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A frequently asked question I get is whether or not my images are the result of planning, and if so, how I go about it. The answer is that my photographs are a mixture of planned and found shots – but very often the found images come out of a planned excursion. In this article, I'll share some of the planning techniques and tools that I use to increase my chances of success. 

Previsualization and Revisiting 
There are two ways I go about deciding where to go on a photography trip. This applies both to morning and evening jaunts as well as to longer, multi-day outings. The first is if I've been in a location already. If so, I'll have scouted out one or more possible compositions and have a pretty accurate picture in my mind of what the scene looks like. If the light isn't right then and there, I'll think about when might be the ideal time (both of day and year) and make a mental note to revisit it under those conditions. 
At any given time, I'll have a cata...

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I have had a lifelong love of imagery, particularly photography. I have been fascinated by the possibilities of imagemaking from the time I first held a camera as a child. My enthusiasm for photography had increased steadily over many years, including ten years spent in America becoming expert in the field of computer systems. But my heart remained with photography. I experimented constantly and read voraciously. I was introduced to the works of master photographers such as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston; they opened my eyes to the possibilities of photography as art. Over time, my mastery of the technical aspects of photography matured. I applied myself more closely to the artistic elements of composition, light, colour and tone, the essential components of any great image. It is a study that I find intensely rewarding. My wife, Ann, and I made the decision to move back to Dublin where I threw myself into the business of making and selling my fine art prints. I have recently moved to rural West Cork, and am busy making new images, as well as conducting my photographic workshops. As Ireland is my home, it is my primary focus. I have many images from Dublin, Cork, Connemara and elsewhere. I also have many beautiful images from Scotland, Iceland and America. Please contact me if you don’t see an image from your favourite location. My portfolio is continuously growing, and your favourite haunt may well be my next destination.
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