The Woodlands

May 1, 2022

Hello again and welcome back did you miss me?

So I was out walking the dog the other morning and a thought came into my head. I was thinking of focusing on being a woodland landscape photographer mainly as I live quite close to 2 woodlands so it makes it more accessible for me.

Now if I am going to go down this path I won’t stop shooting other material it’s just that I will be mainly shooting woodland images. I am just thinking it would be nice to focus on one layer of the landscape as a primary. I think it can offer so much like textures within the landscape and with the different seasons there would be interest moods, it can also bring in macro there's lots of stuff with Woodlands so thats what I am thinking.

Here a just a few images taken from the phone when I was out just taking in the woodland

In other news.

Last week I was in Scotland for a short time. I haven’t been there since 2016 was it was still class. Specifically I was in Edinburgh so it wasn’t a hiking get away but it was amazing walking around the streets.

I managed to get a couple of images that I am currently working on and I am thinking of making the result images as a limited series. If you have never been to Edinburgh I would recommend it. Especially if you like Harry Potter! It is also great people watching wether you’re having a morning coffee or an afternoon beer.

Any way I will leave it here for now.

But I’m not going to leave you empty minded.

Here’s as small taste of one of the images just for tuning in to the post 😉

Arches in Scotland. Arches with morning light in Edinburgh City.

As always thanks for tuning in this week.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve been here!

And you can find me on the socials below

Facebook: pepper_images

Instagram: pepper_images

Twitter: S_P_Photo

Finding Art

April 17, 2022

Firstly good morning and Happy Easter! Hope you’re enjoying your day!.

So now onto the topic.

What is Art?

”The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination” as described by Oxford Languages and Google
or
“The definition of art is controversial in contemporary philosophy. Whether art can be defined has also been a matter of controversy. The philosophical usefulness of a definition of art has also been debated” as described by Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

I’ve always loved art in certain ways. It always had an attraction to me, in certain areas.

Which ever way you take it on it all boils down to your own interpretation and what captures your interest.

For me Music is my 1st love of art without knowing it was art at the time as I was like 8 but I think we all can say that music holds a very dear place to us. I always envy people who can do music as in sing or play an instrument. I loved the acoustic guitar but never disciplined myself to learn (now that can change and it’s never to late to try). Then came drawing and that I was fairly decent at I have to say but never continued it and now photography, so as you can see art is a big part of my life. I am lucky that art is also big in my family especially on my mums side. Now this is a new form for me with the writing and I’m learning every time I post here.

I used to love the lone wanderer shots. like the shot above but now I am more into the landscape and intimate details. Now I am not saying there isn’t a time and place for the lone wander sort of shots and I still do them as they are great for perspective for the likes of Instagram, Facebook.

HOWEVER;

The intimate details, the stuff we pass so often and not really notice

These are where I find the art side actually comes out for me. Now the thought behind this is because you have to think and compose like the way it was done with film and even before that paint. Most of the time we are speeding through trying to keep up with everything and not taking the time to appreciate the surroundings. Now granted we cannot always be at a semi slow pace stopping, listening and watching, some shots have to be a fast capture.

Another case on this is that I’m finding you can’t be a photographer anymore! You need be a videographer also and have a YouTube channel with click bate headings like “I May as well Quit Photography" and have a following of 100K on your socials before you get noticed . This is possibly one of the most discouraging things about art in the photography side.

In saying that I have been extremely lucky that I done a custom piece of work for a customer sizing in at 4ft x 2ft. One of the biggest images I have ever had printed and framed.

I’m not going to be here next week but I will try to get a post out, but just giving everyone a heads up there may not be one next week.

But I want to leave you with 2 quotes that I really like:

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
– Ansel Adams
&
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”
– Henri Cartier-Bresson

Thanks for tuning in this week. As always comments are always welcomed.

And you can find me on the socials below

Facebook: pepper_images

Instagram: pepper_images

Twitter: S_P_Photo

All I got is 1 photo and a stick

April 10, 2022

I went out trekking last weekend.

I went and did the Cross Cooley Challenge. For those reading this and may not know what it is here is what it actually is:
The Cross Cooley Challenge is a charitable event which is on the 2nd of October to raise funds for the North Louth Hospice & Marie Goretti Foundation. It’s a 15 Km trek across the Cooleys, with fabulous views of Dundalk Bay and Carlingford Lough.

Now I know it is not Oct but it is a great trek to do and the views are class and it gets the body for long variable surfaces and from my research this is what I need to be doing for the camino.

The silence on the walk was amazing. Allowing me to not keep up with anyone and taking my own time. If I wanted to stop and enjoy the views, silence there was no pressure around.

So after the above photo was taken I left the camera in the bag as most of the walk from here is road walking. However surprisingly there was maybe 4 cars on the road when I was along it. Very surprising I have to say, but this added to the blissfulness of the whole thing. However when I was walking up Foye I seen something that I have not seen before. There was wild horses on the back of Foye. I spent about 10 mins watching the with the camera and I got 2 shots of them (well 2 that I am happy(ish) with) as it would have looked a lot better if they had their heads up. But they where hungry critters.

Now they are not portfolio shots but still it’s good to have. Not going to lie when I seen them I got very excited as I’ve only seen images before of them but never actually up close. However when I was coming off Foye and looking over at the Mourne Mountains there was a haze of a rainbow just in front of them and it was CLASS!!!!!!

So this is the the photo as I mentioned in the title:

View of the Mourne Mountains from Carlingford.

I haven’t even released the image on my socials yet. So you are getting a exclusive view for that image 😉

And as for the stick:

So thats it for this week. I hope you enjoyed it. As always I appreciate the comments.

And you can find me on the Socials below

Facebook: pepper_images

Instagram: pepper_images

Twitter: S_P_Photo

New Challenges

April 3, 2022

So now that the powerlifting nationals are done and I'm please to say that I got 2nd with a total of 517.5kg, I’m now looking forward to next one to getting better.

2nd Place at the AIPO National Championships

I am now prepping for the camino. I was out on Thursday shooting for a client and realised the difference in the fitness levels, also when walking under trees and brissells fall down the top.

But when I was out and it was silent few birds singing a small breeze and the sun hitting, gave a wonderful feeling. A sense of calm that I love. One thing I am coming to realise is that the top of a mountain or hill is not always the photo part.

So I've been doing a lot of solo hikes lately and I have to say I've been really enjoying them. Especially when you don’t have a time frame to complete it (well not a major one) and I've been stopping over small distances and just enjoying the sounds and landscape. Of course I'm taking the camera but I've been taking it the scene before I even think of shoot it. Now that's to say not every landscape is picture worthy some landscapes look amazing to the eye but when the picture is taken it can fall flat.

Until next week! Thanks for tuning in and keep exploring.

Facebook: pepper_images

Instagram: pepper_images

Twitter: S_P_Photo

Be Simple

March 27, 2022

Welcome back and good morning if you are reading this in the morning and if not hi! 👋🏻

So this week I have not been up-to much. As I mentioned last week I am at a powerlifting competition today, so I haven’t been up-to much this week want to make sure no injuries happened. Like no rolled ankles or anything like that.

So this week is going to be short and simple.

What I actually learned from the past couple of months of preparing for this is how to prep the mind. There has been highs and lows throughout. Dieting, training consistently 4-6 days a week. Days where I did not want to train and been tired, sore, cranky. But! I made it through it. However I actually realised that the mental discipline it gave me was great, especially now I am going to be getting ready to walk the camino so it is going to help me there. The fact that I have the mentality to get over the hard parts and keep pushing on, is the best benefit from this.

In other news.

Regarding my work. I have gotten out and shot around Slieve Donard Forest Park and those images will be released over the next couple of weeks on my socials as I want to work on them.

However with the news this week coming out that Instagram is now letting you select “following” and “Favourites” may put a slow down on people seeing my work as I hope people do put me in the “Favourite” category. But this has me ask this question. Does it now actually matter the following you have? If you have thousands of followers but if you are not in their “Favourites” now the companies will not get that reach anymore.

I seen this and thought how great the simple things can be. Something that we would walk over but as I did not have to rush I was able to slow down and think about my shots. It added a great feeling to it. The shot I called “Life” as it is the perfect representation for me. As the roots resemble the vascular system in our own bodies. I loved how simple but complexed it is.

Anyway there is going to be more imagery from this trip coming out and I look forward to showing them to you. They may not all be portfolio shots but that is what social media is for.

As always I love reading your comments, so feel free to comment your thoughts.

Socials:

Facebook: pepper images

Instagram: pepper_images

Twitter: S_P_Photo

Been Social?

March 20, 2022

So this maybe a bit of a rant and if it comes across like this I have given you fair warning 😁

Is social media actually discoursing?

Ok so this is just my thoughts on this.

I think it is a case where it is just a highlight reel for everyone. I'm not sure about you but my social feed is just constant highlight after highlight after highlight. I now just primarily follow 3-5 people as they actually don't flood my feed ever single day and even though they have thousands of followers but they just focus on the work flow and they may post to social media once a week or even longer & I like that. It means they take the time on their work and are not racing to get the next post up.

For me personally I find myself like stretch armstrong

I have been working on a few images and letting them sit (marinating) and I go back to them. I find it a great process for my work and it helps me see things I’ve missed 1st time around. But this is my dilemma, I love this method but then when I see everyone posting couple of times a week I can feel the pressure of wanting to keep up. So, that can be my issue with social media. Also for people who are magicly fake on it and buying the following boosting their numbers by bots. Ah sure thats just my own thoughts on it. Also and this will be the last thing on this subject for me is that why do people find it hard to share other peoples work especially people with a low following. I see photographers share other photographers work but then not share others. It’s like been in school again if you’re not part of the popular kids you get ignored, But thats life I suppose! that’s my opinion on this subject I did mention that it was going to be a rant but thanks for letting me rant 😁.

On other news, this week I kinda struggled putting this post together. But happy that I was able to put the mind together to actually get it posted. Next week I am away to a weight lifting competition in Limerick so not sure on what post will be up but there will be one.

I’ve read a great quote from a site I follow “Word Porn”

So in reading that thank you for your continued support. 🤘❤️

As I mentioned above next Sunday I am doing a weight lifting competition and a lot of my focus has been going on preparing for that so after that my plan is to be on the camino so there will be a lot more into prepping for that. However I do love reading your comments.

Facebook: pepper_images

Instagram: pepper_images

Twitter: S_P_Photo

So Why?

March 13, 2022

So why have I started the blog and not a vlog?

Well there is a couple of reasons the main reason is that I can feel awkward talking to a camera as I'm not a big fan of hearing my own voice but who know it may change and I might start do instagram vlogs, but that's beside the point.

Also I wanted to challenge myself with actual writing and reading. I have a form of dyslexia (thank you Google for the help on spelling :D). Like honestly what a way to spell a word for people who struggle with spelling among other things. Anyway! As I was saying it is to challenge me to do more spelling and reading.

There is another reason. I am doing the Camino De Santiago soon and I wanted to document the journey for me. But instead of starting for this on that journey, I thought it would be best to do it now. To allow myself to actually it up and running and get use to the thought process. I do plan on videoing some of it however my actual plan for it will be to take a journal with me and write it down and when I get back I can reflect on it.

I hiked up Slieve Donard the other day and it was tough. I am getting back into it now but it was great as I was just telling myself to keep going. Visibility was 0 but rewarding in other ways. It got me thinking. As I was through Donard forest and hearing the sound of nature and it made me recall something and it's it is the sound of nature. I know that Spotify/YouTube or any other music area have "Nature Sounds" but they definitely do not compare to the actual thing.

I’m going to make this a Sunday thing this blog. So it can be a nice short read on a Sunday morning or when you get time to read it.

Socials:

Facebook: pepper_images

Instagram: pepper_images

Twitter: S_P_Photo

The Start

March 8, 2022

Ok so here this goes.

This is me documenting my journey.

So let me start off.

Hi my name is Sean, however if you are reading this you probably already know this but its alway nice to introduce yourself.

I currently work in a call centre for a particular financial company ( I will leave it nameless).

Like most people, I go to work deal with my work life then come home (log off with working from home) in the evening and feel mentally drained. Then trying to keep up a balanced health lifestyle from cooking meals, taking the dog out, getting to the gym couple of times a week and then photography.

Unfortunately both my photography and gym work have taken a hit over the pandemic as I just did not feel motivated to go out and shoot. I did a couple of times but nothing major. However I have managed to be lucky enough to have people looking to buy my work so I feel quite excited about that and work on the pieces that they are looking for.

Now I know what you’re thinking.

We all go through this and that I should just suck it up and get on with it and from time to time I do think this. However in saying that, the mental health has been vey up and down for me personally and a few things happening through out the pandemic has been difficult like I sure it has been for everyone and I am not making this a “Oh wowist me” situation.

So that is a bit of the background of me that I can go over but more may come out. This blog is gonna be as I said at the start me documenting my journey and it is designed for the photography/hiking side but I think I will also be as personal as I can be through it.

So with this been my 1st blog post I have been delaying this as I have this odd obsession that I think that it needs to be absolutely perfect and I find with my photography. Ok I have been doing photography a lot longer than this however it is an art form that is alway evolving and everyone is constantly learning.

So I would like to give you advice on what to expect out of these posts, however I can’t at this moment. As I have a lot going through my head. But what I can say is that I am planing to document my hikes and travel although I do not plan on making this a travel blog as there is so many of them out there I believe that it would get lost amongst the masses.

I hope you are going to enjoy this and come along the journey with me. There will be up’s and down’s like everything but looking forward to it.

You can alway find my work on socials below:

Facebook: pepper_images

Instagram: pepper_images

Twitter: S_P_Photo