Dynamics of Light and Shade

Perennial favourites

2012-01-27T12:24:00.000-08:00

Ok so another bad pun! I've put together a small selection of some recent edited photos. All of these were taken last year in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin. Its a great location to photograph flowers.
Happy shooting!

Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen'

Dahlia

Helenium 'Goldfield'

Helenium 'Loysder Wieck'

Helianthus 'Lemon Queen'

Sedum 'Jose aubergine'

Tanacetum cinerariaefolium

Waterfall mania.

2012-01-18T02:24:00.000-08:00

I'm a sucker for waterfalls! Its one of my favourite subjects to photograph. I'm currently compiling an album of my best waterfall images and have posted a small selection here. The style I aim for is a long silky flow and this means a long exposure. Tripod, remote release and mirror lock up are essential to get the look I want.
Happy shooting!

Poulanass, Wicklow, Ireland

Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park, Gold Coast, Australia

Blue mountains, Australia

Essnalarach, Glenariff forest park, Antrim, Ireland

McWay waterfall, Pacific Highway 1, California

Sempervirens falls, Big basin redwoods state park, Santa Cruz, California

Yosemite falls, California

A touch of frost!

2012-01-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

It's been a relatively mild winter so far which has been a welcome change after those of 2009 and 2010! We havent had many frosts though so photo opportunities have been limited. Some older photos from my back garden are posted here instead. There's nothing like being to able to head outside with the camera....and a cup of coffee....on a Saturday morning! I particularly liked the lighting on the Aconitum seed pods and the ice crystals on the last of the Rudbeckia flowers!
Happy shooting!

Ice crystals and Rudbeckia flower. Nikon D300, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 macro

Aconitum seedpods. Nikon D300, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 macro

Ice crystals and Rudbeckia flower. Nikon D300, Sigma 180mm f/3.5 macro

Nollaig Shona Duit!

2011-12-23T23:43:00.000-08:00

Nollaig Shona Duit! Happy Christmas!
Hope you all have a great Christmas wherever you are.

Grafton Street, Dublin. Nikon D300, 12-24mm f/4 lens.

Favourite images 2011- Floral

2011-12-21T08:31:00.000-08:00

I've been reviewing my work for 2011 and have put together a selection of what I consider are my best Floral images taken this year. It's been a very productive 12 months and I'm looking forward to 2012 already! Later this week I will be posting a selection of my favourite black and white images taken this year.
Have a great Christmas wherever you may be!

Prunus padus watereri

Prunus yedoensis

Rhododendrons, Kilmacurragh arboretum, Wicklow

Rosa xanthina canary bird

Rudbeckia flower bud

Achillea 'The Pearl'

Chaenomeles japonica 'phylis moore'

Cornus 'Eddie's white wonder'

Dierama pulcherrimum

Echinacea avalanche

Eucomis sp

Euphorbia schillingii

Fuchsia mandarin schnabel

Galanthus double, Altamont gardens, Carlow

Malus 'Ellisons orange'

Primula beesiana

Primula 'Irish Blue'

Primula tommasinii

Prunus okumiyako

Favourite images from 2011

2011-12-20T00:58:00.000-08:00

I've been reviewing my work for 2011 and have put together a selection of what I consider are my best landscape images taken this year. It's been a very productive 12 months and I'm looking forward to 2012 already! Later this week I will be posting a selection of my favourite floral images taken this year.
Have a great Christmas wherever you may be!

Zebra slot canyon, Utah, USA

Clayoquot sound, Victoria Island, Canada

Forget-Me-Not-Pond, Banff, Canada

Moraine lake, Canada

The Wave, Utah, USA

South Falls, Silver Falls State Park, Oregon, USA

Windstone Arch, Valley of Fire, Nevada, USA

Zion Canyon, Utah, USA

Sion Canyon, Utah, USA

More power to the flower!

2011-12-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

I'm still sifting through the many photos of flowers that I've taken this year! While the weather was poor and some plants didn't do so well, there were still some great images to be taken! Gardening is another passion of mine and I try and visit the Botanical Gardens in Dublin as often as I can. I've posted a small selection here of some images from this year. More to follow in the form of a new gallery on my main website later in the year!
Happy shooting!

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

2011-11-24T11:51:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to visit Istanbul recently and had a short side trip to the wonderful Hagia Sophia. Whilst I had no tripod I did manage to get some usable photos using my VR lens and by bumping the ISO up to 560 and 800. Some grain and noise is apparent but they are still ok. Hope you enjoy them!

Yangon, Myanmar. The monks of Shwedagon.

2011-11-20T03:18:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to have a few hours at the fabulous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar (Rangoon in Burma) during the week. Lots of photos to sift through in my current jetlagged state! In the meantime I've posted a small selection of photos of buddhist monks who were praying or meditating in the numerous prayer halls that were spread around the complex.

Forbidden City - The devil's in the detail!

2011-11-19T09:08:00.000-08:00

Faced with literally thousands of tourists in the Forbidden city in Beijing, I struggled to get some photos I was happy with. After getting pushed and jostled around for a while I gave up and decided to concentrate more on the details than on the area as a whole. This is a small selection of images I'm happy with.

Flower power!

2011-11-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

I've been busy sifting through the many photos of flowers that I've taken this year. Gardening is another passion of mine and I try and visit the Botanical Gardens in Dublin as often as I can. Its a fantastic location for photography. Typically I use a 180mm f3/5 macro lens for my flower work and rely on natural light for all the lighting. I've posted a small selection here of some images from this year. More to follow in the form of a new gallery on my main website later in the year!
Happy shooting!

Rosa xanthina 'Canary bird' Nikon D300, Sigma 180mm f/3.5

Chaenomeles japonica 'phylis moore'. Nikon D300, Sigma 180mm f/3.5

Dahlia 'Twynings after eight'

Dierama pulcherrimum

Snowdrops, Altamont Gardens. Nikon D300, 12-24mm f/4

Nerine 'Zeal Giant'

Primula 'Irish Blue'

Rhodohypoxis 'Helen'

Around the bend! Literally!

2011-10-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

I've been experimenting with panoramas over the last while and to be frank, it's been a steep learning curve! One of the biggest difficulties I've encountered has been the effect of uneven exposure across the plane of the image. Basically, the wider you go the greater the dynamic range that's encountered over the image and this presents both challenges and difficulties with maintaining an even exposure. As with all my photography, it's all about the light so I've had to bracket more extensively and then try and match up differently bracketed images to create the final panorama. I've posted two examples here of photos which while they are not too bad, have elements which I find distracting. Both were taken at a very scenic river bend at Cloghleagh in Wicklow in October. The top image suffers somewhat due to the blown highlights on the right hand side of the image. The bottom one suffers because of the tree creating a distraction. When creating a panoramic image it's always important to detect distracting elements during the photographic process and to try and find ways around them. Otherwise you may find that an image becomes less than perfect during the stitching process. for these images I used a PanoMaxx tripod head and the PTGui program to stitch the images afterwards. I was driven round the bend literally when making these images

Around the bend # 1. Cloghleagh, Wicklow. Nikon D300, 12-24mmf/4 lens, Pano-Maxx tripod head, PTGui stitching software

Backlighting - breaking all the rules and getting away with it!

2011-10-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it just pays to break the rules and contrary to popular belief photographs can be taken when shooting into the light. There are one or two important points to consider when using this technique and when mastered it can add both drama and visual impact to your photographs. My favourite subjects for this type of photography are flowers and foliage.The two most challenging aspects of photographing backlit subjects are to prevent lens flare and to ensure correct exposure. Typically if the sun is directly behind the object of interest I will try to shield the lens by placing the object in between it and the sun. Alternatively if the sun is off centre you can sometimes reduce or minimise flare by holding either your hand or a piece of card just above the lens - its important though that you ensure that what you use doesn't appear in the frame!

As regards exposure there are a couple of choices. You can increase exposure time by one or two stops if you are interested in keeping a lot of detail in the subject. Alternatively you can blow the highlights to get a more translucent effect. Its all down to personal taste and with digital cameras you can quickly try as many options as you like and delete the ones that don't work. Some of my favourite backlit images are included below. Happy shooting!

Hordeum jubatum

Prunus cerasifera pissardii

Joshua Tree National Park

Acer palmatum

Anemone blanda

Cholla cactus

Prunus yedoensis

Clarifying the point by moving things around!

2011-10-07T00:13:00.000-07:00

When looking at images in which the main point of interest is static, it can be difficult for the viewer to figure out the context. In particular, if the viewer is looking at something new or an object about which they have no prior knowledge, they may not get the point! I came across this while travelling around the temples of Kathmandu. The extremely large colorful prayer wheels looked magnificent but when viewed on an LCD screen, it struck me that only people who had seen them before would understand what they were about. Static images of them weren't working and to make them resonate more I decided to put them in context by showing them moving. At least then the viewer would know that these gigantic wheels spin! Blurring things helped create clarity in the confusion!

Prayer Wheel, Boudhanath temple, Kathmandu, Nikon D300, Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6

Prayer Wheel, Swayambhunath temple, Kathmandu, Nikon D300, Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6

Reflecting on the light! A second take!

2011-10-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

OK so that's as bad a pun you are likely to get, but it certainly is sometimes worthwhile to look at the obvious in a different way. Whilst going through some old photos from a trip to Yosemite, I came across two which I definitely don't recall on twinning at the time they were taken. Some quick palette flipping and levels adjustment later and the twins emerged! It's amazing what you can easily miss when you're in the 'zone' with the camera and later during the initial editing process. That's why I think its important to back up raw files and revisit portfolios from time to time - sometimes the second take is better!

Upper Yosemite Falls, Nikon D300, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens

"Just out" - Painted lady butterfly lifecyle.

2011-09-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

This was from a photo essay I worked on about 3 years ago. I sat waiting on some butterflies to emerge from their pupae. I think this one is one of the better images from the essay as it shows a chrysalis still full, a newly emerged butterfly and an empty chrysalis. I used a Sigma 180mm f/3.5mm macro lens for this.

Painted lady butterly. Nikon D300, Sigma 180mm f/3.5mm lens, ring flash

Asian Odyssey

2011-09-27T11:26:00.001-07:00

Asian Odyssey, a set on Flickr.

A small collection of images from around Asia!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

2011-09-24T11:39:00.003-07:00

Great Smoky Mountains National Park , a set on Flickr.

Waterfalls of Kentucky

2011-09-24T11:39:00.001-07:00

Waterfalls of Kentucky, a set on Flickr.

Flora and Macro

2011-09-24T11:38:00.001-07:00

Flora and Macro, a set on Flickr.

Beautiful Ireland

2011-09-24T10:31:00.001-07:00

Ireland, a set on Flickr.

A gallery of images from around Ireland.

Sizing things up - a sense of scale!

2011-09-22T06:42:00.002-07:00

Sometimes it can be hard get a feel of exactly how small the subjects are in macro photography. I've posted two examples here which give a good idea of the size of subject being photographed. While out gardening last year I noticed an issue with my Echinacea plants. They were being badly damaged and didn't mature properly. Eventually I found the culprit - a small caterpillar which liked to pupate inside young immature flower buds. By bending over the leaves as they formed, it provided a nice shelter for them. The first photo gives an indication of how small the culprit is and also provides a sense of scale for the second image.

You can run.......

But you can't hide.....

Hidden Ireland # 4 - The Clare Glens

2011-09-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

The Clare Glens situated along the banks of the Clare river, separating counties Tipperary and Limerick is a fantastic location for photographers and hikers alike. It's very close to Newport, County Tipperary and consists of a picturesque walkway on each bank of the river with a number of separate loops that can be hiked. While the Tipperary side is nice, it is the Limerick side which has the better viewpoints including a number of waterfalls, most notably one known as "The Big Eas". A great spot anytime of year, its one of my favourite "hidden" locations in Ireland!

The Clare Glens, Nikon D300, 12-24mm lens

The changing light of Yosemite Valley. Four views in one day!

2011-09-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

Yosemite National Park is one of those iconic locations that cries out to be photographed. Its hard to make a bad image here and it remains as one of my favorite photo locations. My love affair with the park started about 7 years ago and while I try and manage a trip every couple of years, I never tire of both taking and viewing images from there. I'm particularly fascinated by the way in which the mood of the park constantly changes throughout the day. As the sun passes over the park moving from east to west, it creates a constantly changing light dynamic. I've tried to show this below with four images of Bridalveil falls, all taken on the same day albeit at different times. The diversity of the lighting is incredible and each image has a totally different look. Whether its harsh or subtle, the quality of the light can be incredible in Yosemite.

Bridalveil falls, Nikon D300, 28-70mm lens, 3 stop Singh Ray reverse ND grad filter

Bridalveil falls, Nikon D300, 28-70mm lens, 5 stop Singh Ray reverse ND grad filter

Bridalveil falls, Nikon D300, 28-70mm lens, 3 stop Lee ND grad filter

Multnomah Falls Panorama. A longer view!

2011-09-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

I've been experimenting with panoramic photography over the last while and it has been challenging to say the least, particularly given the subject matter I like to capture. One of the biggest difficulties is to ensure an even exposure throughout the scene and when you are taking multiple overlapping images this can prove tricky. I've found that the best way is to keep the exposure for each separate image close to the exposure of the next image in the sequence. It sounds easy but when you have a panoramic sequence which overlaps bright sky with deep shade then the task becomes quite difficult. This image of Multnomah Falls illustrates that quite nicely. This was stitched from 3 separate horizontal frames created using a Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens. For the top frame I used a 3 stop ND grad filter to hold back the detail in the highlights. The middle frames also necessitated the use of the ND grad. The exposure is not quite right but is pretty even throughout the overall image. To fuse them I used PTGui, which has done a good job but has struggled somewhat with the moving water particularly at the junction between frames 2 and 3. This is one of the areas which needed some work although the clone tool in photoshop has helped.
I used a pano-MAXX tripod head which I've found to be superb and is also extremely sturdy and low-cost.

Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. Nikon D300, 12-24mm lens. Three stitched frames.

While I'm pleased with the final image, I'm not so sure about the use of this type of approach for moving matter especially where exposure plays a critical role. It does force you to think about and consider the exposure carefully though!

Something fishy going on here?

2011-09-11T02:02:00.000-07:00

Whenever I'm lucky enough to get to Asia I always enjoy walking around the local markets. The buzz and atmosphere is always electric and the photo opportunities are endless! One area I always head for is the wet market where all the meat produce is prepared and sold. It's not to everyone's liking but if you can stomach the smells and sights you can find some great images. I'm always concious of the traders and the fact they may not like having their photo taken so its best be polite and ask first.
Some of my favourite images have been taken in the Bến Thành Market in Ho Chi Minh city where the wet market has an almost surreal feel. Fresh being the operative word here, where fish are killed to order after being kept alive in aerated tanks. The light is quiet poor in this indoor market and rather than use flash I rely on increasing the ISO and making use of the vibration reduction function on the travel lens I use widely (Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR)
These two images were taken a while back and at the time I wondered exactly who was watching who! maybe they were looking for a rescuer!

Bến Thành Market, Ho Chi Minh city. Nikon D300, 18-105mm lens.

Temples of Angkor - Photo Gallery

2011-08-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

I've just uploaded a new gallery of work from the temples of Angkor in Cambodia. This represents a slightly different departure for me as most of them are black and white images. Some very vibrant colour photos from within the many temple complexes are also on display and I was amazed at the surreal contrast the coloured sashaes and robes created. I've also included some images taken in and around the floating village on Tonle Sap Lake.
You can view them in gallery 19 on my main website.

Angkor Wat

Sunrise, Angkor Wat

Banteay Sreay

For sale, Siem Reap

Open air exhibition 2011

2011-08-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

I will be exhibiting a wide range of framed and mounted prints on St. Stephen's Green in Dublin this weekend (August 27th and 28th) as part of the Peoples Photography weekend. There will be almost 200 photographers exhibiting a diverse range and styles of photography.

All of my images can be purchased over the course of the weekend or custom orders can be made. Hope to see you there!

Open up and let the light in! Its a long term project.

2011-08-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

I've been going through some older photos lately and giving them a new lease of life. Truth be told however, all of these were originally taken with black and white conversion in mind. They all form part of a much larger project that I'm slowly working on - thatch cottages and houses of Ireland. There's a lot of travel to be done yet but they are all part of the theme of letting the light in. You'll notice that the lighting and contrasts are quiet harsh in some of them but I've tried to portray them as they were. One thing that has always struck me about old cottages is how dark the inside looks from outside. You can rarely see in through the door or window but once inside its a different situation! Light floods in and creates a wonderful atmosphere! I guess the door wasn't always open as a welcome but more to let the light in!

Temples of Angkor - black and white heaven!

2011-08-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

Some locations are just made for black and white photography! The temples of Angkor are one such location given the sharply contrasting stone temples and the lush jungle. I'm working through a new collection of photos from a short trip through Cambodia last year. The lighting was particularly harsh while I was there and it made for quiet difficult photography with lots of blown highlights and deep black contrasts. This is one of the reasons why Angkor makes such a great black and white subject I think. All images here were converted using Silver Efex Pro 2 and I chose to use a sepia style tint. I will be posting a gallery of colour images at the Richard Murphy website in the near future.

Angkor Thom #1, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Angkor Thom #2, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Angkor Thom #3, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Angkor Thom #4, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Ta Phrom #1, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Ta Phrom #2, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Ta Som #1, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Ta Som #2, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Ta Som #3, Nikon D300, 28-70mm f2.8 lens

Singh-Ray filters article

2011-08-14T07:48:00.000-07:00

Singh-Ray filters have a short article on the use of ND filters that I wrote on their Blog at the moment. You can read the full posting here on the Singh-Ray filters blog site.

Reflecting on the light! A different take than normal

2011-08-11T05:48:00.000-07:00

OK so that's as bad a pun you are likely to get, but it certainly is sometimes worthwhile to look at the obvious in a different way. Whilst going through some old photos from a trip to Yosemite last year I came across a small number of photos which I had taken while trying to find a different view than normal. Even though at first glance the images struck me as being different from the normal clean crisp images I would associate with El Capitan and Yosemite Falls, they just didn't look quite right. However it became obvious what the problem was and processing was easy as it only took some quick cropping and palette flipping to get the images in what I would view as being the "correct" orientation for these locations. After that its left to the imagination!
It strikes me that while trying to find something different in an image, the way our brains process the scene will influence our opinion of it. When viewed "as shot" these photos don't work. However, when flipped into what we perceive as being the right way up, they do. Sometimes it pays to reflect on an image!

El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California, Nikon D-300, 12-24 mm lens f/11

Upper Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Valley, California, Nikon D-300, 12-24 mm lens f/11

Hold that light! ND filters keep it flowing....

2011-08-02T00:14:00.000-07:00

A while back I wrote a short piece on the use of neutral density filters in creating images and the benefits they had over HDR techniques. The examples I used were some landscape images from a recent trip to Utah but its also worth noting that ND filters can also be used to great effect when dealing with rivers and seascapes. To illustrate this I've posted a small selection of images here in which I've used both neutral density and neutral density grad filters, along with some thoughts on capturing the shot.

I'm a sucker for a good waterfall and like the effect that a long exposure gives to the flow of the river or stream. Often or not during summer however, the water level is too low to give that effect even when using a small aperture. In those cases you can either use a polarising filter set at maximum to increase the exposure by about 2 stops or you can use neutral density filters to gain up to an 8 stop increase in exposure. Rather than carry 4 or 5 individual ND filters I like to use a variable ND filter which allows me to gain from 2 to 8 stops of exposure.

Anglin falls, Kentucky, Nikon D-300, 28-70mm lens, f13, Singh Ray vari-ND filter

Broke leg falls, Kentucky, Nikon D-300, 28-70mm lens, f11, Singh Ray vari-ND filter

Seascapes also benefit from the use of ND filters and I've posted two examples here of the different types of effect you can create using an ND grad and an ND filter. Both were taken at Milnerton beach in Cape Town which remains as one of my favourite locations for beach photography!
In the first one I used a variable ND filter to slow the shutter speed and create this silky effect. I wanted to make sure that the sea wasn't rendered flat and ghostly looking - something that is pretty easy do with a variable ND filter. The light was pretty even throughout the scene so I didn't feel the need to use a graduated filter in this instance.

Milnerton beach, Cape Town, Nikon D-300, 12-24mm lens, f/11, Singh Ray vari-ND filter

The next photo was taken about 30 minutes later from the same spot. The only difference this time is that the light distribution had changed significantly and I switched from the ND filter to an ND graduated filter to balance the light. I used a 5 stop ND grad filter, focussing on a rock in the foreground. It took a number of attempts to get the flow and ebb of the tide right. I think this image is the best of that set.

Milnerton beach, Cape Town, Nikon D-300, 12-24mm lens, f/11, Singh Ray custom 5 stop ND filter

The final photo below was taken last year on the Slea Head drive near Dingle in Ireland. The lighting that particular morning was very delineated due to a bank of cloud just above the horizon. It didn't last very long and I used a reverse ND grad which I angled in line with the lighting.

Slea Head, Dingle, Ireland, Nikon D-300, 28-70mm lens, f/11, Singh Ray 3 stop reverse ND grad

The use of live view is especially important when aligning ND grad filters and assists in placing them optimally. Speed can be of the essence when dealing with rapidly changing light!
Happy shooting!

The lights not right but its alright for me!

2011-07-26T23:42:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, we've all been there. You've spent a couple of weeks or even months planning a photo shoot only to be met with bad lighting. The sunset or sunrise you had hoped for doesn't materialise. Its dull and overcast. Or worse. Its raining cats and dogs! This was a situation I faced in May on my last trip to Utah. Cloud cover would inexplicably build at sunrise and sunset and lead to a non-event. When I'm that far from home I try to make the most of it and look beyond the wider shots, focussing instead on close ups or macro opportunities. One thing that struck me in the desert south-west was the tenacity of plant life, with flora blooming in seemingly inhospitable environments. I've posted a small selection of photos here taken when the light wasn't right but it was alright for me!


Cereus cactus, Zion Eastern Mesa, Utah

Tradescantia, North Coyote Buttes, Utah

Yucca and toadstool! North Coyote Buttes, Utah

Castilleja (Indian paintbrush) and lone pine, Zion Eastern Mesa, Utah

Wyethia mollis (wooly mule ear), Observation point trail, Zion National park, Utah

Yucca and toadstool, North Coyote Buttes, Utah

Leading the way. Let your eyes create the composition.

2011-07-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

Creating meaningful composition in a photograph can at times be difficult. The subject matter just wont work and no matter how long you spend composing and recomposing a scene, it just wont feel right. If you are faced with a situation like this, then try and find a "leading line" which will aid in guiding the viewer not only towards but also through the scene. In this situation the leading line can be used to either capture interest or guide the viewer towards a focal point. Case in point with the image below which I took recently. This small forest park was carpeted with new growth lady's fern but looked cluttered and uninteresting. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find an image I was happy with. It was proving difficult to create an image which would catch attention. That was until I came across the small stream flowing down the hillside. In this case the leading line is subtle, with the main emphasis at the start of the image before quickly tapering off. What it does do, is guide the eye through the scene and it also conveys a real sense of depth to the photo. You can almost sense how dense the fern growth is. Without the stream I don't think the image would work. Sometimes its best to let your eyes create the composition!

Lady's ferns and stream. Nikon D300, 12-24 lens, LB warming polariser.

Waiting for the light!

2011-07-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

One of the most frustrating aspects of photography is being in the right place at the right time! This recent photo from Lake Louise in Alberta illustrates this nicely. I had spent a number of mornings in the area waiting for what I would term as a good sunrise. The first morning I chose Moraine Lake and while the conditions on the lake were perfectly flat, the lighting wasn't great at sunrise. A double edged sword so to speak as this meant I wouldn't get "perfect" photo conditions. The next morning I chose to go back to Moraine lake and while the lighting was great producing a dramatic and colorful sunrise, the lake surface was choppy! After that I drove 14km away to Lake Louise and was met with this - perfect conditions, only by now the lighting was harsh and less than ideal. Frustrating indeed! Perhaps its just an excuse to go back!

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. Nikon D300, 12-24 f4 lens, Singh-Ray 3 stop reverse ND grad filter.

Elephant in the room....literally!

2011-06-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

Ok so obviously its a cliche but nevertheless I was amazed to see a live elephant blessing worshippers in the Perur Patteeswara Swamy temple just outside Coimbatore. It was one of those surreal moments you come across from time to time when travelling through India. Photography wasn't allowed inside the temple so this was a snapshot taken from outside the main entrance using a short telephoto lens. I had to bump up the ISO a little on this to reduce camera shake which increased the level of noise in the images. Unfortunately it was a tradeoff between trying to manage high levels of noise and getting a photo which was acceptably sharp. Ultimately when viewing prints of an image, acceptable sharpness will be dictated by the enlargement size - the larger the print the more obvious the effects of camera shake and noise will be but with the proviso that you aren't viewing it too close! I've just about gotten away with it here I think. Acceptable sharpness - an elephant in the room if ever there was one!

Perur Patteeswara Swamy temple # 2

Hold that light! ND grads, less time and effort than HDR!

2011-06-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked if I use HDR techniques much with my work. The short answer is extremely rarely. In truth though I've tried it and found it to be time consuming and often or not with landscape images that have moving water or wind blown trees, you're left with a lot of artefacts in the final image which just look unnatural. I do have one or two images where it works but these still never look quite right to me. My best work has always been produced with my ND grads. I use both Lee and Singh Ray filters and have found them to be indispensable for getting the lighting right. Some examples from my recent trip to Utah are posted here along with some thoughts behind them.


Sunrise, Zion Canyon Overlook. Singh Ray 5 stop custom ND grad.

This first image is from the Zion canyon overlook. The sun had started to illuminate the cliffs and rather than risk blowing out the rich golden hue or blocking up the deep shadows in the canyon I used a custom made 5 stop ND grad. A slight adjustment using the shadows and highlights tool in photoshop has led to an evenly balanced image. The shadows are still there but are not lacking detail and the highlights have been maintained.

Observation Point storm clouds. Singh Ray 5 stop custom ND grad

This next image was taken in late afternoon at observation point. I really wanted to emphasise the contrast between the white canyon rock and the clouds so I used a 5 stop ND grad to darken the sky as much as possible. This was custom made by Singh-Ray filters and while expensive, I have used it extensively. Very little adjustments were made to this image using photoshop. It's as straight out of the camera as possible.

Zion canyon from Scout's Overlook. Lee 3 stop ND grad

I used a 3 stop Lee ND grad in this photo of Zion Canyon to hold back the highlights in the cloud. Personally speaking I don't think its necessary to hold all detail in the highlights. Images which do can look slightly unnatural I think. Only slight adjustments were made to this photo using photoshop. Time is important - less is more!

The patriarchs, Zion Canyon Museum. Singh Ray 3 stop reverse ND grad.

For this final image I wanted to hold back detail in the cliffs and sky so I used a Singh Ray 3 stop reverse ND grad. Its not quite perfect as I think the bottom is slightly overexposed. Just another excuse to go back and try again I guess!

All in all I think ND grads really do beat using HDR techniques for landscape photography. Simple to use and more importantly they save time in post processing.

The hobbit's lair......size doesn't matter!

2011-06-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult aspects of photography is getting the context right. Most of the time, photographs will benefit from having something tangible in the image from which the viewer can sense the overall scale or size and obviously place things in context. In this case however, I think the photo benefits from not being able to judge the actual size and scale. This perfectly formed arch is actually only about a metre high but having seen dozens of photos of arches throughout Utah, one could almost imagine it being 40 metres or more in height and placed inside a cave which is even higher. In this case, scale and size are left to the viewers imagination!
The arch is known informally as Windstone arch and can be found in the Valley of Fire in Nevada. I took this image on a detour off I15 on my way back from the Utah expedition. The lighting was fantastic this particular morning and the hobbits lair really did have a magical glow!

Bird nests on zebra stripe!

2011-06-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

Bird nests on zebra stripes!

Well not exactly literally! Although it is a birds nest in zebra slot canyon........I'm just back from a week long trip in south western Utah and have begun sifting through the many photos which were taken. One that has immediately stood out is this unusual scene taken in Zebra slot canyon. For anyone who hasn't been there before, this slot canyon is situated along the Hole in the Rock road just outside Escalante. The hike there is interesting and the entrance to the canyon can have chest deep water at the entrance.The day I was there it was over waist high and stagnant! Not pleasant! It's a tight fit at the back end of the canyon and requires some sideways shimmying to get in. A worthwhile hike though, made all the more memorable by the birds nest. Incidentally, the nesting bird flew up and out when I went towards the back. It would appear to be either a resident or a favoured spot as I have seen reports before about this nest with eggs in it. Lots more photos from Utah to follow over the coming weeks! Oh and thanks to Brent for recommending the pizza in Escalante Outfitters! The silver falls was sublime!

Zebra slot canyon - looking towards the entrance

A different view of the canyon

Temples of Angkor...... The Buddha's in the detail......

2011-05-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm currently sorting through the many images I took last year in and around the temples of Angkor on the outskirts of Siem Reap. In many respects it was a difficult photoshoot given the extremely harsh lighting conditions on the temple complexes. More so though, was the fact that Angkor is one of those iconic locations which has been photographed heavily over the last decade. One thing that did strike me however as I moved through the various temple complexes was how the numerous Buddha statues stood out from the temple structures and carvings. The silk cloth covering them made for some particularly vibrant and striking images. In this case the Buddha is most definitely in the detail!

Angkor Thom #1 - The butterfly is real!


Headless Buddha - Angkor Wat

Reclining Buddha - Angkor Wat

An aspect of photography which I am particularly interested in is the use of natural framing devices. In many cases the doorways and alcoves in which the statutes were placed served as exceptional natural frames. I've posted two of my favourites here - many more to follow!


Angkor Thom #2

Angkor Wat #2 - I've deliberately cropped the doorway here but left just a hint!

Whats on the other side? A hidden gem!

2011-04-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

Often or not the best photographs come by pure chance. On a trip through south east asia last year I passed by a rather inconspicuous looking temple in Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown. This temple wasnt mentioned in any of the guides or online review sites. I came across it by accident looking for a Hindu temple which was mentioned in all the reviews but was being renovated and had nothing of interest to photograph!
Unknown to me, Sin Sze Sin Ya Taoist Temple was a real photographic surprise. Lots of opportunities beyond that initial doorway! Sometimes it pays to get off the beaten track!

Main doorway - The incense smoke caught my eye!

Hanging the incense cones

Incense cones close up

Hidden Ireland #3 - The Dark Hedges

2011-03-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

This group of beech trees known locally as ‘the dark hedges’ are thought to be around 300 years old. They are reputedly haunted by a spectral ‘grey lady’ and form an arc over the road. Over the last number of years they have become an increasingly popular photography hotspot.
Finding them is quite easy as they are situated along the Bregagh Road near Gracehill Golf Club, off the A147, 3 miles from the village of Stranocum heading north. Call into Ballymoney tourist information centre for a free map & personal directions.

Processing of this image was carried out using the new Silver Efex Pro 2 software which I am trialling at the moment. Its pretty much a straight conversion process and I think the application of a sepia tint works well with this subject matter. My overall impression of this software is excellent and I will be using it to post process a brand new gallery of images from Ankor Wat in Cambodia. More on that over the coming weeks!

Photos for Japan - Charity Photo Auction in aid of the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund

2011-03-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

On 11th March 2011, the Japanese coast was hit by a massive tsunami after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, leaving many dead and many more homeless.
Photos for Japan have organised a Charity Photo Auction in aid of the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

All photographers listing auctions have agreed to give 100% of the proceeds to the fund which is organised by the Global Giving Foundation.You can view a collection of the images for auction on the Photos for Japan website
This project will disburse funds to organizations providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami. GlobalGiving is working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground.

If you want to help then you can bid on a number of different photographs which are currently being auctioned on eBay. I have listed a photo of Jim Bales Place from the Smoky Mountains which was taken in April 2008. The winning bidder on my auction can choose a different print from my main website if they wish.
Please bid as much as you can.

Its all in the eyes...or more accurately all around the eyes.....

2011-03-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

If I was a hypnotist, then right now I would be repeating the mantra "look into my eyes, my eyes, not around the eyes, look into my eyes....and you're under". Luckily for you all though, I'm not but if I was to give one tip and one tip only about wildlife photography it would be to aim to get your subject's eyes sharp.
A well defined focus point around the eye area can provide a very good focal point in a wildlife image.

Some examples are included here and as with all aspects of photography there are no hard and fast rules. For instance, it's not necessary or indeed always desirable to have the subject matter looking straight at you but if the eye area is in focus it can make for a far better image.

Often or not with animals in the wild you may find yourself shooting at slow shutter speeds. This may necessitate the use of a high ISO or perhaps more preferably a wide aperture. Personally speaking I find that my best wildlife images will be ones taken with a wide aperture usually in the region of f4.0 or even wider. This throws the background out of focus and helps draw the viewer to the central element.

Remember though that its not always possible to get a pin sharp focal point on a moving subject and perhaps the phrase "acceptably sharp" is more apt! .............
That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!!! Happy shooting

Hidden Ireland #2 - Woodstock Gardens Waterfall

2011-03-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Second in a series of little known photographic gems is a small waterfall situated in Woodstock Gardens and Arboretum in Inistioge, County Kilkenny.
The Gardens are located just outside the picturesque village of Inistioge and overlook the River Nore Valley. This well maintained heritage garden contains a mix of formal and informal gardens with an arboretum, walled garden, terraced garden, yew walk and rose garden providing the main interest. Also of significance are two stunning avenues, the Monkey Puzzle Avenue and Noble Fir Avenue. You can find more details about the gardens at the Woodstock webpage.
Unbeknown to most visitors however is the waterfall below which I have photographed many times.

There is always seasonal interest and plenty of options for photographs due to the recent installation of a bridge crossing the river. As an added bonus there is a small arched bridge just downstream which also provides strong photographic interest.

Woodstock Gardens and Arboretum are situated just outside Inistioge village. Approaching from Kilkenny, take the first right in Inistioge, up the steep High Street. Enter through the main gateway at top of the hill. Access to the gardens is through the car park 500m from the main gates. To reach the waterfall continue straight past the carpark and veer left at the next junction. Continue down a narrow potholed road which veers left and becomes very steep just before a right-hand hairpin turn. There is a small car parking area beside the stone bridge. The waterfall can be found by walking across the bridge, turning right and following the stream. Happy shooting!

Macro Photography

2011-02-22T11:14:00.000-08:00

One of my passions is macro photography. You can view a new gallery of images on my Flckr Photostream

Here's some samples

Waterfalls of Kentucky

2011-02-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

I've uploaded some new work featuring waterfalls from Kentucky to my main website. They can be found in gallery 14 of Richard Murphy Photography

Hidden Ireland #1 - Gowlaun (Ross By) Waterfall, Connemara

2011-02-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

The start of a regular series of photographic locations of interest in Ireland. Guaranteed to be off the beaten track and not well documented! First up is a waterfall near an area known as Gowlaun in Connemara.

This gorgeous waterfall is well worth seeking out even though it's hidden from view along a minor road off of the R336 in Connemara. Drive the R336 from Maum to Leenaun for about 7km. Turn right taking a steep road signposted to Loch Nafooey. Just as the road crests and the lake comes into view you will see a steep gorge on your left. There is only a minor grass verge to try and park on. Best leave your hazard lights flashing to warn other traffic!
The waterfall is hidden from view and you will need to scramble down the grass covered gorge which is practically vertical! Its probably around a 30m drop so be careful - if you fall you wont stop until you hit the rocks at the bottom.The hike back up is strenuous! Play around with composition until you find something that appeals to you. Close ups can generate some dramatic photos with silky tendril like flows!

The link below will take you to Google maps where you can find more precise driving directions.
Google map directions

Life going too fast? Try slowing it down.....

2011-02-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

Sometimes all it takes to turn a pretty ordinary photo into something with a bit more life is to slow it down! Case in point with this photo from Bunmahon beach.

The sky was pretty cloudless so there was no colour activity there to catch the eye, the foreground really wasn't working either. At that stage I decided to see if slowing the wave activity down would rescue the situation. I didn't have an ND filter with me so used my polarizing filter instead. In this case I wasn't looking for a polarizing effect but knew that the shutter speed would get slowed enough to work. It's not quiet perfect as I would have preferred to use an even slower shutter speed but it works.

Cant get out to take some photos? Black card may be the answer.......

2011-02-06T04:28:00.000-08:00

If like me you cant get out at the moment to take some photos because of the weather, then maybe its time to do some macro work indoors......

Black card makes a simple and effective backdrop. Couple this with the use of a low powered torch and you can take some very powerful and evocative images. For the photo above of a Pleione orchid I used one torch and lit the orchid from the left. Exposure was taken with the spot metering function on a Nikon D300 using a Sigma 180mm macro lens. I overexposed by +0.5 stop to try and get the whites as crisp as possible. A simple levels correction in photoshop enables you to get the black card really black!

Sometimes there's nothing wrong with being housebound!

Beautiful Ireland Gallery - New Work!

2011-02-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

I've just posted a new gallery of images from around Ireland which were taken over the last number of years. Check them out in Gallery 1 at my website -
Richard Murphy Photography

Hello!

2011-02-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to my photography blog! Over the coming months I will be posting some images, tips on locations and techniques that you may find useful.
To me, photography is about the dynamism that exists between light and shade. It's the reason I became interested in photography and is the driving force behind my personal style. The subtle differences between dark and light in my photographs can be barely discernable at times, but without this dynamic would result in an image lacking vibrancy. As a result, I will happily sit for hours or days waiting for the right moment and I will visit a location many times to capture it adequately. The work which is on display on my website has been taken over a number of years and represents an ongoing and continued development of my style.
Be sure to check out my blog and my work as it develops!