John Dunne Photography (JdP)'s photostream  

Just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas folks. You can read my special Christmas note over on my blog.

© John Dunne 2011 ~ All Rights Reserved

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Well here's something a little different from me. Creating an image of the night sky has been on my list all year but clear skies are as uncommon at night in Ireland as they are during the day. When I looked out the window of my home on Sunday night and saw a perfectly clear sky I knew this was my chance. And even though my home was lovely and warm and outside was very cold I didn't let that put me off. I packed my gear, put on my winter clothes and headed for the Wicklow Mountains. One thing I didn't realise when I headed out was just how windy it was. Being exposed on the mountain side in the pitch black at 1 deg celsius while the wind was gusting by was a recipe for an accident and so I decided against trying to capture my original envisioned location and face being blown off the side of a cliff. I instead researched another couple of spots I had in mind and this image is the location that really worked for me.

As I mentioned above Night Skies are not something I have a lot of experience with. However, I did all my research and made a few trial runs throughout the year during less then ideal conditions to better understand the technical aspects. This is the first image I have produced that I believe is both technically strong and meets my artistic vision. Shooting at ISO2000 was very scary for me, ISO 100 or 200 being much more the norm. However this was what is needed to capture the stars, and post processing is a must to manage the resulting noise that is created. I plan to continue with shooting the night-sky next year so stay tuned for more.

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Exposure: 25 sec
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 17mm
ISO Speed: 2000

© John Dunne 2011 ~ All Rights Reserved

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February, yup February is when I took this image. I actually shared an image I took of this Rhododendron back in April but had this version siting in my Aperture Library waiting for some love and attention. Well I made sure it got that today and wanted to share the final result with you. There is something quite special about a pure white flower; the delicacy and amazing texture of the petals. I hope you enjoy.

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Exposure: 1/250
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 100mm
ISO Speed: 200

© John Dunne 2011 ~ All Rights Reserved

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Last week was a little quiet on the blog front, so my apologies for that. This week though I am back sharing an image from my trip to Donegal in September. When we last spoke I shared an image of Fanad Lighthouse taken during a small lull in an otherwise stormy day. After I had taken that image I took a walk around the cliff and surrounding area to see what else the location had to offer. Just a short walk away I was able to get down to the sea upon a jagged outcropping of rocks. By this point though the winds had begun to pick up sending the waves crashing upon the rocks, and much more threatening clouds had begun to move in. Perfect I said in my head, if the rain can just hold off for a short while and I'll capture this wonderful scene. I braved it and climbed over the rocks so I could get to the very edge where the rocks met the sea, all the while praying the skies wouldn't open up and soak me (or worse my gear!).

For anyone that has followed me for any length of time will know I rarely produce Black and White Images. It is not that I don't love B&W photography, but I guess I love colour more. However from time to time a scene or resulting image will speak to me, ne scream at me to produce a Black & White and this indeed was one of those occasions. The B&W translations helps to isolate the waves crashing upon the jagged rocks while above the clouds gather above. The panoramic crop helps to add even more drama to the scene. But of course that is what I think, what do you think?

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Exposure: 5 secs
Aperture: f/20
Focal Length: 21mm
ISO Speed: 50

© John Dunne 2011 ~ All Rights Reserved

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I have been promising to return to sharing some images from my recent Donegal trip for the last couple of weeks and today the wait is over. It started out as a heavily overcast, sullen day with high winds and non-stop drizzle. Perfect weather conditions for a landscape photographer :p Not to be deterred though I packed up the car and headed out to Fanad Head and Lighthouse, a spot I had on my plan before I even travelled to Donegal.

Fanad Lighthouse is the 2nd most northerly lighthouse in the republic of Ireland. According to wiki "construction of [the] lighthouse at Fanad Head in 1818 [was] in response to the sinking of the frigate Saldanah in Lough Swillly in 1804". By the time I arrived at Fanad Head the drizzle had stopped and the skies had lightened a little. However the winds were still high with plenty of movement in the sea. Perfect conditions therefore for a long exposure, and here is the result.

And if you are interested in a print of this image please don't forget I am currently running a print sale for the 2011 Holiday Season where you can save 15% on any order.

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Exposure: 15s
Aperture: f/18
Focal Length: 21mm
ISO Speed: 50

© John Dunne 2011 ~ All Rights Reserved

Please refrain from posting comments with multiple invitation icons. Such comments will be deleted. Also, I'd appreciate it if you did not incorporate your own photostream badges, etc in your comments.

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