A couple of weeks ago, I returned from my first ten-day workshop of the year. We had a great group of participants this time around and the weather was as good as you could hope for.

Everyone got along very well indeed and all came away with great images, wonderful memories and improved photographic skills - the main goals of any workshop I run.

I've included a small gallery of images showing me and the participants hard at work (or not, as the case may be!). Click on any image to see a larger version.

To read more about these workshops, head on over to the Ireland photo workshops page.

What we get up to. Click on any image to see a larger version.

Thanks to all those participants who allowed me to use their images for this album!

Here are the testimonials from the trip:

"Thank you again for a great workshop. It was the best I have ever attended and I appreciated your approach to life in general, let alone your photographic and teaching skills. I learnt a great deal and loved the scenery. I would have no hesitation in recommending your workshops to other photographers, and hopefully will get the chance to do another myself some day."

-- David Gee, Australia

"I had a fantastic time. Sitting here less than a week later back at work it feels like some sort of vague dream already. The locations for shooting were incredible and the large number of locations you got us to in 10 days was also very impressive.

You are a very good instructor. Those of us who do this for a living recognize that the axiom "Those who can't, teach" is pure bullshit and they've never tried teaching. I've met many amazing professionals in a variety of fields who couldn't articulate worth a damn to another person how it is they do what they do --even when that is why I was paying to see them try. You show very disciplined patience when necessary, but also are very good at utilizing your sense of humor to make everyone have a good time. Your depth and breadth of knowledge is commendable. Not only are you able to answer questions, but also give a deep understanding behind the answer if necessary.

You made yourself amazingly accessible. I didn't anticipate that you would be with us at every meal and so open to discussing photgraphy during every breathing moment you were awake. That level of accessibility is not something I was expecting."

-- Scott McGlynn, USA

"I can't thank you enough, Peter, for making this workshop such a memorable experience. You gave us magical locations, great food and fun, and most of all your ability to provide useful and positive learning opportunities at all skill levels. You truly are a teacher and photographer with a "high dynamic range!" I'm already recommending your workshops to my friends.

-- Gail Bingham, USA

"What can I say? Brilliant locations, food, accommodation, teaching and non-stop laughs. And you got me on the plane with my tripod!"

-- Val Graham, UK

"As the only genuine old-timer in your group I found the course to be tough but very rewarding. You took us to some beautiful parts of Ireland that but for this course we might never have seen. Each day you took trouble to spend time with each of us to explain everything from the absolutely simple to the highly technical about landscape photography. Above all, through your leadership, you merged us into a team who enjoyed each others company and at the same time greatly improved our photographic skills. The organisation, food and accommodation were all first class

Many thanks for a great ten days. Long may you reign in elite photographic circles."

-- Robert Moran, Australia

Also, here's a short time lapse film of one of our sunrise shoots.

Sunrise Shoot, Glengarriff, Co. Cork from Peter Cox on Vimeo.

My article on Time Lapse Photography was published in this week's Amateur Photographer magazine (dated Saturday, August 28, 2010). Be sure and pick up your copy!

In the article, I go through the basics of time lapse technique, showing you how to make the best from your own camera.

Episode 3 of the podcast on the business of photography that I host with Roger Overall is now live.

Have a listen over on the Circle of Confusion website, and be sure to leave a comment!

I've been quietly working on a new arm of my business, which is photographing golf courses. To that end, I've created a new site - Irish Golf Course Photography.

The idea is to combine superior technical image quality (using my 39 megapixel medium format system) with my artistic eye to create images of Irish golf courses that evoke a real emotional response from the viewer - to make them more likely to visit my clients' courses than anyone else.

If you're a member or staff at a golf course, and would like to improve its image and attract more visitors/members - then head on over to the new site and have a look - then give me a call.

The second episode of the photography business podcast that I co-host with Roger Overall is now live over on the Circle of Confusion site.

In this episode, we interview award-winning Irish wedding photographer Paul Callaghan and discuss how personal projects can lead to increased business.

Check it out!

Its been a whirlwind couple of days. I was at the second quarterly IPPA judging this year on Monday where I received 2 diamond, 4 gold and 3 silver crests.

As if that wasn't good enough, I also got word this weekend that my submission to obtain my QEP (Qualified European Photographer) was successful - so I can now put three more letters after my name. This year's judging saw only 35% of submissions making the grade, and I was the only successful Irish applicant. This makes me one of only 19 QEP photographers in Ireland, and one of just 2 in the Landscape discipline.

Click on the small image below to see a larger version of my panel:

Below you'll find my award winners from the IPPA.

First, the diamonds:
1 - Erupting, Eyjafjallajökull Volcano, Iceland

2 - Angry Gannet, Bull Rock, Co. Cork

Now the golds:
1 - Sunset, The Verdon Gorge, France

2 - Gannet in Flight, Bull Rock, Co. Cork

3 - Mère Eglise, le Gigon, Dévoluy Valley, Hautes-Alpes, France

4 - Illauncreeveen, Glengarriff, Co. Cork

And finally, the silvers:
1 - Dursey Island, the Cow & the Calf, Co. Cork

2 - View to the Skelligs, Bull Rock, Co. Cork

3 - Gannets in Flight, Bull Rock, Co. Cork

I feel honoured to have my work be judged so highly. Here's hoping I can keep the standard up for the rest of the year.

I recently had a film crew come down and record what happens on my workshops. They also interviewed me on what I love about photography and teaching. I just received the final cut of this film and am delighted to share it with you here.

Be sure and view it in HD (the little button that says '360p' at the bottom right - change that to '720p') if you have the bandwidth.

Related to this, my friend and colleague Roger Overall paid a visit on the same workshop and took some fantastic images of the workshop in progress.

I've just published an article/photo essay on my recent trip to the Bull Rock off the coast of Cork. You can read it here.

As always, your comments are welcome,

I was delighted to discover this morning that my image Dún Briste, Downpatrick Head, Co. Mayo won third place in the Nature category at the highly respected Prix de la Photographie Paris competition. Not only that, but it also received an Honourable Mention in the Fine Art/Landscape category.

Last year I received an honorable mention for my image Waiting for the Spring. Next year, it's time to win a category!

The PX3 competition is one of Europe's most highly respected photography awards, juried by many of the premier names in photography globally - including the curator of photography at the Library of Congress and the picture editor for Time Magazine. It's definitely an honour to place in such a competition, let alone two years in a row.

As most of you I'm sure are aware, I have a special place in my heart for Iceland. It's a great country with stunningly beautiful landscape and a fantastic people.

I was approached by the Icelandic tourist board to see if I would support their new 'Inspired by Iceland' initiative. I think it's an excellent cause - Iceland is a relative unknown to many people, so anything that puts the word out about how great a place it is to visit is good.

You can visit their website and see some cool videos as well as stories from other travelers. My own can be found here.