Mount Usher Gardens in Wicklow was the setting for an Offshoot outing on 19th May. A famous location with seasonal interest. We were a wee bit early for the summer bedding but there was still plenty to shoot as can be seen from the shots above. A cloudy start gave way to a sunny afternoon with clear blue skies. The group met up for a coffee onsite after about 2 hours photography and some continued on for a few hours afterwards. No doubt we will return in the height of summer or for the incredible autumn colours later in the year. Thanks to Trevor, Mike, Tony, Richard, Nicky and Frank for the sample images.

We left behind our normal location for the 22nd April Monday night meeting in favour of a trip to the seaside, in this case Bullock Harbour. Steve brought along a single umbrella light and model Melissa once again struck her poses for the 25 members in attendance. A special Thank You to Dave Stanway for the guidance and setup. Each photographer only got 5 mins or so to nab their shots but everyone had a good natter while awaiting their turns. The location was a little hidden / sheltered cove to the right hand side of Bullock Harbour. Some photographers managed to retain the effects of the 'Blue Hour' - exposing for the ambient light and letting the single umbrella light Melissa in the foreground.

Aidan Finn made a return Guest Speaker visit to Offshoot on Monday, 8th of April to update us all on his continuing wildlife photography trips and adventures. In particular Aidan recounted his 4 Norway expeditions since the summer of 2008 in search of White Tailed Eagles, Golden Eagles and that damned illusive Goshawk (or Ghosthawk!). Aidan was full of praise for local guide Ole Martin Dahle and his immense knowledge and well placed cosy hides. Some of these trips were organised by professional photography tour companies such as Wild Arena and Natures Images. While not shooting the eagles and hawks Aidan also shot squirrels from the hide plus elk and deer at a local farm as well as lynx and wolves at a polar zoo. I loved the wolf images in particular as you couldnt help but shiver when you saw them! More of Aidan's work is also available on his Flickr photostream.

On a cold Tuesday night (2nd April) over twenty Offshoot members headed to the graffiti-covered old tea rooms on Killiney strand to photograph a very talented dancer and fire breather, Kelly Casey, who put on an explosive performance. We shot in three locations – two indoor and one outdoor. Despite the freezing cold, with photographer wearing ten layers, hats and gloves, Kelly braved the elements by performing in her scant costume. After an hour and a half of a performance, she received a warm (pun intended) round of applause from a very appreciative audience of Offshoot snappers. Thanks also goes to Gillian Jones for making the contact.

A well attended meeting on Monday, 25th of March provided a welcoming audience to Guest Speaker Daragh Muldowney (his website is Dulra Photography). Dulra, as Daragh introduced, is the Irish word for the elements of nature like wind, water and fire - ‘I believe in natures healing power. My aim, through my photography is to bring you closer to nature and for you to feel a sense of peace and calm while viewing my images.’

Daragh took us on a virtual tour around the costal counties of Ireland, stopping off at many a rock pool along the way. We were treated to an up-close look at the hidden gems contained in these pools that normally we wouldnt pause to see. From Unidentified Yellow Objects to Picasso's Eyes, the teeming life forms in these pools became a micro world that Daragh explored and shares. Daragh has published this image collection and you can find details of his book here: Jewelery Box, Irelands Hidden Gems

Daragh's camper van (aka Wanda) has travelled far and wide and has even made it to Iceland and back - a mobile home for photography expeditions often lasting many weeks at a time. For his Sahara shots, Daragh favoured travel by camel - the things people do for their art. Next up for Daragh is his expedition to Greenland on June 15th for 10 weeks with a team of sailors, rock climbers and kayakers. Daragh will photograph the beauty of ice with a view to hosting an exhibition and publishing a book on his return. The website for this expedition is here and the Facebook page is here.

An aspect which strongly resonated with Club members in the digital generation was Daragh's use of film and traditional processing. Arriving back from a 6 week expedition with a bag full of unprocessed film rolls and probably a heart full of nervous anticipation is an experience that most of us with our memory cards, histograms and live view capture can't fully share. Our thanks to Daragh for taking the time to talk to the Club and we also appreciate the clarification that Limerick is an estuary county rather than a costal county ...

Thanks to Peter Keane for organising this outing to the Celtic K1 kickboxing club on the 23rd March. It was challenging to capture the action, which was fast and furious. I’m just glad we were outside the ring! Following the sparring session we also took portraits with off camera flash.

Offshoot Photography Society, in association with the Dún Laoghaire BRAND project, presented an exhibition of photographs of Dún Laoghaire as seen through its members’ eyes. Over the last few months Offshoot has held a number of outings and Club Competitions themed in and about Dun Laoghaire. The fruits of this focus can be seen in the very interesting collection of seascapes, landscapes, architecture and street photography that were on display in the exhibition. People familiar with Dun Laoghaire had some fun recognising everyday locations from an alternative viewpoint.

The exhibition was officially opened by An Cathaoirleach, Cllr Tom Joyce, at a reception in the Concourse, County Hall, Dún Laoghaire at 7pm on Tuesday the 19th March. Over 70 high quality images were on display and you can see the Catalog here .. Offshoot Exhibition 2013 Catalog