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Compose yourself!
Some people complain about Irish weather, but I love it. Okay, it could be warmer; but living along the coast and seeing the weather coming and going is nothing short of amazing.
One adage of photography I keep in mind is "Compose and wait." In making this photograph, I waited, albeit a fraction of a second, for the gull to intersect with the rainfall over County Clare, which I think makes all the difference.
This photograph also offers a lot in terms of discussion about reading a photograph. That will be a discussion in the near future. For now, consider it food for thought. Have a look at the leading lines and the balance. It's not the world's greatest photograph, but it has certain merits, informed by those characteristics.
The take-away here: Sometimes all it takes is being there at the right moment. Other times it's about waiting for the moment to happen.
Up Through the Fall
Dappled light through golden leaves shot upward into our maple tree. The leaves are falling faster this year than last - has anyone else noticed this? Some forecasters say this winter could be the coldest Europe has seen in the last 1,000 years. They say the dramatic change is connected with the speed of the Gulf Stream, which they say has shrunk in half in just the last couple of years. Nothing to do but enjoy the Fall.
Autumn Equinox
But wait -- there was no full moon on the 23rd of September (which was the equinox). True, and well-observed. I actually took this photograph in full sun at mid-day. Shooting directly into the sunlight caused the silhouetting, which I increased somewhat in post. It didn't take a lot of processing -mostly I increased the contrast in the sky, and the result is quite satisfyingly dramatic. Day for night, Spring for Autumn. It's all about what it evokes.
Sharing the Love
Happy Sunday! And indeed mine has gotten an extra sprinkling of happiness today, as my blog has been unexpectedly nominated for the Versatile Blogger award by the lovely Livvy. Livvy is a fellow Irish photographer and blogger whom I have never actually met, but with whom I share a love of Ireland and of photography. Enjoy her work at: A Year In The Life
In the spirit and model of internet photographers and of this award, it is my pleasure to nominate fellow bloggers to share in the glow. As such, I nominate the following blogs, some of whom are also photographers, and all of whom I read and have come to admire:
Everything I know about digital photography I have learned from the internet. (That’s true for me, and many of us, for other subjects as well…) I started with a long distant background in darkroom photography, but it is through the generosity and skill of internet photographers that I have learned what I now know, and how I keep improving. All because people share. So I am grateful to receive this nomination, which is really just an exercise in sharing, and I hope that you visit and learn from the other bloggers I mention here, photography, or whatever their subject.
Bloggers who are nominated should 1) thank the nominator, 2) link back to their blog, and 3) nominate 15 other blogs. Hands up, I only nominated ten, but I wanted to list ones I can genuinely endorse. It benefits everyone to nominate more, of course, because it means more links back to your own page. Oh, and don’t forget to copy and post the award image from above onto your blog! Have fun with it, and I hope the nomination gives you, as it did me, an extra reason to smile today!
Many thanks, and HAPPY SUNDAY!
It’s in my nature…
Despite a skull-like body and hairy legs, this spider manages to make herself look dainty and cozy in her nest in the palm of this budding flower. With her arms crossed like that in front of her, you can almost imagine that she's waiting for the kitchen timer to ding, or the kids to come in for lunch.
The Incredible Lightness of Bee-ing
As part of our summer holidays we drove from New Jersey to North Carolina in the USA. Along the way we stopped at a beautiful rest stop on the Blue Star Memorial Highway in West Virginia. While we were stretching our legs, I occupied myself wandering around the beautiful gardens, where I stopped to admire some busy bees enjoying the echinacea flowers. Look at that guy in the air – a marvel!
Day’s Eye
The name 'Daisy' came from the old name 'Day's Eye' as the flowers opened at dawn and closed at dusk or in dull light. So it's a bit of magic to show one in the blackness. Happy Midsummer! Even in Galway the sun is shining. Enjoy
Galway Hookers
I took this photograph a few weeks back when these traditional Galway fishing boats were racing in the Bay. The name “Hooker” comes from the hooked fishing lines that were used before the introduction of fishing nets. The boats were built by hand from tarred timbers, and the hulls were blackened with an emulsion of creosote and coal. Each had three reddish-brown sails: the main sail, the foresail on either side of the mast, and a jib sail extended beyond the bow. The colour of the sails came from being soaked in a solution made from tree bark, a process known as “barking”. They are beautiful boats, and I love to photograph them. I layered and textured this photo to give it a bit more depth and interest.
Wild Iris Rogue
This time of year marshy fields are filled with wild yellow irises, which I just love. So, yesterday, into the bog with me, where I stood with wet feet photographing the blossoms, which seem to attract this particular type of winged rogue. I have some nice shots of the iris blossoms (this shows just a stem and a dangling capsule casing) which will be part of an upcoming collection-- but this fella I could not resist.
Light Craic 