The Mobile Camera Bag

Apps for the landscape photographer

It is probably stating the obvious, but every photographer has a camera bag, in fact some I know have a few. Filled full of glass, gizmos and high-end digital cameras that let's them weave their magic. However in this day and age, it is likely our most used camera bag comes in the form of a smart phone from Apple or Samsung, filled with two dollar apps.

In my case, most of these APPs are a fleeting fad, an impulsive buy after being hooked by a tweet. To the left is a screen grab of my iPhone5 and the APPs that I use for photography. At a push, two maybe three are used regularly (645 Pro and Snapseed). The rest have been used no more than a handful of times, and are no more than space hoggers. Despite the many camera APPs on the market, the default iPhone camera APP remains the most used.

Snapseed, recently acquired by Google from Nik software is a photo processing APP for iOS and Android. Free to download, it is pretty amazing what this APP can do. Selective adjustments, automatic enhancements and a host of filters to play with, it comes highly recommended. In many ways it is the Photoshop elements of the smart phone world.

645 Pro by "Jag.gr" is the photographers APP , at present it is only available for iPhone users . The APP differs from many other photo APPs in that it offers high quality jpegs and Tiff files, along with histogram visibility, night mode, focus and exposure controls. The unprocessed files it outputs ( you need to connect to iTunes to retrieve them) are good if not just a tad noisy. 

In my opinion the GUI on the APP needs some tweaking, but after the default camera APP this is my most used APP.

TPE - The Photographers Ephemeris.

A must have APP for any photographer looking to plan a shoot. This APP is available for Android and iPhone and lets you see how the sun will fall on any part of the world at any time of day or year. In my opinion it is a must have, and is well worth the investment. One feature I would like to see the developers add, is the ability to view tidal times for any coastal locations. 

So that's my mobile bag, what have you got in yours?

Blue Hour

Forty minutes before sunrise, and I am standing on a cold deserted beach near Mulranny County Mayo, at a time landscape photographers call "Blue Hour".

Blue hour, that time before sunrise and after sunset, when darkness has not quite departed or descended. A time for daylight white balance, tripods and lengthy exposures. Automatic white balance has a tendency to destroy the cool tones that are to be found at this time of day.

​Blue Hour - Co Mayo, Ireland

Peering through the viewfinder, the sound of unseen waves fill the air as the moon sits low over a distant Croagh Patrick. 

During moments like this, it is easy to forget that landscape photography is more than F-stops and shutter speeds. In reality it's about the experience. The experience of watching, feeling, seeing the world at a time that most people don't see.

Mayo adventures

It is after 10pm, my family sleep soundly, as I meander the corridors of the hotel and slip out into the cool Co Mayo air, to the warm inviting atmosphere of Matt Molloys pub in the heart of Westport.

From the back of the pub, stomping feet accompany the sound of singing Irish fiddles and whistles.

I have been here many times, but tonight with the cold wind and snow falling it somehow feels more special.

County Mayo on the West coast of Ireland, is amongst the most beautiful Irish counties. So despite this being a family holiday, I tell myself that I can be forgiven for sneaking in some photography, as I follow the meandering road from Westport to the beach at Mulranny.

Standing under a crescent moon, waiting for dawn, the cool February air tickles my skin. It is mornings like these that make me glad I was bitten by the photography bug.

10 Days three Counties

Last year I made the journey North to the Antrim coast and back through Donegal to County Mayo. A collection of the images from that trip can be viewed on Vimeo.com at the following url 10 Days 3 Counties

Photo Masterclass

A quick post - bringing you a couple of links to the Photo masterclass series I did with Ireland's Outsider magazine. The series followed my trails around Ireland photographing the beautiful Irish landscape and coastline.

Links too these articles can be viewed at the following urls -

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/85b8da79#/85b8da79/72

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/d477c8f9#/d477c8f9/72

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/4d2f2963#/4d2f2963/70

Out with the old

New year and a new look

How Photoimagery.net used to look

Since mid 2012, I have wanted to refresh my website www.photoimagery.net. For one reason or another it never happend, that is until I heard about Squarespace.com. A template driven site that makes managing your website and content so easy. Literally drag & drop. So after a couple of hours work it is up and running.

Let me know what you think.

Connemara Workshop

Evening Light, Ireland

It is the first evening of our Connemara Photography workshop and we are nestled amongst the golden dunes of the Silver strand in South Mayo. Conditions are wonderful. Dune grasses dance in the wind as the evening sun picks its way along the strand and up the flanks of Mweelrea.

Later that evening, dining on fine food and wine in O’Dowds of Roundstone, the talk is of the dreaded 6.30 a.m start.

The following morning, with Orion hanging low in the cool Connemara sky, five sleepy souls depart the warmth and comfort of The Anglers Return on a pilgrimage to greet the morning sun.

iPhone Pano - Participant at sunrise, Connemara Workshop

A little later, standing on the shore of Lough Inagh, Connemara slowly slips on its finest Autumn coat. Like some Field Marshall, I am prancing up and down between tripods, gesturing towards a mountain, preaching about light, exposures and composition.

A weekend of fun, fine food and friendship passes all too quickly, and in no time at all, we are standing on The Toombeola bog outside Roundstone where a flurry of shutters greet the rising sun as it turns the landscape golden.

Waiting for the light, Connemara

Daybreak Toombeola Bog, Connemara

Giants Causeway, Northen Ireland

As an Irish landscape photographer, there are a few locations I try to avoid. The Cliffs of Moher and the Giants Causeway immediately spring to mind. Why? Probably because they have been photographed to death or because of the sheer amount of people that can flock to these locations.

Yep I know its stupid, however I recently got over this self-imposed exile, and spent a few days on the Causeway coast, seeking something different.

Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland

Getting something different is easier said than done, and in my quest I am wedged between some boulders that resemble giant mussels doing my best to avoid the incoming waves that are leaping up over the foreground rocks. With a camera tripod mounted and the focus set, I am waiting (there is that word again) for the sun to pop out from behind the clouds and paint the hillsides.

Moments later it does. Beautiful evening light spills across the coastline, and with an exposure of 1/6th of a second @F11 set I repeatedly trip the shutter, as each leaping wave does its best to soak me.

As darkness creeps in, the last of the dedicated tourist departs and somewhat amazingly I have this wonderful piece of coastline to myself.

Despite my best efforts at seeking something original I find myself staring through the viewfinder at a view that has likely graced a thousand publications. If I am honest its not hard to see why. Waves turned golden by the setting sun, pouring over basalt columns left behind by an ancient Volcano. What’s not to like! Is it original? No – but I’m happy I got to take my version of this iconic location.

Crashing waves - Giants Causeway Northern Ireland