Rediscovering Ireland: The photos I took in one of the most beautiful countries in the world
Pier, Dingle, Noel Dun All Chaoin Kerry Co Campion Images:
We live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world and many of us only realised that over the last few years. While many Irish people have been used to heading off to warmer climes for a getaway, I find sizzling on a beach boring.
Getting out in nature and spending time away from the hustle and bustle of modern living is where I find my happy place and Ireland has so much to offer at any time of year.
There are so many amazing places to discover and explore but as a keen photographer, I often revisit many of my favourite locations at different times of the year. In general, heading west to places like the Dingle Peninsula are great for sunsets while wandering over to the east is better for sunrises.
There are so many photographic hotspots to visit like Dún Chaoin pier in Dingle, Dún Briste sea stack, Co Mayo or the cascades falls in Ennistymon, Co. Clare. Every county in Ireland has something to offer from incredible landscapes to amazing architecture, history and culture.
Some of my favourite places to go and take photos are Dingle and Kerry in general, North Mayo, Galway and especially Connemara, West Cork, the Copper Coast in Waterford, the Saltee Islands in Wexford, Valentia island and Wicklow but there are so many more counties I have yet to fully explore. Donegal is high on my list and especially Slieve League Cliffs, along with Antrim and so many of our islands around Ireland.
I often tell people that photography is more about the journey and not the destination — the process rather than the result. Sometimes I’ll go out and take lots of shots and none of them are keepers but as long as I enjoyed the experience I’m happy.
It kills me when I see people arrive at a scenic location and hop out of their car or tour bus only to look at the stunning views through their phones just so that they can take a snap that they’ll never look at again rather than take the time to appreciate the beauty all around them. Slow down, take your time and appreciate your surroundings and leave your phone in your pocket until you are ready to capture the moment.
The best camera is the one you have with you and even a budget camera can take a great photo if you take your time. Consider the composition and how your photo might tell a story. As a rule of thumb, a good photo should have a foreground, middle and background. I also like it when there’s a dominant subject in the image with leading lines to take you there.
Good light is also essential but that’s not generally when the sun is out in the middle of the day with harsh shadows. Softer light is far more pleasing. This is why so many photographers like to take photographs around dusk or dawn when the light is soft with interesting colours.
Using a more professional camera like a DSLR or mirrorless camera won’t necessarily make you take better photographs but it does help to make you more conscious of the process. You have to take more time to consider things like the exposure triangle of aperture, exposure and shutter speed — stuff you don’t have to worry about on a smartphone. The opposite is true of smartphone cameras because they will do all the thinking for you too often you end up with snapshots.
Of course, if you love wildlife as I do, then you’ll need the right camera gear to go with it and long lenses with cameras with high-speed frames per second don’t come cheap. Camera phones just don’t cut it for wildlife but you can still go out and respectfully, admire nature at its best.
One of my favourite places for wildlife is the Saltee islands where you’ll see Puffins, Gannets, Razorbills and many more birds right in front of you. Go out for a walk and just look and listen and you’ll be amazed at how much wildlife is around you if you’re willing to pay attention to your surroundings. Hedges are full of small birds and plants and flowers brimming with insects and bugs.
If you're looking for inspiration for new places to go then check out apps like Instagram and use hashtags with Ireland in them.
There's also a lot of information on places to go on websites like, such as discoveringireland.com and discovernorthernireland.com.
So, slow down, take your time and just go out and explore our beautiful country that has so much to offer.