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Capturing the Essence of History Through Photography: A Morning Adventure
I enjoy discovering new places for photography. Whether it's a woodland, coastal landscape, or country road, all offer fresh creative possibilities. At the beginning of the year, the wet and windy weather led me to explore nearby parks and estates for my photography outings, frequently discovering new local areas. Ireland is home to many large estates, which are historically believed to have covered more than 5% of the country. Some remain privately owned, while others are no
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Embracing the Beauty of a Coastal Morning Through My Camera Lens
I often take my camera with me on a walk or short outing. My purpose is two-fold. Firstly, I like to take every opportunity to take photographs. Secondly, I aim to constantly review my images and discover how to improve my photography. I recently took a Sunday morning stroll along the promenade of a local coastal town. Sundays have a different vibe as they are more leisure focused, and my walk took in scenes from all walks of life. Families were out together enjoying some spr
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Embracing Stillness: A Morning Meditation Through Black and White Photography
When I think of meditation or mindfulness a few words come to mind: serenity, stillness, listening, being present, using our senses, focus, breath, calm, clarity, awareness, grounded, reflection When I am out with my camera I can experience many of the attributes of meditation and mindfulness. I am present in the moment, calm, listening and observing what is around me, engaging with my senses. My mind is clear and focused, my breathing is relaxed. I am aware of my surrounding
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Capturing the Essence: A Photography Project Focused on a Single Subject
BACKGROUND I live close to a large suburban parkland which is home to a beautifully restored 18th century house. The house, which was originally a 17th century house called 'The Grange', was purchased in 1764 by David La Touche, a French Huguenot and first governor of the then newly established Bank of Ireland. La Touche refurbished and extended the house and renamed it Marlay House after his wife Elizabeth Marlay. After changing hands numerous times, the house and demesne wa
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Key Considerations for Launching a Photography Project
What’s the purpose of a photography project? A photography project is frequently recommended as a means to enhance our creativity, spark our interest, offer motivation, and give our photography a clear direction. Engaging in a project can push us beyond our comfort zone, thus improving our skills, and achieving a tangible result, like a photo book or exhibition, can give us a sense of fulfillment. A project can help move you out of your comfort zone and try new techniques. Wh
WildWillowWays
3 min read
Capturing the Beauty of Late Morning Light and Shadows
Although I enjoy photography at all times of day, and I try to make the most of all weather conditions, I still get the most enjoyment from photography when I have some good light producing light and shadow effects. This kind of light isn't limited to golden hour or blue hour, although at other times, particularly when the light is harsh, we might need to work with the available light and adapt it to meet our photographic needs. During this photo session, I had some free time
WildWillowWays
1 min read
Making the Most of an Unexpected Sunny Morning
It has been a winter of almost incessant rain, grey skies, flat light and dull, dreary conditions. It’s no surprise that these conditions have not been conducive to getting out with a (non weather sealed) camera. On this morning it seemed as though it was going to be more of the same. Seeing the overcast sky and sensing imminent rain showers, I went for a quick morning walk in the woodland without my camera. Unexpectedly, the clouds gave way to some sunshine so I decided to m
WildWillowWays
1 min read
Taking the ‘One Word’ Photography Challenge
Finding the motivation to go out with your camera can be challenging. Poor weather, a busy schedule, the difficulty of leaving the house, or uncertainty about what to photograph are common obstacles. However, we all know that when we do make the effort to venture out with our camera, we rarely regret it. So, how can you increase your motivation and get out more often to do photography? A recent video by UK-based photographer Andrew Banner, Nothing To Photograph? Just ONE WORD
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Why Did I Take This Photograph?
I have come to believe that a way to help improve my photography is to ask myself the question, why did I take this photograph? Sometimes, the answer to this question is easy to see. It might be the way the light is falling on the subject... It might be that the subject itself is interesting... It might be weather conditions that we don't see often... Or it might be that the scene tells a story... Sometimes, I am simply drawn to the aesthetics of the scene or subject and want
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Creating Images with Depth and Meaning
Photography is probably more popular today than ever before. It is said that approximately 5 billion photos are taken worldwide every day, and 90% of these are taken with smartphones. For most people, these photos will be mainly snapshots of family and friends, places they visit and photos of special occasions. Of those that are more traditional photography images, many will be of beautiful vistas in epic locations, often taken during golden hour. Most ‘casual’ photographers
WildWillowWays
4 min read
Would You Still Take Photographs if Nobody Saw Them?
This question was posed recently on a YouTube video. I thought it was an interesting one to consider. As a question, it is linked to the answer to, Why did you start taking photographs in the first place? or even, How would you feel if you couldn’t take photographs for a month? The question is asking about the essence of photography; what it means to each of us and how we would be if it wasn’t in our lives. My answer to the question, Would you still take photographs if no-o
WildWillowWays
2 min read
Will You Take the Five Photo Challenge?
Photo walks are often a good opportunity to capture some images but they can also prove disappointing when we come home with nothing special. I used to believe that just going out with my camera should result in decent images every time. All I needed was to have my camera at the ready and the photographic opportunities would present themselves. But that is not the case, especially when my photo walk takes me to places with which I am very familiar and it can be difficult to k
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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