2018 in Review – New Images !

 

What can we say about 2018? Well, it was a pretty epic adventure. We have been all over. From Norway to Iceland, Ireland and Scotland, the Dolomites, Tuscany, Brittany, the Faroe Islands, lest we forget the IrishLight festival, Peter’s launch of Dublin Salt, Ed rediscovering his mojo  and Daragh’s adventures in Baikal. It’s been immense. We feel privileged to be able to do this as a job and we get to meet some really amazing people through the ever-expanding ExploreLight family. The trips are very much about the landscape and the fruits of our labour are below, but they would be nothing without the amazing people that travel with us. Thanks guys, and we look forward to welcoming lots of new faces in 2019.

As we gear up for the new year and the many adventures that lie ahead, it just seemed to make sense to make this blog and mark another amazing year.  We started north. Way north on the Lofoten Islands Norway.

More Images On Our Blog Workshops With ExploreLight

Reine during an out of this world sunrise. By Peter Gordon

An epic sunrise on Lofoten to get 2018 rocking and rolling. Love this place and can’t wait to go back in early 2019. We have 3 fully booked trips so expect lots more Lofoten pictures coming your way.

Can’t get enough of those Arctic beaches Lofoten style. Click the image to view larger.

Lofoten Fairytale by Peter Gordon

Probably Peter’s favourite travel image of the year above. Trying to create something unique in a heavily photographed location.

Our cabins. Seriously, Room with a view. By Peter Gordon

That old chestnut? Yep, red cottages, towering peaks, what more could you ask for? Plus we actually stayed in these cottages.

Northern Lights Lofoten by Peter Gordon

Well, some green flickering light would be nice. The northern lights go wild even through the clouds Lofoten style. This was the view from just behind our cottages. There’s just something so magical about an intense northern lights display. We have 3 fully booked trips coming up in 2019 and would you believe we have already announced 2020. Yikes!

View Lofoten 2020 Workshop Here

While Peter was busy in Norway, Daragh wasn’t reaching for the factor 40 either and ran 2 immense trips in Iceland. One through the south coast and another out west on the amazing Snæfellsnes Peninsula. And those little green lights made an appearance too.

That famous church out west 🙂

The black church pictured above is truly one of Iceland’s icons and we think Daragh did a pretty amazing job with this spectacular display of northern lights.

Lest we forget all that ice and snow. The Iceland blues. Ice, pattern and texture. Floating in the mist. Strange and wonderful conditions at the glacial lagoon south coast below.

Perfect stillness and mist at the lagoon by Daragh Muldowney
Mountain Hut Western Iceland by Daragh Muldowney

 

Join Daragh in Iceland this month! CHECK IT OUT

Daragh signed off in Iceland with yet another amazing display of Northern Lights. Feeling a wee bit jealous Peter felt compelled to stop by Iceland too.

Spell binding northern lights. Western Iceland by Peter Gordon
Diamond Beach by Peter Gordon
Vestrahorn Eastern Iceland by Peter Gordon

Feelin a bit chilly? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Daragh is planning an exhibition of work from Lake Baikal in Siberia. And as it happens we are planning a workshop there too in 2020. A bit more ice action in 2018 for good measure.

Parked on Lake Baikal. By Daragh Muldowney
Amazing tree surviving the freeze. By Daragh Muldowney
Ice as far as the eye can see. By Daragh Muldowney
Ice Caves, Baikal. By Daragh Muldowney
Amazing natural structures. Lake Baikal by Daragh Muldowney

 

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR BAIKAL 2020

So far this blog has been a little chilly. Arctic light in Iceland and Norway and a wee trip to Siberia for good measure. Now I appreciate this all might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but lets warm things up a bit with some imagery from Ireland and Scotland. Countries not famed for there warm weather but we didn’t spend the entire 2018 in the Arctic. Home sweet home, and a wee spin across the water to our Celtic neighbours.

Black Valley by Peter Gordon
Beara Peninsula by Peter Gordon
Killarney Lakes by Peter Gordon
Isle of Skye by Daragh Muldowney

 

Join us in SCOTLAND Autumn 2019

Join us in IRELAND Autumn 2019

Well, maybe Ireland and Scotland weren’t that balmy but compared to Siberia?

In 2018 we became worried ExploreLight was developing a reputation for only taking pictures at 10 below zero in howling wind and crazy light. All sounds reasonable, and yes we still very much like the winter and autumn for photography hence our workshop schedule normally tails off around May.

However, 2018 saw us make a concerted effort to take pictures in shorts. And yes we liked it. Cue Tuscany 🙂

A perfect mist in the Tuscan hills by Peter Gordon
Sunset in Tuscany by Peter Gordon
Tree addict:) Tuscany by Peter Gordon
Afterglow in the Tuscan hills by Peter Gordon

 

JOIN US Tuscany 2020

Something was also brewing in the backdrop of Tuscany. The Ed Gordon mojo. 2018 saw Ed go a bit photo crazy again which was fantastic to see. Shooting new work, processing images the world had never seen before with some amazing results below.

Galapagos Iguana by Ed Gordon
Dolomites Abstract by Ed Gordon
Coastal Wreck Greece by Ed Gordon
South Mayo Abstract by Ed Gordon

Watch this space as we have some international workshop leaders planned for black and white speciality weekends coming up later this year. Ed is on a roll! Drop us an email at [email protected] to register interest ..

After spending a glorious week in the sunshine, Ed rediscovering his mojo it made no sense to stop there. Hence Daragh went on a scouting mission to Brittany in France and came back with some stunning new work. Not quite beach weather but some great seascapes all the same. The workshop for 2019 is already fully booked but we plan to go again in 2020. Plus watch this space for a new trip to Jersey (Channel Islands) later this year.

Fishing Hut Brittany by Daragh Muldowney
Brittany Lighthouse by Daragh Muldowney
Mussel Farms Brittany by Daragh Muldowney
Mont Saint Michel Normandy by Daragh Muldowney
Mont Saint Michel Normandy by Daragh Muldowney

Despite the big push for new summer workshops with more planned for 2020, there was quite a bit of craving for Autumn in the ExploreLight ranks. If you get a chance, read Peter’s blog ‘Thank God the Summer is Over’ 

That definitely creates the perfect segway into the Faroes where Peter reacquainted himself with wind, rain and lots of dramatic and amazing light. All good stuff ..

The God light Faroes by Peter Gordon
That Icon, Faroes by Peter Gordon
Drangarnir sunset Faroes by Peter Gordon

One Place Available Faroes 2019

Hoping for more wild and crazy light Peter headed to the Dolomites to run 2 back to back fully booked workshops. The first was with Dino Marsango, a local and great photographer that Peter has worked with many times. The second week we were delighted to have Thor on board. We managed to get him out of the Arctic and into the mountains. He looked right at home to be fair to him. So much so he will run an extra 2019 Dolomites tour later this year.

Sunrise Dolomites by Peter Gordon
Trees in mist Dolomites by Peter Gordon
Stormy Dolomites by Peter Gordon
Church Dolomites by Peter Gordon
Passo Giau Dolomites by Peter Gordon
Layers Dolomites by Peter Gordon
Misty Dolomites by Peter Gordon

 

Join Us in Dolomites 2019

And a few from our good friend Thor below ..

Perfect Sunset Dolomites by Thor
Breaking light Dolomites by Thor
Mist rolls in Dolomites by Thor

So we hope you have enjoyed our adventures throughout the year. A fair bit of travelling involved to some amazing locations with some amazing people. We’re not quite done yet though, as Peter launched a new book and exhibition, Dublin Salt, in November to round off the year.  A collection of work, and something very personal for Peter, in his backyard of Dublin Bay. The work received great national news coverage and large numbers of visitors for the opening and throughout the exhibition. It seemed to make sense to finish with a view from the Salt. See you for sunrise folks .. Best Wishes .. Team ExploreLight

Baily Lighthouse
Bull Island Birds and Ship
Sandtmount Baths and Poolbeg
Still Sandymount
DunLaoghaire Baths Storm
Poolbeg Mist

 

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