2022 In Review – Part 1 – NEW Images

December 23, 2022

2022 has been a great year. A return for us to doing what we love best. It started a little shakey with disruption to workshops with some restrictions still in place and so much uncertainty still in the air. After a super busy Autumn season though, it really does feel like we’re back.

Thanks so much to everyone that traveled with us this year, came to a local workshop, or followed our content online. We are really thankful we get to do this job and you guys make it possible. Below are lots of new images from the whole team, and a quick round-up of the first part of the year. We could have edited way more but trying to share new things from 2022. Still loads and loads to edit but this should give you a nice flavour of what we were up. Happy Christmas, and Happy New Year everyone. Here’s to a great 2023.

First up an epic trip to Iceland North. Canceled flights couldn’t stop this ship from sailing.

We waited 3 hours for the northern lights to eventually dance over Godafoss. The clouds kept opening and closing and there was little or no activity with the lights. Well worth sticking it out and eventually nature gave us an amazing experience. The group were certainly happy in the end.
f 2.8 30 seconds iso 1600, nikon z6 with my 14 – 24

There’s, of course, the Black Church in Iceland but hows about this little white church too? Super cute little structure and a stunning backdrop. Only serving such a small community these churches really are a marvel.
Processing was really important here to get the high-key mood. Obviously, the light was just right too. The new subject selection was great in Camera RAW to separate out the church from the background.
Nikon z 6 24 – 70

Daragh in the thermal smokes of Northern Iceland

Next up Peter headed directly to Lofoten ..

The gentle pastels of a Lofoten evening. It was only 2.30 but the light was already fading. I’m not quite sure how to describe the Arctic light but somehow it can be so calm yet so powerful all in one moment. Hopefully, this conveys some of that amazing Arctic energy ..
Nikon d850, 14 – 24 f11 at 1.3 seconds, Lee filters .9 soft ..

Blazing northern lights over an Arctic beach in Norway. Does it get any better? f2.8 5 sec 1600 iso

A truly epic view Lofoten style. We hiked up to this viewpoint long before dawn and were rewarded with some stunning blue hour light that ill never forget.

We just couldn’t get enough of the Arctic so Peter went on a scouting mission next back to Senja, even further north than Lofoten in Norway ..

Anyone else a sucker for a cute little red cottage? Norway is the place to be and Senja especially has lots of great options. Absolutely loved this wee reflection and the shapes to frame these beautiful colours. Don’t leave home without your 70 – 200.
f8 30 seconds. d850 70 – 200 Nikon, Lee filters 6 stop ND

It’s as iconic as Senja gets I guess at this point. That big view, perfect reflection, and some really special light. Why wasn’t there any fresh snow? I guess I’ll just have to go back:) Great next year’s workshop.
Nikon d850, 24 – 70 Lee Filters .9 soft grad ND. f11 1/3 seconds

Some peaks just point the right direction. I was treated to a stunning sunrise and some fresh snow for good measure. Amazing times in stunning Senja, Norway.
F11 1 second iso 54, d850 and with 14 – 24

Ah those little flickering lights over some iconic landscape in Senja in northern Norway.

After all that Arctic action some warm weather was needed. Enter Lanzarote and Fuerteventura for Peter ..

En route back to the car after an epic sunset in the Canaries. The pastels post-sunset just linger and linger. Insanely beautiful.
f11 i.3 sec .9 soft Kase Grad

Last night on the dunes of Fuerteventura. Bit of a walk to get out here but being surrounded by the dunes and the sunset is immense. 24mm f11 50th kase .6 medium grad

Ah that azure water and just the right shutter speed needed at 2 seconds.

Amazing dramatic light on Fuerteventura. We were pounded with showers shortly after this sunrise but had enough time to capture some of this fast-moving light.

Lunar Lanzarote is also home to some amazing swell and some stunning colours in the sea. Fabtastic to witness this waterfall being formed from the sea. Captivating just watching and shooting the waves .. f 9 2 secs

Gentle light on the lunar landscape that is the magical Lanzarote. Love when you get these perfect warm-to-cool mornings. Magical place.
f11 72 secs 6 stop

The Celtic draw is always strong. Arctic or no Arctic, Dunes or no Dunes .. First up Daragh hit Isle of Skye ..

60 sec, f11, 100 ISO
A minimalist view looking south to the ring of Kerry. I love the strong shape to the boulder close to the camera and the soft water moving around it.

f11, 1/1160 sec, 800 ISO
Very windy day so I needed to be able to hand hold and freeze the leaves and branches. This tree is known amongst us Explore lighters as Flannagans Tree as Michael noticed it out of the car window and I did a handbrake screeching stop!

4 sec, f11, 200 ISO
Neist Point on the Isle of Skye. This is a very photographed location but mainly from a higher position where the land is underneath the horizon. On this occasion, a big storm was rolling toward us and I loved the lower perspective.

And Peter took a wee jaunt to Kerry ..

It’s like a rollercoaster out on Beara. The rocks have such a dynamic formation. The bowl is an iconic wee spot for sure and no matter the light it never disappoints. Long exposure here to keep things nice and smooth ..
Nikon d850 14 – 24

Distant Skelligs on a stunning pastel evening. I loved how the rock formation mirrored the shape of the distant island.
F11 25 seconds, 6 stop to make things slow and .9 soft to hold things in

Waves roll in on the BallinSkellig coast in the west of Ireland. Amazing to see the azure Atlantic with the dramatic backdrop of the Skelligs. We were treated to some great light for good measure.
Nikon d850, 200 – 500, f 9 at 1/1000

What an amazing array of reflections at Glanmore lake. Stunning, stunning morning. It’s hard to tell where the lake begins and ends when you get in and get focused with the 70 – 200.
nikon d850, f11 at 1/60th

Right back at ya as Dargah headed to the South West of Ireland again ..

1/5th sec, f11, 50 ISO Gouganebarra in West Cork. I had always wanted to visit this location. I had thought we might get mist…we didn’t get much mist but got a stunning sunrise which I was able to position on the right…camera was almost at water level to balance the reflection.

6 secs , f11, 50 ISO
A pastel sunset looking towards Skellig Michael

At some point, Dargah seemed to get a bit jealous of that warm-weather action Peter had in the Canaries. Sure didn’t he only get himself off to Morocco ..

30 secs, f16, 50 ISO
The Hassan II mosque in Casablanca is a sight to behold and there are some exquisite details to be picked out all around it.

1/10, f11, 50 ISO
This was a hike to the top of a 150m sand dune in Morocco. Every step I slipped down a bit….very difficult climb for sunrise.
The views were a sight to behold and this is a detail shot with my 400mm lens from the summit.

1/6, f11, 100 ISO
Chefchaoen…in the North of Morocco. A village with various shades of blue and white….on walls, doors, paths. many compositions available.

1/400, f8, 400 ISO
A fascinating Kasbah in Ouarzazate in Morocco…harsh light becomes gentle when picking out small shadowy details.

But the winter had already broken and 2 trips for Peter in May to Northern Ireland and also Slovenia gave up some majestic light ..

The end of an intense sunrise at Jamnik in Slovenia. Many stages of light but the final beams were simply stunning. Nothing quite says Slovenia like a hilltop church.
.9 medium grad to hold in the sky with my Kase Filters

Day 1, shoot one of our Slovenia Spring 21 workshop. This just screams Slovenia for me. Hilltop church with some beautifully lit peaks. Doesn’t get much better. My Kase poloriser really gave this sky some great extra wow factor.

After an early start, our commitment was certainly rewarded at Fanad, Northern Ireland. A stunning sunrise in this amazing location. f10 3 secs

Castle on the edge of a cliff anyone? Must be Antrim coast Northern Ireland. f16 30 seconds

The amazing Mr Dino Marsango was also in on the action and took a group to Tuscany. We didn’t feel too sorry for him weather-wise. The sun always shines in Italy? He managed to capture these stunning shots in Val D’Orcia.

The Chardonnay was in full flow at this point and with decent weather, even in Ireland, there was even cause to actually drink the wine cold. 2 more quick jaunts to finish off part 1 of 2022 still to come. Stunning Provence with Daragh and Midnight Sun in Iceland with Peter ..

1/125, f10, 400 ISO
A section of the Abbey Senenaque in Provence. I loved the curve in the building with the lavender foreground.

1 sec, f11, 125 ISO
Abbey Senenaque is a unique location in Provence. Very busy with tourists but we were given access for sunset which was a great experience. The monks grow and tend the lavender and then make many products after the harvest.

1/1250, f11, 640 ISO
A new field I found on this trip to Provence. Due to crop rotation, the lavender can be in different fields each year. I was delighted with this one with undulating crolls and a tree as a focal point.

I shot this image in the middle of the night between sunset and sunrise. Mind you it doesn’t get dark in Iceland in early July. Sunset and sunrise combine. This is shot around 2 am. The colour of the water was amazing. Kase 10 stop needed for this 465 second exposure.
Nikon d850, 24 – 70

Sometimes the midnight sun is .. well not so sunny. Bleak but amazingly atmospheric. Captured around 2am Iceland style.
Nikon d850, 24 – 70

After the end of a very long nights shooting in Iceland’s Highlands, we hiked up a wee ridge to experience this view. I was glad to have the comfort of my new Shimoda bag for the hike. The light was simply glorious and the landscape was like being on another planet. Kase Poloriser and .6 medium grad to hold in the sky.
Nikon d850, 24 – 70

This was the beginning of the sunset that just kept on giving. 11 pm until 4 the next morning. Must be the epic Icelandic Midnight Sun I guess. This is a blend to capture a really high dynamic range. High contrast backlighting normally means exposure blending is needed.. What an amazing night ..
Nikon d850, 24 – 70

Iceland sure is waterfall heaven. It’s hard to communicate the epic scale and drama of this gorge. Hopefully, this goes a small way. Vibrant colours and graphic shapes line the walls of the canyon. Quite a sight.
10 second exposure using my Kase 6 stop and poloriser. Love how they work in the new armour system..

So thats it for part 1 of the 2022 review. Keep an eye out for the next installment and hopefully see you guys on a workshop in 2023.

JOIN US in 2023 !

Wales : 9 – 12 Mar 2023 : 2 Places Available JOIN HERE
Connemara, Ireland : 23 – 26 Mar 2023 : 1 Place Available JOIN HERE
Isle of Skye : 27 – 31 Mar 2023 : 1 Place Available JOIN HERE
The West of Ireland : Kerry : 16 – 22 May 2023 : 1 Place Available JOIN HERE
Le Marche, Italy : 23 – 28 Jun 2023 : Available JOIN HERE
Provence : 25 – 30 Jun 2023 : 3 Places Available JOIN HERE
NEW DATES : Dolomites : 6 – 11 Oct 2023 : 3 Places Available JOIN HERE
The West of Ireland : Connemara, Clare & Mayo : 9 – 15 Oct : 3 Places Available JOIN HERE
The West of Ireland : Kerry : 17 – 23 Oct 2023 : 3 Places Available JOIN HERE
Scotland : 1 – 7 Nov 2023 : 2 Places Available JOIN HERE
Ice Caves By Helicopter : Nov Dates TBC – email info@explorelight.com

NEW : IRISH 1 DAY WORKSHOPS

Irish Workshops HERE

Booterstown, Dublin : 16 Jan 2023 – Available
Rush, Dublin : 18 Jan 2023 – 3 Places Available
The South Wall, Dublin : 14 Mar 2023 – 3 Places Available
Connemara : 9 Sep 2023 – Available
Achill : 10 Sep 2023 – Available
Wicklow Masterclass : 3 Nov 2023 – Available

WORKSHOPS SCHEDULE 2023 : FULLY BOOKED : JOIN WAITING LIST

Senja, Norway : 30 Jan – 5 Feb 2023 : Fully Booked : Join Waiting List HERE
Lofoten, Norway : 12 – 18 Feb 2023 : Fully Booked : Join Waiting List HERE
Senja, Norway : 22 – 28 Feb 2023 : Fully Booked :Join Waiting List HERE
Morocco : 22 Apr – 2 May 2023 : Fully Booked : Join Waiting List HERE
Morocco : 13 – 23 May 2023 : Fully Booked : Join Waiting List HERE
Tuscany, Italy : 2 – 6 May 2023 : Fully Booked : Join Waiting List HERE
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Faroe Islands : 14 – 20 Sep : Fully Booked : Join Waiting List HERE
Brittany : 14 – 19 Sep 2023 : Fully Booked : Join Waiting List HERE
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