A talented young student has captured dramatic aerial shots of Gougane Barra and Timoleague’s historic abbey, writes Philip Brennan
A talented young student has captured dramatic aerial shots of Gougane Barra and Timoleague’s historic abbey, writes Philip Brennan
A YOUNG man from Dunmanway is fast making a name for himself with his aerial photographs of landmarks in West Cork.
Finbarr Browne, from Coolkellure, Dunmanway, a second year student at the town’s MICC school, has extended his passion for photography into the skies.
‘I started when I was five – I used an old digital camera belonging to my parents,’ he told The Southern Star.
Two years ago, he got a Canon camera for his birthday, and started to develop his hobby.
But he admitted that he had always wanted a drone with a camera that would capture the amazing scenery around him.
Finbarr said in the last few years he has been saving up for a drone. ‘My parents helped me out and I got my drone last Christmas,’ he said.
He now has a DJI Phantom 3 Pro Drone – a professional camera-drone. He started taking shots of local landmarks like Togher Castle outside Dunmanway, Timoleague Abbey and his namesake – St Finbarr’s Oratory at Gougane Barra.
Before long, there was a demand for copies of his photos, which he now sells framed, or un-framed.
At the recent MacCarthy clan gathering in Dunmanway, he had a stall showing off his work, with the Togher Castle photographs proving very popular, thanks to the landmark’s MacCarthy clan links.
But he says his most popular photo to date is still an unusual view of the oratory at Gougane Barra.
Finbarr’s talent hasn’t gone unrecognised, and he has already been asked to take aerial photographs for Dunmanway Historical Society and a few photographs of private and commercial businesses for local estate agents. He has also had his work published in The Southern Star. ‘I like aerial photography because things look so completely different from the sky,’ admitted Finbarr.
With a few more years of school ahead of him, Finbarr hasn’t decided yet whether to make it a career. ‘I don’t know yet as it’s a bit too early,’ he agreed.
