Trip Report: Ireland: The Emerald Isle - April 2025

This Spring I was honored to run the inaugural BCJ 'Ireland: The Emerald Isle' trip. It was pure magic, to say the least. It was one of those trips where everything really seemed to come together in an organic way.

We all gathered in Dublin, buzzing with anticipation, it also is where we first met our local guide, Gareth—a man whose deep love for Ireland was only rivaled by his impeccable sense of timing and humor. From the very start, it was clear we were in capable hands. Gareth, along with his wife Helen, orchestrated our adventure with a kind of quiet brilliance. Every detail, from hotel check-ins to the best shot locations, was handled with a precision that allowed us to immerse fully in the creative process without worrying about the usual travel logistics. Gareth didn't just lead us through Ireland—he shared it with us, generously and wholeheartedly, making it feel like we were exploring the country with an old friend.

Once we departed Dublin, our first photo stop took us to Ess-na-Larach waterfalls, a quiet spot hidden among dense woods. It was the perfect setting to dive into foundational techniques—slowing shutter speeds to create that soft, flowing look in the water or speeding up our shutters to freeze the cascading water, experimenting with neutral density filters, and talking through how composition changes when you place strong elements in the foreground. It wasn’t long before the group began naturally helping each other—sharing filters, suggesting angles, or assisting peers while crossing slippery rocks. That spirit of support and collaboration would only grow stronger throughout the trip.

At the Causeway Coast Hotel, our comfortable base in the north, we checked in and prepared for our evening shoot at the tucked-away Secret Beach near Ballintoy. Here it gave us a chance to slow things down. The surf provided ideal conditions to use slow shutter speeds for that silky, dreamy look. We practiced timing our shots with the waves, adding subtle motion blur while keeping the rocks sharp creating a sense of place and movement. We emphasized understanding depth of field, especially in landscapes—how choosing a wider aperture could isolate a subject, while a smaller one would help everything from foreground rocks to distant cliffs stay sharp.

At The Dark Hedges, our next morning’s location, the perspective was everything. We discussed lens choice in detail, with many opting for longer focal lengths to compress the tunnel-like view and exaggerate the drama of the intertwining tree branches. The spot, famous as the Kings Road in Game of Thrones, offered a moody, magical atmosphere that worked well in both color and black and white. It was also a perfect example of how waiting for the right light—soft and diffused that morning—can make or break a shot.  

When we arrived at Murlough Bay, the group was already working in layers—foreground of grass/rock formations, middle-ground of the lone tree, the curving lines of the bay and cliffs and the sky all playing a role.

​​​​​​​Historic echoes followed us, we were off to storm some castles next! Dunluce Castle, its ruins perched dramatically over the ocean, stood defiant against time and tide. Nearby, Dunseverick Castle offered a quieter but no less poetic frame, its remnants softening into the surrounding grassland.

At Giant’s Causeway, nature’s hexagonal artistry amazed even our most seasoned travelers. Sunset washed the basalt columns in gold, and someone whispered, “You couldn’t stage this better if you tried.” We all agreed. After our remarkable first few days, the group enjoyed meeting in the cozy pub of the hotel in the evenings, warming ourselves and our souls with hot drinks, spirits, and lively conversations.  

The next morning had us revisiting Secret Beach enjoying some technicolor skies and again playing with the motion of the waves, creating dreamlike images.  

On our way to our next accommodations, we paused our coastal wandering to pay our respects in Derry, where the Bloody Sunday memorial and the city’s powerful murals are located.  It was a sobering reminder of Ireland’s resilience, of the stories held not just in landscapes but in its people and their histories.  

With a picnic lunch stop at Mullaghmore Head Castle, we then headed to Kilronan Castle, where we spent a night pretending, we were royalty. The restored fortress was nothing short of breathtaking, from its ivy-draped towers to the elegant dining hall, and dungeon lounge, it certainly was a fun experience!

​​​​​​​One of the most memorable shoots came during our evening in Oakport’s bluebell woods. The warm, low sun filtered through the trees, casting a golden glow over the sea of blue and purple flowers. As the sun sunk lower in the sky, we practiced our sunburst, as the sun peeked behind the trees, creating classic shots of the area. We also tried something different here—Intentional Camera Movement (ICM). With slow shutter speeds and deliberate motion, we transformed the scene into abstract color and mood, capturing something more emotional than literal. It sparked conversations about creative risk, and its role in photography.

The next morning had us on the move again, venturing South and West towards the coast. On the way, our route brought us to  Claregalway Abbey and Corcomroe Abbey, where ancient stone walls revealed tales of monks and medieval devotion. Each frame we captured seemed layered with centuries of quiet prayers. Each scene also seemingly worthy to experiment with conversion to black and white.  

Once at The Waters, a quirky but warm and welcoming Inn, we prepared for our evening shoot at the Cliffs of Moher. As we reached the Atlantic coast, Ireland’s drama returned in full force. The Cliffs of Moher were more than cliffs—they were monuments to nature’s poetry. Wind howled, waves crashed, and gulls glided along side the sheer walls. At first it was uncertain if we were going to get the sunset light, we were all hoping for, as a band of clouds were sitting stubbornly on the horizon.

​​​​​​​But much to all our delight, the clouds broke just at the right time giving us an experience we soon will not forget. A huge highlight for many of us. Once back within the cozy confines of The Waters, we enjoyed the warming fire and spirited beverages and stimulating conversations. Yet another beautiful day shared with a group of people becoming more like friends and family, than the strangers they were, just a few days prior.

The next day had us up early and driving the famed Corkscrew Pass, once again, to the Polnabrone Doleman. The oldest megalithic monument and best preserved Doleman in Ireland. It dates to around 3800-3200 BC. Our skies this morning exploded with color and afforded us a fitting background for this amazing monument.  

We later visited Burren National Park and the town of Corofin, where we discovered some fields with donkeys and curious cows that seemed to want their pictures taken.  

For our Evening shoot we visited the stark, but intriguing Black Head. Compositions were not always obvious but with its unique rock formations, shooting cracks, and wildflowers, it yielded creative image options, galore.

​​​​​​​Our final nights of the trip were spent at Heaton’s Guest House in Dingle.  The charming town of Dingle was a perfect place to wind down the trip and allowed us to access some stunning shooting locations. For our first evening shoot we drove the Slea Head drive, a windy road along the rugged cliffs, with picturesque farms spotted along the hillside. We started at an overlook of Clogher but then retreated towards Slea Head and views of the Blasket Islands for our sunset shoot. The knife edged rocks protruding from the water were surreal, as the coastline faded off into the distant Blasket Islands and the fading sun.

The next morning, we visited Dunquin Harbour, and captured the winding path down to the docks, which are used by locals to transport, by boat, their sheep back and forth from the islands. We also paid a visit to the Clogher Beach later in the morning for more seascapes of the area. 

On our final evening Gareth arranged for our group to have a boat trip with Dingle Sea Safari Tours It was equal parts fun and challenging shooting from a moving platform tested the groups focus, but the access it gave them to sea cliffs and hidden inlets and varied sea life was worth every bump and splash.

Over our final dinner and later back at the Giest House, we shared our high moments, talked through post-processing ideas, and began trading contact info. It felt less like saying goodbye to workshop participants and more like parting ways with old friends.

Throughout the trip, we covered more than just stunning locations—we dug into the craft of photography. We experimented, we refined our techniques, and most importantly, we supported each other. Whether it was someone offering to carry gear up a hill or waiting just a few more minutes for someone to get the perfect frame, the group’s spirit of camaraderie was the most rewarding part of the journey.
​​​​​​​
Ireland gave us so much—stunning light, rugged coastlines, ancient ruins, and rolling green hills—but it was the people we traveled with, and the shared experience of discovery, that made it unforgettable. I can’t wait to return to share this tressure with the next BCJ crew.