and a very happy New Year to everyone.

Well it seems like ages since I posted something. Some say it is the coldest (or is it the wettest?) Summer in 50 years but it’s certainly a strange one for weather. I’ve been travelling a lot this Summer too, around the country to venues I haven’t been to before so it’s nice to come back to Kerry every now and again!

My favourite shot this Summer was taken in Cork. I went to scout things out as I often do for venues I haven’t been before and it wasn’t until I was leaving that I found the old entrance to the venue which was lined by fantastic trees. It was pouring rain when I was scouting and it really looked magical. Unfortunately (for me!) the sun shone very harshly on the day of the wedding but I decided to get the shot I had in mind anyway. Despite the light being all wrong for what I had in mind, I’m still pleased with it as it has an almost infrared look to it.

Here are some other favourites from the past couple of months. Use the multi-directional arrows on the bottom right to go full screen.

Well done Dee & Dave

Smartphones have come a long way in a short time. I rushed in to get the 3G iPhone like many but it’s long past its best by now! Apple do make great products but it comes at a hefty price or what some people call the “apple tax”. A call to O2 last week revealed exactly how little leeway the phone companies have when it comes to iPhones

I had a quick look around at what was available and up comes this little beauty. Android is brilliant platform and even though this phone is a year old model (Vodafone have an exclusive on the latest version), it’s fantastic and super speedy for emails and a browser on the move. I keep finding great things in it and it’s completely customisable. Also, there isn’t any of the usual proprietary “locked in to our way of doing things” non-sense you get with apple. All for 1/4 the price. Highly recommended.

I really like the image below which is my favourite from the past couple of months. We had come to the end of our session and were heading back to the drinks reception. It rained heavily all day and since I normally get out from under the shelter to get the shots, I was pretty soaked. I let the others walk on and took a breather to dry off my gear when I noticed the shot below open up in front of me. I grabbed my camera, guessed the exposure and waited a few seconds for the couple to walk in to the right position.

I like the way that the lines in the image lead to the couple and the framing of them in the gap in the canopy puts them in a dominant position in the frame. The light coming through the trees leads your eye along the path and gives additional information about the location.

Some of my other favourites from the past couple of months are in the little show below. Click on the multi-directional arrow on the bottom right to view full screen:

The Ring Of Kerry on two wheels…