Photographing an Irish Summer with the Nikon FM3A

Summer in Ireland rarely means blue skies all day. It’s usually a mix of sunshine, heavy clouds and the feeling that rain could arrive at any moment.

I took my Nikon FM3A along for a few slow walks through the countryside and around the coast. There were boats sitting quietly in the harbour, sheep scattered across green hills and wildflowers growing wherever they pleased. In the woods, fallen branches and tangled trees made everything feel slightly hidden.

The weather kept changing, but that’s part of photographing Ireland. One minute the light was flat and grey; the next, the sun appeared and transformed the road, the fields or the sea.

Shooting these scenes on 35mm film made me slow down. With the Nikon FM3A, I found myself looking more carefully and waiting before pressing the shutter.

Nothing extraordinary happened, and that’s exactly what I like about these photographs. They’re simply a record of an Irish summer: quiet, green and unpredictable.