Killarney National Park, near the town of Killarney, County Kerry, was the first national park in Ireland, created when the Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish Free State in 1932. The combination of mountains, lakes, woods, and waterfalls under ever changing skies gives the area a special scenic beauty. I visited Ireland with the hopes of capturing the classic beauty of “The Emerald Isle” and I wasn’t disappointed.

South and west of the town of Killarney is an expanse of rugged mountainous country. This includes the McGillycuddy’s Reeks, the highest mountain range in Ireland which rise to a height of over 1000 meters. At the foot of these mountains nestle the world-famous lakes of Killarney. Upper lake is one of the more scenic locations as small boats wait for the arrival of enthusiastic fishermen.

I arrived early in the morning as the rain gently fell on the landscape. It was still dark as I made my way to the edge of the lake. As the scene lightened up, I walked around taking grab shots, looking for the composition I wanted to focus on when the light was just right. As the sun attempted to break through, the clouds began to give way to the soft golden light. The definition of the clouds reflecting in the calm water below added balance to the scene and the small white boat added a point of interest.

As with any landscape photo, thoughtful editing is key for bringing out the full potential of a RAW file. My workflow includes Adobe Camera RAW, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI and Nik Collection by DXO.