On Tuesday, April 22nd, eight members of the OffShoot Photographic Society embarked on a photography outing to Killinthomas Wood, near Rathangan, County Kildare. Rain was forecast for later in the day, and the group were treated to occasional bursts of sunlight, however most of the outing was under grey skies. Nonetheless, the group was greeted by the vibrant bluebell carpet and the fresh scent of wild garlic, creating an ideal setting for woodland photography.
The 200-acre Killinthomas Wood offers a mix of hardwood and conifer trees, with approximately 10 km of signposted trails. In spring, the forest floor is adorned with bluebells and wild garlic, providing excellent opportunities for both macro and landscape photography.
Members captured a variety of images, from close-ups of individual blooms to wide-angle shots of the expansive woodland. Some areas of the woodland were heavily overgrown and hence showed little or no bluebells. Other areas that were well lit offered a profusion of bluebells and some wild garlic, which was just starting to bloom.
The rain held off until 1.30, by which time the group had retired to a local coffee shop for some well-earned refreshments.
Some images (click on an image to open in full-screen mode) from the outing can be seen below:
