THE EMERALD ISLE: IRELAND
Enjoy breathtaking cliffside vistas and the drama of the wild Atlantic weather during this photography workshop through Ireland’s northern coastline
APRIL 18 - 25, 2027
Ireland is a heavenly kingdom for landscape photography that has yet to be discovered by the masses. There is so much more to this beautiful country than forty shades of green and Guinness pints at the pub as you will see on this one of a kind photography adventure. Scenic coastlines, towering cliffs, sea stacks, arches, lighthouses, ancient castles, and dramatic weather are all part of the plan as we journey along the world famous Wild Atlantic Way. We will navigate the winding roads and quaint villages through the northern coastline in search of some of the most beautiful seascape locations in the world.
Unlike other European countries, Ireland has yet to go through a photography boom and is seldom visited by landscape photographers which makes it an ideal place for us to explore and create unique images. It is unlikely that you’ll see anyone else toting cameras and tripods besides our group which makes this workshop even more special. The locations are most certainly there, but it can be a tricky place to get around. Thankfully we have extensive local knowledge covered with Irish landscape photographer Bernard Geraghty who knows the country like nobody else.
On this 8 day / 7 night photography workshop we will be focusing on the most dramatic coastlines in the country located in the north. All lodging and transportation within Ireland will be included. During this tour we will immerse ourselves in the landscape, history and culture mixing in a few ancient castles and Game of Thrones locations, need I say more? All throughout you will be provided with expert instruction on how best to capture the light and interesting compositions. The goal of the workshop is to give you the ability to explore, learn, and fine tune those photography skills both in the field as well in post processing development to bring your images to life. Helping clients create a portfolio of images they are excited and proud of is priority number one on all of our workshops (along with having a good time).
INSTRUCTORS: CHRIS BYRNE & BERNARD GERAGHTY
GROUP SIZE: 10 PARTICIPANTS
COST: $6750
INCLUDED: All Transportation and Lodging for 7 Nights (Single Occupancy)
NOT INCLUDED: Meals, Flights, Camera Equipment, Travel Insurance
DEPOSIT: A 50% deposit is required to secure a spot. Final balance due 120 days prior to workshop.
Need a more flexible payment plan? Please Contact Us
ITINERARY
After arriving in Donegal on April 18th you will be received at the airport and transported to our hotel for the next few of evenings. After getting to know our group over dinner we will head out to our sunset location. From there we move on to an incredible outlying island for two nights stay and then to Northern Ireland for two more evenings. Each day we will be out early to photograph sunrise, have a midday break or drive to our next hotel location, followed by a sunset session. Some potential locations along our journey include the Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, the Dark Hedges, Mount Errigal, Crohy Arch, Malin Head, Fanad Lighthouse, and many more amazing hidden gems! All transportation and lodging is included for the nights of April 18 - 24, with a transfer to the Dublin Airport (DUB) on April 25th. Lodging arrangements are Single Occupancy rooms.
USEFUL INFO / PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY
Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from Ireland and must have a valid passport to do so and a Visa for the UK/Northern Ireland. Temperatures this time of year can range from will be in the 40s - 50s Fahrenheit, with a variable climate including potential high winds and rain.
It is important for participants to be in good physical health. There will not be any strenuous hikes on this trip and participants should be able to hike a couple miles with some elevation gains.
AIRPORT / ACCOMODATIONS / FOOD
Participants should fly into Donegal (Airport code CFN), where you will be picked up. Please arrange to arrive by mid-afternoon on Sunday April 18, 2027. Participants will be dropped off in Dublin (airport DUB) by 1 pm on Sunday April 25th and should plan to fly home after that factoring in time needed at the airport.
Meals and drinks are not included in this trip. Whenever possible we will have a good sit down meal at a restaurant. We will also be driving daily between locations for a few hours, and stopping for gas and to grab snacks on the road.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
The weather in April can be unpredictable and filled with drama — they don’t call it the Wild Atlantic Way for nothing! Once dressed according to the weather, Ireland is a place where no matter what Mother Nature throws at you, the rewards are there when the work is put in. From rolling hills and glacial lakes to the aforementioned rugged coastlines and castles, photography opportunities are plentiful.
The field sessions are structured to not wear anyone out and get the most enjoyment of the surroundings and scenery. In the field techniques and tips will be provided to help capture images correctly "in camera" with the goal being that part becomes second nature and students can then focus on the creative aspects of landscape and nature photography. Post processing instruction will run the gamut of importing and organizing files into Lightroom to processing images in Lightroom and Photoshop and finally prepping images for the internet or for print. We are an open book and willing to share any tips or tricks we’ve learned to help you turn your photographs into art!
Ireland is guaranteed to give you the adventure of a lifetime and have you wanting to return. Good or bad, no matter what hand the weather has dealt us, at the end of the day you can unwind with a pint of the black stuff and relive the adventures of the day’s shooting with your comrades!
FIELD & CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WILL INCLUDE:
Creating compelling compositions and storytelling through images
Controlling your camera in manual mode
Understanding and using the Histogram
Finding foregrounds
Filters - when & how to use them and avoiding their pitfalls
How lens selection affects the scene
Technical Tricks: Bracketing, Focus Stacking, Perspective Blending
Understanding and using light
Capturing Difficult Scenes (getting all the pieces in the field to put together in post processing)
Lightroom - importing and organizing
Lightroom development tools
Cleaning up images - cloning tools, warping and stretching, eliminating distractions
Blending images in Photoshop
Dodging and burning
Using layers and masks
Mindful sharpening (depending on the output)
Image Critiques
RECOMMENDED CAMERA GEAR, ETC
DSLR or Mirrorless Camera (full frame preferred)
Zoom Lenses ranging from wide angle (12mm) to telephoto (300mm)
Filters: Circular Polarizing Filter and Solid ND filters (6 stop & 10 stop). We do a lot of very long exposures on this trip, please have all of these filters for your lenses.
Drone
Camera manual
Memory cards
A very sturdy tripod
Cable Release Trigger
Lens cloths, rocket blower, etc.
Computer with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop
Notebook
RECOMMENDED GEAR - CLOTHING, ETC.
Layers of warm clothing
Shoes that can get wet or muck boots
Hats and gloves
Handwarmers
Sunglasses
Rain coat
Umbrella
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Camera Equipment
Airfare
Meals and snacks
Travel Insurance
TOTAL COST $6750
50% DEPOSIT OF $3375 IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE A SPACE
FINAL PAYMENT OF $3375 IS DUE 120 DAYS IN ADVANCE
NEED A MORE FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLAN? PLEASE CONTACT US
REGISTER NOW:
MEET THE INSTRUCTORS
CHRIS BYRNE
Hello there! I’m Chris Byrne and I spent way too many years aimlessly wandering the earth and working for the man before finding my true passion in nature and landscape photography. My love of nature started very early in life as I would study the photographs in my dad’s huge collection of National Geographics, and also spend as much time as I could out exploring in the woods with my younger brother. Fast forward many years and after getting a finance degree in college I went to work in the stock market for over fifteen years (and didn’t get rich). During my time, I saw first hand two of the most devastating financial crises in our country’s history, and after the second go around I completely lost interest in my profession and desperately needed something more. I found myself in a place in life without any inspiration or excitement for what I was doing.
Then on a trip to Glacier, Montana I rediscovered my love of nature. However, the photographs I was trying to get just didn’t do the place any justice. It was then that I decided to get serious about photography and quickly poured all of myself into the craft, learning as much as possible as quickly as I could. I was a super sponge and had a new passion for life! As soon as I became proficient in my skills, I wanted to share my knowledge and began teaching others. Now I lead workshops to some of the best places on the globe.
Along the way I’ve won a few awards, but with so many contests out there, I wouldn’t claim that’s a good judge of a good teacher. Rather I am proud to be able to inspire others and spend as much time as I possibly can with each person in helping them connect with nature while teaching the techniques to capture the images that they want to create. Seeing people make breakthroughs in their art is something that I cherish. I truly believe that nature is good for the soul. The more you explore, the more you will be inspired.
BERNARD GERAGHTY