December 2006

Fishing trawler at Old Head Co Mayo Ireland

Ah winter has arrived. I must be one of the rare breed of Irish people who loves this time of year. Checking the long range weather forecasts for impending cold spells and dare I say it snow. Each year I am praying to every saint that I know that this winter will be a white one. Hoping that this old sod will get covered in snow. The reality however is usually far from it.

Any snow that appears is usually gone within a few hours. In reality it is usually just cold, windy and wet. Hardly an inspiring picture of Ireland. But from a landscape photographers point of view this time of year can be an exciting time.

The west of Ireland is at its wildest at this time of year. Weather can change in an instant. Skies will suddenly clear letting the sun light race across the land, only for it to disappear as quickly as it came. Strong winds blow sending the ocean waves in to frenzy, sending small boats to the shelter of a harbour.

Last winter, I spent a few hours at a favourite location in Mayo, getting soaked by passing showers of rain, hail, sleet and snow. Skies would clear for 20 minutes at a time, before the next shower closed in. Exposures were few that day. The image I did take was taken with a panoramic format in mind. Cropping the bottom to enhance the feeling of the sky closing in. Some purists may say cropping is cheating. Not me however, it is a useful creative technique that can enhance the composition and feel of many pictures. Try it with some of your own.

That’s all for this month folks, enjoy the Christmas period, and happy snapping.