The 100 m high cliffs of Moher are one of the most spectacular and most photographed sights in Ireland. Because they are located on the country’s West coast, choosing the ideal lighting for photography is somewhat challenging. In the morning, the face of the cliffs is in the shadow, and in the evening, the sun is facing the camera (assuming the photographer is standing on top of the cliffs). Still, evening lighting offers plenty of opportunities to photograph the cliffs if one is willing to walk along the edge outside of the official observation zone to create an angle between the camera viewing direction and the setting sun.
It should be mentioned that walking beyond the protected area can be really hazardous, especially in inclement weather. In fact, at the end of the observation area, there is a little memorial for those who lost their lives at the cliffs and an inscription urging people not to wonder around the edge.
The danger of falling off the cliffs is quite real. The path that follows the edge is narrow and slippery. Although it was neither rainy nor foggy on the day of our visit, the cliffs were buffeted by some of the strongest winds I have ever experienced. Once or twice, sudden gusts forced me to stumble a couple of steps towards the cliff’s edge – a very unnerving experience.
The gusty wind also has detrimental effects on the sharpness of photographs, as it causes the camera to shake, even of it is mounted on a tripod. This problem is easily remedied by using slightly shorter exposure times and taking multiple shots, hoping that at least some of them will be sharp.
Please follow the link to see our photographs of Cliffs of Moher.
Keywords: Moher.