I’ve already shared a selection of my drone shots from the trip. Here is a look at a few non-drone shots taken along the south coast, from West Cork up through the Copper Coast.
Drombeg & Tankardstown
Exploring historical landmarks on foot gives you time to play with light and textures. A nice example of this was at the Drombeg Stone Circle (Co. Cork): Standing among these Bronze Age megaliths near Glandore in high-contrast infrared felt surreal. Without a drone prop in sight, getting low to the ground really emphasized the texture of the sandstone pillars against a moody sky.
Tankardstown Engine House (Copper Coast, Co. Waterford) is an iconic 19th-century copper mining ruin perched high above the cliffs. It’s a drone pilot’s dream, but photographing it handheld in black and white captured all the grit of the crumbling masonry and dramatic sea backdrop.
Scattered around the countryside are a number of ancient castle ruins: Moody, high-contrast monochrome conversions turn lush green hills and ancient stone towers into dramatic, timeless scenes.
Bunmahon to West Cork
Walking around with a camera in hand allows for candid, unexpected finds you’d completely miss from the air like this discarded plastic doll on Bunmahon Beach – a surreal bit of seaside drama under a heavy, patterned sky.
O’Donovan’s vintage shopfront In West Cork with its bright yellow vintage Shell petrol pump and a neat row of orange Calor Gas cylinders was an absolute treat for colour contrast and nostalgia, while tidal estuaries & beached boats offered some nice little uncomplicated compositions.
Spirit of Ireland: Midleton Distillery & Mountain Cascades
No trip through County Cork would be complete without stopping to appreciate Ireland’s liquid gold and rugged interior. Just a couple of examples here -
Jameson’s Midleton Distillery (Co. Cork): Indoors, away from any flight paths, the glowing, backlit display walls of rare Irish whiskeys—from Midleton Very Rare to Green Spot—offered perfect symmetry and warm golden tones to frame up.
Mahon Falls Taking the time to set up a tripod for a long exposure near tumbling mountain streams made for a peaceful, slow-paced shutter session, capturing silky water rushing over dark, mossy boulders.
Taking a breather from the drone controller to focus on handheld framing, long exposures, and street-level scenes was a fantastic reminder of why I fell in love with photography in the first place.
