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The Beauty of Embracing Winter for Stunning Photography
Winter is often considered to be the least popular season for photography. Many photographers avoid the colder months, thinking the season offers limited opportunities for good photography. Light is often poor, skies can be constantly dull and grey, and in many locations weather conditions are not conducive to being out with a camera. Yet, winter presents unique chances to capture scenes that other seasons cannot match. Embracing winter for photography can often lead to stunn
WildWillowWays
2 min read
The Joy of Photography: Thoughts for a New Year
Do you remember why you first picked up a camera? Did you want to use it to travel and capture iconic locations? Did you want to use it to document your daily life and that of your family and friends? Did you intend to use it to share your images on social media? Did you intend it to be your daily companion, to capture whatever caught your eye? Did you pick up a camera to learn a new skill and express yourself in new ways? Or did you first pick up a camera to give yourself a
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Why Fairgrounds Make an Ideal Winter Photography Subject
Fairgrounds tend to be mainly associated with summer time, when they are filled with hustle and bustle, screams and laughter, thrills and spills. I almost never photograph fairgrounds in summer, and if I do, it’s in early morning when the funfair is closed. But winter is different. While some fairgrounds may open for the winter holiday season, many of them lie empty and silent, a complete contrast to how funfairs are meant to be. But empty fairgrounds make ideal subjects for
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Embracing the Stillness of Mid-Winter Landscapes
Mid-winter light can be many things. It can be bright and beautiful, lighting up the sky at sunrise or sunset with an array of vibrant colours. It can be soft and diffused or even dull and bleak. But Mid-Winter light is sometimes none of these things. It is often just there, low in the sky and subdued, as if it is waiting for something to occur. It is at these times that we can embrace the stillness, accept the light as it is, and be content to photograph the quiet landscape.
WildWillowWays
1 min read
Exploring the Creative Possibilities for Winter Photography
Winter is probably the season that gives us the most variety in weather conditions here in Ireland. It is often said that we could experience four seasons in one day! A winter's day could be wet and windy, or just wet all day long. On the other hand, it could be cold, crisp and dry, with some beautiful winter sun. Winter could bring frosty mornings where the landscape is transformed into a winter wonderland and even tiny details take on a magical look. Sometimes , we awaken
WildWillowWays
3 min read
12 Photos from My Photography Walk
This series of posts, Photos from My Photography Walk , is a series in which I hope to showcase some of my images taken during a morning walk. The photographs will not be part of a theme, just images of random subjects that happened to catch my eye on that morning, with a short commentary on what drew me to them. The series will challenge me to present photos that I might not normally show, but they are part of my photography journey and an important aspect of my progress. On
WildWillowWays
3 min read
Embracing Foggy Morning Photography
How Fog Changes Everything for Photographers When I awaken to a foggy morning I am immediately motivated to get out with my camera. Fog changes the world around us. It softens harsh light and reduces contrast, which can make ordinary scenes look magical. Fog hides details and creates a unique atmosphere that invites photographers to slow down and embrace the changed world around them. Photographing in fog is less about capturing every detail and more about conveying atmospher
WildWillowWays
3 min read
Exploring Winter Coastal Photography
It was the last week in November. It had been raining for nearly a week when suddenly the forecast promised a sunny day. I decided to take the opportunity to travel to the coastal village of Rosslare, Co. Wexford, to do some winter coastal photography. The journey to Rosslare takes around 90 minutes, so after stopping for some lunch, I arrived in the early afternoon. The winter sun was low in the sky giving a soft, rather than harsh, light and despite the bitterly cold wind t
WildWillowWays
1 min read
15 Photos from a Late Autumn Walk in the Park
In Ireland, we have been fortunate this year to have had a relatively dry and calm October and early November, resulting in a rich tapestry of peak autumn colour. My local park has been a photographer's paradise this year and I managed to get out often with my camera to capture some of the autumn glory. Here are 15 images from a recent late autumn walk in the park. They were taken in early November. The photos are not award winners but I enjoyed taking them and spending time
WildWillowWays
1 min read
The Magic of Embracing Nature’s Changing Seasons
It was a cold, bright morning in the first week of November. An early mist had dissipated and the sun was making a brief appearance. I was taking a photography walk down a forest path along the banks of a local canal. There was an eerie stillness in the air; no wind whistling in the trees, no birdsong, and, thankfully, no noise of traffic. The only sounds were the gentle fluttering of leaves as they fell to the ground and joined the glistening carpet of leaves underfoot, the
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Using Your Camera to Capture the Essence of Autumn
Autumn is my favourite season for photography. Whether it's the crisp, dry mornings or the glistening foliage following the rain, the season offers a wealth of vibrant colours and a multitude of macro subjects, presenting endless opportunities for capturing stunning images. In addition to appreciating the richness of nature, engaging in photography during this season is very life-affirming. It is hard not to feel grateful for nature’s seasonal bounty as we wander through wood
WildWillowWays
1 min read
Can Light Be the Main Subject in Photography?
When I read or listen to suggestions or guidance for getting the best composition in photography, I usually get the message that it is important to have a distinct subject in the frame, something that will draw the viewer’s eye and that is distinguishable from its surroundings elements. I agree with this. When I started photography, I tended to arrive at a location, point my camera in the direction of the best view, and take the shot. Most of the elements had equal weight whi
WildWillowWays
3 min read
Autumn Photography: Capturing Nature's Beauty
These are some images to celebrate autumn/fall, the season that gives us nature's true bounty in terms of abundance of colour, an array of fruits, soft light and sweet scented air. Why not go out with your camera and capture some seasonal photographs.
WildWillowWays
1 min read
Does Street Photography Need to Include People?
This question frequently becomes a topic of discussion among photographers. Many street photographers are of the view that street photography must include people, that candid images of people going about their daily lives are the very essence of street photography. They believe that photos taken on the street that do not include human interactions are not true to the genre. Others are of the view that any photographs taken on the street, or in a public place, with or without
WildWillowWays
2 min read
How a Change of Perspective Helped My Photography
It is easy to fall into a rut in any creative pursuit. We can begin to feel that our output is not as good as it could be, that we are not ‘making progress’ - whatever we deem progress to be - or we may just become bored or frustrated and lacking in ideas. From time to time, I find myself falling into this sort of rut with my photography. This might be due to some of the reasons above or just that life intervenes, and I can’t spend as much time with my camera as I would like,
WildWillowWays
3 min read
Why Your Local Area Could Be Your Best Photography Location
Take a quick look through YouTube photography videos and you will see titles such as… 5 Photography Locations You Must Visit Photos From My Recent Trip to… (add location) Top 5 Photography Locations This is Why You Want to Photograph in… (add location) 5 Epic Landscape Locations Photographing Iconic Locations in… (add country) Best Landscape Locations for Photographers And so on. You could be forgiven for thinking that unless you can visit an epic location you won’t get any d
WildWillowWays
5 min read
Enhance Your Daily Photography with Simple Challenges
One simple challenge would be to photograph patterns created by the early morning sunshine. If you are someone who likes to do daily photography, whether that is with a dedicated camera or your phone camera, you might at times find yourself wondering what to photograph. It could be that you are so familiar with your local area that you run out of ideas for anything interesting to photograph, or you are faced with many dull days without good light for photography, or it could
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Capturing History: The Beauty of Photographing Old Buildings
While there is a wide range of subjects that I like to photograph, old buildings seem to take top spot on my list. I am always drawn to old period houses, castles, churches, and even to ruins of these buildings. As well as these more ancient buildings I also like to make images of abandoned houses, old sheds and buildings that may be falling into disrepair. Marlay House, an 18th-century historic house located in Marlay Park and Demesne, Dublin, Ireland Small Church of Ireland
WildWillowWays
3 min read
Why I Believe it’s Worth Having an Everyday Carry Camera
In a recent post I explained why I feel that I need to adopt a daily photography approach. It's something that I have been considering for some time, but a few things have helped me make up my mind. Recently I made a train journey to meet some old friends. I was travelling to a location that was relatively new to me, and I thought there may be some photo opportunities. However, since my trip involved some walking I simply carried what I needed – wallet, keys, phone and one o
WildWillowWays
8 min read
Exploring the Balance Between Random and Intentional Photography
I normally take one of two approaches to photography. Sometimes I go out with no plan; just my camera, a lens or two, and a decision to just photograph whatever catches my eye. That could be an interesting, unusual or particularly striking subject, it could be the way in which light illuminates a building or an alleyway or even a person, or it could be the way in which a pleasing composition suddenly reveals itself to me. This type of photography is often challenging, surpris
WildWillowWays
2 min read
WildWillowWays is a personal blog to track my journey into photography and to explore how we can use photography to enhance our wellbeing. Over the last number of years I have been involved in promoting health and wellbeing and have undertaken mindfulness training. I see a strong connection between photography and wellbeing and intend to explore this further by delving more deeply into the many and varied aspects of photography. I realise that this is the hobby that will help me to slow down a little, to become more observant, more attuned to what is going on around me, more attentive in life. Through my exploration of photography and wellbeing I would like to help others to discover how we can use photography to improve our physical and mental wellbeing. Feel free to contact me with any comments or suggestions. I hope you enjoy the blog. Mary ©
Follow me on Instagram @wildwillowways.
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