Downpatrick Head - the surprising power of simply starting
2 image focus stack | ISO50 | f16 | 21mm | 25 seconds
There are mornings in landscape photography when everything inside you says “stay in the car.” The rain’s hammering on the roof, the forecast looks grim, and motivation evaporates the moment you open your eyes. This was absolutely one of those mornings. I’d woken to yet another downpour in Ireland — no surprise — and sat there with a proper sulk and a cup of tea, trying to convince myself it wasn’t worth going out.
But when the rain eased for a moment, I made the decision that always matters most: I got out. Late, unenthusiastic, definitely not ready… but out.
And within minutes, the reward revealed itself.
Topping the rise at Downpatrick Head is one of those “stop you in your tracks” moments — a raw and unforgettable first sight of the sea stack, rising defiantly against the Atlantic. I’d seen it a hundred times in other people’s work, but nothing prepared me for the scale and drama in person. Even arriving later than planned, I knew I had just enough time before the sun climbed too high, so I dropped straight into shooting mode.
What followed was a frantic, joyful sprint across the cliffs:
balancing long exposure smoothed water with emerging sky light;
focus stacking ledges, cliffs and foreground textures;
chasing fleeting colour while the weather shifted by the minute, and;
finding unexpected compositions — especially the soft green hummocks that were impossible to ignore.
4 image focus stack | ISO200 | f16 | 20mm | 20 seconds
Some images demanded 20-second exposures for mood and motion. Others needed quick adjustments and higher ISO to hold onto the highlights breaking through the clouds. A few spots required careful placement to avoid the house on the headland or to keep the cliff face from creeping into the frame. And, true to form, I hunted for a vertical that would work as a phone wallpaper — something I’ve started capturing intentionally on nearly every shoot.
What struck me most was how easily this morning could have been lost. If I’d stayed sulking in the car, I would’ve missed everything: the stack glowing in soft dawn light, the textured cliffs, the sweeping sea, the gentle green mounds, and the shifting, dramatic sky that gave the place so much presence. Instead, the moment I began — the moment I actually stepped out — the motivation returned, the compositions flowed, and the experience turned into one of my favourite shoots of the trip.
2 image focus stack | 2 image exposure blend | ISO250 | f16 | 23mm | 1.3 seconds (foreground) and 120 seconds (water and sky)
Downpatrick Head is extraordinary. It’s five minutes from the car park. It’s dramatic from every angle. And it’s the sort of place that rewards you tenfold for simply showing up, even when you don’t feel like it.
Thank you for joining me on this one. If you'd like to watch the full adventure — including every scramble, every change of plan, and every image — the episode is on my YouTube channel.
Until next time: look after yourself, look after your loved ones… and get up, get out, get the shot.