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Peter Gordon
Peter Gordon is a professional landscape photographer based in Ireland. He owns ExploreLight Workshops and exhibits his personal work though his own name, online and on Instagram.
Explaining the light is always the hardest thing to teach as a workshop leader. Interpreting it as a photographer is even more difficult. But there’s safety in numbers. There’s strength in unity, and depth can be achieved if we commit to an idea. If we bind together and unite behind a concept, the sum of the parts is always much greater.
Cooperation, commitment, reaching out to a wider community is what drives the IrishLight Collection concept. The setting is the Irish landscape, but we very much consider this an international idea inspired by the worldwide community we see on our workshops, in magazines, online and at exhibitions.
From a personal perspective, I am an artist, a photographer, an organiser within the community, and a workshop leader. I run the IrishLight photography festival amongst other photography related activities.
As a workshops leader, I have been exposed to the amazing talent and dedication that exists in the landscape photography community. I always felt there was something that could be harnessed. Raw energy, commitment, obsession. IrishLight draws on these ideas, bringing workshop outcomes and images to a wider audience, for a wider purpose.
Donegal Workshop Atlantic Reach Concept 2016 – Workshop Participant - Noel McIntyre
The Concept
Teams of photographers attend various workshops located around Ireland, led by Ireland’s foremost landscape professionals, shooting different locations simultaneously under one unifying theme.
The aim, a beautifully crafted hardback book plus exhibition showing the light unfold. A genuine timeline and unique collection of images created by the workshop participants. Profits from the book sale and exhibition in aid of charity.
Achill Workshop ‘The Island’ Concept 2017 – Workshop Participant - Noel McIntyre
2016 – A Beginning
The first time we brought this concept to fruition was in 2016. We started big and decided to tap into Ireland’s most recognizable landscape resource, ‘The Wild Atlantic Way’. A stretch of road that runs along Ireland’s west coast taking in some of the most dramatic scenery Ireland has to offer.
We ran simultaneous workshops with 32 participants stretching all the way from Donegal in the North, to Cork in the South. It was fascinating to see the results. Being able to actually measure and observe how different the light could be in locations just 100 miles apart. There’s a reason for the ‘Wild’ in “Wild Atlantic Way’. The weather is unpredictable, varied and often dramatic. Just how us landscape snappers like it. Anyone for clear blue skies? No Thanks!
Clare Workshop Atlantic Reach Concept 2016 – Workshop Participant - Arun Farcas
West Cork Workshop Atlantic Reach Concept 2016 – Workshop Participant – Tony Creedon
Front Cover of the First IrishLight Collection
2017 – Making it Happen
Since 2017 we have successfully published the first IrishLight collection in book and exhibition format, raising vital money for our charity partner the Samaritans, we have shot ‘The Island’, where our participants we’re located on remote islands off the Irish coast, to be published September 2018, and we have brought out a brand new concept for the IrishLight programme 2018. Phew, that’s it, it’s been busy!
Sherkin Island Workshop ‘The Island’ Concept 2017 – Workshop Participant – John Maher
2018 – Whats Happening This Year!
Roll on 2018 we will once again have all participating photographers
out shooting different landscapes simultaneously under one unifying theme.
The theme for this year's workshops/exhibition/book is:
Rebels and Kings - September 27th - 30th
All workshops will be based in Cork and Kerry. The Rebel County and the Kingdom. Some of the finest scenery in Ireland seems to warrant a detailed study and we think it will make for a fantastic project. Signing off with some images from our workshop leaders from locations that will be visited as part of this year's event.
Find out more about IrishLight at irishlight.ie.
Peter Gordon
George Karbus
Rohan Reilly
Norman McCloskey