I have been looking at the Google Analytics of my website over the last number of months and I notice that my most popular post has consistently been What is Expressive Photography and How Can it Change Your Photography Practice? This surprised me as I haven’t used the title in recent posts. However, I believe that the concept of expressive photography underpins all my photography practice, that it is at the heart of everything I do in photography, because essentially, I believe photography to be a response to what speaks to me in my environment. For me, expressive photography is about b ..read more

I have always been interested in macro photography, yet it was only some years ago, when I watched a TV documentary of a nature photographer lying on the ground to take macro images of the tiniest plants, that I became fascinated by this genre. I love to study close up images of insects and of nature’s tiny hidden gems. I constantly have my eyes opened by the small world that exists all around us but that we rarely stop to notice. While I enjoy looking at the macro images of others, it is not a genre I have rushed to get involved in, largely because of the cost of good macro equipment and t ..read more

I recently watched (and re-watched) this stunning video from photographer and film maker, Rick Bebbington. Rick calls it a Photo/Video diary of his recent trip to Antarctica, where he spent 11 days photographing and filming in the world's coldest place. During the course of the video Rick explains how the expedition completely changed how he thinks about his photography, his work and even his life. Rick's role on the expedition was to document the trip for the participants of the photography workshop which was being run by some well known photographers. The video includes some stunning ..read more

Since I started writing my blog posts here on wildwillowways.com I have tried to keep the content personal and relevant to amateur photographers like me - those who do photography for enjoyment. I started by charting my initial journey into this exciting hobby, and continued by sharing my learning and my difficulties, my frustrations and how I overcame them. I have shared some insights and inspirations that I found through my own practice as well as from other photographers, and I have made connections, for myself and hopefully for others, between photography and wellbeing. I have always res ..read more

I am delighted to report that my ICM photography exhibition Moods of Marlay is now being featured on www.impressionography.org, a website which it's creator, Robert Clark, describes as, a collective haven for fellow creators to exhibit their masterpieces as guest artists. Originally created as a space to showcase his own work in the realm of ICM photography, Robert has generously extended the invitation to others who are interested in availing of a space to display their efforts of creative expression. No particular standard is required, each artist is simply asked to fulfil a few crite ..read more

In recent years photography has been my way to carve a personal, creative space in a busy, stressful world. Fortunately, I have found my photographic home in a beautiful woodland park at the foot of the Dublin mountains, a mere 10-minute walk from my home. It is a place where people come to meet, to walk, to talk, to be with nature or to enjoy some much-needed solitude. Marlay Park and Demesne is my woodland sanctuary, a place of beauty which constantly inspires me, nourishes me, fills my soul with wonder and provides me with a creative space in which to dream, to imagine, to create and ..read more

Most of us will come to a stage when our enthusiasm for our photography wanes and we lack the motivation to get out and take photographs. Some people refer to this as being in a photography slump or a creative rut. I recently saw the term photography plateau being used and I thought it was a good way to describe the feeling that your photography has become a bit flat and lacking in new ideas. In previous posts I have given some suggestions that might help breathe new life into your photography when you reach a plateau. These include trying a different genre, using a creative te ..read more

I go out with my camera most mornings, and usually visit the same locations, so I tend to use my time to document my day and take photographs of things that catch my eye. Here are 20 things that caught my eye this month ..read more

Becoming more observant is an essential skill in photography. Regardless of the type of photography you do, it is important to notice things around you, to notice things that others miss. By doing so you can add an extra dimension to your photographs. Improving your observational skills could make the difference between having mediocre photographs and being able to take your photography to the next level. So, what is involved in becoming more observant? What will help you to pay more attention to your surroundings and to what is unfolding around you? Becoming observant is not something that ha ..read more

When I write posts for this website my aim is to give value to my readers in some way. It might be a shared resource that gives inspiration, a tip that I have found useful or ideas in my posts that might hopefully be motivational to someone who reads them. My approach in trying to give value is to write purely from my own experience, which is that of someone who is passionate about photography as a hobby but who does not make a living from photography. As such, while I want to make the best images I can make, I don’t have an unlimited budget or a justification for buying expensive photography ..read more