - 1/160 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

The Cloghoge Valley, Lough Tay and Luggala

hough relatively unknown, this view is one of the finest in Wicklow. The popular greenway walking route between Lough Tay and Lough Dan follows the left hand edge of the large open field. The roadway on the right is the access to Ballinrush Estate which is in private ownership, something I was reminded of as I took this image. The three distant hills, left to right, are Tonduff, War Hill and Djouce Mountain. This panorama image is created from a pair of images digitally stitched. I use a stitching programme called Panoramic Tools Graphic User Interface, otherwise known as PTGui. It allows users to do a quick stitch or to get more involved in the process if they wish. It took less than a minute to stitch and it doesn’t take any longer for a larger number of images. When taking images for a panorama, it’s important to take care with any movement in the scene. This scene had fast moving clouds and corresponding fast moving cloud shadows and it was necessary to move quickly between images, so as to achieve a trouble free stitch. This may have been problematic or impossible had there been more than two images involved. Panorama creation is not difficult, and is a necessary skill for the landscape photographer, regardless of whether a cropped or full frame sensor is being used. Panorama software has developed significantly over a relatively short period and it is now possible to produce a panorama with full and cropped sensor cameras that can rival what a medium or even large format camera can produce. More about panoramas in part two. The sky in this image was bright and I needed to darken it down. This could be done using filters located in front of the lens. Polarizing filters, neutral density filters and graduated neutral density filters are used mainly to control light coming from brighter parts of a scene, though they have other uses. Getting the most out of filters is a skill in itself and many award winning photographs have been created with their help. I don’t use filters because I feel comfortable using digital software to achieve most of the same effects produced by filters, but I am keen to explore some of lesser known effects associated with filters, such as smooth water movement. For this image, I simply darkened the whole image until I was happy with the sky. I then told the software to apply the adjustment to the sky only. Like all software adjustments, it’s critical not to over adjust and loose the natural look. The composition of this image is all about curves, and how they relate to each other and to the surrounding landscape. There is a pair of curves crossing the image, both of which touch the junction of the ‘curved’ cliff face and the lake. The first curve starts at the top of the cliff and travels down the rock face and takes the bottom line of the lake to the far side, then up the far slope to the hill on top. The second curve, nearer the camera, starts on the left edge of the image, where the rising ground meets the base of the cliff, follows the ground profile to the lake, follows the shadow line below the lake, down and up the far side, to the hill adjacent to the road. The curves kiss at the junction of the cliff and the lake and gently lead the eye from left to right, taking in the cliff, the lake and the hills on the right. The second curve sags down into the Cloghoge river, as it flows from Lough Tay to Lough Dan, and rises up to meet the road at the right side of the image. The eye is led along the road, another curve, and into the foreground. One more curve, it starts at the bottom left corner of the image, follows the tree line and continues to the top of the road and on to join the distant hill tops. It touches the cliff face, and heads down to join with the first curve described above. There is a wonderful circular continuity between all three curves as they work together, to give the eye a guided tour of the image. This was the first time I had photographed this image from this location. My usual spot was about ten or fifteen metres below here. The lake was smaller and didn’t go as close to the cliff. The cliff itself didn’t stand out as much. By moving the camera position slightly uphill, a significant improvement in composition was achieved.

Nikon D90: Lens - 50 mm prime: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f11 Shutter speed - 1/8 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Easter Sunday

aster Sunday is named after the day it was created, Easter Sunday, 2014. The location is the woods East of Lough Dan, close to the Wicklow Way. I had gone there to work on an entirely different scene and had noticed early morning mist rising from trees in the distance. Though on my to-do list, I had never worked with mist and trees and was not quite sure if I should abandon what I came here to do. Then, I saw sunlight streaming down through rising mist off in the distance and decided to investigate further. The mist lingered long enough to allow the sun rise high enough to penetrate the trees and mist from above and create this corpuscular light show, otherwise known as light shafts. Conditions were perfect, which includes absolutely no wind. While shooting, I noticed the sun light from above strike the inside of the lens hood. This is not good as it would reflect and bounce its way in through the lens and adversely affect the image. The solution is simple, place a piece of card board, or your hand, between the sun light and the lens so as to cast a shadow on the front of the lens. Unless the sun is behind your back, you should be on the look-out for sunlight entering the front of the lens. Of the eight images I took, three were very eye catching and I decided on one which was one third of a stop brighter than the image above. Everything was brighter, the dark areas were brighter and the bright areas were brighter, and the contrast between light and dark was reduced. Contrast is the brightness difference between light and dark and good contrast is what keeps an image from looking flat. The wider the histogram, the more contrast. A low contrast (flat) scene has colours or tones in which highlights and shadows have little difference in density, all colours or tones within the scene are similar in appearance. Crowds at the beach under a light sky is an example of a low contrast scene. Narrow histograms have less contrast and may appear flat or dull. In comparison, the above scene is at the high contrast end. See fig.4 for how histograms show contrast and key. On further examination of my images, I decided to go for more contrast and chose the less exposed image above. As well as having good contrast, it can also be described as a low key image. Low key images are serious, mysterious, atmospheric and moody and mostly dark toned. They are the opposite to a bright sunny day at the beach. The subject is revealed by light and defined by shadows and late evening or early morning is the best time to shoot low key. Both ‘Tree Light’ and ‘Powerscourt Waterfall’ are also low key images. Although low key applies to colour and black and white, because of the dark tones, it’s very appealing in black and white photographs. A low key image will have most of it’s tones in the shadows. For me, key has less to do with technical issues and more to do with the general style, feel and mood of an image. The subject here is light and the way it brings life to an otherwise dull image. It exposes the colours and tones and creates an almost 3D effect, together with a sense of drama and movement associated with the diagonal light shafts. Like all photographs, the eye is drawn to the brightest parts first, and the composition dictates where it goes from there. The tall trees provide stability which has all it can do to hold the line against the drama and instability associated with the diagonal light shafts. There are four simple spaces, three vertical strips between the trees, and the foreground space. Like the trees, the vertical strips enhance the stability and permanence, while the foreground is less ordered. Essentially, balance is between the rising stable trees and the falling unstable diagonal sun light. I’m not an admirer of coniferous commercial plantations, however, with good conditions, they have their moments.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm zoom, 24mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f11 Shutter speed - 1/50 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

Looking up at Glen of The Downs

len of the Downs is a road trip of 31 km from Dublin City Centre. Access to the car park is directly off the N11 motorway, 7 km South of Bray and though sign posted, is easily missed. Glen of the Downs began life around 12,000 years ago as a subglacial meltwater channel, a result of the melting of ice associated with the last ice age. Today, the glen is a much quieter affair with a single stream running adjacent to the N11 motorway on the East side. The glen is characterised by its steep wooded slopes, rising up on both sides of the N11. Like the Scalp, 9 km to the North, the glen is relatively unspoiled with many steep, rocky and wooded slopes to explore. For those who prefer more solid conditions underfoot, there are also many paths and trails to explore. Part of the ruins of Bellevue, the 250 year old country residence of the LaTouche family, can still be explored high on the East side. David La Touche built Bellvue between 1754 and 1756 with beautiful gardens and many ornate features. An octagon and large glasshouse which housed many exotic plants, were built in later years. On the death of David, his son, Peter La Touche inherited the estate in 1785 and died in 1828 at ninety five years of age. Lugalla, at Lough Tay, was his hunting lodge and holiday home. Many places in Wicklow and Dublin have associations with the La Touche family including Marley Park, the village of Delgany, the town of Greystones and that wonderful mountain hideaway, Luggala. On a bright Saturday in mid November, 2014, I went in search of the last of Autumn’s colours and ended up in the car park of Glen of the Downs. A couple of weeks earlier, I drove past the glen and noticed some trees with wonderful Autumn colours, colours partly responsible for this return visit. I hadn’t been there for nearly a year and had forgotten the wonderful tall trees on the slopes of the East side, not far from the N11. At this time of year, only the tops of the trees get direct sunlight for any significant length of time. I had taken some shots high up the slope and on returning to the car park, I noticed some very Autumn colours in a wooded area in the distance, not far from the N11. Access to the location was difficult, with serious undergrowth on steep ground, to be negotiated. The area has several wonderful tall trees including enormous eucalyptus trees. The canopy overhead was still in sunlight and looked like an explosion of Autumn hue. Having thought about a good camera location, I decided there was really only one. Flat on my back with the camera on my face and pointed straight up at the tree canopy, the dark tree trunks lead the eye quickly into the centre of the canopy, with little detail on the trunks to serve as distraction. The canopy filled the frame with a good balance of sky and canopy. The entire focus is on the canopy colours and again the lack of detail on the tree trunks helps the eye to settle on the rich Autumn colours. There is no distraction from anything above or below the canopy colours, a near perfect setting. This is a perfect example of how photography can deliver the unexpected and why you should have a look around before you decide on the best camera position. It is also a good example of why it’s not good to overthink and dwell on details. For me, good photography needs to be simple, simple approach, basic equipment and uncomplicated composition, all done with care and attention. If you persist, you will become familiar with your area and develop a feel for matching weather conditions with good locations which will result in good and even great photo opportunities. Hopefully, this won’t involve too much time lying on your back. The tree trunk diagonals and the random arrangement of the tree canopy is more in line with instability and disarray. The scene, however, is natural and is wonderfully balanced with the high canopy supported by the tall, strong, dark tree trunks. The randomness and variability of the canopy leads to a wonderfully textured, eye-catching formation.

Nikon D90: Lens - 18-105 mm prime, 66 mm: WB - Direct sunlight: Aperture - f11 Shutter speed - 1/125 of a second: Image quality - RAW: Exposure mode: Manual

The Scalp Co. Wicklow

or the final image in part one, I have chosen the Scalp, County Dublin, a road trip of 19km from Dublin City centre. This image is taken inside the roadside wall just South of the Scalp store and petrol station. This is private land and the owner’s permission to enter should be sought. Apart from minor damage from camp fires and discarded beer containers, the Scalp has remained largely untouched by the hand of man since its formation at the end of the last ice age, twelve thousand years ago. The extensive boulder fields and steeply sloping ground has ensured its preservation to date. The area is well known to Dubliners and locals, though it remains a scenic wilderness backwater which has, no doubt, also contributed to its preservation, long may it remain so. Parking is difficult and there are no marked trails over much of the area, probably because of the extensive rough terrain and associated dangers. It is an area that’s easily missed as you drive along the R117 heading for the better known Glendalough or Powerscourt or any of the countless other beautiful locations that Wicklow has to offer. As Ireland becomes wealthier and suitable sites for exclusive homes become more sought after, our wild and scenic areas will come under threat. Scenic locations in the counties surrounding Dublin City will be put under most threat and this puts County Wicklow and County Dublin at the head of the ‘at risk’ list. Far too many Irish people still hold the view that a scenic area deserves to have a house built on it, and the sooner the better, at that. As reported in the Irish Examiner newspaper in June 2013, the high court overturned a demolition order for a house, erected fourteen years earlier, without planning permission, near Lough Dan, County Wicklow. Wicklow County Council claimed ‘if a demolition order was not granted, it could set a precedence and compromise the Wicklow Mountains as a special area of conservation’. Illegal dumping is no stranger to counties Wicklow and Dublin and indeed to any part of Ireland. Small scale illegal dumping happens on a regular basis in some of the most scenic areas in the counties. On a larger scale, thousands of tonnes of waste have been illegally dumped in County Wicklow and no doubt elsewhere. Wicklow County Council have made considerable progress towards identifying dump sites and removing waste and have recovered clean-up costs from those responsible. Our planning laws and guidelines, and our understanding of the need to protect the natural environment have improved significantly in recent times but is still well short of world class. Environmental education and awareness is key to prioritising environmental issues, raising the profile of environmental assets and to ensuring that the most scenic and sensitive areas throughout the country are identified, monitored and placed beyond the reach of those who would seek to use them for their own selfish interests. In this regard, politicians and legislators carry enormous responsibility, but ultimately, it is up to the people of Ireland to ensure that their countryside is protected. Environmental, planning and legal protection measures must be robust enough to counter the biggest threat of all, the greed so often associated with damage to our wonderful landscape. The photographs in this book capture a transient Irish landscape, whose future is in the hands of all those who transverse it.

END NOTE Thank you for buying my e-book. Won’t you please take a moment to leave me your review at my website, http://photowicklow.com Please let me know what you liked and perhaps may not have liked, or something you felt I should have included or left out, or any other views you wish to express, so that I can take your comments on board while I work on part two. Irish Landscapes, Photo Guide, Dublin and Wicklow, part two, is due for publication in mid 2015. I will be posting previews of part two text and photographs on my website, so please keep in touch. Please remember to seek the owner’s permission to enter private lands. Never leave rubbish after you in the countryside and never damage stone walls, fences or gates as you proceed and respect the work of those who make a living from the land.Rubbish includes teabags, cigarette butts, apple cores and banana skins. I’v enjoyed sharing my photographic adventures in this book and hope they inspire you to take up a camera and head for the hills. Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos. Is mise le meas Donal