TODAY I USED A LEICA Q3 TO PHOTOGRAPH THE CITY OF WATERFORE - 12 AUGUST 2026
Framing Waterford: Street Art and Urban Texture Through the Lens
When I travelled to Waterford in August 2026, my primary objective was documenting the city’s renowned street art scene — capturing everything from seasoned, weathered murals to fresh works still in progress. However, a fair critique emerged from my earlier work: by focusing purely on the artwork, I had abstracted the pieces from the very streets that anchor them, stripping away the character of the surrounding built environment.
To put the art back into perspective, I set out on the 12th of August with my Leica Q3 to photograph without a rigid itinerary. Moving spontaneously through the narrow alleys, historic stone quarters, and open quays, I focused on the dialogue between Waterford’s contemporary colour and its architectural fabric. Every photograph in this collection is fully geotagged, allowing you to trace the exact corners, alleyways, and streetscapes where these murals live.
Why Waterford is a Popular Tourist Attraction
Waterford is Ireland’s oldest recorded city, founded by the Vikings in 914 AD. Visitors are drawn by its compact, layered heritage, highlighted by the Viking Triangle — an atmospheric quarter housing Reginald’s Tower, medieval undercrofts, and the Bishop’s Palace. Beyond antiquity, the city is globally celebrated for Waterford Crystal, an internationally acclaimed hub for contemporary street art via the annual Waterford Walls festival, and the scenic Waterford Greenway, a 46-kilometre walking and cycling trail running along a disused railway line to the coastal town of Dungarvan.
When I travelled to Waterford in August 2026, my primary objective was documenting the city’s renowned street art scene — capturing everything from seasoned, weathered murals to fresh works still in progress. However, a fair critique emerged from my earlier work: by focusing purely on the artwork, I had abstracted the pieces from the very streets that anchor them, stripping away the character of the surrounding built environment.
To put the art back into perspective, I set out on the 12th of August with my Leica Q3 to photograph without a rigid itinerary. Moving spontaneously through the narrow alleys, historic stone quarters, and open quays, I focused on the dialogue between Waterford’s contemporary colour and its architectural fabric. Every photograph in this collection is fully geotagged, allowing you to trace the exact corners, alleyways, and streetscapes where these murals live.
Why Waterford is a Popular Tourist Attraction
Waterford is Ireland’s oldest recorded city, founded by the Vikings in 914 AD. Visitors are drawn by its compact, layered heritage, highlighted by the Viking Triangle — an atmospheric quarter housing Reginald’s Tower, medieval undercrofts, and the Bishop’s Palace. Beyond antiquity, the city is globally celebrated for Waterford Crystal, an internationally acclaimed hub for contemporary street art via the annual Waterford Walls festival, and the scenic Waterford Greenway, a 46-kilometre walking and cycling trail running along a disused railway line to the coastal town of Dungarvan.
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