On holidays this summer I left my Dslr camera and lenses at home and just brought a compact camera with me. There were a few occasions where I missed my camera but overall found it handy having a compact that I could carry around with everywhere. We lazed around the swimming pool a lot so a compact was perfect for family snapshots.
Post title ‘The Lazy Sunbather’ is a song title from Morrissey’s great album Vauxhall and I.
Up until now I’ve thought that I didn’t have any preferred one style of photographs. People ask me what type of photographs I shoot and I’d always say an eclectic mix/anything and everything that catches my eye.
I enjoy photographing my kids, trying different sports (rugby- very enjoyable, soccer- much more difficult than I anticipated, boxing- difficult to position yourself in ideal location), urban, architecture, patterns, urban and many more.
But while looking through my favoured photographs on my computer I began to notice that there is a trend; a lot of abstract photos. I’ve found that I often try to take a ‘new’ photograph, meaning that most items have been photographed thousands of times and the vast majority look very similar. So by trying to capture something in a new/different way it makes my photograph somewhat unique and more memorable. And it’s also a challenge to me which I enjoy.
This is a photograph of bubbles in a pink plastic bowl. The initial result was mundane but by inverting the colours it changes it to a very different photograph; to me it looks like cells under a microscope.
Post title Green Day is the name of an American Rock band
A photograph of baking food ‘hundreds and thousands’.
Up until now I’ve always said that I don’t have a favourite style of photogrpahy. But more and more recently I’ve noticed that my favourite photographs seem to be abstract photographys. Which to me is beginning to make sense. I’ve also mentioned that I often try to take a photograph from a different perspective. Why? Most ‘common’ photographed items (landmarks etc.) are shot from the same spot and look very similar so none of them really stand out from the crowd. So, by photographing from a different perspective makes it more memorable and unique I think.
Or maybe it’s just that I don’t get out to photograph as often as I’d like to so I sometimes end up around my house with my camera looking for things to photograph and think what could make a good photo. Like this container of hundreds and thousands; I lay them out on a flat baking tray and like the result. I think it’d look even more impressive on a large acrylic print on my wall.
Colors and colors are lyrics from the catchy song ‘Colors’ by Hot Chip
A bunch of straws turned into an abstract photograph by inverting the colours of the photograph.
Cherry Coloured Funk is a song from the album Heaven Or Las Vegas by the magnificent Cocteau Twins. I think the colours in this photography vaguely match the abstrct colours on the album cover Heaven Or Las Vegas.
A macro photograph of a red rose. My Pentax K-7 camera has in-body stabilization, unlike most other Dslr cameras, which helps for handheld macro/closeup photographs. I’m too lazy to bring my tripod with me, set it up, attach my camera etc.
Your love is like a ramblin’ rose are lyrics taken from the b-side song ‘Ramblin Rose’ by Primal Scream who are BACK with a great new album ‘More Light’
I was strolling down a side street in Brussles and several boxes of vinyl albums outside a store caught my eye. As a music lover I was curious as to what the albums were and as a photographer I saw a potentially nice photograph- great vibrant colours that would make a great abstract photograph.
The Vinyl Collection is the title of an album by Norah Jones.
I stumbled accross a massive antique store in Brussels last week and spent a while browsing around. This photograph is a lamp that was like a bright sun glowing in the dark shop. The large round metal lampshade gave it this great effect.
Post title “There’s a light on, heavy glow” are lyrics from ‘By The Way’ by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
My wife loves flowers (what woman doesn’t?) and I find roses a great subject for colourful, abstract macro photos. So when I bought her yellow roses recently we both were happy. This macro photograph of beautiful petals of a yellow rose is almost memorising I find. When I bought my macro lens I didn’t intend it use it for floral photography but I found it’s great for colourful photos of petals.
I like the simplicity in floral photos where the entire photos is engulfed with one colour, here the bright yellow rose is like a tunnel. Lilies are my wife’s favourite type of flowers but I’m going to start buying her roses as they’re my favourite type of flowers to photograph; pure red, white or yellow colours.
DISCOUNT OFFER: Simply apply the discount code ‘NSLDGB’ for a 20% discount at the checkout for this, or any other photo that you would like to buy. Click here to view this rose in my online store.
Post title ‘Yellow roses, the color of sunshine’ are lyrics taken from the song Yellow Roses by the one and only Dolly Parton.. Did you know that Dolly Parton even has her own theme park?
Two skyscrapers in Calpe, Spain in love but destined to never be able to get together. Click on the image to view larger size.
Post title is taken from the song ‘So Far Away’ by Dire Straits.
Post title is lyrics from the song ‘Mansion On The Hill’ by The Boss, Bruce Springston. I thought it was by one of my favourite band The National but they just covered the song.
A photo of Conor, my son, looking peaceful on a stoney beach just up the coast from Calp (Calpe), Spain. It’s a very simple photo but it’s the simplicity of it that I like; calm colours, obvious composition and square lines and of course the impression of tranquility.
Post title ‘At The Edge Of The Sea’ is a song from the album ‘Tommy’ by The Wedding Present. Who are touring and performing their Seamonsters album later this year.
I was at the Shrule & District Vintage Car show last weekend and spent the afternon trying to stop my two year old son from pawing the cars with his ice-cream hands. Besides that I took some photos of the lovely cars; hope you like. (more to follow soon)
Post title taken from the great song ‘Lift Me Up’, taken from the album Hotel by Moby. I only found out recently that Moby is an avid photogrpaher and has his own photoblog of strange and beautiful architecture in Los Angeles.
Sometimes I go out with my camera with an idea in my mind of what type of photograph I want to capture, sometimes not. On this occasion I was watching some sheep with my kids (amazing for them…) while cars were driving past on the country road.
Quickly I decided to try some long exposure shots of them. Without thinking too much about the settings I flicked the shutter dial to 1/15 of a second and titled my Pentax K-7 camera as I heard a fast car approaching. As it came into view I panned it and titled my camera slightly. Even though the car isn’t fully in focus I’m extremely happy with result. The strong background colours add to the photo as well I think.
If I had thought about it more I mightn’t have gotten as good a result; there was no textbook thought to titling the camera but I think it looks more dramatic that if the car was horizontal.
Post title is taken from the classic song ‘Fast Car’ by Tracy Trapman
You only have one life.
Smile.
Laugh.
Be a child again.
Enjoy it, don’t take everything so seriously all the time.
Stop and smell the flowers, appreciate what you have.
Here’s some random photographs that make me smile.
This is how Conor (2 years young) smiles. There’s nothing wrong with him, it’s just his funny smile…
Post title is the song title of that happy, happy song Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.
A collage of a colourful purple flower, taken with my new macro lens. Macro photography is a lot harder than I thought, it’s a learning curve, especially with focus.
Post title is taken from the song ‘Flowers’ from the album ‘Today’ by the under-rated band ‘Galaxie 500’.
This is the second set of photographs from my wander around Pearse Stadium, Salthill home to Galway GAA hurling and football. In this set I’m posting patterns and strong colours seen in the empty stand which wouldn’t be seen on match day.
…and an ‘abstract’ one thrown in for good measure
My first set of photographs from Pearse Stadium can be found here
Title taken from the American Pop Rock band named ‘Maroon 5’. I know I have more than 5 maroon photographs in the post but couldn’t resist adding this title
Donal Dineen (my surname namesake but with only one ‘n’ in Dinneen) was the dj of the late and great show ‘The Small Hours’ on Today FM which finished up in December 2011. Donal began on Today FM with ‘Here Comes the Night’ in 1997 before moving to a later time slot for The Samll Hours in 2004. His shows featured, shall we say, not daytime playlists music. Electronic, alternative, indie and a whole lot more. a link to his Today FM blog and playlists.
He introduced me to a wide variety of new artists that I’d never have heard of otherwise, including Mount Kimbe, Mark E, Dalek, Efterklang, Monolith and many more.
(This seems like an obituary to Donal Dineen but he’s very much still alive)
The title of his late show The Small Hours is the perfect title for this photo. Just in case you didn’t realise by now every photography in my blog section has a relevant music title.
Photograph settings: f10, 15 seconds, wall used as a tripod.
This is my second set of photos from Páirc Ui Chaoimh, home to Cork GAA hurling and football.
These photos some an empty stadium and shows the patterns and colours on the stand and terrace, which is normally hidden/covered by fans.
The last photo isn’t staged, Conor saw the flag, ran over and started waving it.
Here’s the link to my first set of photos from ‘The Park’ (Páirc Úi Chaoimh).
You’re always so calm and so cool,
Donal Óg just knows what to do,
Mulchay, Muphy, The Rock,
Will just play each minute on the clock.
Sean Og, Ronan and John,
They will just sting you along,
They’re just sheer class on the grass,
Rebels, we watch as they pass.
Gerry O Conor will leave you for dead,
Tom Kenny, he’ll fix you then
The attack starts all over again,
McCarthy wheels at you,
And Neil Ronan he knows what to do,
All they have to do is keep hurling at you.
Oh to be, oh to be, oh to be a Rebel,
We love ye Rebels, you’re so slick and so sharp,
We love ye Rebels with every beat of our heart,
We’ll follow Rebels all the way to Croke Park.
Lyrics taken from here, thanks to cathalosull21. It’s a slightly outdated song now but is from when Cork hurling was at it’s pinnacle (in recent times).
I find the standard photos of flowers a bit boring (no offence!). With this photo the large ’empty’ space to the right is where I can picture the dandelion is going to be in a few seconds after someone has blown in.
I took this in my front garden early in the morning, leaving my house on the way to work. If any neighbours saw me they must have been wondering what I was up to; virtually lying on my belly in my garden…
I was 1/2 thinking of selling my Sigma 30mm f1.4 lens to finance a very wide angle lens (8-16 or 10-20mm). I have a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens which sits on my Pentax K-7 body most of the time so the 30mm doesn’t get used a whole lot. So I decided to play a bit with it at home to see would I miss it. Any time I use it I realise that I like the lens a lot; it’s small, great for low light/very fast and creates great bokeh, even if I have to be close to my subject to get it. So, for the moment I think I won’t be selling it.
At the moment I think I’d like to add a wide angle and a macro lens to my collection and that I’d be happy with ‘my lot’ then. Although there’s always one more lens you want…
Anyway here’s Conor, he’s 1 1/2 now and loves cars, trucks, lorries and makes ‘lorry noises’ and gets excited anytime he sees one. He even doesn’t want to have his pjs taken off if they have a picture of a fire truck on them.
Legs shot from a recent Munster vs Connacht Schoolboys rubgy match at the Sportsground, Galway.
I arrived just as the match was finishing so didn’t get any action shots. I’m planning on going to a full rugby match soon in Galway to try out some proper sports shots with my new sports lens.
A slightly abstract photo of the Galway Hooker sculpture in Eyre Square, Galway. The sculpture on its own looks odd, just a load of red/orange metal bits stuck into the ground. But when you realise that it represents the sails of a boat/ship then it’s something that you can put into context and it stands on it’s own as a piece of art representing old Galway.
I was at a playground in Youghal, county Cork recently while on holidays. There was a cool path with an ‘action’ for the child to do when they got to each ‘station’ with a word for what they should do. The run photo reminds me of the South African flag.
So I was on holidays for the past week or (a ‘staycation’, I don’t like the phrase but it fits) and we went on a family trip to Fota Wildlife Park. I didn’t get to take as many photos as I’d have liked to as I was there with our kids. I’d love to return sometime on my own so I could spent hours and hours taking loads of photos and sitting waiting to get the perfect cheetah photo.
I did get to ‘play’ with my new Sigma 70-200 f2.8 lens, which I’m delighted with.
It was a quiet, wet dull day in Galway and I was stuck indoors. With nowhere to go and nothing to do I was tidying up the kitchen and was struck by the contrast between the colourful straws (my 4 year old daughter LOVES straws, they make her face light up. Of course she wants the pink ones) and the grey sky outside. So I decided to much around and try to take some happy, colourful photos.
The straws photo was taken with a standard compact camera. Someday I’ll buy a dedicated macro lens for my Pentax dSLR but for now the compact seems to go a good job. I bought extermely cheap extension tubes a while back but had problems with them and never managed to get them to work. I should just throw them out (or beat them to a pulp)…
I tried my hand at a few abstract photos at the recent Ireland vs. Macedonia game in Dublin.
One reason is because I was sitting far away from the pitch it limited the amount of ‘proper’ sport action photos that I could take so I though I’ll try something else. I have three photos here, the first one is my favourite, I feel that it kind of convays the burst of energy when Robbie Keane is sprinting for the ball.
Exposure 1/6th of a second to achieve the blurry effect
The last two aren’t even that good I think but I’m just posting them anyway to show what I was trying to do with them. If I could have zoomed in on a player closer and kept him sharper/in focus then I think they’d be better.
This is my last set from the Limerick Photowalk (I promise!). These aren’t the leftovers, I have loads of them, trust me. The theme of this set is colour. It was a dull, rainy day in Limerick so I sought to seek out colour amongst the drabness and dullness.
It was a very pleasurable walk and nice to see some first-timers join us. I’m looking forward to the next one already.
Also here’s a video of some of my photos from the photowalk- Limerick Photowalk video.
No Flowers
No smoking
Blue skies above?
Irish Gold
Photos, photos, photos (Elalgallery Photograpy gallery in the Milk Market)
Holy Cross
Water Drops
And finally just a ‘funny’ one
It’s game over man, it’s game over
There’s some construction going on across the road from where I work in Galway. The diggers are relentless. These are very early morning shots, I tired something different with the skinny tall shot, kind of like it.
At work one of our current competition categories is ‘Abstract’.
These photos are two I took at home tonight, one a Rothko copy and one trying to convey a human soul.
The sunset through my back door reminds me of the Russian-born American abstract painter Rothko.
Human soul- This one was just messing around but I kind of like it. It’s my breath, taken standing outside my back door in the (very) cold. The photo on it’s own it very forgetful but when you associate it to a human soul escaping a dead body then breathes (no pun intended) a whole new life into the photo.
I should have removed the The Police cd. It’s not mine. Honestly. No, really, it isn\’t
A beautiful orange/golden sunset near Claregalway in Galway. The foreground has flooded fields an electricity pylons and poles. Much of east Galway was flooded in the winger of 2010 and the sunset reflects of the water.
Another rich mans toy from my wander around Kensington, London, this time a racing red Ferrari
Barclays Cycle Hire is a public bicycle sharing scheme in London, United Kingdom. At launch there were 5,000 bicycles and 315 docking stations available in central London. I think it\’s a great idea and results in a lot more people cycling. 4 wheels bad, 2 wheels good.
An iconic English landmark. I tried to take the photo from a different angle than the standard photo and feel that this stands out
I didn’t want to take the standard photo of Harrods (front of building) and am happy with this instead.
Originally this was a macro photo of an apple. But the result wasn’t very sharp. So I messed about with the photo and this is the result
