Meet the Kerry man connecting to West Cork landscapes through photography
Renowned Irish landscape photographer and gallery owner Norman McCloskey has just published his fourth book, HEADLANDS, which takes him back to West Cork, the first place he travelled to with his camera in 1992.
Originally from Limerick, Norman McCloskey made Kerry his home at the age of 20 and soon connected with the landscape through photography. In 1994 he studied photography at IADT and subsequently worked in the industry for 18 years.
Norman’s first book PARKLIGHT, images of Killarney National Park, was published in 2013, followed by BEARA in 2018 and KINGDOM in 2022. All books received international awards and were lauded in national and international press reviews.
In 2015 he opened the Norman McCloskey Gallery in Kenmare and his work now forms part of private and corporate collections worldwide. HEADLANDS is a stunning monograph featuring 114 images capturing the unique beauty of West Cork. It takes Norman back to the first place he travelled to with his camera in 1992. Dramatic coastal seascapes, scenes of serenity, beautiful breaking light, and details of the vernacular man-made features all combine in this unique look at one of Ireland’s most beautiful areas.
Was a career as a photographer something you always aspired to?
Since I first picked up a camera in 1992, having a career as a photographer has been my dream. I took the long way around and had a successful career managing a photo agency, but never let go of the dream of one day being a full-time landscape photographer. Thankfully, I’ve been doing that now for 11 years!
Tell us about your fourth book, HEADLANDS.
HEADLANDS is the final part of a trilogy of books I’ve worked on over the last ten years, featuring the landscape of the south-west of Ireland, this time, West Cork. I spent three amazing years going back to places I knew well, but mainly exploring the many locations I had never photographed before. As always, I strive to find a new way of looking at familiar locations and keep the books personal whilst still being very relatable to those who know the area and to those who don’t, making a connection. It is a sensitive and personal reflection of the place, but one which I feel would easily resonate with viewers.
What has the reaction been like so far?
The reaction has been fantastic. West Cork is a very unique area, and those who live there are fiercely proud of it, so I wanted to make sure I captured the essence of the place and kept it authentic. Immediately, the feedback I got was that this was what people felt when they viewed the book, so that’s always a relief. I’m always honoured and very grateful to see people come back who’ve purchased my books before, excited to get a new one and love it as much as the last one.
I find working out in nature is a hugely enjoyable, calming, nurturing, and even healing experience that I just don’t feel I could get in any other area of life.
What draws you to Irish landscapes, seascapes and the natural world at large as a subject for your work?
I have a very deep connection to the landscape that goes back to when I left home before I turned 21 and decided Kenmare was the place for me. The landscape was so inspiring that it led me to pick up a camera and begin this amazing 33-year journey in photography. So, on that level, my connection is very personal, but I am also naturally drawn to the historical , cultural, and geographic aspects of the Irish landscape. On the whole, I find working out in nature is a hugely enjoyable, calming, nurturing, and even healing experience that I just don’t feel I could get in any other area of life.
Tell us a little about your connection to West Cork and the way you presented that within this book.
When I first started photographing the landscape in 1992, I was limited to hiking and cycling around the nearby Kerry countryside, but soon I was visiting West Cork to my girlfriend’s holiday home outside Clonakilty, and it was the first place I brought my camera outside Kerry. I visited often over a period of nine years and got to know a small part of it quite well, but never really did any serious work there. I returned to the same area a few times before starting the book project, which aimed to get to know the whole area and discover more. I was aware of a number of iconic locations in West Cork and how popular the entire area was, so right from the start, I began looking for something different and, essentially, trying to capture the essence of a place rather than record what had been done before.
What advice would you give to a budding photographer unsure of their next steps?
Starting out in photography now is a lot different from when I first started, but the basics are the same. Shoot what you love and feel a genuine connection to. It will eventually show in your work, and is way more important than technical expertise.
Norman McCloskey’s life in culture
The last thing I saw and loved… Rachel Smith’s paintings at Artsource, where I was also exhibiting.
The book I keep coming back to… The Spinning Heart, by Donal Ryan.
I find inspiration in… Music, film and being outdoors anywhere , whether in an urban or natural environment.
My favourite film is… The Godfather.
My career highlight is… Opening my own gallery.
The song I listen to to get in the zone is… ‘Fake Empire’ by The National, or anything by Prince.
The last piece of work I recommended is… Severance on Apple TV… stunning!
I never leave the house without… Forgetting something.
The piece of work I still think about is… Prince in The Point Depot 2002.
The best advice I’ve ever gotten… Was to self-publish my first book.
The art that means the most to me is… The Landscape by Paul Wakefield.
The most challenging thing about being a photographer is… I feel I need to be out working every time I look out my window.
If I weren’t a photographer, I would be… Running a pub, obsessing about the music being played.
The magic of photography to me is… Enjoying solitary moments of pure beauty in nature.
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