Well it’s that time of year again where we look back on the year just gone and review. In this case a review of my photography and what I believe are my Top 10 from the year. Last year was quite a turning point for me and my photography, upgrading my Canon 400D for a 40D, investing in some Lee Filters, attending a Photography course and meeting up with a great bunch of people from that course. The culmination of all of this was a sufficient body of work to display at the People’s Photography Exhibition in August.
When I set about this selection process I was quiet surprised (and happy) to find a lot of images I was very happy with. Getting it down to 25 wasn’t too difficult but cutting that down to just 10 was a real challenge. This is my first year doing this being realistically the first time I feel I have a large enough body of work with sufficient quality to complete this task. It certainly won’t be the last time though, I expect this to become an annual event.
Click on the Image to see a larger version, and to purchase/license.
Bridge By Night
By the response on Flickr this was a love or hate image but for me I loved it. Taken in March down in Monart, Wexford this set me up for my love of Night Photography. The deep inky blacks and unreal blue’s and greens from the garden lights set the panoramic off for me.
Luas Lady
My one, and so far only attempt at Street Photography produced this, amazingly a shot in my Top 10. This was taken as the Luas was emptying out at Stephen’s Green during rush hour on a busy Saturday in April. Like most Street Photography I simply did not know what I had until I got home and had them up on the Computer. I just love the fact that as everyone is in a rush this old lady noticed me and stopped to offer a wry smile.
Christina
Another first this time a Model Shoot. I was lucky to have such an experienced model to work with in Christina. She knew what to do and let me get on with focusing on operating the camera. However I did manage to capture four shots I was happy with, this one being my favorite. From Flickr views it also seems to be a favorite of yours as well. Comments would indicate it was strong enough for her Portfolio which was high praise indeed.
Close up of a single droplet of water hanging off the end of a Calla Lilly. Reflected in the droplet is another lilly close by. Click on the Image to see a larger version, and to purchase/license.
Tear Drop
I knew the moment I click the shutter I had captured a nice Calla Lilly shot but like the Street Photography shot above it was only when I got it up on the computer did I notice I had something more, in the form of the droplet of water and the reflection of a nearby Lilly in it. Taken back in May on my first visit to the National Botanical Gardens, a treasure trove of floral beauty.
A rough bare tree trunk lies upon the beach at Kilmuckridge, Co Wexford, Ireland. Click on the Image to see a larger version, and to purchase/license.
Lonely Branch
I did not have high hopes of capturing anything worthwhile on this day. Taken in June on a Weekend trip down to in Wexford this was a mid-day – very clear & very bright day. Not the typical environment for the perfect landscape. However I went out knowing this and shooting specifically for Black & White. The success of this image has set the scene for the 2nd of my 2009 Projects – high contrast Black & White.
The sun is trying to breakthrough the clouds above the hills just beyond Blessington Lakes in Ireland with a gravel beach and a single rock in the foreground. Click on the Image to see a larger version, and to purchase/license.
Sunrise over Blessington Lake
A 3am rise on a crisp June day produced one of my Top 10 for the year (not because of the early rise though 🙂 ). We were blessed on the day with a great spread of low lying cloud cover to provide a simply stunning display of dawn colour, reflected perfectly in the lake. There is something special about being up to watch a new day dawn.
A bubbling brooke deep in the woods of the Dublin Montains in Ireland surrounded by moss covered rocks, the hazy light from the setting sun spills through the trees in the background. Click on the Image to see a larger version, and to purchase/license.
Light in the Forest
Taken during a hike in the Dublin Mountains one July evening produced this ethereal image of a gentle brook in the centre of this forest, as the sun began to dip and the mist settle. This was from the very first series of shots from my Canon 40D and Lee Filter Kit. Using both an ND & ND Grad filter was a revelation for me and I haven’t looked back.
Image of water plunging into a quiet pool surrounded by rocks. Click on the Image to see a larger version, and to purchase/license.
Lush
I visited this Waterfall several times last year and plan to again this year. This image being from my first visit at the end of July.
An Ostich looks at the viewer quizzically. Click on the Image to see a larger version, and to purchase/license.
U Lookin’ at Me?
This certainly got the most attention during the People’s Photography exhibition in August. This was taken late evening at the end a trip to the excellent Foto Island Wildlife Park in Cork. I just love the simplicity of this image, and I feel works perfectly as a Sepia.
Standing at night at the edge of the IFSC, Dublin cable pedestrian bridge looking back across the river Liffey with the bridge of the left. Click on the Image to see a larger version, and to purchase/license.
Nighttime in Dublin
The final image from my 2008 Top 10 was taken late one cold night in October. A very low angle of the new footbridge by the IFSC in Dublin’s City Centre. This is another image that has proven popular in my Flickr stream.
So there you have it my honest appraisal of my own work through 2008. I was happy to find when I completed this selection that 5 of the 10 images have also been my most popular on Flickr.
Well that’s it for 2008, time to move on to 2009. I shall continue to share my work throughout the year, in fact my first images of the new year appear in the post below. As always I welcome your feedback either through this site or directly on Flickr.
