All tagged Nature

The Giants Causeway: Reality vs Photos

The Giants Causeway: Reality vs Photos

Thomas Fitzgerald
Fuji X-Series, Landscape & Nature, Ireland

The giants causeway is probably one of the most famous natural attractions on the island of Ireland. Located on the northern coast of Northern Ireland, the famous landmark is a series of volcanic rocks that formed into hexagonal columns. It’s somewhere I always wanted to see in person, with the formation being featured in geography text books when I was younger, not to mention practically every tourist board promotion for the region. Finally this past weekend, I got to see it in person.

My first reaction: “Is that it?”

Some Technical Details Behind my Latest Photo Essay

Some Technical Details Behind my Latest Photo Essay

Thomas Fitzgerald
Landscape & Nature, Lightroom, Sony

I’ve just published a new photo essay over on my Photo Stories blog. I had visited a nearby urban farm back in May and taken lots of photos, and I was captivated by the colour and texture that images of nature. You should check out the blog post here before you carry on. As I try to keep my Photo Stories blog relatively gear and “technical nerdy stuff” free, I wanted to talk about the technicalities of the images here.

Connemara

Connemara

Thomas Fitzgerald
Landscape & Nature, Ireland

When you watch a travel show or even a YouTube video from a far off place, it’s easy to get envy for the exotic locations and fantastic scenery. It’s also easy to overlook some of the magnificent sights in your own back yard. And here in Ireland, we have a truly magnificent back yard. Ever since the pandemic hit, we’ve been travelling abroad less, and are slowly exploring more of our own country. A little while ago, we travelled through the mountains and valleys of the beautiful Connemara countryside, and I was blown away by what we saw there.

Spring is (almost) here. New Growth and New Creativity

Spring is (almost) here. New Growth and New Creativity

Thomas Fitzgerald
Fuji X-Series, Landscape & Nature

This time last year, I posted a story on this blog called “Virtual Spring”. We were in the midst of lockdown and I couldn’t get out to get any photos of the changing seasons. While autumn has always been my favourite season to photography, spring is a close second. I love as the bleakness of winter gives way to new life, and it clears out the cupboards of one’s mind, as it were.

Monochrome Flowers in Capture One (Will Also work in Lightroom)

Monochrome Flowers in Capture One (Will Also work in Lightroom)

Thomas Fitzgerald
Capture One

Flowers are probably not the subject you normally associate with black and white images, but you can actually create some nice imagery with the right black and white technique. As I haven’t been able to get out to take photos as much as I used to over the past few months, with the current global situation, I’ve been making the most of any photos I do get. So, when I shot some flowers at a stately home and gardens recently, I’ve been making as much use of them as possible. I’ve already shared the main set of phots form the shoot, but I’ve also been using the images to experiment with different techniques. One of these was creating nice monochrome flower images.

Irish Summer By The Seaside

Irish Summer By The Seaside

Thomas Fitzgerald
Landscape & Nature

At the weekend we decided to go on an expedition in the car to the seaside. While we don’t exactly live inland, travelling around has become something of a chore now. On a July weekend, you might be thinking the beach would be packed, but at the height of a typical Irish summer, that wasn’t going to be a problem, as the temperature barely got above 16 degrees Celsius for the day, and the sky looked like something out of a science fiction movie. It did make for some nice moody photographic opportunities.

Seascape

Seascape

Thomas Fitzgerald
Nature

When the restrictions were eased, and we could finally escape, we headed to the sea to get some fresh air and see the outside world. Here is a little collage of photos and poetry to enshrine the moment. Enjoy.

Virtual Exhibition - Tales of Summers Past

Virtual Exhibition - Tales of Summers Past

Thomas Fitzgerald
Nature

Another virtual exhibit. This time of summer photos, taken over the past ten years, between May and September. Summer is one of my least favourite times to take photos. It’s not that I don’t like taking photos in Summer, it’s just that I prefer Autumn and Spring. But looking back I still have lots of photos of summer, and there’s still lots to enjoy. I love the colours of flowers and the green of the full trees.

Virtual Spring (an Exhibit)

Virtual Spring (an Exhibit)

Thomas Fitzgerald
Photo Journal, Nature

After a long winter, the days start to get longer, and the weather begins to warm up. Outside, nature begins to return to life, and there’s nothing more liberating for the soul after months of dark and cold days than enjoying the beauty of nature as Spring takes hold. Unfortunately, with the current situation of a global pandemic forcing half of the world to stay indoors, this isn’t something that we can really do this year. So I decided to go back through my old photographs of Spring and create a little virtual spring exhibition! 

Photographing Autumn Textures

Photographing Autumn Textures

Thomas Fitzgerald
Autumn, Landscape & Nature

Autumn is by far my favourite time of year for taking photos, but sometimes I feel like I’ve done it all before. I’m always trying to do something different, to shake things up a bit, and so recently I had an idea. Instead of doing the usual and focus on the autumn colours, I would instead see if I could make some interesting images of autumn textures.

Blessington Lakes and the Wicklow Mountains

Blessington Lakes and the Wicklow Mountains

Thomas Fitzgerald
Landscape & Nature

Last Saturday we decided to go for an impromptu drive into the countryside around Dublin and north County Wicklow. We headed for the picturesque area of Blessington, and the famous lakes, which are nestled in the Wicklow mountains. The lakes are actually artificial and were formed 50 years ago by the creation of a dam which flooded the valley. They now provide hydroelectric power and drinking water to parts of county Dublin.

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