You don’t need professional kit to take a really good photograph of this coast. You need to be there at the right time. Here is what we have learned watching photographers — amateur and professional — work this stretch of shore.
Golden hour, twice
The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. East-facing light in the morning lights the Beara Peninsula across the bay; west-facing light in the evening lights the headlands towards Valentia. Pin both into your phone calendar; alarms help.
Watch the tide more than the weather
A photograph of empty wet sand at low tide will beat a photograph of the same beach in poor weather every time. Tide tables are at reception.
Forget grey-sky days — until you don’t
Atlantic weather is unpredictable. Grey-sky days can still produce stunning shots — long exposures of waves on rocks, monochrome cliff-faces, dramatic clouds. Bring a small tripod if you can.
Best vantage points
- Coomakista Pass — the panoramic viewpoint on the road between Caherdaniel and Waterville
- The lawn behind the hotel — at sunrise especially
- Lambs Head pier — late afternoon, dramatic rocks and sea
- Bealtra Pier in Derrynane Harbour — for a wider sweep that includes the Skelligs
- Cromwell Point Lighthouse on Valentia — for one of the best vista shots in Ireland
A small piece of kindness
The local fishermen don’t mind being photographed, but a quick “do you mind?” — and a print sent back later if you can — goes a long way.
