Valentia Island Lighthouse

Yesterday the club outing led us once again to Valencia Island lighthouse. Thanks to Richard we had access to the inside and could see how the lighting system was changed since the last time we visited the lighthouse in 2011. All mechanical moving parts were gone and replaced by a comparably small LED system. Luckily the original prisms are still in place and provide stunning colour and distortion effects. 

The stairwell in the lighthouse

Emergency light in the operating room underneath the prisms

The new LED light in the centre of the old prisms. Doulus Head is reflected upside down on the prisms.

My camera and Beginsh island are reflected in the prism and superimposed by the LED bulb.

Looking down on the rocks Valentia Island was built on

A prism shifts Doulus Head on two different levels

The LED bulb in front of the lights red sector facing the Valentia harbour side.

Looking from different angles on the prisms, various colour effects can be observed.

More colours and the rocks near the lighthouse upside down

View of the former lighthouse keepers home through a window in the staircase.

All pictures with Olympus E5 on tripod. Copyright by Franz Schenk

Another breezy day on Valentia Island

Yesterday , 1st of February, again a violent storm front passed Southwest Ireland. Early in the morning about 30 slates were ripped from the roof of our house but throughout the day the gales where too strong to think about doing any repair work. So in the afternoon we decided to stop lamenting about mother nature´s muscle play and took off to get some impressive views around the island.

Valentia Lighthouse with the waves climbing up Beginish Island 

No way to get to the lighthouse, even two hours before high tide

Valentia harbour entrance

You don't want to go any further

This used to be the well maintained road to the lighthouse

The mighty waves keep rolling in

Sun and seaspray over Valentia Radio Station

I eases up in the evening at  Foilhommerum Bay and Port Magee

Last Day of 2013 on the Port Magee Channel

A series of gales during the last couple of days created together with a bit of sunshine a nice view on the breakers thundering against the rocks of the Port Magee Channel entrance.

All pictures taken with Olympus E-5 and Zuiko Digital 50-200 mm

Small Things at Renard Beach

The light was a bit difficult to take landscape pictures, however there a many things at a beach worthwhile to be photographed.
Olympus E-5, Zuiko Digital 14-54 mm, Zuiko Digital 50 mm makro.

Sunset over Knightstown

Driftwood meets Bogwood at Renard beach

Pattern in driftwood

Snake in the wood

Can you see the mouse in the hole?

Colors of  Rust

Beauty of decay

Barnacle with sea weed

Snail patterns

Volcanoes

Creatures at the beach

 The following pictures were taken two days later with a Zuiko Digital 50-200 attached to a ZD  2xTeleconverter EC-20

Skellig St Michael in the morning mist of the rising sun

A traditionally rigged sailboat is passing Cromwell Fort at at the West entrance of Port Magee Channel

Under watchful eyes

Loher Beach-Waterville

A beautiful quiet beach in Loher just a few miles outside Waterville.Great to have a run around in,with some lovely rocks. All shots taken with a Cannon 450D using a wide angle lens.

Paris- Valentia Island, Co.Kerry

Michael Herrmann and John

Paul

Had Michael helping with these shots

Used a 100mm lens with a closed aperture

All photos were taken at the northerly coast of Valentia Island, near Bray Head, with a Cannon 450D. This is a dangerous spot and saftey should be a priority when on the cliffs.

Breaking Waves at Valentia Cliffs

Thursday last SKCC members met to take some shots in the dwindling evening light at the cliffs and rocks of Valentia´s North coast, near the township of Bray.
All pictures taken with Olympus E-5 and Zuiko Digital 14-54 on tripod. ISO setting 100.

The lonely photographer and the sea

Man, sitting in the splash