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I will be out of circulation for a while and may not be able to post regularly for about two weeks ... but I will be back. T


Photo: Taken last week, hand-held shot of the roof of the main exhibition area at The F.E. McWilliam's Gallery Banbridge, Co. Down.

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On this day in 1977, Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" was released. Extra.

Oh for a quiet life! Believe it or not, this is a snap shot of one aspect of Irish life today, a scene that probably looks the same now as it did a couple of hundred years ago.

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On this day in 1979, "YMCA" by Village People peaks at #2 on pop singles chart. 

Is it any wonder that the school desks I remember as a teenager were made of the finest and most durable of native Irish timber with the abuse they received from the generations of youths who sat in them listening intently to teachers rant on about theorems reckoned by mathematicians that died thousands of years ago! It never made any sense to me. I spent a lot of time drawing in the margins of my books or whittling away with a pen or compass on the desktops of Muredach's College when I was supposed to be listening to the teachers. God bless them, they done their best but I was bored to tears most of the time. That said, I guess even then we were conscious of the passing of time. We knew our time at school was short and we were anxious that while we were there, we would make our mark as many had done before us. Isn't it the human thing to do after all ... and weren't our arses red if we were ever caught! We developed a code so they wouldn't know, "not me Sir" ... but the mark was made and some day, like the deciphering of hieroglyphics, we'd be identified and remembered for ever.

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On this day in 1901, Queen Victoria's funeral takes place.

This shot was taken at the back entrance to Dublin Castle at Ship Street. It's a busy day, there's a lot of running about, there's bits and pieces of everything started but nothing is finished ... sound familiar?
I'm very fond of this lane and hope to use it for a shoot some day when the right job comes along. I love it's orientation towards the sun, the arched opening fills with light in the early morning this time of year. I spent almost 30 minutes leaning against the wall, waiting for something to happen in the framed archway, something ... anything! However, I was a little disappointed. I managed to catch a few silhouettes to generate a point of interest against the backdrop of the stepped lane.

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On this day in 1900, Eastman Kodak Co. introduced the $1 Brownie box camera.

In 1900, the Eastman Kodak Company introduced a low-priced, point-and-shoot, hand-held camera, called the Brownie. The Brownie camera was a simple, black, rectangular box covered in imitation leather with nickeled fittings. To take a "snapshot," all one had to do was hold the camera waist height, aim, and turn a switch. The Brownie camera was very affordable, selling for only $1 each. Plus, for only 15 cents, a Brownie camera owner could buy a six-exposure film cartridge that could be loaded in daylight. Kodak promised to develop the film for the camera's owner, rather than the owner having to invest in materials and a darkroom.

No longer was taking photographs just for the professionals and only of grand events, the Brownie camera allowed the capturing of birthdays and other family events. In fact, for the first time, in front of the Brownie, people smiled and said cheese. In just the first year, the Eastman Kodak Company sold over a quarter of a million Brownies, forever changing the future of photography.
Text courtesy of 'About.com'.

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On this day in 1893, the trademark "Coca-Cola" was first registered in the United States Patent Office.

I am regularly surprised by some of the images captured by my digital camera and have occasionally got myself into hot water in certain circles by proclaiming that a 'proportion' of some 'art' photography today is more a gift of the 'medium' rather than the product of the genius of the photographer. I've had many heated debates on this issue with colleagues and peers and struggled, like generations before me, to explain why certain types of photography is called 'art' and others, not. I have no intention of getting into this debate here, it resurfaced today when I was deleting some images from a compact camera I use for teaching. I discovered I'd taken some photos a while ago with the camera in 'manual mode' using long exposures and exaggerated camera-shake. The above is one from the set. I'm not trying to say that this is art but it is a good example of a gift of the medium for me. Firstly the colour, not enhanced in PS by-the-way, but the result of a long exposure taken hand-held in tungsten lighting. I love that deep red and warm yellow mix. The ghostly figure is my daughter peering into the camera lens but not staying still long enough for clarity to be established. I have dozens of this type of image and I am not promoting them as samples of creative photographic practice, however, I'm reluctant to subject them to the delete button treatment. They have their place and they have their value.

Photo: Taken with a Canon G9 compact camera.

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On this day in 1997, It was revealed that French national museums were holding nearly 2,000 works of art stolen from Jews by the Nazis during World War II.

This, taken today in Dublin standing on the LUAS platform in front of BusÁras. I stood at the end of the platform and 'framed-up', waiting for something to happen in the viewfinder. This was a famous Cartier-Bresson tactic on the streets of Paris in the 40s and 50s. He had been a big-game hunter and was used to waiting for and stalking his prey. He often used the same approach in his photography. Unlike Cartier-Bresson however, my prey never really materialised so I had to be content with this mouse instead. I simply liked the way the various elements came together in the frame and the combination of colours on this otherwise dull and colourless day, were visually appealing. I was waiting for an interesting subject to diagonally cross the track towards me to complete the composition, but it was not to be ... maybe next time.


Photo: Hand-held, single frame. It was late afternoon and the light was very poor, a dull and cloudy day, I thought it might even rain, thus ISO 400. 1/100 @ f/3.5.

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On this day in 1998, President Clinton says "I want to say one thing to the American people I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky"

4pm Train from Connolly Station, Dublin to Sligo. Somewhere in Leitrim! I'm settling nicely into my now routine commute by train. It's great having the facility to be productive with my time compared to the daily 200 mile drive by car. This could be a critique of Irish Rail if I thought anyone was interested but I'm in a good place today and in a more positive and optimistic frame of mind.

Having no image for Wednesday and an empty carriage to play in, I set up this shot between stations. Without the assistance of flash, I was forced to use ISO values of +2500, and that with the aperture fully open on a 2.8 lens. The constant vibration of the train did little to contribute to image sharpness. In the end, I resorted to flash, bounced off the ceiling. I was able to drop ISO to 400 but the result is less than satisfactory and still lacking the sharpness I've come to expect from my gear. I put it down to the fact that the camera was simply resting on it's bag and not secure. I'm sure I would do much better with a hand-held shot. I like this angle, shooting between the seats reflects that 'people watching' thing we do when standing at bus stops or looking out a cafe window. In any case, do say hello if we meet on the train.

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On this day in 1533, England's King Henry VIII secretly married his second wife Anne Boleyn. Boleyn later gave birth to Elizabeth I.

Took a group of aspiring photographers onto the streets of Dublin recently to capture images based on the theme 'City Folk'. After spending some time discussing the work of the great street photographers like Cartier Bresson, Garry Winogrand, William Klein, Tony Ray-Jones, Joel Meyerowitz and Martin Parr we unleashed our open lenses on the city. The objective for the evening was to 'get closer!' In doing so, these are some of the techniques employed; camera around neck on self-timer or cable release pointing at unsuspecting subject (as in the above shot). Ask permission or be cheeky, take the shot and run. Another favourite is to use a wide angle lens and frame the subject out at the side. It was not our intention to be rude but there is no doubt about it, this kind of photography is invasive! I'm just posting one from the set here because I later helped the nice lady from the tram with her bag.

We also spent some time editing with an emphasis on processing in black and white and how to increase drama by playing with dynamic range, distortion, motion-blur and grain.

Overall, a very successful evening.

Original shot straight from camera.

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On this day in 1965, Winston Churchill died at the age of 90.

Something about this scene caught my attention, I'm still not sure why I photographed it, but the more I look at it, the more I'm liking it.

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On this day in 1989, Surrealist artist Salvador Dali died in Spain at age 84. Check this out.

Some new images of Dublin City. This one from the Docklands. I know there's been much written about the abandoned building sites across Ireland these past two years by people much better at words that me, so I'm not going to go on about it. The docklands area has some of Ireland's finest contemporary architecture and has benefited from massive development since the early 1990s. That said, it's a pretty lonely place at the moment, despite the fine blocks of apartments and extension to the urban rail system that connects 'The Point' with Connolly Station. This particular structure caught my curious eye and the scene pretty much reflects what it looks like today and how I felt about it.

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On this day in 1666, Shah Jahan, a descendant of Genghis Khan and Timur, died at the age of 74. He was the Mongul emperor of India that built the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz-i-Mahal.

I've had my eye on this Dublin street for some time now, but have never been able to capture it in the right light as it lies on an East/West axis that never seems to catch the sun when I'm about. This was another one of those days. Like hundreds (thousands!) of my images that never make it to a public space, this would have been confined to the abyss were it not for the grief and bull-shit I had to put up with to take it. For all you aspirational 'Street Photographers' - beware!

I inadvertently took the 'Point' train (Luas) as opposed to the 'Connolly Station' train on my way home the other day. Realising my mistake, I got off at the next stop, it being George's Dock ... grand job, a short walk back to the station will do me no harm. En route, I took out the camera (always make the most of a bad situation) to take a shot and looked back the length of the street towards Lower Mayor St ... the view you can see in the shot here. In doing so, I was tapped on the shoulder and told by a civilian that I was not allowed to take photos at that spot! ... Say What??? I informed the gentleman that I was just after getting off a public train and standing at a public train stop on the public footpath, etc. However, I was informed that the area about the Financial Services Centre was a Private Space and No Photography allowed! This was a red rag to a bull to which the gentleman concerned abruptly realised as I had told him how I had just come from the gates of Dáil Éireann and the 'flapping about politicians'. I'd also been told that my salary would probably be about €300 down at the end of the month and that my kids will still be paying for the mess the bankers and Financial Services people made for the rest of their lives!! And this as***** was telling me I couldn't take a photo of an empty street!!! With foam starting to flow from my mouth, I also took a photo of the fat arsed financial services civilian briskly making pace away to alert the nearest security guard ... but I preferred this shot and decided to post it instead.

Please excuse the rant!! Politicians beware, if ye come near my house without the winning numbers to Lotto, I'll set the dogs on ye!!

And I will go back and photograph this area when ever I f****** feel like it!!

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On this day in 1978, Bee Gees' "Saturday Night Fever" album goes #1 for 24 weeks.

Shot on Dame St. Dublin, Wednesday. For a short while I was reminded of the Final Act in 'Goodfellas".

Photo: ISO 100. 1/800 @ f/2.8. Light texture added in PS.

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On this day in 1942, Nazi officials held the Wannsee conference, during which they arrived at their "final solution" that called for exterminating Europe's Jews. And on this day in 1944, The British RAF dropped 2,300 tons of bombs on Berlin.

Pulled in at Drumgilra Lough this evening after the sun had set behind the Masonite factory between Drumsna and Aghamore on the N4. The light was fading fast and changing by the second. I raced to get this shot before the light bled from the sky. There was a slight fog developing which is responsible for the lack of detail on the horizon but I particularly like the definition of the fence and it's reflection - foreground right and the horse-shoe vapour trail.

Photo: 10 frames, Multiple in-camera exposure. ISO 200. 5 seconds @ f/8. (equivalent to a single 50 second exposure).

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On this day in 1793, King Louis XVI was tried by the French Convention, found guilty of treason and sentenced to the guillotine.

Tenor - Peter Walls in Dublin today. More from this shoot HERE.

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Today, Taoiseach, Brian Cowen survived a vote of 'no confidence' in his leadership of Fianna Fáil and will lead his party into the next General Election. 

Like many others, (by coincidence) I was at Leinster House today to see the politicians flapping about to see if the current Taoiseach would capitulate to the overwhelming demand for him to step aside ... alas, 'twas not to be.

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On this day in 1997, a court in Ireland granted the first divorce in the Roman Catholic country's history.

One from a shoot for Breathing Water with Jarlath Tivnan. More details HERE.

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On this day in 1920, Prohibition went into effect in the U.S.

My longest absence from this blog in a while. Back with an oldie from a year ago, recently printed large for a friend as a C-type which looked really well, so decided to post here. Taken in Dublin ... Duke St. I think, or somewhere near by. I just loved the signage.

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On this day in 1610, Galileo Galilei sighted four of Jupiter's moons. He named them Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

While waiting for a 'Chinese', I stood outside in the cold and was surprised at how much water there is in the Boyle River. I've not shot the bridge from this angle before, I just never seem to get the timing right ... the light too. With some time to kill though, I took the tripod from the car and took a few photos. This is another in-camera multiple exposure, taken thus to accentuate the movement in the water. As ever, there are the usual white balance issues, in this case, coming in at a warm 3600k.

Photo: 10 frame in-camera multiple. ISO 100. 8 seconds each @ f/11.

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On this day in 1540, King Henry VIII of England was married to Anne of Cleves, his fourth wife.

Disillusioned with yesterdays shot of Drumod station, I returned today about half an hour after sunset (5.00pm). I still wouldn't be happy with this interpretation although the exposure is generally better with more detail in surfaces. By chance, I just about managed to catch the train pulling away from the platform which added a bit of movement to this otherwise static scene.

Photo: same as previous shot except this is a shorter exposure at 10 seconds and aperture closed down to f/13.

A trip down memory lane for me with this one. Had reason to be in Ranelagh, Dublin today and parked my car in Annaville. I lived in a basement flat here for a number of years in the late 1980's. I distinctly remember that my rent was £18 per week and was collected by a very pleasant lady called Elizebeth whose brother, Ambrose, lived above me. They were relatively difficult times but I was very happy here.

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On the day in 1956, Elvis Presley records "Heartbreak Hotel".

Very challenging light in this shot from the pedestrian bridge that crosses over the railway tracks at Drumod Station in Co. Leitrim. The lights throw a serious yellow cast on everything they touch. The above is as close to the effect as I could get to create a realistic interpretation of the scene. I intend to return to this spot and see what it's like with some light left in the sky.


Photo: 10mm wide-angle lens. A single 30 second exposure. ISO 100. f/10.

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On this day in 1986, Phil Lynott died of heart failure and pneumonia in Salisbury Infirmary. He was 36.

I've been looking at this house decay for many years on the N4 near Longford. It's not a casualty of the current recession, it was abandoned mid-built long before 2008. In the hard light of Bank Holiday Monday, I stopped to observe the pair of white horses that stood guard there.

Photo: ISO 100. 1/1000 @ f/4.5.

Aughris Head, Sligo. ISO 250. 1/100 @ f/10.

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On this day in 404 ad, The last gladiator competition was held in Rome.

Took a trip through the Ox Mountains in Co. Sligo today. I'd not travelled these roads before and was taken by the wild beauty of the place, even on this damp and misty afternoon. Definitely an area worthy of a proper photo shoot, time was limited today and the light was very hard and at time diffused by low passing cloud. On the decent heading towards the main Ballina - Sligo road, the sights across Sligo Bay into Donegal are spectacular. Go there!

Photo: Single hand-held shot using a 4-stop ND Grad Filter. 10mm wide-angle lens. ISO 250. 1/60 @ f/5.6.

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On this day in 1890, The U.S. Seventh Cavalry massacred over 400 men, women and children at Wounded Knee Creek, SD. This was the last major conflict between Indians and U.S. troops.

We got out yesterday to stretch our legs and took the 'Tree-top' walk at Lough Key Forest Park. After the recent cold spell, the weather was an almost balmy, 9°C.

The once stately home of the King-Harmon Family, Rockingham House, was burned to the ground in 1957 and all traces of it's existence, shamefully bulldozed away in 1971. The site is currently occupied by the Moylurg Tower and at it's base, carefully arranged, these ionic capitals and cylindrical sections of the columns that once supported the impressive entrance to the mansion. A sad testament to the splendor that once resided here.

Photo: Single, hand-held shot processed in Silver Efex Pro. ISO 200. 1/100 @ f/2.8.

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On this day in 1937, The Irish Free State became the Republic of Ireland when a new constitution established the country as a sovereign state under the name of Eire.

NCAD Art Student, Roisin Hacket - recent performance.

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On this day in 1831, Charles Darwin set out on a voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Beagle. Darwin's discoveries during the voyage helped him form the basis of his theories on evolution.

Taken 23rd December on a bitterly cold night in Boyle. The town was almost deserted but the light was interesting. Shot taken from The Crescent looking down Bridge Street.


Photo: 10mm wide-angle lens. ISO 100. Bracketed exposure; 0.5 seconds (-1, 0, +1) @ f/ 5.3 I used a relatively wide aperture in an attempt to control lens flare as this can be exaggerated with small apertures. Exposures blended in PS with some adjustments to white balance.

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On this day in 1921, The Catholic Irish Free State became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain.

The second wave of frost and snow that has gripped Ireland for the past two weeks is beginning to thaw. We saw temperatures plummet to unprecedented levels in the run up to Christmas. In Cornameeltha, we've had no water this past week but hopefully this will change soon. Still, it was a small hardship compared to some and barely effected our festivities.
To the followers of this blog, I hope you all had a Happy Christmas and wish you the very best for the coming year.


Photo: Taken is Carrick-on-Shannon on the day before Christmas Eve. There was a decent layer of ice on the banks of the river. Lens; 10mm wide-angle, ISO 100. 1/100 @ f/11. 

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On this day in 1937, Walt Disney debuted the first, full-length, animated feature in Hollywood, CA. The movie was "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

Today was the Winter Solstice, shortest day of the year. I usually make a special effort to capture the rising or setting sun if possible, just to mark the occasion. However, the area about Boyle was shrouded in freezing fog for most of the day so there wasn't a sniff of the sun to be seen. There was moonlight though, plenty of it on account of the full-moon. It remains cold and is difficult moving about to nail a decent location so I stayed near home instead. A familiar subject to those who follow my work.

Photo: One of many moonlight shots. This is a six minute exposure and includes some light painting using a Nikon SB 800 speedlight @ 1/1 and a 20 second burst of light from the shed (anymore than 20 seconds and highlight detail is lost). Lens; Sigma 10-20mm wide-angle.

ISO 100. 6 minutes @ f/10.

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On this day in 1946, The Frank Capra film "It's A Wonderful Life" had a preview showing for charity at New York City's Globe Theatre, a day before its "official" world premiere. James Stewart and Donna Reed star in the film.

As stated some time ago, I'm working on a project to photograph all the petrol stations between Boyle and Dublin. Ed Ruscha done this in 1963 when he published his iconic 'Twenty-Six Gasoline' stations. At this stage, I've done most of them in sketch form, meaning I've done sample shots with a view to reshooting.


Photo: ISO 100. 8 seconds @ f/11.

A rare sight in Boyle, night temperatures are dropping as low as -17℃ with conditions set to continue until Christmas Day. For the first time since moving here, the water to the house has frozen!

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On this day in 1843, Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" was first published in England.

End of Term.
Photo: I'm not often in Dublin late in the evening so usually try to take advantage of the situation by taking out the camera ... and tripod. This is a 20 second exposure taken from Red Square on the campus of NCAD off Thomas St.
ISO 100. 20 seconds @ f/10.

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On this day in 1865, Slavery was abolished in the United States with the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution being ratified. 

Taken about 2am, facing West near Dromod, Co. Leitrim, in between snow showers. This National Primary route between Dublin and Sligo was so quiet, I simply parked my tripod legs right in the middle of the lane. It was silent as a graveyard but so very, very beautiful.

Photo: Single frame. ISO 100. 3second exposure @ f/8.

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On this day in 1538, Pope Paul III excommunicated England's King Henry VIII. 

A different world. On this small island in the Atlantic, I can travel from the Metropolis in the East to the wilderness of the West in a few short hours. I drove home very, very early this morning from Dublin, from a cold and dry night in the city to blizzard conditions in the Midlands and West.
This morning, school's out in Boyle on account of the dramatic change in weather. There's six inches of snow on the ground ... again! Only this time we're told only the main roads will be gritted and salted due to shortages (failure to prepare!!). In other words, it's every man for himself. The message came late, lunches were made, so we took a stroll to the main road to access conditions. Walking in the drive-way, Jack and Billy coming up the rare.

Photo: After sunrise in the Curlew Mountains. Single, hand-held shot in changeable, low light. Texture added to give warmth and address White Balance issues, otherwise it's 'off-the-camera'. ISO 200. 1/200 @ f/6.3.


Same view and model taken some time ago.

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On this day in 1809, Napoleon Bonaparte was divorced from the Empress Josephine by an act of the French Senate.

I went to see an exhibition today in the Gallery of Photography in Temple Bar. There are some fine young photographers out there at the moment. I was particularly interested in the work of Kirsty O'Keeffe and the use of artificial light in her portraits from suburbia.

The short stroll from Thomas St. presented me with a chance to take a few snaps of my own. In a 'Cartier-Bresson' moment, I positioned myself in a dark lane facing Essex St. and waited for life to appear. My patience only lasted 10 minutes, the man in the three-piece suit, never materialised ... I got some very suspicious stares from passers-by. I have no idea who that woman is, she just had to come back for a second look, and now I've frozen that moment for eternity ... or at least until my latest hard-drive crashes.

Photo: Hand-held in low light and colourless conditions. ISO 1000. 1/60 @ f/6.3

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On this day in 1939, "Gone With the Wind," produced by David O. Selznick based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell, premiered at Loew's Grand Theater in Atlanta. The movie starred Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.

Caught in a 'Big Brother' moment. This roving camera took a great interest in my activities recently during a stint of street photography. So, pretending to be unaware of the camera, I put on an appropriate performance for the viewer. However, it mustn't have been convincing as nobody came to enquire as to what I might be up to in this secluded and obviously guarded space.
Companion piece to the earlier post on Thomas Street.

An interesting combination of surfaces, the barred windows and  CCTV camera, hostile and very much a sign of our times.
Photo: ISO 400. 1/60 @ f/2.8.

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On this day in 1903, Orville Wright made the first attempt at powered flight. The engine stalled during take-off and the plane was damaged in the attempt. Three days later, after repairs were made, the modern aviation age was born when the plane stayed aloft for 12 seconds and flew 102 feet.

The Liberties of Dublin, were jurisdictions that existed since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. They were town lands united to the city, but still preserving their own jurisdiction. The most important of these liberties were the Liberty of St. Sepulchre, under the Archbishop of Dublin, and the Liberty of Thomas Court and Donore belonging to the Abbey of St. Thomas (later called the Earl of Meath's Liberty). Today's "Dublin Liberties" generally refer to the inner-city area covered by these two liberties, commonly associated with the junction of Meath St. and Thomas St. The area is honeycombed with dark and narrow lanes, many of which date to the 'tenement' days of Georgian Dublin and before.

Photo: Single, hand-held shot. I was interested in the glow from the subdued orange light, just out of frame. It added a warm but sinister quality to this narrow space. Just off the very busy thoroughfare (Thomas Street). In the ten minutes or so I spent here, no one ventured by ... retrospectively, it may have been because I looked a bit shifty myself! There are stables just around the corner where the local youngsters keep their horses, a tradition taken very seriously here. Photographer, James Horan has spent a great deal of time photographing them over the years and has published a book on the subject.

ISO 400. 1/60 @ f/4.5

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On this day in 1913, It was announced by authorities in Florence, Italy, that the "Mona Lisa" had been recovered. The work was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris in 1911.

Like many houses in Ireland, today we put up the Christmas Tree. As ever, the search for the perfect tree eluded me but I'm certain I done better than the last few years. Tonight I decided to do some experimentation with 'out of focus' bokeh using a 50mm prime lens. The shots show christmas tree lights taken from a distance of 10ft. This is my prep-work for a 'Writing my Letter to Santa' shot - soon to be posted here.

Photo: Triptych - set of hand-held single frames. Manual focus mode, lens adjusted to maximum blur. In this instance, the bokeh is circular, characteristic of a fully opened lens. If the aperture was closed slightly, the blades of the aperture diaphragm would generate hexagonal orbs. By bringing the shot more into focus, the orbs will be more dispersed, it's worth experimenting to explore the capabilities of your lenses in this regard. Remember, adjusting the degree of focus and aperture setting will give different results. More bokeh experiments HERE.


Tip; If you're feeling really daring, try a long exposure with a zoom lens and during the exposure, twist the zoom-ring - guaranteed to give some very cool abstract results!

Lens; 50mm prime - f/1.4. ISO 200. 1/15 @ f/1.4.

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On this day in 1863, Norwegian painter Edvard Munch was born. His most known work is "The Scream."

Photo: Single frame, intentionally over-exposed. ISO 100. 1/250 @ f/11.

Morning in the Curlew's outside Boyle. The sycamore wood about my home takes on a mysterious quality in the fog that struggles to lift. See this one too.


Photo: Single frame, intentionally over-exposed. ISO 100. 1/80 @ f/14.

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On this day in 1997, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams became the first political ally of the IRA to meet a British leader in 76 years. He conferred with Prime Minister Tony Blair in London.

Thursday 09 December. As the end of another difficult week looms, the thaw is setting-in and the roads are a bit safer. For the first time in two weeks, I clocked 100 kmh. I'm heading home, West on the N4 somewhere near Kinnegad.

Photo: More long exposure experimental work. This is a single 5 second exposure, hand-held, shooting through a dirty windscreen. It was impossible to keep the windscreen clean, the water sprayer was frozen and dirt seemed to freeze on impact and stick. As a light-study, it works for me, although the clarity of definition is lacking slightly, it captures the atmosphere very well. I particularly like the framing and vignette caused by the head-lights and dashboard. The shot is straight off the camera, unprocessed except for the default settings applied by ACR.

Lens; 10-20mm. ISO 400. 5 seconds @ f/5

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On this day in 1980, as he returned from Record Plant Studio with his wife, Yoko Ono, John Lennon was shot by Mark David Chapman at the entrance of the building where he lived, The Dakota, in New York City. He gained worldwide fame as one of the founders of The Beatles, for his subsequent solo career, and for his political activism.

Yes, I like the view from this window and regularly study the changing light over Dublin from this spot. At last, after almost two weeks, the temperatures may start to rise and hopefully put an end to the snow and ice that covers the country. It's been tough on the roads, I've been spending about nine hours a day in the car, thus the absence of photos here of late. I've seen some really stupid driving and some really beautiful scenery, neither of which I could photograph. The frozen snowscapes were particularly beautiful between Mullingar and Kilcock but it was impossible to find a place to pull-in and take photos, just far too dangerous. With the improved weather, I may have to spend less time travelling and perhaps get back to taking pictures.


Photo: Single frame. ISO 100. 4 second exposure @ f/10. Nothing fancy in processing, slight tweak to White Balance and subsequent adjustment to Hue to diffuse a red cast.


I'm now officially at the bottom of the league table with regard to days missed in the recording of this 365. That should put a smile on your face Aongas!

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On this day in 1804, Napoleon was crowned emperor of France at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.

Once again, my work has prohibited me from regular updates. Despite the fabulous snow scenes on the Eastern part of Ireland right now, I've had no desire to record any ... particularly since it's rumoured that this weather could persist until February! So I'll have plenty of time then. Besides, I've seen plenty of images contributed by the many Dublin photographers who are doing a great job at recording this unprecedented event. I've braved the road to the capital four times this week, insane for sure, but considering the current economic situation in Ireland, I feel lucky to have a job to go to, and as long as I have my health ... I'll be making the trip. This journey is not for the weak-hearted or nervous driver, it really is very dangerous on the roads at the moment, I've seen dozens of accidents and there is no shortage of abandoned cars ... stay at home if you can.

Photo: Grab shot using 'live-view' with camera on the dash. ISO 640. 1/200 @ f/6.3

View down Oliver Bond Street, Dublin, this afternoon.