Category Archives: Irish Landscapes

The Wellington Monument

Posted on by

Phoenix Park

Ok so it’s back to this ongoing game of hide and seek started by the Wellington Monument. It seems to me the deer are doing the seeking, maybe they have been told to count up to a hundred first. The monument has made a slightly better attempt at hiding on this occasion but still I’m not sure about its ability to totally fade into the background. It looks like it has moved into a suitable position behind all the darkened trees but really somebody should tell it to maybe lean over a little. I am beginning to develop a love of photographing the monument these days, I really love wandering off deep into the park and then turning around to see what kind of position the monument seems to have found itself in. At times it genuinely does seem like the monument can move around…………………………………………………………I think I will have to cut todays post short, why ?

Well let me explain, if you could see the scene in front of me at this very moment in time you would also find it difficult to write this post. Basically I have a maniac two year old child leaping around the room to his new great love which just happens to be “Sitting On A Fence” by The Housemartins.

So with the words “Dance Daddy” ringing in my ears I will bid you good-bye.

The Papal Cross [and cheap periscopes]

Posted on by

Papal Cross

Ok so it’s landmarks in the park time today.

It’s been a while coming and I am going to try to work my way through several easily recognisable sites from the park in the coming weeks.

I have spent many wasted hours standing in various spots in front of and behind the Papal Cross without getting any real success. I finally tried something a bit different and tried to just isolate the cross itself and remove it from its distinctive environment.

I like this photo for several reasons, the first being the completely blank white sky in the background. I wasn’t sure at first as it was a beautiful summers day with not a cloud in site. Sometimes this can ruin a good landscape shot but this is not ordinary landscape photograph and I think any kind of cloud would distract the viewer. I also love the fact that the cross looks like it is leaning backwards. This can mostly be a great big no-no under normal photographic rules but hey, the rules are there to be broken in my opinion.

I also like the apparent 3D like effect on the surface of the cross, it looks a bit like a scanned image of a solid object but believe me I don’t actually have a scanner that big. I am also quite sure the park wardens wouldn’t have let me set up a gigantic scanner against the cross.

I am not a particularly religious person but this cross does remind me of a scorching hot summers day back when I was only ten years old, corralled into a pen with my parents, brothers and sisters. Seeing the pope as a ten-year old didn’t really mean that much to me but I do remember getting a present of a cardboard periscope and for years that was my abiding memory of the day out in the park. I also remember it being one of the longest walks I have ever embarked on in my entire life [you must remember I was only ten] and thinking the legendary Pope-mobile would be a truly excellent vehicle to travel around Ireland in. Just think, you could sit indoors and see everything from a comfortable chair, I wonder is there a toilet in it. I also wonder where it ever ended up, was it donated to somebody as a fancy camper van.

Sadly I no longer have my wonderfully cheap periscope, not even sure if it lasted the full day. My mother informs me she still has the tacky yellow and white Papal flags we all received but that didn’t interest me as much as the periscope, the only thing that ever comes close to the periscope was those wonderful crepe paper hats that our dad used to buy us on the way in to GAA matches in Croke Park. It’s fair to say none of the hats exist anymore either, most of them disintegrated on the way home in the rain.

The Dog Pond in The Phoenix Park

Posted on by

Phoenix Park - Dog Pond

Ok, todays post is my first attempt in ages to replicate the fine art form that is medium format photography. I have always loved the perfectly square shape of medium format, sometimes though it just doesn’t suit landscape photography. Having said that, it does lend itself to photographing tall trees, if you get the right ones then there is nothing more pleasing than a good square photograph.

The two trees on the left of the photo look like they are leaning over but in fact they are just blowing slightly in the wind, it was taken on a particularly blustery day in April [yes this is Ireland, we get blustery days in April].

The trees actually form a natural surround for a small pond that is known locally as The Dog Pond, still wonder why, is it owned by a pack of wild gangster dogs. You can almost imagine them going out at night to do battle with all the wild deer. Somebody could make a great film out of this, imagine a Warriors style film where the dogs have to make their way home through the park without getting attacked by the other wild creatures. I would love to see the battle between the dogs and those extremely cheeky squirrels, you might think the dogs would have to win because they are bigger but think again. The squirrels could take to the trees and bombast the dogs with all manner of flying objects, you see, it wouldn’t be that easy for the dogs now. What if the squirrels got all the local birds on board too, those poor dogs wouldn’t stand a chance.

Where am I going with this…………………… I don’t actually know.

Goodbye and have a good weekend !

You can purchase prints or postcards of his photo from as little as €2.50 by clicking this link.

It’s Cold

Posted on by

Sunrise at the Phoenix Park

There is something very cold and sparse looking about this photograph, to my eyes anyway.

To be honest the photo was taken quite early on a spring morning, the grass was crunchy underfoot from a light frost and the sun was only beginning to show its face. I think this added to the lovely white effect in the grass you can see in the foreground. There was just the slightest hint of frost on the grass and the sun was catching it perfectly whilst not being strong enough to catch the tree properly.

To my eyes the tree looked like it was actually leaning back and stretching in preparation of the day to come. It looks like it is extending every branch in one of those early morning stretches that we humans love so much. I kept thinking if I went a little closer I could probably hear the tree giving out a good hearty early morning groan.

The grass looks like it hasn’t quite made its mind up about whether to wake up or maybe have another couple of minutes before deciding to stand upright and face the day. There is a lovely languid kind of feel about the grass itself, it seems almost weighted down by the frost. Who would have thought that something as simple and natural as frost could have such an effect on our landscape.

This is one of those photos that you will either love or think “It’s just a tree and some grass”, I’m ok with that but personally I love the minimalism of the shot, especially the pure white sky in the background.

Hope I haven’t made you feel cold with this one.

You can now purchase prints or postcards of this photo here

Misty Morning In The Phoenix Park

Posted on by

Phoenix Park Dublin

I can’t help thinking this poor fellow is looking off into the misty distance thinking “Where did I leave my other antler”. This has to be one of the strangest thing I have ever seen in the park, I’m sure deer manage to lose their antlers during rutting season but I have never personally seen one with only the single antler left. Obviously I will refrain from getting involved with any puns regarding stag nights etc.

This shot was taken on a rather beautiful April morning a few years ago, not quite as early as you might think from the mist in the distance, I seem to remember it being around ten o’clock or so. I love the total bleakness of this photo, there is almost an element of resignation about the deer sitting on his own. Maybe he did lose out in a battle with another stag and the damp mist in the distance is just compounding his pure misery.

The clocktower you can see in the distance is situated on the grounds of Farmleigh House, worth a visit if you have a chance, it’s been beautifully restored and is a real oasis of calm compared to the rest of Farmleigh during the summer.

I remember taking this photo, it took me ages to slowly sneak up behind the deer. I really tried not to disturb him and when he did look around I just acted all casual so he wouldn’t feel threatened. When I think back it was quite comical, I mean does a deer really care if you are looking off into the distance and whistling just so you can convince him you haven’t even noticed him sitting there in the grass. Perhaps I should have brought a newspaper and I could have pretended to read that every time he looked around. I don’t think I would make a very good private detective, I think the giant zoom lens and tripod gave me away on this occasion.. I really didn’t need to worry about anything as the deer had little or no interest in my presence, maybe he was tired after a long battle, I just don’t know.

I do have great respect for these animals, sometimes people forget they are actually wild animals and try to get too close. Most times the deer will run away but I just don’t see the point in upsetting them just for the sake of a good photograph.

Phoenix Park Does Exotic

Posted on by

Phoenix Park in Infra-Red

Another recent photograph for you today.

This was taken on May 2nd, just a week ago to be exact on a truly beautiful day here in Dublin. The sunshine was truly amazing, strong but still slightly hazy, great for detailed close up shots but really bad for those wide angle landscapes. Whatever way the light was catching these trees just drew me towards them no matter how hard I tried to avoid it. I have taken pictures of this bunch of trees on several occasions from many different angles so I really tried to move on and see what else I could find. Every time I looked over my shoulder the light just got better and better, so you can guess the rest. Well I suppose I don’t have to finish telling you, otherwise how could I have taken the photo.

By the time I succumbed to the trees in question it was almost midday and the light appeared to be slowly overhead and was actually not quite so dramatic as before. I was almost disappointed until I walked all the way around and discovered that the trees almost seemed to be in totally darkness as there was no more sunlight able to reach down through the foliage. I love the darkness in the tree trunks, if you look further passed them its pretty obvious how sunny the day was from the brightness of the smaller trees in the distance.

There is something very exotic about the trees themselves, they seem to be from a distant land and not something we would be used to seeing in Ireland. I love the way we always use the word exotic for objects that we wouldn’t normally see here in Ireland, I wonder what word people from so-called exotic countries would use instead of exotic to describe something that is maybe a little bit out of the ordinary.

Anyway, you know exactly what I mean when I use the word exotic.

It’s almost hard to believe that this scene came from the likes of the Phoenix Park, I have to keep reminding myself that I am pretty much in the middle of a city centre, not quite in the heart of it but a good swing of a golf club would send a ball into the River Liffey.

Enjoy the photo.

You can purchase prints or postcards of his photo from as little as €2.50 by clicking this link.

This Crocodile’s Having A Laugh

Posted on by

Crocodile In Dublin Zoo

Anyone else get the impression that this guy is having a bit of a laugh at me.

There is something about the expression on his face [I’m sure he is not aware of it] but it looks like he has a huge grin on him, he’s probably thinking “Another fool with his camera trying to make it look like he was on a safari somewhere”.

I could try and lie, pretend I was on a safari somewhere but then the photo wouldn’t fit into the Phoenix Park theme would it. This shot was actually taken in Dublin Zoo. I must admit I am quite fond of this crocodile and regularly visit him when I go to the Zoo, which at this stage is about once a week. I have never been able to get a decent photo of him out of the water, I shouldn’t complain, it’s what crocodiles do isn’t it.

I finally caught him basking on one of the rocks in the enclosure and just as I am about to press the shutter on the camera he opens his mouth really wide like this and remained that way for as long as I was in the enclosure. I suppose I shouldn’t have been dangling the massive fresh fish I brought with me for bait in front of him.

He seems a somewhat jolly happy go lucky kind of fellow to me, always there with a great big smile on his face for all the visitors. I’m pretty sure he has other things on his mind whilst we all think he is smiling at us, they do say crocodiles don’t naturally hunt humans but I’m sure some of the smaller kids that visit look like a rather nice snack to him.

Fearsome and all as they actually are there is something very jovial and cuddly about this fella, next time I am going to ask the keepers if I can nip in for a play with him.

I will end by saying that I think Dublin Zoo is probably one of the finest in the world, they have made such amazing use of the huge space they occupy in the park, with a brand new enclosure for the Gorilla’s coming very soon too. Pay them a visit sometime, you will be very pleasantly surprised if you haven’t visited in the last ten years.

You can purchase prints or postcards of his photo from as little as €2.50 by clicking this link.

An Explosion Of Trees.

Posted on by

Another blast from the past for you today.

This shot was taken in May 2008, again using my brand new toy, a Hoya infra-red filter.

I think this one works particularly well due to the one lonely white tree right in the centre of the shot. To be honest it didn’t look that much different to the rest of the trees with the naked eye but the infra-red filter really brought out the contrast between the two different type of trees.

The trees actually look like they are blowing in the wind, they all look like they are leaning from left to right but to be truthful it was a beautifully calm summers day and there wasn’t a breeze to be found.

I love the way the trees seem to be all clustered together, safety in numbers maybe.

There is a lovely soft almost cloud like feeling about the photograph.

After showing this photograph to a friend of mine recently they have commented that it almost looks like some kind of strange explosion of trees coming out of the ground. I never really noticed that before but if you step back a bit it does look like they are exploding out of the ground, like some kind of nuclear mushroom, except they are made from trees and thankfully completely harmless.