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Vineyard Vistas in Portugal

Blue skies over a vineyard in Portugal. The vines run off into the distance. A tree stands nearby while tall, thin, evergreen trees break the horizon up the hill.

Amidst the stunning scenery of Portugal’s Douro Valley, we found ourselves at Quinta da Roêda, a picturesque vineyard nestled under a breathtaking blue sky. As far as the eye could see, the vines stretched out into the distance, beckoning us to explore further.

A solitary tree stood tall nearby, while on the horizon, two tall, thin evergreens created a natural border against the rolling hills. It was a serene moment, a glimpse into the raw beauty of nature and the splendour of the Douro Valley’s vineyards.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	31mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/160s

Framing the Cathedral and the Church

The view from Bell's Field, Cork looking over towards The Cathedral Of St Mary & St Anne, on towards Cathedral Road and up the hill to The Church of the Ascension. Cars on the road and lots of houses visible too.

In the midst of a mellow July evening, I met with members of Blarney Photography Club at Bell’s Field, a blissful backdrop boasting breathtaking views of the north side of Cork City. From my lens, I looked upon The Cathedral of St Mary & St Anne, majestically standing on Cathedral Road, and The Church of the Ascension, nestled amidst the cityscape.

My eyes drank in the details of countless cosy homes while cars careened along the winding road below, adding a dynamic dash to my dreamy, detailed composition. It was an awe-inspiring moment, an alliterative adventure accentuating the essence of Cork City in one captivating click.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	240mm
ISO	12800
Shutter speed	1/200s

Exhausted on Snowy Slopes

Two skiers prepare to go downhill, while in the foreground a sign warns "Halt" and "Skilift" pointing to the right but the sign is leaning precariously to the side

We had trudged up and down rugged hills, wearing snow shoes, until we finally came to a stop, feeling sore and utterly exhausted. The sun blazed down on us as we stood at 1500m on a crisp, clear day. Ahead of us loomed another hill, descending a valley and then ascending at a steep incline. At the bottom, we spotted two skiers preparing to travel further down the slopes.

In the foreground, a sign attached to a precarious, leaning pole caught our attention. It commanded us to “Halt”, but the sign pointing to the ski lift pointed upwards towards the sky, which was fitting because the ski lift itself ascended the side of a dauntingly steep hill.

Wisely, I believe, we decided to take a break for lunch instead of attempting that treacherous incline. 🙂

Aperture	ƒ/9
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	146mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/2000s

A Florida Dragonfly

Behind the town of Seaside in Florida lies a lake which no doubt contributes to the humidity during the day there.

Early one morning I photographed this dragonfly resting on the fence on a small pier on the lake. The air was still cool, so the dragonfly was probably still sluggish until the day warmed up.

Aperture	ƒ/6.3
Camera	Canon EOS 40D
Focal length	200mm
ISO	400
Shutter speed	1/400s

Capturing Seaside’s Sunrise Splendor

Blue parasols provide shade for beach chairs on the beach by Seaside in Florida as the sun rises

In Seaside, Florida, a photowalk in September is best enjoyed in the early morning to avoid the oppressive humidity and heat that sets in later in the day. But the silver lining is that this early start allows us to witness the breathtaking sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico, casting a golden glow on the pristine white sandy beach nearby.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	Canon EOS 40D
Focal length	48mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/125s

Reflections at Gougane Barra

The small chapel at Gougane Barra reflected in the lake there in early morning light. Trees are near it and fields and hills in the distance. It's a cloudy day.

So, a few weeks ago, I went with fellow members of Blarney Photography Club to Gougane Barra to catch the sunrise. Sadly, the clouds were pretty thick that day, but we still managed to get some cool photos. One shot I was particularly happy with was the reflection of the chapel on the island. Despite some showers here and there, we were lucky to catch some good light for our shots. Can’t wait to share more of these photos with you all in the coming months!

Aperture	ƒ/11
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/50s

Howya Derelict Cork!

The window of a derelict building in Cork City with the greeting HOWYA on it.

A building on the corner of Sheare Street and Moore Street in Cork appears to be derelict for a number of years. If you take a look at the location on Google Maps you can go back through the years.

In 2014 it appears someone broke the right hand window as it is covered by wood but in the next photo the window is covered by that paint again. Some time between 2017 and 2019 the front of the building was given a lick of paint. The pavement in front was upgraded in that time too so that might account for that.

There’s a bouquet of flowers outside the building in 2017 making me dread to think what reason it was there. 🙁

Anyway, this building is in a great location. It appears to have been an office. This and other buildings around the city that are underused might find more use as a residential building.

Aperture	ƒ/2.8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/1000s

Descending through the Clouds

The view from the gondola station high up over a valley. Blue water of a lake is seen below as well as tiny houses, roads and trees surrounding green fields.

We stood atop the towering mountain, surrounded by billowing clouds, preparing to leave. As I gazed downwards, my eyes traced the steep slope all the way to the tranquil blue waters of the lake below. Tiny houses and buildings speckled the landscape, and a winding road traced the shoreline.

Having just dined at Berggasthaus Herzogstand, a restaurant nestled at nearly 1600 meters above sea level, we were eager to descend. However, the weather had taken a turn for the worse, with rain pelting down and the wind picking up. It was the last gondola ride of the day, too.

As we embarked on the journey, the gondola suddenly came to an abrupt halt. We hung suspended in mid-air for several minutes as the operator communicated over the radio. It turned out that some passengers had been left behind on the mountain, and we realized they were fortunate to have caught a ride down with us!

Aperture	ƒ/9
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	24mm
ISO	160
Shutter speed	1/30s

Prepping the Wing

A paraglider adjusts their wing on the ground on top of a mountain in Germany. A blue sky above and mountains in the distance.

One of the days during a team meetup in Germany recently was spent hiking across a mountain, up and down steep snow-covered hills. On the way, we passed by what is evidentially the launch site for people paragliding.

They would fling themselves off this slope and soar for I don’t know how long, catching thermals and circling far overhead.

Not for me, but the wings were very colourful!

Aperture	ƒ/2.2
Camera	Galaxy S23 Ultra
Focal length	2.2mm
ISO	50
Shutter speed	1/5200s

The Dog’s Nose Knows

A dog pokes his nose out of a caravan in Santa Cruz. I think he wanted to come play with us as we walked past.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	Canon EOS 6D
Focal length	96mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/400s

Dawn at the Bar & Grill

A restaurant in Santa Cruz in the early morning light. It says "Bar & Grill" on the side of the building

As the sun slowly rose over Santa Cruz, I found myself drawn to a quaint restaurant nestled along the beach front. The golden morning rays cast a mesmerizing shadow of a street lamp on the building, while inside, a diligent worker was already busy prepping for the day ahead.

Aperture	ƒ/4
Camera	Canon EOS 6D
Focal length	105mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/1250s

The Truman House

A sign outside a home in Seaside, Florida, tells the curious passer-by, “The Truman House”. It was used as the home where Truman Burbank lived in the film, The Truman Show.

The house itself sits at 31 Natchez Street in Seaside. I didn’t see anyone about, but then again I walked past at around 8am in the morning before the oppressive heat of the day got too bad.

Aperture	ƒ/7.1
Camera	Canon EOS 40D
Focal length	28mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/80s