Togs & Tales
Diana Gibney
Diana Gibney
Landscape Photographer
Hi everyone, I’m Diana, 33 year old from Dublin. I have timidly started photography as a hobby to stimulate my creativity and keep busy during quarantine, but fell in love with the camera straight away. I am happiest in the countryside, away from the busy, dusty and noisy modern world.
What was your path to becoming a Landscape Photographer & What was your first camera?
I absolutely love travelling and discovering new hidden gems that aren’t necessarily on the tourist maps. I’m in love with the Irish Culture and Heritage – ancient sites, ruins, abbeys, castles to name a few… Having the opportunity to explore and frame a little piece of Ireland into each shot gives me great satisfaction, it’s like telling the world a story about a place the way I understand it and want it to be told.
What was your favourite Landscape Adventure Story since becoming a Photographer?
Not sure if this is classed as a “Landscape Adventure”, i’d say it was more of a human kindness lesson. A few months back I decided to bite the bullet and drive all the way from Dublin up to Co. Mayo to shoot the sunset at Downpatrick Head. Since I wanted to make the most of my road trip, I started the journey early in the morning driving and shooting through Connemara and little towns in Co. Galway, making my way up towards Co. Mayo. Finally got to a little village called Ballyglass where I rented a small cottage on a farm for the night. I briefly met the owners, I explained this was going to be a quick check in and no tour of the house was needed as I was already exhausted and in a rush to get to Downpatrick Head before sunset, after all this was the main purpose of my journey.
The trip was a little bit over one and a half hours, through the most beautiful scenery specific to Co. Mayo. The views at Dun Briste were breathtaking, almost as breathtaking as the wind that nearly blew me off the edge of the cliffs a few times. Half besotted by the views, half chasing the sheep on the cliffs to get a decent shot, I lost track of time and just like that- it was pitch black outside. Took me just under two hours to get back to the farm in the dark on narrow country roads – the types with grass in the middle, not a single soul on sight for the whole drive, hungry, cold and tired, asking myself why on earth am I doing this by choice?! (Damn, I could’ve picked Interior Design instead …)
I did not expect much from the stone cottage, after all, it was just a place to put the head down before starting a long day of driving across Ireland again. So when I got in and seen they had the fireplace on for me, the place was warm and cozy, plenty of coal and wood left over, and there were snacks and wine in the fridge, and a couple of bits for next day’s breakfast I was over the moon.
I know it’s probably silly, but it really made my day.
What was your worst in-the-field experience as a landscape Photographer?
Could be the day I drove two hours up North to shoot the Haulbowline Lighthouse only to get there and realise I was after forgetting my gear at home, followed by being caught in a storm on the way back… Or could be the day I was washed off by a huge wave at Hook Lighthouse…
We got there nice and early, around 4 am, just in time for sunrise. Our styles were quite different and I think we just wanted to shoot from different angles so I went for a low angle, on the lowest rock there was, loving the waves crashing into the cliffs in the foreground of my shots. As it was getting windier, the waves were getting bigger, my shots were getting better.
Sunrise or Sunset & Why?
Where is your favourite Location in Ireland to Photograph & Why?
What is your favourite photograph, that you’ve taken to date, & Why?
I don’t like any of my own work, I am the first one to see its flaws, I am my worst critic.
Its hard to chose a single image as “the favourite” but the images i enjoyed capturing the most were the Carton Lakehouse in Maynooth and the Lake Reflection in Gaugane Barra, Co. Cork.
What equipment / Setup are you currently using?
- DJI Mavic Air2S Fly More Combo
- Canon EOS R
- Canon RF 24-70 mm F 2.8L IS USM
- Canon RF 100- 500 mm F4.5 - 7.1 L IS USM
- Canon RF 85mm 1.2 L usm DS
- Manfrotto 190 xPro paired with a 3W Ballhead
- Kenro Karoo Travel Tripod Kit (which is getting switched to probably a Vanguard soon)
- Lowepro Protactic 350 AWC II
Top Tip for anyone starting out?
Best Advise you’ve personally been given?
Who is your favourite Irish photographer at the moment?
There are so many amazing photographers that I follow and inspire me… to keep the list as short as possible I could just name a few :
Paul Byrne – give this man something as little as a grain of sand and I guarantee you he’ll come up with a fantastic composition. His Fine Art and Minimalist Photography is out of this world.
I love Reuben Fields’ style, from composition to colour tones- Everything about his work is pure perfection.
Ricardo Rea – one of the most talented and soundest photographers I know… He has a ton of knowledge and a unique, dreamy vibe in his edits that inspired me even from the beginning of my photography journey.
