Kells Priory, Kilkenny
Kells Priory, Co.Kilkenny.
Kells Priory is one of the largest and most impressive medieval monuments in Ireland.
The Augustine priory is situated alongside King’s River beside the village of Kells, about 15 km south of the medieval city of Kilkenny. The priory is a National Monument and is in the guardianship of the Office of Public Works. One of its most striking feature is a collection of medieval tower houses spaced at intervals along and within walls which enclose a site of just over 3 acres (12,000 m2). These give the priory the appearance more of a fortress than of a place of worship and from them comes its local name of “Seven Castles”.
Kells priory, Co Kilkenny
Kilkenny wildlife
Heron on the kings river, Kells, Co.KIlkenny
With the June bank holiday over, I got moving very early this morning to find this young Heron looking for her first fish of the day.
Heron with Mallards, Kings river,Kells, Co KIlkenny
I walked along the Kings river for about half an hour and by the time I returned to the same location as the first photograph she was still looking, the Mallards in the foreground however looked like they had already eaten.
Kilkenny photography by Kilkenny photographer, Nigel Borrington.
Kilkenny rivers
Kings river, Kells, Co.Kilkenny
The Kings river at Kells, Co.Kilkenny.
Kilkenny photography series, by kilkenny photographer Nigel Borrington.
Water is not something Kilkenny or Ireland is short of.
Average Rain fall for Co.KIlkenny :
Kilkenny rainfall averages
Allihies, West Cork.
I would like to introduce you to Allihies.
Allihies, West cork
Located at the end of the Beara peninsula, west cork.
I have visited this small village many times so it will feature a lot in my Landscape work. It’s a beautiful location for Landscape Art and photography. The above image was taken in October 2010 on a very wet Irish day, a perfect day for the camera then the pub.
If you’re interested in a visit the following details my help you.
Ref: http://www.bearainfo.com/areainfo/allihies.htm
“situated 12 miles west of Castletownbere, on the Ring of Beara Route, is a region of unspoiled natural beauty. Glacial and volcanic movement of yore played their part in the formation of this most rugged, most unusual and yet most beautiful landscape. Such activity, the geologists tell us, left in its wake the large store of mineral deposits so successfully mined throughout the 19th century and much more of which is still here with us – if deeper down. Plans are advanced regarding the siting of a Mining Museum in Allihies. “
Poppies, Kells Co.Kilkenny
Poppies, Kells Co.Kilkenny
Nigel Borrington 2011,
Kilkenny photorgaphy series.
Its all in the lens
Poppies, Kells Co.Kilkenny
Nigel Borrington 2011,
Kilkenny photorgaphy series.
Enter poppies as a search word into Google images and you will get 1,230,000 image results. They must be one of the most painted and photographed flowers in world history, as such and even though I am very pleased with the resulting images I managed to achieve and return with I have another reason for posting this image.
I feel that the results in this selected image show what can be done to make good use of the effects of a shallow lens depth of field (I will return to this in many of my posts). This image is taken with an old manual focus f2.8, 80-200 lens set at f2.8 with the camera placed on a tripod to keep the framing as stable as possible (a tripod is not just useful in poor light) .
To me landscape photography is not just about sweeping landscapes set under a wide open sky, but about getting in close up and dirty, revealing every element in the landscape before us. A good use of a lenses focus depth is the top tool in any landscape photographer handbook.
As such I am putting this post into the training category as well as the image gallery, just so you know I have no intention of explaining ever single element of photography. I feel everyone can be a good photographer if they get out and start producing images. You need the time and the interest, if you don’t you won’t, why would you.
One thing you do need is a camera that lets you take full control, ask your camera shop to show you a camera that can. Even some of the most basic compact cameras these days will let you do this so you don’t need to spend over the odds.
Not every Camera you can buy will let you do everything you want, again ask the salesman. Look at lots of images and think about what you want to do then ask for a camera that can do it!
You can also go second user but forget old film cameras you need to take lots of images to learn, why pay for doing so. Film is well dead! Another photographer said to me, about four years ago that there must be millions of old film cameras on the second hand marked. Good Hard-core and Land-fill I am afraid my friend.
Digital is over fifteen years old even in the professional market, Film had its day – it’s over and limited to the hard of letting go or the sad old retro lovers (Hands up!).
Some professional digital cameras are now classics!
So get out there and see for yourself what your lens can do, put your camera on a tripod in front of any object you find interesting. Once you have the image framed take one shot for every aperture your lens has, once you’re back in front of your pc (or your images have been printed, God help us!) you will be able to see the effects you created for yourself.
Get creative it’s the only way to learn anything!
Nigel
Studio63 portraits
While the main purpose of this web site is to showcase and detail Nigel’s landscape and nature work it is very much worth detailing some examples of the studio photography images that Nigel produces.
Nigel Borrington (Studio63)
The make-up and beauty studio opened in Callan at the start of 2011 and is owned and run by Karen Maher,
Karen contacted me about three weeks ago, to see if I would be interested in helping her to create a studio portfolio for her, needless to say I was delighted to help.
The following images are from our first studio session.
Nigel Borrington (Studio63)
Nigel Borrington ( Studio63 )
You need and of her services you can contact her as follows.
The Makeup and Beauty studio.
Karen Maher : 086 2597777 or makeupandbeautystudio@hotmail.com
studio63
St Johns point Lighthouse
St Johns point lighthouse
St John’s Point Lighthouse, Donegal
From the Commissioners of Irish Lights
This is a harbour light used to guide from Donegal Bay, it marks the north side of the bay leading to Killybegs Harbour from the entrance up to Rotten Island.
The Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of Dublin (the Ballast Board) received a request on 24 February 1825 signed by merchants and traders of Killybegs requesting a light on St John’s Point. This was not approved until April 1829, and Trinity House gave their statutory sanction the following month.
The tower, built of cut granite, was designed by the Board’s Inspector of Works and Inspector of Lighthouses, George Halpin, and erected by the Board’s workmen under Halpin’s supervision.
The tower, painted white, had a first order catoptric fixed light 98 feet above high water with a visibility in clear weather of 14 miles. The light was first used on 4 November 1831 with the buildings in an uncompleted state. The final cost at the end of 1833 was £10,507.8.5.
Landscape Photography by Nigel Borrington , June 2010.
National Biodiversity week
Biodiversity Week 21st. -29th. May 2011
Sloe Bug - Nikon D700
Sloe bug, photographed in Kilkenny Millenium Forest
“On 22 May 2011 countries all over the world will celebrate International Day of Biodiversity, a global celebration to raise public awareness of the importance of biodiversity and the consequences of its loss.
As part of the celebrations the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, environmental NGO’s, Local Authorities and a wide range of other organisations have arranged a week long celebration of Ireland’s biodiversity, with plenty of activities aimed at all age groups.”
Image by kilkenny photographer (Nigel Borrington), Kilkenny photography series..
Hoverfly feeding
Syrphus ribesli (Hover fly)
Syrphus ribesli
Nikon D90, 105mm macro lens
Hover fly – feeding on nectar.
Taken hand held using a very shallow depth of field from the Nikon 105mm f2.8 lens, so that I could focus in on the fly s head as it fed.
Kilkenny wildlife, Ballykeefe woods
Carraigmoclear
Carraigmoclear – Slievenamon
Carraigmoclear - Slievenamon
Nikon D300, 10mm lens
Carraigmoclear is located in the foot hills of Slievenamon, Co.Tipperary, the location of a 1798 battle between the united Irishman and the British forces located at Kilcash castle. Today it offers one of the most peaceful locations you could wish for, offering wonderful views of the south Kilkenny and Tipperary borders.
This is one of the best location to get a full view of Slievenamon, a Landscape photographers dream.
The above image is taken using a 10mm wide angle lens, the resulting images perspective is then corrected using photo-shop. I feel that the results, showing a 180deg view of Slievenamon area I hope should inspire you to walk this hill.
Photography Training
Photography Training
Curracloe, Wexford coastline
Over the next months I will be posting articles that will show some of the more basic techniques I use to produce Landscape and wildlife images.
I will also provide some details on the needed equipment and the more generalist skills that are needed in or to make the best use the equipment you have purchased.
I will use many different locations for photography projects.
Stay Smart!
So keep a eye on the training section for posted articles…….
Nigel Borrington..
(Studio63)
About : Nigel Borrington
Nigel is a photographer with his Studio and wedding photography business Studio63 based in Callan, County Kilkenny in the south east of Ireland.
He has lived in county Kilkenny for some ten years. His background is in both Photography and Art and he is fully qualified in both areas. If you need to make an enquiry of any kind please contact Nigel on 086 153 0497 or go to the contacts page on the Studio63 web site and email Nigel from this location.
Nigel is a qualified member of the SINWP, SWPP and BPPA.
Spring Rabbit
Spring rabbit, Sheep’s head, West cork
Spring Rabbit
Nikon D90, Nikon 70-300mm f3.5-5.6 Vr lens
Rosskerigg West Cork
Panoramic view of the bay south of Rosskerigg, Sheep’s head, west cork
Rosskerigg West Cork
Nikon D7000, Nikon 10mm ED DX lens, Photoshop correction filters.
Early Marsh Orchid
Early Marsh orchid, Ballykeefe, Co Kilkenny
Early Marsh orchid
Nikon D200, Nikon 105mm f2.8 Macro lens
Ballykeefe woods Blackbird
Moonlit Blackbird in Ballykeefe woods, Co Kilkenny.
Ballykeefe woods,Kilkenny, blackbird in moonlight
Nikon D90, Nikon 70-200 Af-EDg f2.8 lens.
Herons
Herons nest building at Galway bay.
Herons nest building, Co. Galway
Nikon D90, nikon 70-300 f3.5-5.6 Vr lens
Slievenamon
Sunsets on Slievenamon May 2011
Slievenamon sunset April 2011
Nikon D700, 70-200 Af-ed f2.8 Vr lens.
Slievenamon
Slievenamon (Irish: Sliabh na mBan, [ˈʃlʲiəw n̪ˠə ˈmˠanˠ]) is a mountain in County Tipperary in the province of Munster in Ireland. It stands at 721 m (2,365 ft). It is located in the south of the county, near the town of Clonmel. Situated at the western end of a range of low hills, Slievenamon is a striking conical mass, offering a dramatic view from the top over the counties of Tipperary, Kilkenny and Waterford
The mountain has its fair share of Irish legends. The mountain is said to have got its name from the ancient fairy women or Feimhin, who enchanted a warrior named Fionn mac Cumhaill and his followers.
Another legend tells how Fionn decided to choose his bride from a group of women racing to the top to meet him sitting at the top of Slievenamon. The first to reach the summit was Gráinne, a figure who would become notorious in Irish folklore because of her exploits with the hero Diarmuid.
Carraigmoclear
(aka Carraigmoclear), a low hill attached to Slievenamon, was the site of a battle during the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
I live only eight kilometers from Slievenamon so you will be seeing plenty of landscape images on this site that feature the mountain. My next post for example will feature details of how best to walk to the summit and what you will find when you get there.
Nigel
About the web site
Welcome to my web site, nigelborrington.com
Whilst I run my Wedding and Studio photography business from www.studio63.ie I work with Landsacpe and Nature photography on a regular basis.
I had included an area on www.studio63.ie for this area of my photography, I have however now moved all this work to www.nigelborrington.com .
Thus the main function of this web site is to exhibit my landscape and nature photography and provide for a visual outlet for it.
I also intend this site to be informative about the locations I visit for my photography and to detail the reasons I find these location of great interest. I will also show the techniques used to produce the included images.
I also include a section on this site relating to photographic techniques and the equipment needed to produce good Landscape and nature images.
If you would like to contact me please email Nigel@studio63.ie
Enjoy your Landscape!
Nigel
May 17th 2011 – And a fresh start.
A new blog starts
The creation of this web-site is in order to create a new location for my Landscape photography, this is something I have been intending to do for sometime so it is great to get going on this project.
I look forward to many posts on this site and to showcasing many of the hundreds of Irish Landscape images I have created since 2002 when I first came to live in County Kilkenny. I also look forward to many new landscape and Nature projects.
Nigel
Nigel Borrington 
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