Tag: Cork

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15 Minutes of Fame at SPWC

We all had a great time at the Street Performance World Championships at the weekend.  The park was heaving but we still managed to bump into a few friends in the crowd.

The big danger in watching a street performance of course if being pulled out of the crowd.  I watched a few early shows thanking my lucky stars that your man pick on me.

Then we sat down early to get a good look at ‘Bendy EM’.

She sets up, she warms up, she tries to warm the crowd up a bit, she neatly tucks both legs behind her head.  Oh My God.  Applause.  She says, ‘I need help getting out of this position, can the guy in the striped T-Shirt, yes you sir, can you give me a hand’.  OMG, that’s me.

So I get my 15 minutes of fame helping Bendy EM go through the routine including having my T-shirt removed and sweat bands applied and 20 push ups but thankfully not too much public humiliation (apart from getting my less-than-six-pack-like abs out).

Good show Em, like the act and it was a pleasure to be part of it.

I’m still laughing to myself about the whole thing and my kids are very proud.  She even let me keep the sweat band!

And this is the point where the world feels grateful that my wife never learnt how to use the camera.  Moreover, so far there are no photos on pix.ie of me holding in my belly in front a large crowd in Fitzgerald’s Park.  Not yet anyway…

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The Last Days of Togher International Festival of Amateur Photography

Saturday saw the end of an era.  With the presentation of the Kevin Ryan Memorial Trophy the last act of the Togher International Festival of Amateur Photography was complete.

Chrissie and Mary have been running a photographic competition for 23 year in the Togher community and photographers from all over Cork and the World have entered and been judged.  But as well as the Open, Novice and Specialist categories there was always the Snapshots.  And that summed up the event: something for everyone at every level of photography; a chance for experienced professionals and ameteurs to show their craft; opportunities for anyone with a camera to show off a good image; lots to smile about; an appreciation of photography at all levels; all the encouragement anyone could want.

It was testament to how this festival has touched so many in Cork that not only did the City Lord Mayor and Deputy County Mayor arrive at Togher Community Hall on Saturday but also two TDs and at least three former Mayors.  As well as many members of the community who have been involved over the last 23 years.

But after many ‘last years’ this could finally be it for Chrissie and Mary.  I think they might finally have had enough.  The local businesses will be one spot prize over this year.

My thanks to them from me and on behalf of many photographers who have taken part in TIPAF over the years.

There is still a hope someone might take up the gauntlet next year and the competition will continue and perhaps reach new heights.

But we will remain endebitted to Chrissie and Mary for the last 23 years.

Third Prize, Kevin Ryan Memorial Trophy, April 2009
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Spring at last

Who would have believed that the warmth of St Patrick’s Day lasted until the weekend but there we were having Sunday lunch outside.

Lots of work to be done in the garden but Spring is definately here at last

First Magnolias
First Magnolias
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Happy St Patrick’s Day

I haven’t seen any of the press photos from the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade yet but I can’t see how you can’t just have great fun with it.  I’ve never actually worked it but this year we were organised enough to get there early and even found a spot in the glorious sunshine on the South Mall.

But alas all that waiting was too much for the small fella who dozed off in my arms just before everything kicked off!  After a short nap that giant robot thing woke him up but he remained in my arms for the duration.

So I didn’t even get any snaps.  Just this one caught on the way in next to City Hall.

St Patrick's Day Parade, Cork
St Patrick's Day Parade, Cork

Now this guy almost came a cropper on a tree trying to turn into the South Mall but nevertheless impressed everyone (it certainly made an impression on some smaller kids on the crowd!)

Well done to all involved.  I think it was the best parade in Cork for a long time and, combined with warm sunshine, it was just what everyone needed.

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Capwell Post Office

Walking along Douglas St today I noticed that the rennovations to the old Capwell Post Office and surrounding buildings are nearing completion.  While the facade of the old building remains, its character is quite different to how it stood a year or so ago:

The Old Capwell Post Office (extended Infrared)

The slightly spooky look of this image is due to the use of a film with extended sensitivity to Infrared (Kodak HIE).  I like the dramatic look this creates and its uniquely suited so some aspects of the Irish landscape (in this example, the urban landscape).

Look out for a gallery of this work from 2007 coming soon.

I still have some HIE in the freezer and want to do more of this stuff again when the weather improves (I’m always seeking potential locations).  There is also a way to do this digitally but that’s another project…

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February Snow

It came at dusk and was already fading fast by dawn: our first real snowfall of the year.

Driving home from Bishopstown late in the afternoon it suddenly started to get dark, the sky went grey and a flurry of snow blew in, the snow clouds momentarily blocking out the sun.  Real big snowflakes this time, not just the thin powdery sleet we’d had earlier on.

Another bit at dusk and there was enough for the kids to muster a tiny snowball or two.

Then overnight enough to blot out the grass in places.

By school run the car had been scraped for snowballs by the kids off the bus, still just enough around though for our our girls to throw a few at their mother.  By ten o’clock it was gone from the ground.

But now its snowing again!  Maybe we might even get a small snowman later!

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Happy New Year

We managed to get a few days away out West over the holidays. I love West Cork, it always feels like you could spend your entire life wandering those hills and beaches and still discover new wonders.  One of my (many) resolutions this year is to spend more time out there.  OK, so its more of a plan than a resolution but hopefully I can get to spend more time out there this year.  West Cork is perfect for a bike tour – there’s no better way to see the country: the perfect mix of the ability to cover some distance but remain in touch with the environment (including the rain).  I may require a little training!

Barley Cove
Barley Cove
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Invasion of the Lamp Post Sock Monsters

I noticed this ‘thing’ on the crossing of the South Mall by Parliament Bridge a few weeks ago.  I found it amazing.  I suspect that the great majority of people pass by and don’t even notice it but on closer inspection it is a truely wonderful creation.  What’s more it must have been sewn on to the traffic light post since there’s no other way that it could have been attached.

Who is responsible?
Who is responsible?

Now I know a professional photographer should always have his camera with him but sometimes one just wants to do a bit of shopping so it took me a week or so to get back into town with my camera which is a shame because orginally it had an eye.

Sometime camera phones are useful!
Sometimes camera phones are useful!

I think this is great.  Hat’s off to the Secret Knitter who ‘posted’ this one and may there be a few more entertaining pieces of street art appearing around Cork City.

I’m left with the vision of someone stitching on the South Mall in the middle of the night with a few taxi drivers driving past wondering what on earth is going on!

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The Last Days of Cork Docklands

Tuesday night saw the the launch of a new book documenting Cork docklands: ‘The Last Days of Cork Docklands’ by Patrick Cummins.

Now Patrick is my brother-in-law (lets get that out early) but he’s been a professional photographer for over 20 years and I really like his work.  He lives in Syndey but was in Cork for a year with his family last year and saw the opportunity to document this unique part of the city’s identity at a unique time in its history: plans for a multi-million euro regeneration have been published and whatever finally gets built the nature of the area (which has been in steady decline for some time) is set to change forever.

It’s a very worthy project but the photography stands on its own too.  Patrick took the time to get to the heart of the area, the people of its past, its present and its future.

There’s not much more info on the publisher’s site, but there’s been a good bit of press coverage for the launch including some sample photos.

If you’re in a bookstore, take a look for yourself.  Well worth €25

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Welcome

Welcome to my new blog!

When someone mentioned having a blog I thought ‘why bother?’.  Then I thought about all the other stuff I do that isn’t on the site.  In particular the many photographs I have of Cork city and county that I take, smile at and then file away.  So why not use a blog to document those unique moments as I come across them on my work (and play) around Cork.

So to kick off, and to give an idea about the kind of thing I’m on about, here’s an image of the inside of Turner’s Cross Church taken a couple of weeks ago late one sunny winter’s afternoon.

I’ve been fascinated by Turner’s Cross church for a while.  Whether or not you actually like it as a building it is remarkable. However photographing it is somewhat of a challenge because its so big and so heavily surrounded by other buildings. So you’re limited to ultra-wide angle lenses, the fisheye or cropped sections of the outer building.

You glimpse bits of it from a number of places around the area and when you end up flying into the airport over the city its the landmark I look for to get my bearings.

Anyway this particular evening I had the chance to go inside, the low sun through the stained glass was quite stunning…

Late winter sun though the stained glass