The Best Time for a Photoshoot in Ireland: Season, Month and Hour

Spring (March to May)

The days lengthen fast, lambs are in the fields, gorse turns the hillsides yellow and bluebells flower in the woods of Wicklow and Killarney in late April and May. May is often one of the drier months and the big sights are not yet at their busiest. It is still cool, especially on the coast, so bring a warm layer.

Summer (June to August)

The longest days of the year. Sunset on the west coast is after 22:00 around midsummer, and it never gets fully dark for long. Everything is green, the gardens are in flower and outdoor ceremonies are easiest. It is also the busiest season: the Cliffs of Moher, Glendalough, the Ring of Kerry and Temple Bar are crowded from mid-morning to early evening, so early mornings and late evenings are the hours to book.

Autumn (September to November)

September often brings settled spells and warm low light, and the crowds fall away after the school holidays. In October the woods around Killarney, Glendalough and Adare turn gold and copper. By November, days are short and the Atlantic storms begin, but the dramatic skies can be spectacular.

Winter (December to February)

Short days, low sun all day and very quiet landmarks. Frost on a clear morning in Wicklow or snow on the Kerry mountains is rare but beautiful. Sessions are planned around midday and the early afternoon, and the city lights of Dublin and Galway make for warm blue-hour pictures by 17:00.

Approximate sunset times in Dublin. The west coast sets roughly 15 to 25 minutes later, because it lies further west in the same time zone.

Clocks change on the last Sunday of March and October, which explains the jumps. Because the sun sets at a shallow angle so far north, golden hour in summer is long and gentle, and the light after sunset stays usable for a while. The photographer sets your start time for your exact date and place.

• West-facing coasts — the Cliffs of Moher, Slea Head near Dingle, the beaches of Connemara: the hour before sunset, when the cliffs and sand catch warm light and the coach tours have gone.
• Lakes and valleys — Glendalough, the lakes of Killarney: early morning, when the water is calm and there may be mist.
• City streets — Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny: early morning for empty streets, or blue hour when the shop and pub lights come on.
• East-facing coasts — Howth, Dún Laoghaire: sunrise over the Irish Sea, or late afternoon when the sun lights the headland from behind you.

Midday is not ruled out. On an overcast day, the light at noon is soft and even, and in winter the sun never climbs high. On a bright summer day, though, noon sun is hard and high, so for a midday slot the photographer will look for shade under trees, the arches of an old street or the north side of a building, where the light is open and even.

Ireland’s weather comes off the Atlantic, so the west is wetter and windier than the east, and conditions change quickly. A morning of rain often becomes an afternoon of sun and clouds.

Photographers plan for it in three ways:

1. A time window. Rather than a fixed minute, the session has some slack so a shower can pass.
2. A sheltered alternative. Woodland paths, old-town arches, the lee side of a headland or a hotel’s gardens.
3. A fallback date. If your trip allows it, keep a second day free. The terms in your proposal state how a weather change is handled.

Light rain photographs well: colours saturate, skin looks soft, and an umbrella can be a prop. Strong wind is harder — on cliff tops it is a safety question, and the photographer will move you somewhere sheltered. Wear layers, bring a coat that looks good in pictures, and pack shoes for wet grass.

Ireland’s most famous views are also its busiest, and crowds affect photographs more than weather does.

• Cliffs of Moher: busiest from late morning to late afternoon, especially from May to September. The visitor experience has published opening hours that change by season; check them for an early or late visit.
• Glendalough: weekends and bank holidays fill the car parks by late morning. Arrive early.
• Ring of Kerry: coach tours drive anti-clockwise in the morning and early afternoon. Evenings are quiet.
• Temple Bar and the Long Walk: busy from lunchtime into the night. Book early morning.
• Kylemore Abbey: a managed attraction with opening hours, so it is a daytime visit.

A weekday in June or September, at the first or last hour of light, is the closest thing to having a famous place to yourselves.

• Proposals: the last hour before sunset on a west-facing coast, or early morning at a lake. See proposal locations in Ireland.
• Couples and honeymoons: May to September evenings; autumn for colour. See couple photoshoots in Ireland.
• Families: morning sessions suit young children better than a late summer sunset. See family photoshoots in Ireland.
• Elopements: late spring to early autumn for long days; remember that a legal marriage needs three months’ notice. See the elopement guide.

• January and February: quiet, cold and short. Good for city sessions in Dublin or Galway at midday, and for dramatic winter skies on the coast if you can be flexible with the date.
• March: the days lengthen by about two hours across the month and the clocks go forward at the end of it. St Patrick’s Day on 17 March fills Dublin and the main towns, which is lively for street photographs but crowded at landmarks.
• April: blossom in the city parks, gorse on the hills and Easter crowds for a week or two. A good month for families because the light comes early enough for a morning session after breakfast.
• May: one of the best months. Long evenings, bluebells in the woods, fresh green fields, and the summer crowds have not yet arrived.
• June: the longest days and the latest sunsets. Excellent for proposals and elopements, as long as you are happy to dine late or start early.
• July and August: warmest and busiest. Book early, choose the first or last hour of light at famous places, and expect full car parks at midday.
• September: often calm and golden, with schools back and roads quieter. Many photographers would choose it above any other month.
• October: autumn colour in Killarney, Glendalough and Adare, and the clocks go back at the end of the month, so the evening light moves an hour earlier.
• November and December: short days and stormy weather, but warm city lights, Christmas markets and empty beaches. Plan around the early afternoon.

Bank holiday weekends, which fall in Ireland in February, March, May, June, August and October, as well as at Christmas and Easter, bring more people to the countryside and fill hotels in the popular towns. If you can, avoid them for a session at the busiest landmarks.