Having a plan for photo shoots is a huge asset. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not weird about it and don’t have a finely detailed agenda, but it does help to have a rough idea of potential genres, location detail and weather conditions, if only just to increase the odds of getting a few good captures – nothing ever guaranteed! Strictly speaking, depending on whom ask, this wasn’t a “specifically” a photoshoot weekend but more of a “holiday” based just outside Ardara in Donegal, and with an overcast forecast and light winds, there were no expectations… or plans.
After a long 4 hour drive behind numerous tractors, what could be better than to chill by a turf fire on a cold winter’s night… unless you are a dog, in which case it makes sense to hit the beach albeit in total darkness – after all, it’s all about the smell, not the view. Fortunately, in an attempt to entertain the photographer, we stopped at the Assaranca waterfall. Normally I don’t shoot these types of “Kodak Vista” hot spots as the web offers up more than enough for one lifetime, but the absence of any form of light aroused my curiosity. Let me now also state for the record that I do not have a good relationship with tripods, which is somewhat unusual for a landscape photographer. I just find them too restrictive and a prefer to constantly pan the subject matter at different heights and angles… That is, unless I am in total darkness in which case a tripod (which was at home) must be hastily constructed from surrounding rocks – for that truly organic feel! Using a headtorch I was able to set a long exposure and illuminate the subject with the beam from the torch. If nothing else, it’s a different perspective on a beautiful feature. I like the intense dark water giving a foreboding feeling about the scene. Actually works well in monochrome as well- two for the price of one!
Maghera beach is truly magnificent in the early morning with the tide fully out, and access to the Maghera Caves in their stunning colours, is a photographer’s dream. With complex patterns in the sand and constantly changing light one could easily get lost in the day and spend the time shooting a single location but with a wide range of tones and compositions. However, there were peaks to climb….
Muckross Head always brings a smile to my face as I recall a balmy summers day climbing on the overhanging cliff, and Brian, who was belaying me on the plateau below, being hit by a freak wave. For now, the climbing gear is buried safely somewhere in the dark recesses of my garage! Muckross Head has spectacular overhanging roof formation that will test the arms any climber, but unfortunately, the surf breaking on Sunday morning restricted the access to the main cave. Still, there was more than enough to shoot with the waves breaking on the plateau in the midday sun. Shooting was not too dissimilar to the techniques that I used at the sailing events, with constant panning and rapid firing along the breaking waves which transformed from dark green to translucent turquoise as you travelled through the formation. Lots of shots in the bag but all of them needing some form of processing. When shooting dramatic scenes, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the moment. Yes, you are constantly checking the histogram for the correct exposure but sometimes you can take your eye off the ball and in this case, the shutter speed was not just as fast as I would have liked, especially at full zoom, resulting in the images not always being pin sharp – rookie mistake. Maybe I will have to return but in the meantime, they are good platforms for mixed media compositions.
Finishing up a Fintra beach gave me an opportunity to get back into monochrome – Nice unplanned weekend with something in the bag to go home with. Will have to do it again!
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