Exploring Rough Island: A Hidden Gem in Strangford Lough

Situated within the serene waters of Strangford Lough in County Down, Northern Ireland, Rough Island is a small tidal island steeped in quiet charm and subtle history. Accessible only at low tide via a causeway from the mainland near Island Hill, the island offers a peaceful and scenic walking experience that captures the natural beauty and rich heritage of the lough.

Historically, Rough Island has served many modest roles—from grazing land for livestock to a strategic lookout during wartime. While it has never been heavily developed or inhabited, its significance lies in its place within the wider story of Strangford Lough, an area known for its Viking history, ancient monastic sites, and diverse marine life. The surrounding lough is one of the most environmentally significant marine areas in the UK, designated as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) and a Marine Nature Reserve.

Today, Rough Island is a favourite spot for walkers, birdwatchers, and those seeking a quiet escape. The walk out to the island is both scenic and accessible, but timing is essential—the causeway is only passable for a few hours on either side of low tide. Once on the island, visitors are treated to panoramic views of the lough, the Mourne Mountains in the distance, and a variety of bird species that inhabit the tidal flats and salt marshes.

For photography enthusiasts, Rough Island offers a striking palette of textures and tones. The interplay of stone, sea, sky, and shifting light creates a timeless quality.  Gnarled trees, weathered rock formations, and the ever-changing patterns of the tide lend themselves to evocative, moody compositions that reflect the quiet drama of the landscape.

Rough Island may be small and unassuming, but its peaceful setting, rich atmosphere, and connection to the natural rhythms of the tide make it a unique and rewarding destination—not just for walkers, but also for those with an eye for the poetic potential that photography can capture in one of Northern Ireland’s most picturesque and contemplative corners.

The following images complete the walk around the island.

Exploring Shapes, Light, and Shadow: Monochrome Photography Under the M3 Bridge Over the River Lagan

Nestled in the heart of Belfast, the M3 bridge stretches over the River Lagan like a colossal spine of concrete and steel. While often seen as a mere conduit for traffic, this structure offers a captivating subject for monochrome photography, especially for those drawn to the interplay of shapes, light, and shadow.

Beneath the bridge, a world of geometric wonder unfolds. Repeating patterns that draws the eye into the distance. In black and white, these forms gain new power—freed from the distraction of colour, the photographer can focus purely on line, contrast, and form. Angles sharpen, curves soften and the scene becomes a study in architectural rhythm.

Light filters through gaps in the bridge, cutting through the darkness in crisp, narrow beams of light. On a clear day, sunlight splashes across the water and concrete alike, throwing strong shadows that stretch and shift with the time of day. The bridge’s underside becomes a canvas for chiaroscuro—the dramatic contrast between light and shadow that defines great monochrome imagery.

The reflections on the Lagan’s surface add another layer of complexity. In monochrome, the river becomes a dark, shifting mirror, catching glimmers of light or silhouettes of the overhead structure. Photographers can use long exposures to smooth the water, enhancing the stillness and emphasising the strong verticals and horizontals above, although today I used moderate shutter speeds to produce still dark waters.

Shooting under the M3 bridge invites a meditative approach. It's about seeing the urban environment differently—finding beauty in hard lines and quiet light. For those with a camera and a keen eye, this overlooked location is a hidden gallery of form and contrast, waiting to be captured in black and white.

Today when I took the bus to Belfast  I did not know what I would photograph; taking a walk along Titanic Quarter produces many opportunities and it summarises the joy of street photography.

A sequence of images taken on this theme:

Rough Island through the window

This is a photograph that I have pre-visualised for quite some time, I left home with this shot clearly in my mind, taking a photograph of Rough Island in Strangford Lough through a car door window, using the window itself to frame the image, has created a natural and intimate composition that blends human presence with the surrounding landscape.

You're sitting in the driver's seat, the car pulled into a quiet corner of Island Hall car park that overlooks Strangford Lough. The weather is typical of Northern Ireland—clouds hanging low with diffuse light filtering through, casting a soft silver sheen over the water. The car door is closed, and you're angled just right so that the window frame becomes a natural border to the view.

Through the door window, Rough Island sits like a still memory, its shoreline gently lapped by the withdrawing tide. The island’s form is framed perfectly by the door— its green brush, gnarled trees, and stony edges cradled by the gentle curved causeway providing access at low ride.

The car’s interior edges— a sliver of the door handle, and the wing mirror catching a corner of sky—contrast with the rugged beauty outside, anchoring the viewer in the immediacy of the moment. It’s a quiet juxtaposition: the quiet solitude of nature captured from the familiarity of a human space. The photograph becomes a pause in motion, a frame within a frame, a brief stillness on a journey.

Finding a Picture Within a Picture in Street Photography

Walking through the bustling town square, camera in hand, I stumbled upon a moment that seemed ordinary yet extraordinary. With my eye following the line of a long curling bench seat I saw a solitary man sitting.  Holding on to this scene I noticed a small toddler running around the centre of the square and the child’s mother calling hand outstretched, I captured the picture — a picture that contained an unfolding story.

Later, upon reviewing my photograph, one of four taken at this scene, I decided that a square format would work well by concentrating on the middle view of the frame, the photograph was taken in portrait format.  I noticed how the viewer’s eye was led to the solitary man sitting and then to the other unfolding element of the mother and child in the centre of the town square. This scene seemed to unveil a secondary story, a picture within a picture, adding depth and interest to the scene in the town square.

This discovery was an important learning point; to look for the picture within the broader scene. I began wondering whether every picture might harbour a secondary image, a hidden story waiting to be found amid the busyness of the urban landscape. In effect to become a photographic explorer, eager to unveil the stories within stories that lie in plain view before us.

Returning in Black and White: A Photographic Experiment

Just a couple of days ago, I captured a colour photograph of an old tree near the shore of Strangford Lough — its misshaped branches reaching out over the stony beach, adding texture and character to the scene. The image was full of life, a feeling that colour naturally brings. But my intention all along was to produce a black-and-white photograph, and it left me wondering: How would this scene hold up without colour?

Yesterday, I returned to the same spot, determined to create a monochrome image. The aim was not simply to reproduce the colour view in black and white, but to reimagine the scene through light, shadow, and texture. Where colour guides the eye, now contrast, form, and composition carry the weight — a challenge made even greater by changing light conditions in the landscape.

Shooting in black and white forced me to see more deeply. I noticed details I hadn’t previously recognised: the rhythmic pattern of the bark, the delicate interplay of light, shadow and texture, and the way the tree framed the scene in a quiet, cinematic symmetry.

The result is not a replica but a reinterpretation. In colour, the photograph spoke of majestic landscape, the rocky shoreline and the sculptured form of the tree leaning over the stoney beach. In black and white, it resonates with solitude and endurance.

Revisiting the same location with a new intention turned a familiar subject into something fresh — a powerful reminder that sometimes, limitation invites the greatest creativity.

How Photographic Projects Help Develop Your Storytelling Style

One of the greatest ways for a photographer to grow is by embracing photographic projects.  Instead of focusing on isolated snapshots, a project invites you to delve deep into a subject, a community, or a moment in time - turning your camera into a tool for story telling instead of pure observation.  Photographic projects have given greater purpose and coherence to my photography.

When you commit to a project, you naturally start thinking in stories. How will you piece together separate photographs to create a greater whole? What context, character, or timeline will aid your narrative? This process lets you move from capturing pretty images toward framing a rich and purposeful story — a story that's uniquely yours.

Additionally, a photographic project helps you foster a consistent style and a strong voice. Making many photographs under a unified concept lets you appreciate your own preferences and techniques, turning them into a recognizable form of expression. You'll learn to pay attention to details and to the way each picture resonates with the rest, adding depth and coherence to your portfolio.

For instance, a project focusing on your home village can profoundly aid your storytelling. By depicting the routines, people, traditions, and landscape of your community, you enable viewers to appreciate its character and stories from a more intimate perspective. This approach helps you connect your photography to your roots and produce a rich, contextual narrative through your art.

My Village Life project started several years ago and is still in progress.  It is intended to tell the story of my home village and to document it’s day to day life. Ultimately, photographic projects enable you to grow not just as a photographer, but as a storyteller. Each project is a new opportunity to discover what stories you care about and how you want to tell them.

Village Life - 10 selected photographs from the Village Life archive.

Differences Between Street Photography and Landscape Photography

When you think about photography, two genres often come to mind: street photography and landscape photography. At first glance, they may seem worlds apart — and in many ways, they are — yet both aim to tell a story through a single frame.

Street photography is all about capturing the human condition in its pure form. It involves turning your camera toward the bustling city street, freezing a moment in time — whether it's a fleeting expression, a dramatic intersection, or a juxtaposition of people and their routines. Street photography is spontaneous; it's a form of observation. The photographer must be vigilant, always ready to respond to the stories that unfold in their viewfinder.

On the other side, landscape photography focuses on the magnificence of nature and the sculpted view of the world. Here, patience is key. The landscape photographer waits for the perfect light — often during the golden hours — to illuminate a scene just right. The aim is to encapsulate the feeling of a place, its vastness, its texture, its colours, and its ability to inspire awe in the viewers who see it afterwards.  

While both forms can produce powerful and evocative imagery, their approach, intent, and technique differ significantly. Street photography is a raw snapshot of human activity, while landscape photography offers a more composed view of the world’s innate magic.  Both genres require the photographer to work in different ways, quick and responsive for street photography; whereas for landscape the photographer slows down to contemplate the scene more carefully, often waiting until conditions are just right.

A Journey Through Time: Visiting Tullynakill Graveyard

Nestled in the heart of County Down Northern Ireland, Tullynakill Graveyard offers a serene escape into a bygone age. As I approached the weathered headstones a sense of reverence enveloped me. The graveyard, with its forgotten gravestones and lush greenery, serves as a poignant reminder of the lives once lived.

Walking among the gravestones, each one tells a unique story etched in stone. Some bear intricate carvings, while others are worn smooth by time. The inscriptions, often faded and barely legible, whisper tales of love, loss, and resilience. I marvelled at the craftsmanship that went into these memorials, reflecting the artistry and devotion of a past generation.

As I captured the beauty of the gravestones through my camera lens, which I have done many times before, I couldn’t help but ponder the lives behind them. Who were these individuals? What dreams and struggles did they encounter? Each photograph became a bridge connecting the present to the past, preserving their memory for future generations to ponder.

Tullynakill Graveyard is more than just a resting place; it is a sanctuary of history, inviting visitors to reflect on the passage of time. My visit to this remarkable site was not just a photographic endeavour but a profound journey into the echoes of history, reminding me that while lives may fade, memories endure.