Some cities just have “it” – that definable yet undeniable quality that makes them feel alive and exciting. Dublin, for me, is one of those irresistible cities. In the five trips to Ireland I’ve taken over the past two years (I couldn’t actually tell you how many times I’ve visited in total!), it has never disappointed and I’ve always come away with the feeling of having discovered and experienced something new.
When I heard that London City Airport were going to focus on Dublin as the next city in their #NoFilter series, creating an unedited portrait of cities across Europe, it seemed like the perfect time to share some snaps and insights from my travels to the city. The aim of the #NoFilter project is to get back to the roots of photography, celebrating the fact that photos don’t need to be Instagrammed or filtered in order to show how beautiful a city is.
I’m a firm believer it is the small details just as much as the famous sights that give a place its character so that is what I’d like to share here alongside some ideas on how to explore Dublin and a few tips on capturing a trip #nofilter.
Ways to Explore Dublin
1. Get out on foot
A walking tour is a great way to get to know a city; I love doing them on the first day of a trip to find out where to go back and explore further later on. Dublin was no exception as there is a great free walking tour available. Find more details here.
2. Shop Vintage
Dublin has an ever-growing vintage scene with shops selling everything from high-end hand-picked pieces, spots to rummage through for a good bargain and re-worked ready-to-wear finds. Get yourself started by checking out Eager Beaver, Carousel, and the Powerscourt Centre for an array of antique jewelry.
3. Have a beverage or two or three…
I know it’s a cliché but Ireland really does have a cracking night life with pubs and bars to suit every taste. 1920s style cocktail bar The Liquor Rooms and Mexican bar & restaurant 777 (tiny sneak peek here and check back here for a full review sometime soon) are both a good place to start but be sure to book a table – yes even for bars!
For proper pubs and traditional live music, there’s Temple Bar and for a more varied music scene, plenty of drinks and fresh stone-baked pizza served out of a double-decker bus(!), head out to The Bernard Shaw south of the city.
4. Don’t be Shy
Everything you’ve heard about the locals being friendly and welcoming is true; embrace it since everyone from taxi drivers to the people on the next table will have a story for you!
Getting there: If you are flying into Dublin airport, the Air Coach bus runs twenty-four hours a day – every fifteen minutes between 23:55 and 03:25, then every thirty minutes through the night. The route map and return timetable can be found here.
3 tips for #nofilter photography:
- Adjust as many settings as possible within your camera before taking the photo:
- Whether you use a phone camera, point & shoot or DSLR, there is always a way to improve the resulting shot. Check out these essential photography tips to get you started
- Choose settings that reflect your photography style:
- Do you find yourself drawn to a certain style of image? If you appreciate warm, glowing images then turn up the color temperature in your camera (or shoot during the “golden hour” if you can). Do you like grainy, vintage-looking photos? Play around with high ISO settings to create atmospheric noise
- Frame and re-frame:
- Always try to take more than one composition of a scene and from more than one angle to increase the chances of getting a shot you are happy with. Remember you can crop afterwards too.
Monica of The Travel Hack will rounding up this installment of the series by picking her favourites that show the true essence of the Dublin. This post was created in collaboration with London City Airport but all thoughts are my own and all trips to Dublin have been from my own pocket!
What are your tips for #nofilter photography?
