I was there too
The hang gliding crowd attracted a bit of a crowd on Inch Beach in 2006. Well, it was late September and there wasn’t that many people on the beach in the first place, so 2 people isn’t so bad, eh?
Hunger got the best of us and we watched as a powered plane flew high up in the air. I don’t think any of the gliders made it up that day because the winds weren’t right.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 10mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/800s |
I photographed the beach at Couminole on the Dingle Peninsula back in 2006 when there was a beach there. There was no sand to be seen during repeated visits there in September 2007.
I had actually quite forgotten I had taken this so it was nice to see the lovely sandy beach!
Trivia – a well known member of Mallow Camera Club who shall remain nameless was caught by the tide and had to remain sitting on the rocks for several hours in wet, foggy and rough conditions until the tide went out again.
| Aperture | ƒ/10 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 88mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
Our pet Shih Tzu, Oscar with a tennis ball in his mouth on Garrettstown Beach a few weeks before Adam was born last April.
He loves running after the ball, but the poor little doggy is a bit lame right now. We took him to the vet who couldn’t find anything wrong. This has happened before and he recovered so fingers crossed he gets better this time too.
The strange thing is, it only affects him when he’s walking on pavements or roads. On grass he’s almost fine, and at home you wouldn’t know it from his running around! Dog psychology?
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 225mm |
| ISO | 200 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1250s |
This little girl was playing in the sand on the beach as we walked past. Plenty of toys about, but I don’t think she had built a sand castle yet. It’s lovely to see children playing in the sand. It’s an age of innocence and (sometimes) simple joy that we forget as adults.
A few weeks before Adam was born we went down to Garrettstown Beach in Co. Cork. The sun was shining, it was warm and the beach had a good number of people on it. Beautiful day!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 265mm |
| ISO | 200 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
Inch Strand in Co. Kerry as the sun shines over the water and the tide comes in.
| Aperture | ƒ/20 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 72mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
Another shot from our few hours at Inch Strand in Co. Kerry last September. This is G-BKSP waiting on the beach to fly. Unlike the glider I posted earlier I saw this plane fly. Unfortunately conditions weren’t suitable for flying the gliders before we had to head home to Cork.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 10mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/800s |
Here’s another shot of EI-128. Following my last shot I moved to the other side of the glider to capture some of the beach and hills behind.
This was originally shot at an angle to get as much vertical space in but I rotated the image and filled in the sand and background as well as I was able. Sand is usually quite easy to fill in because it’s so uniform but there was a gradient of shade according to how damp it was that made things harder.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 10mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/400s |
Last September a large group of glider enthusiasts spent a weekend at Inch Strand in Co. Kerry. They were from two clubs, one in Dublin and one from further north I think. I took down their details but that scrap of paper is long lost at this stage.
Conditions weren’t the best on the day we passed the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day, but the wind wasn’t blowing in the right direction and the only aircraft I saw flying was a powered one. We were on our way home so couldn’t wait around unfortunately. I still got some nice shots. Hopefully I’ll find time to work on them over the next few weeks!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 10mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
A tyre causes waves to crash up and splash over it on the beach at Garretstown in Co. Cork almost a year ago.
This picture languished in my archives until last weekend when I frantically looked about for “Sea” releated material for theme night at the camera club!
If you’re around Cork at the weekend, Mallow Camera Club is hosting the SACC Annual Competition and Exhibition tomorrow. A number of other clubs will be enter the competition and should be a good day out. Unfortunately I can’t be there due to prior commitments. Also, on Monday night Des Clinton will give a talk at the club on “Best of Irish” which should be a good night. A number of his images can be seen in this gallery.
PS. a tyre is a tire.
| Aperture | ƒ/7.1 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 200mm |
| ISO | 400 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
Bubbles in the incoming tide break on the sandy beach at Garretstown about a month ago.
I turned this black and white because I love the abstract feel to the bubbles and it makes the grain of the sand beneath more visible. I had to jump up to avoid getting splashed moments later but such are the risks one takes for one’s art!
| Aperture | ƒ/11 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 200mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/800s |
Oscar ambling along on the beach at Garretstown in Co. Cork. He never liked the beach, there’s just too much dirt and gravel and sand and just plain yuck, but he had a great time that evening. I don’t think Shih-Tzus are the most adventurous of dogs! Compare this picture with an earlier shot before he was groomed. Quite a difference eh?
Under Irish law, dogs should be kept on a lead in public places at all times, and really should not be allowed on a beach but I made sure he did his business before we went anywhere near the sand! He’s so timid he rarely left our side the whole time, and I had the lead in my pocket, just in case.
I spotted a horse in the distance and the hoof marks were visible in the sand, but I was too late to get a shot of the horse and rider this time unfortunately.
This page on Shih Tzus describes Oscar perfectly:
The Shih-Tzu is an alert and spunky little dog. Happy and hardy, endowed with loads of character. They are royally dignified, courageous and sometimes arrogant. This breed does well with polite, careful children. The gentle loyal Shih-Tzu makes friends easily and although obstinate can respond well to consistent patient training. A very alert watch dog, the Shih-Tzu likes to bark, but is usually quiet inside the house. They are stubborn and clever. Shihs can get snappish if they are surprised or peeved. Playful and lively, this affectionate little dog needs to be with people and are generally good with other pets. Some can be difficult to housebreak.
| Aperture | ƒ/11 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 179mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/200s |
