All I Needed Was Light
All I Needed Was Some Light: A Landscape Photography Adventure on Valentia Island, Kerry, Ireland
On the heels of that incredible sunrise shoot at the lighthouse, where the waves danced in the glow of the stunning red morning light, I decided to continue on a new journey up Geokaun Mountain. Rising 300 meters above sea level, this vantage point promised breathtaking views of the surrounding islands and the lighthouse that had just captivated me that morning. The best part is that it is possible to drive directly to the top. You need to pay a fee at the gate below to drive up, but it is worth the process as the rewards at the top are unique. As I drove up the winding road, I opted to put my drone up also and follow me as I gained elevation. I set it up to not only track and follow me but to also circle me as I felt the reveals that it would do as I gained height would start my shoot off well.
The overcast sky veiled much of the landscape, leaving visibility limited and my hopes tempered. However undeterred, I set up my gear, eager to capture the beauty of this rugged terrain. From this vantage point, it is possible to see the Dingle Peninsula, The Ivereagh Peninsula, and the two Skellig islands that lie just off the coast, of course, on a clear day that is. But would I get lucky Today?
My tools of choice would be my Canon 16-35mm, my ever-versatile 70-200mm, and my powerful Sigma 150-600mm lenses. I began my search for the perfect shot, always hopeful that the weather would change and reward me. Starting with black and white compositions, I sought to show the raw feeling and timeless beauty of the landscape, as it was flat I wanted to aim for some high-contrast shots to bring out the shadows and depth. I changed my camera picture profile into mono, so I could see immediately on the back of the camera what this type of shot would look like, plus, when you shoot RAW, it still saves the image as colour for when you get them home. It became clear tho that even mono shots would still be flat as the light being cast was linear.
As I explored the cliffs and natural contours below, a remarkable sight caught my eye – an ancient Celtic cross, silently sitting there to witness the passage of time. With the zoom capabilities of my 150-600mm lens, I delved deeper into its intricate details, before taking a shot of its presence against the backdrop of the rugged coastline below
Now the wind was picking up and I could see that the clouds were moving quite fast above me, so I decided to try and catch some of this motion by doing dome Timelapse, firstly with my OSMO Pocket 3’s built timelapse features which also allow movement in the frame and then also on my main camera itself. Additionally, I opted to put on my wide angle and go for some long exposures, mainly due to the movement in those closes and also the water far below me, I was happy with how these turned out actually.
Now, throughout it all, one thought echoed persistently in my mind – all I needed was some light. With each click of the shutter, I yearned for the rays to pierce through the clouds and illuminate the scene below. It became a mantra, a whispered plea to those pesky cloud gods above.
The wind as mentioned previously, was a constant companion on this exposed mountaintop, testing the limits of my equipment. A sudden gust sent my tripod – and with it, my Osmo Pocket 3 – tumbling over. Miraculously, it found refuge against my side, spared from harm's way. The relief I felt at that moment will stay with me for a while I think.
And then, just when patience waned and hope flickered, nature decided to give me a fleeting gift – a break in the clouds, a sliver of sunlight cascading across the landscape, and best of all it happened as I was recording a timelapse. At that moment, time could have stood still as I captured shot after shot of the glow, using every one of my lenses and recreating the shots I took earlier, but now with the light of course.
This light stayed with me for long enough to not only allow me to get some shots but to also remind me that landscape photography is a game of patience, persistence and stubbornness and I was glad I had all three that day.
As I packed up my gear and descended from Geokaun Mountain, The light once again started to play games with me, breaking far off in the distance, so I decided that I needed to go for another shoot at a stunning spot, Fogher Cliffs, but for that, you will need to come back next week to see what happens then.
You can see the images I captured below plus watch the adventure on my YouTube channel.
Thanks for reading
Darren
