These pieces of glass sit on my desk. I use them as fidget items, just shuffling them in my hand when I need to concentrate. I collected them in Ireland last summer — left the family and trekked over a bridge to get a photo. Found the glass on the tidal shore of the Fertha Estuary in Cahersiveen, Kerry. The photo below was taken in the same spot. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

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Yesterday, Romania, today I jumped over to Ireland—another set of photos finished from my personal backlog.

Ireland was an August trip with the whole family. The photos were not the focus, but I still made time to take them. It was a scouting trip for a future return. Dublin, Galway, Cork, Killarney, Kilkenny, and stops in between. Dingle and Galway were my favorites, and both spots were where I escaped for some solo exploring with the camera.

These felt great to get finished, like an itch I could not scratch for a few months. The day I got back, I jumped into the busy season, and they were set aside. It was fun to revisit the trip this way. You can check them all out by clicking here if interested.

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During these strange days, when time feels loose and the calendar doesn’t quite matter, I’ve used the quiet to catch up on personal work (and watch a few movies). First up: finishing my photos from Romania. I was there in July, and I found it challenging. I wrote about it while I was there, but distance helped. I hadn’t looked at these images since returning, and coming back to them with open eyes changed everything. Those eyes saw black and white. Once I accepted that, the edits came easily. Monochrome fits Romania—it felt black and white while I was there. I also found more photographs of people than I remembered, and that feels honest to the experience. I’m glad I let these sit. I wasn’t thrilled when I first came home. They deserved time.

The shot above was taken in Brasov, a short tunnel that was part of Council Square. If interested, you can see all my photos from Romania here.

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Still looking through the Ireland photos, my personal work usually takes a back seat to my clients’ photos, especially this time of year. I technically have not finished three Iceland sets, the Romina photos, and now Ireland. But they are fun to pick at. This one jumped out to me, we had a random stop on the side of the road near Galway that we just took in the scenery. I waited a bit to get this shot. About 20 people were roaming and enjoying the same view. I timed it just right to avoid them. Some are strategically behind the bluff and rocks.

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The ruined monastery of County Offaly, Ireland, on the River Shannon. The Clonmacnoise Monastic Site is breathtaking — filled with ruins, ancient crosses, and replicas — and it dates back to the year 544. Yes, 544. That alone is staggering. It was a highlight of the trip. You can read more here: Clonmacnoise Monastic Site

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