Photographing Puffins on Skellig Michael
Photographing Puffins on the Wild Atlantic Way
A day with the happy/sad clown birds of the Skellig Islands
County Kerry is a small part of the world, but it's packed with huge vistas, hill walks, wildlife, amazing seascapes and some of the clearest night skies you are likely to see. On one of our many return trips to Kerry, I had the chance to photograph the puffins on the Skellig Islands. From the Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 to waiting in the rain, here's my experience photographing these wonderful little birds on the Wild Atlantic Way.
The happy/sad clown birds of the Skellig Islands.
The Magic of Kerry
I wanted to follow up somewhat on my last post about photographing the stars. I had mentioned on that blog that there is a great place in County Kerry in Ireland that is registered as a dark sky reserve and it got me to thinking that, I. LOVE. KERRY!
It is a small part of the world but it is packed with huge vistas, hill walks, wildlife, amazing seascapes and of course some of the clearest night skies you are likely to see. While I sit here in Portugal (one of my favourite places in the world, more on this very soon) I can't help but be drawn back to this small corner of the world.
We have been to Kerry a good few times at this stage and each time we go, I learn something new about photography and how to simply stop, take in my surroundings and to wait for the moment that would encapsulate the landscape that is so wonderfully humbling.
Return Trips to Kerry
Approaching the Skellig Islands — a world of wonder awaits.
Orla has created a full detailed post of the trip to Kerry and visiting the Skelligs, but if you've been reading our blog, you'll know at this stage I tend to focus more on the photography end of things. I will focus more on my experience photographing the Puffins on the Skellig Islands.
My Legs Failed to Carry Me
Skellig Michael — a place of wonder, even if I didn't make it to the top.
As Orla has mentioned in the other post, I failed to make it to the top of Skellig Michael due to slight vertigo I have. Sometimes I can be fine but on this occasion, it got the best of me! While I left Orla to make it to the top by herself, I did still have a really amazing time photographing the happy/sad clown birds (puffins) that inhabit this wonderful landscape.
The Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 — A Short Review
Being a Sony shooter, I have a great opportunity to use all kinds of lenses with the camera. I am a fan of the Angry Photographer on YouTube and he used to always go on about how the Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 is such a great lens. It is truly some legacy glass! After hearing about the history of this lens and all it has done for photographers over the years, I knew it was the right 135mm for me.
So I bought one. I have no problem manually focusing and in fact, quite relish the challenge (thank you focus peaking). I hadn't previously had too much of an opportunity to use it so I thought today would be the day.
📷 Gear Used For This Shoot
- Sony a7 III — My reliable full-frame body
- Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 — Legacy manual-focus lens
- Sony to Nikon Lens Adapter — Essential for using Nikkor glass on Sony bodies
- 3 Legged Thing Winston Tripod — For stability in windy conditions
- Peak Design Capture Clip — For carrying the camera securely
- Rain Cover for Camera — Essential for shooting in Irish weather
- Headlamp with Red Light — For early mornings and late evenings
Puffins, Puffins Everywhere
Puffins in flight — colourful little birds with sad clown faces.
There are so many puffins hanging around on the cliffside, on the footpath and just kinda anywhere you look really, so it is not too hard to find any to photograph. Having watched many wildlife photographers online doing their thing, I decided to follow suit. I picked a spot and simply just waited.
The rain was pouring but the birds were soaring. I was so delighted to see the images on the back of the camera — when I nailed the focus, they were so sharp. I couldn't help but smile all throughout the whole time I was photographing. You will see one or two shots that are not bang-on focus but I still think they turned out great!
A puffin on the cliffside — watching the world go by.
That sad clown face — impossible not to love.
Nesting season — the puffins were busy.
A puffin with its catch — a moment of pure joy.
Swooping and soaring — the puffins were on the move.
A close-up — those eyes, that beak, that face.
The Skellig Islands — a dramatic backdrop for a wildlife photography adventure.
The birds kept coming and going from their little nesting perch and I was firing away. They are such colourful little cute birds (I can see why the monks used to eat them!). They have this sad little face though, like a sad clown. They were hopping and jumping and swooping — I had such a fantastic time even just watching them.
What I Learned
Patience pays off. Wildlife photography is about waiting. Pick a spot, settle in, and let the birds come to you.
Manual focus is rewarding. The Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 is a beautiful lens. Focus peaking on the Sony makes manual focus a joy.
Embrace the conditions. It was raining, but the birds didn't care. And neither did I, once I saw the images on the back of the camera. A good rain cover makes all the difference.
Wildlife photography is addictive. Once you start, you can't stop. I'll definitely be doing more of this.
Final Thoughts
Anyway, a final thought. If you make it to this stunning part of the world and manage to get yourself a ticket to go to the island and freak out half way up, thinking you are going to die or fall off, don't worry too much. Making friends with the local birds is just as awesome as seeing where Luke Skywalker ended up retreating to.
Inspired to Photograph Wildlife?
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