Blur and Motion

You may have seen some photos from sports events where the photographer moved the zoom focal lenghts during the shot to get this blurry, exciting fast speed look.
It needs a bit of practice but you are getting there at some stage, and because we are living in the digital age, you can try as long as you like with no extra costs. However the disadvantage  of this procedure is that you may not have a normal image at all in your archiv. Here is a different approach, that you can try with Photoshop or another program for editing photos.
Open the file and go to filter - blur filter - circular blur.
Be careful with the amount of blur you apply, you will still like to recognize what the purpose of this image is. 
In this case I made a selection around the surfer and inverted the selection so that he is not blurred. I have increased the contrast as well. Give it a try, its fun. Below is the result, go out and try it yourself.

My August 2010 Photography Holiday Week in South Kerry

Photographers from Sweden, Switzerland and the USA came to take part in my August Photo Holiday and we were really blessed with the weather and all the great photo opportunities here in Kerry. (By the way, Per and Annette were here for the second time, I think they have caught the Ireland bug like myself...)
The week was full of action, starting with a trip to Skellig Michael, photo shoots on Valentia Island, in the mountains around Glencar, at Puck Fair in Killorglin, Derrynane, Cahirsiveen and much more...
We ´ll see some of the participants´ photos as well, I hope,
and I must say I really enjoyed the week and your enthusiasm for photography...

Bob, Francesca, Per and me on Skellig Michael

Bob, Per and Francesca on Skellig Michael

Annette on Valentia Island

Francesca and Per and a bird on Skellig  Michael

Per on Valentia Island

Annette and Per on Valentia Island

Two Donkeys near Carragh Lake

Francesca and Bob behind Glenbeigh

Bob taking a picture of Glenbeigh Bay

At the Cliffs behind Portmagee

Bob is working at Carragh Lake

Bob at Lough Accoose

Bob and me in front of the Kerry Mountain

Lough Accoose

Francesca at the Puck Fair

Bob working in Cromane

Meeting Maurice Breen

Bogland near Portmagee

Horse Fair Killorglin

Cromane, Musselfisher

Bog cutting Portmagee

Ring Fort Cahergall, Cahersiveen

Ballycarbery Castle, Cahersiveen

On the road to Caherdaniel

Abbey Island, Derrynane

Derrynane Beach

Paris, Valentia Island

Bob at sunset

Valentia Island, at the rocks

To flash or not to flash

This evening I went to Valentia Island, to visit a place called Cool  West . These two standing stones were used as entrance portals to a Promontory Fort on a cliff by the sea. I did bring my flashlight and a cable with me to see what kind images I could get. The first and third photo was taken with the flashlight, on the first shot from the top facing down. In the last photo I held the flash from the bottom up to avoid shadows of the stones. I´m not a big fan of flashlight in landscape photography but for a article in a newspaper or magazine I would probably consider it. Let me know what you think.