Thursday, September 22, 2016

Just a quick walk through Oughterard

I was having technical problems uploading my previous blog post and for some reason I got this empty no title no words no images post up and out in the computerverse as well. 

Surprisingly it got a lot a views so I decided to fill it up a bit with a few shots I took in Oughterard a few days go for Google Maps.

Here you go ;-)

Faherty's pub

Faherty's Oughterard

Faherty's Oughterard

Faherty's Oughterard

Breachnach's bar

Brechnach's bar Oughterard

Brechnach's bar Oughterard

Turning from Camp street to Main street at the Boat Inn

Oughterard Galway Ireland

Boat Inn, Oughterard

Powers thatch Pub

Powers, OughterardPowers, Oughterard

Powers, OughterardPowers, Oughterard

Inside Powers

inside Powers Oughterardinside Powers Oughterard

Connemara Lake Hotel

Connemara Lake Hotel

The Highlander takeaway

Highlander Oughterard

Tommy Tuck's fishing equipment store

Thomas Tuck fishing equipment store

My secrets from a #VintagePoint of view

This summer during my ramblings with the dogs and the camera,  I discovered a secret spot. Just by the side of the road but with a magical feeling to it that is simply unmistakable. A magnificent #Vintage Point with a great view of Lough  Corrib, snuggled among the wild Connemara vegetation. 


I fell in love with this place, it became my go to and secret sanctuary, I passed by it every time I was out. Even the dogs felt it, and they would stop there on their own.

wild grasses, Connemara, Ireland

Recently someone  requested of me to choose  a photo of my special place and to describe how I took it, what was my process, what camera I used, what lenses... I thought Why Not?!

I am also entering this image for the #VintagePoint project organized by Light

I don't believe that it is necessary to have great and expensive equipment to be able to take good images. Don't take me wrong, I will not pass on my favourite Canon EOS 5D Mark III  if you are offering :-) or my latest discovery the gorgeous Light L16 compact camera but I still believe that composition, good light and the right intent have much more important roles while taking photographs. 


My camera is a Canon EOS 400D, (also known as EOS Digital Rebel XTi) 
and I have a bunch of lenses that I use according to what I have in mind of shooting although at the moment I am in love with a simple prime Canon USM F1.8 50mm lens, that I use most of the time. 

This is the equipment I used to take some of the photos here, the rest are taken by my phone which is a Huawei.

Some would say, a F1.8 50mm lens is not a lens to be used outdoors, but well, I have my weird ways... I have been told quite often that it is unusual to take landscape images with F1.8 aperture but for some reason I make them work. Those are not my words. And I am quite happy, because I have my own view of the world, this is how I see it, and it happens to be through a lens with F1.8 aperture. I love the fact that there is so much left to the imagination while the main subject is in perfect clarity.

It is difficult to choose just one image to describe a place especially when using shallow debt of field.
But I think the magic atmosphere of my secret place among the wild grasses of Connemara is pretty well captured here:

wild grass, Connemara

Usually the images form in my head while I walk and look around, I see them before I take them, then all I have to do is point the camera and shoot knowing that what I imagined will be exactly as  I thought it would be once they are committed to the memory card. That really takes some practice!!   
My only rules are:
  • always have the camera with me
  • take all photos in manual mode so I have control over the light and the aperture measurements. 
  • always shoot in RAW

Basically, My process is as follows:  I walk by, I see something that captures my imagination, the image develops in my mind, I grab the camera, set the settings, take that photo, when I get home I process the RAW file, work on it a little (checking the histogram, adding a bit of contrast if needed, sometimes changing the white balance according to the light conditions), I don't really like too much alterations or edits and that's it really...

Ready to go!!
All my secrets exposed from a #VintagePonit of view.

First have a look at some photos taken with my phone so you get a better feeling of this magic place.
I secretly call it Where the fairies go to dance  

wild Connemara

 Connemara, Ireland

Connemara Ireland

Connemara Ireland

Connemara Ireland

Connemara Ireland

Connemara ireland

Connemara Ireland Connemara Ireland

Connemara ireland

 Connemara Ireland Connemara Ireland

And now for the photos taken with Canon 400D 

Connemara Ireland

Doesn't this look like the place where the fairies meet?!

Connemara Ireland

And this is unusual for me, Here you can see some photos taken with aperture setting of  F5.6
simply because I needed  to capture a bit more details
Connemara Ireland

Connemara Ireland

July mornings in Connemara

Bridgit's Gardens


Thursday, July 21, 2016

July Mornings in Connemara

green countrysideThere is no better time to walk Connemara than during the beautiful July mornings. 


Grab your best friend, your dogs, a few sandwiches and a bottle of water and hit the roads. 

Quite often you don't really need to walk far for a good view especially if you are staying in Oughterard, Co Galway. Believe me, just in about 10-15 minutes you can be out of town, overlooking the area from an amazing high spot and thinking, WHY DIDN'T I DO THAT EARLIER?!

Cross  the bridge at the church, turn right and continue up by the school and then continue on... 

In about 40 minutes (very slow walk) you will be admiring the best view over Lough Corrib and the surrounding woods and bogs. You would be walking the High road or as the locals call it Newvillage area. 

This is a lovely little road but beware, it can get pretty busy at times like mid morning and late afternoon when people commute to work.

 Right now I will show you the best time when no one is watching ;-)



green countryside and a road

green plants

road in the countryside

road in Connmeara

green ireland

grass, green

road and grass

Connemara road

fantastic morning light

wild roses

dog by the side of the road

boxer dog walking on a Connemara road

gorse image

tree image

blue road ferns

Connemara Gorse landscape

leading the way

green by the roadgreen by the road

golden grass by the side of the road

Gorgeous Connemara landscape


Thanks for walking with me

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