The Rock of Cashel is a landmark in Ireland for most tourists and is one of the oldest pre-Norman castles in Ireland. The Rock of Cashel served as the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years prior to the Norman invasion. Few remnants if any of the early structures survive; the majority of buildings on the current site date from the 12th and 13th centuries. Cashel is reputed to be the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century AD.
Here is the equipment used for this session
I decided to take a different approach to the pictures using Hore Abbey on the foreground at dawn. Here is a view of the Abbey from the Rock of Cashel.
Here is the location on the map where I positioned myself in the morning, which is right behind the stone wall on the left.
I drove from Thurles which is a 30 minute drive coming from the North, but is actually a 2hr drive from Dublin. You can come from the R505 and make a right on St Patricksrock. The abbey is on a field with some cows (careful with the poop) . Looks like a private field but people camp there, and on the same day at least 3 groups of photographers on the same area so get there early to claim a spot.
During summer time the sun will come out directly behind the castle creating silhouettes, fog will be there almost for sure so it could create pretty nice effects, this will give you more time to drive around and take some shots of the castle from the other side, then you can go back to the Abbey once its lighted.
Here is a video on how the place looks at dawn during the summer:
If you want to use some farm animals on the foreground, just make sure you are aware of the sun position, as animals tend to move to look for the first sun rays to warm up.
As you drive back to Dublin or leaving Cashel take the back roads as there are great opportunities for pictures of farmland, houses, churches and landscapes, I took advantage of this cemetery outside of Thurles
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