Category Archives: Shoots

Gougane Barra Shoot – 22/05/2016

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Though over 90Km away, a trip to Gougane Barra is never a chore. Tranquil, contemplative, scenic are words that readily come to mind about the place; photographers’ haven are others.

With a reasonably favourable evening forecast we decided to make the journey and following radio reports of record downpours at the K Club and Semple stadium where Rory McIlroy and Cork were respectively bidding for glory, we hoped the bad weather was not coming our way.

Gougane Barra EUpton-6 On arrival, all was quiet with very few visitors around so we had an unobstructed view of the place from all angles and, with only a few light squalls to contend with, the evening was beautiful with intermittent sunshine, interesting cloud cover and above average temperatures.

To some extent a photographic cliché, Gougane Barra is charming and it is impossible to resist pressing the shutter release even though you are well aware that there are no ‘new’ shots to be had there. One man who set out to disprove this though was ECCG member, James Brady who sent his drone off on an exploratory flight around the lake in search of the alternative shot which he certainly got. The place is as beautiful from the air as it is from the ground.

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With an hour and a half left to sunset, we decided that enough was enough. We packed the gear and headed east happy with a successful shoot. In common with us, Rory Mcllroy was also a happy camper having won his first Irish Open Golf Championship by three strokes. Not so good in Thurles however, where the Cork senior hurlers were outclassed by Tipperary in the first round of the Munster championship. Best not even mention the score! Instead, take a look at James Brady’s stunning (and calming) aerial footage below.

Click here for to see a gallery of images from the shoot. Enjoy!
Members: See more here.

Fort Davis Shoot – 15/05/2016

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Given that we shot all 57 cruise liners that called to Cork Harbour during the 2015 season, shooting another in the 2016 season was really not on the agenda but that’s what happened on Sunday last 15/5/16.

With the recent and rare fine weather, sunsets are the order of the day at the moment and with low water at around sunset, we headed for the lower harbour and decided on the elevated site near Fort Davis in Whitegate, East Cork.

The sunset, while nice, wasn’t brilliant but off in the distance, berthed at Cobh Cruise Terminal, lay the 333m long MSC Splendida which was due to depart about an hour after sunset. Having been on board this beautiful ship nearly twelve months ago, ECCG has a particular fondness for her so we decided to wait and see her off.

In the distance we could see it had silently slipped from the berth and was moving past Cobh. Slowly, with the Cork Pilot Launch at her heel, Splendida came around the Spit Bank Light, past the Whitegate Oil Refinery jetty and was a beautiful sight, all lit up in the blue hour, as it almost silently passed between Forts Davis and Camden towards Roches Point enroute to Southampton.

With a capacity for 4,363 passengers and 1,370 crew, Splendida is, effectively, a floating small town and this sight will be repeated many times over this season as upwards of 60 liners are due to visit Cork harbour this year. Check out the Port of Cork Cruise Liner schedule for dates and times.

Click here to see a small gallery of images from the shoot at Fort Davis. Enjoy!

Roches Point Lighthouse Shoot – 24/04/2016

For the second week in succession, an ECCG shoot has focused on a lighthouse. We travelled to Galley Head last week but this week we were much nearer to home at Roches Point at the entrance to Cork harbour.

Always a favourite spot for the group, Roches Point never fails to yield a decent photograph regardless of weather conditions. It was overcast on our recent visit with the clouds parting just enough in the west to give a hope of some bit of colour at sunset. Nevertheless, a private tour of a lighthouse will always bait the photographer so there was keen interest in this shoot.

Having exhausted the interior, we braved the cold and headed outside to the beach for the ‘blue hour’.

This was a really great and enjoyable shoot, right on our doorsteps. Thanks to all who made it possible.

See a gallery of images from the shoot here. Enjoy!

See more images here.

If you have an interest in photography and would like to find out more about East Cork Camera Group, click the ‘Contact Us’ link and leave us a message.

ECCG Shoot to Galley Head Lighthouse – 17/04/16

Continuing our Lighthouse project, ECCG travelled to Galley Head near Clonakilty in West Cork on Sunday 17/04/16. Perched on the southern most point of a 40.5m (133 foot) high headland known as Dundeady Island, the the 21m tower stands 53m over Mean High Water Spring.

Attendant lightkeeper, Gerald Butler, was on hand to give us the grand tour of the installation and entertained us with an in depth talk on his career as a Lightkeeper on various lighthouses around the country. Steeped in the Light Keeping tradition, both of Gerald’s grandfathers, both parents, uncles and brother were all Lightkeepers so it was inevitable that he would enter the service himself.

On retirement, Gerald committed his life story to print in the book ‘The Lightkeeper’ in which he recollects the terrible traumas of crews battling for their lives on mountainous seas in horrendous stormy conditions. He describes in detail the tragic 1979 Fastnet Yacht Race which involved 3000 competitors and more than 4000 rescuers, and in which he played a vital role as lighthouse keeper on the forbidding Fastnet Rock towering over the storm struck vessels as they struggled for survival. The book is a fascinating read and is available here.

We were really hoping to get a sunset on our trip to Galley Head but it wasn’t to be on this occasion – a ready made excuse for the return trip!

See a gallery of images from the shoot here. Enjoy!

If you have an interest in photography and would like to find out more about East Cork Camera Group, click the ‘Contact Us’ link and leave us a message.

Fort2Fort Cycle – 20/03/2016

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The Fort 2 Fort charity cycle sportif took place last Sunday, March 20th 2016. This event was a unique challenge for all levels of cyclists, which began at the Trabolgan Holiday Village outside Whitegate at 10am and ended at Fort Camden in Cross haven. A total of 402 cyclists took part in this challenging event which saw cyclists of all abilities participate in the 60km, 85km and 125km routes. The routes covered the full loop of Cork Harbour crossing the River Lee by the Cross River Ferry outside Cobh and finishing at Fort Camden for both the 60km and 85km distances. The challenge of the 125km was a return trip to Whitegate.

Now in its fifth year, the purpose of the cycle was to raise funds for the Mercy Hospital Foundation, Mercy Cancer Care Centre, Lions Club of Cork and Camden Fort Meagher Restoration fund. ECCG was on hand again to record this fun event.

Click here to see a gallery of images from the shoot. Enjoy!

– Noelle Lowney

If you have an interest in photography and would like to find out more about East Cork Camera Group, click the ‘Contact Us’ link and leave us a message.