I have several folders in my portfolio, representing different categories of images. My intention is to add a few each week and introduce them through this blog This first post will be larger than usual in order to get at least two images in each category….

We are very fortunate to have a pair of choughs who nest in a box in our barn and raise three chicks each year. This triggered membership of Birdwatch Ireland and the acquisition of a telephoto lens. Hence, a section on birds and other wildlife.

The streets and pavements beneath our feet have many manhole covers and other ironmongery. These functional items are often very stylishly designed yet are passed over, often un-noticed. I have started quite a collection of them. Here are some first examples:

I like to see textures and patterns in nature as well as man made objects.

My wife, Susie, is a musician. Before we moved to West Cork we used to participate in a “free improvisation” group. Musicians would simply play whatever came to them, no score or preparation. It was all about listening to one another and responding. At times it could be a bit chaotic but mostly the results were quite sublime and unique. As well as musicians there were artists who would respond to the music in their own ways. I would take my camera along to record the occasion and it wasn’t long before I found myself wanting to find ways to encapsulate the music itself in the images. I used long exposures and camera movements and, sometimes, some work in Photoshop afterwards.

The sun and moon illuminate our landscapes in so many ways. In this category I have sunsets, sunrises and moon shots.

I have a few portraits to share – I hope they speak for themselves….

Machinery can have quite a visual impact, even long after it has served it original purpose.

A lot of buildings, particularly ruins, have a fascination for me. Possibly it has something to do with the fact that we bought one here in West Cork and restored it.

The Landscapes section covers a broad range of subjects. Sometimes I like to capture the feeling of being there – sometimes there will be something unusual or quirky.

Boats can be beautiful in life and tragic when they have fulfilled their purpose. Wrecks have a strong fascination for me – imagining all the places they would d have been the adventures and perils they experienced.

That’s probably enough for this first post – there will be plenty more to come over the following weeks.