Portrait of the Northern Ireland Coast

in Books by Simon — October 31, 2009 at 3:38 pm | 0 comments

Portrait of the Northern Ireland Coast, the first book by Northern Irish outdoor writer and photographer Simon Watterson, is a photographic journey around the coast of Northern Ireland. Starting at the historic Narrow Water Castle where the Newry River flows into Carlingford Lough the book follows the coastline visiting both the well known sights, like the Giant’s Causeway, and the lesser known gems such as Killard Point.

Creating the photographs for the book was a lot of hard work, a lot of travel and a lot of fun. Portrait of the Northern Ireland Coast is the result of Simon’s own exploration of the coast. At times he was re-visiting places that he had been as a child and at other times he was discovering places anew. Some of the experiences are burned into his memory: midsummer around Lough Foyle and Magilligan Point with the almost magical light; seeing the sun rise on Easter Sunday morning at St John’s Point; the many people who made the travelling far more sociable than he ever expected it to be. Simon says that he can’t know how other people will relate to the images in the book, but he hopes that those who read it will experience some of the wonder and fascination that ran like a connecting thread through the whole project.

Simon is busy finishing Portrait of Mourne and having more amazing experiences – Portrait of Mourne will be available in Spring 2010.

In the meantime “Portrait of the Northern Ireland Coast” is available though Amazon.

From Portrait of the Northern Ireland Coast:

“From beautiful golden strands to imposing sea cliffs and from quiet coves to busy ports, the diversity of the Northern Irish coastline is matched only by the variety of  people who enjoy it and live on it. Although Northern Ireland is a small country its coastline is surprisingly long, stretching from Carlingford Lough in the southeast to  Lough Foyle in the northwest. Travelling its length, you discover the history of our forebears and their hunter-gatherer and agricultural lifestyles; the richness of the Irish Sea and the fishing industry that was so important to the development of the coastal communities; and the industrial development in the Port of Belfast that enabled wider growth throughout the country. Providing a respite from economic toil, the coast is a playground for people from all walks of life: for families enjoying a rest or some  surfing on the beaches of the northwest, climbers enjoying the challenges of Fairhead or nature lovers looking for hidden treasures on the shores of Strangford Lough.
The images in this superb book explore the diversity of this valuable natural resource that, in a very real sense, sustains our lives in this ancient and modern land.”

Tags: Coast Northern Ireland Simon Watterson