The picture above is of Dalkey in the foreground, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin bay and Dublin City in the background. Dalkey is a stunning location with plenty of vistas. This aerial photo got featured on UNILAD Adventure. Aerial shot by Conrad Schaefer.

What a rollercoaster of a year it’s been so far with the black swan Covid-19! All our lives have changed either for better or worse. To reflect on the last few months, here’s a throwback to a positive photography outing earlier in the year.

Back in May, as a result of feeling stressed with the situation and reading draining news articles day after day, I decided to venture out and explore the hidden gems and beauties of nature in my local area.
Being out on your bike at 5 am to capture Golden hour is probably one of the most rewarding experiences you can have — feeling nature’s pulse is intuitive and refreshing. The subtle wind, the gentle lapping waves and the chirping of the birds all contribute to this.

Here, in Dalkey, Ireland (a suburban town of Dublin) we were immensely blessed earlier in the summer with these Californian like long sunny days coupled with almost zero air traffic due to travel restrictions. The result you get is an absolutely stunning morning.

On one morning here are some of the shots I got:

Tourists on Dalkey Island

Dalkey Island Aerial shot.

Irish Ferry coming into Dublin Bay.

Interesting cloud structure taken in the early morning.

Coincidentally, Matt Damon (an actor) got stuck in Dalkey whilst on business to film The Last Duel because of the lockdown in Ireland and couldn’t get back to the US. Fortunately, his quarantine didn’t get graced by the typical Irish rainy weather back in May. In fact, that Spring was the sunniest on record! Visibility was astonishing, and the skies were crystal clear.
According to local newspaper articles, he expressed that he loves the area. As a result, rumour has it, he’s back (to finish his film)!

Anyway, as summer dwindles away, COVID cases are on the increase, an economic recession is looming, and Brexit is on the horizon. We can at least rest assured that the first lockdown did yield some positive memories.

Written by Conrad Schaefer.

All Photos by Conrad Schaefer.

Copyright 2020.