In February I made a trip to the Dingle Peninsula with some photography friends.

I’d never been to this part of Ireland before and was amazed at seeing so much geology in such a small area. Towering sea cliffs, folded rock formations, and sweeping beaches tell a story of immense geological forces at work.

Here are some of the images I captured during my time on the peninsula.

The Sleeping Giant (part of the Blasket Islands) is a well-known rock formation off the coast of the Dingle Peninsula. Over time, the Atlantic Ocean has eroded the rock, carving out its distinctive shape. From this angle, the island resembles a giant lying on its back in the water, with the head, chest, and body forming distinct shapes. If some of those cloud formations were slightly to the right, I think it would look like he was snoring.

At low tide, small pools and exposed rocky outcrops add interest to compositions, in this case featuring Mount Brandon in the distance.

The rocks here, like much of the Dingle Peninsula, are Old Red Sandstone, dating back to the Devonian period (around 400 million years ago).

What caught my attention here were the intricate patterns in the sand. Some were delicate, almost like fingerprints left behind by the sea, while others had a more dramatic, sculpted look. The low, pre-dawn light seemed to give them extra definition, creating subtle shadows that made the textures more pronounced.

I took this image on Coumeenoole Beach. Definitely not a swimming beach, the strong currents and crashing waves give the beach a rugged, untamed feel.

It wouldn’t be Ireland if we didn’t get the occasional passing storm. This one happened while we were at Clogher Head, a headland on the western edge of the Dingle Peninsula. My camera was initially pointed the other way, capturing the coastal view. I turned around when I saw this hiker walking towards the rainbow.

Dunmore Head is the furthest west you can stand in Ireland, making it the last stop before America. We visited a few times at sunset but it was a tricky location to photograph because I was shooting into the sun. This created contrasty images, although I did like the composition I achieved here.

For this composition, I moved further down the 'head' so that I could feature these foreground rocks. Even at sunset, once the sun had disappeared behind the island on the horizon, it was still a contrasty scene as the sea was reflecting the light in the sky.

In this drone shot I’m photographing back towards myself. The light was behind the camera and so was a bit more forgiving. With such a dramatic coastline, you can see why Dunmore Head was used as a filming location for Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

At the top of Dunmore Head I found a small, abandoned lookout structure. I thought it was a historic fortress due to its strategic location overlooking the Atlantic but some internet research taught me it is actually a WWII-era lookout post, part of Ireland’s neutrality watch system during the war.

The sand patterns and rock striations make interesting subjects for semi-abstract images.

The Three Sisters are formed from Devonian Old Red Sandstone, the same ancient rock that makes up much of the Dingle Peninsula’s rugged coastline. The Atlantic’s constant erosion has shaped these headlands over millennia, carving out their distinctive peaks.

As a landscape photographer, I often think I should learn more about geology. Right now, I just admire the work that waves, ice, tectonic plates and lots of time have created. I’m already thinking about the next time I can get back to this incredible place.