Donncha

The best way to show off the GIMP

I just read that a portable version of image manipulation program, GIMP, is now available for download.

If it works well enough that’s going to get a permanent home in my USB memory stick and unlike “Portable Photoshop”, this one is completely legal to copy and share.

GIMP Portable version 2.2.13 has been released. GIMP Portable is the full-featured GIMP image and photo editor bundled with a PortableApps.com launcher as a portable app, so you can edit your photos and images on the go. This new release updates the included GIMP to 2.2.13, adds Vista compatibility, correctly cleans up GTK’s bookmark and thumbnail files and features a greatly improved startup speed thanks to the new launcher’s plugin processing.

I love you

I love you

A love message written on a wall for someone special.

“I love you”

This is the second time I’ve posted a love message on my blog. Those messages are the most basic human communications of our age and before. Many thousands of years ago men were writing on cave walls. How little has changed? Graffiti is everywhere and it doesn’t take much imagination to scrawl a message to a loved one. I wonder who made this message and for whom? Are they still together?

This message is written on a wall in an old building on the grounds of a Cork Hospital. After I took a number of photos around those ruins a security guard approached me and asked what I was up to and that I stop shooting. He was nice enough and friendly, but he said I’d need a permit to shoot on hospital grounds. I didn’t argue with him, and thankfully I was almost finished anyway.

Aperture	ƒ/5.6
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	18mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/100s

A Photographer’s rights around the world

Do you recklessly walk around urban areas with your camera like I do? Are you worried?

A few days ago I received an email from John Hennessy asking me about street photography and especially what rights and responsibilities do I as a photographer have when out with my camera on the street.

Many moons ago I linked to this article on photographers rights in Ireland but it’s worth revisiting again because of the comments added since. Comment 11 by Bill is especially useful going into further detail about different scenarios but also making it obvious that the law really hasn’t been tested or is complete.

Irish law has been quite grey in a few areas when in comes to photography and publication of certain types of photos. For example the taking of a photo of a garda while on duty is not illegal however the publication of said photo is, if the member of the force is identifiable.

The photography of minors is a very dangerous area for any photographer and one area I avoid like the plague.

Blasphemy is still illegal in this country, therefore pictures that are considered so will get you into all sorts of hot stuff. This extends to artistic photos too.

A post on Digital Photography School asks Do Photographers have Rights? There are links to photographer’s rights articles from around the world so if you’re going to do a little traveling it might be a good place to start before you get into trouble!

Jpg Magazine’s issue 9 was dedicated to street photography and Chris Weeks reviewed it. You can download a PDF sample of the issue which I have done, but I haven’t got around to reading it yet. Chris likes it but he doesn’t pull any punches in his review. His review is harsh but I’m tempted to subscribe now..

Clouds over the Lough

Clouds over the Lough

Clouds gather and block out the sun over the Lough in Cork last year. The display was beautiful as light wispy clouds and dark brooding rain clouds skirted across the sky.

The sun made one final effort to shine, but the clouds won out and it started to rain moments later.

Aperture	ƒ/13
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	18mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/500s

Sleeping it off in Cork City

Sleeping it off in Cork City

As a rule I don’t photograph the homeless very often but I don’t think the sleeping gentleman in this photo was homeless. Rather a heavy night on the town I suspect.

This was snapped while walking past Marks & Spencers on Patrick’s Street last year. I spotted the security people and had the camera ready without breaking stride.

I wonder what happened next?

Aperture	ƒ/3.5
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	18mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/500s

I’m still waiting

I’m still waiting

A dad waits for his better half to come out of a clothes shop on Patrick’s Street.

Aperture	ƒ/3.5
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	18mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/1000s

Waves crash at Garretstown

Waves crash at Garretstown

Waves crash onto the beach at Garretstown last April.

Ryan has put his photos of the Irish Blog Awards online. Great shots!

Aperture	ƒ/10
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	200mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/400s

Rusted, old and bent

Rusted, old and bent

This is part of another pillar near the one pictured yesterday but in much worse condition.

I love the textures and the way that rust practically flows down. It’s a shame I didn’t get everything in focus though.

I figured out why my posts started showing “This photo is currently unavailable”. On March 1st Flickr changed the way they name their images. Previously it was only a matter of changing _m.jpg to _o.jpg to get the original image, or swapping in “_s.jpg” to get a small thumbnail. Now the numbers in the filename change as well.

It’s a simple but tedious task to change the image before I publish a post but the thumbnails you see at the top of this page are generated by a small script which now needs to be rewritten and made a lot smarter.

Aperture	ƒ/10
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	88mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/250s

Standing free

Standing free

Shot down in Garretstown Beach last year. Connectivity continues to be a problem so this will be short.

Aperture	ƒ/10
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	18mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/320s

The Importance of Being Earnest

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I decided to take in a bit of culture and go see “The Importance of Being Earnest” performed by Chattyboo Productions at Cork Arts Theatre. Frank Prendergast has a leading role in the play and he blogged about it a few days ago, but I didn’t know anything about Oscar Wilde. I expected a stuffy Victorian period drama along the lines of many popular movies I’ve seen. Little did I know the comedic gem that was lying in wait.

I won’t give anything away about the story, except to say that it has a perfect mix of love, humour, twists and scoundrels. We spent the whole time either laughing or engrossed in the twists and characters of the plot.

Unfortunately the play finishes on Saturday so you only have a few more days to enjoy this wonderful experience! Check out Frank’s post for an audio clip, and go book your tickets by ringing the Cork Arts Theatre at 021-4505624.

Lots more photos after the jump…

The Importance of Being Earnest

Continue reading “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Aperture	ƒ/3.2
Camera	DMC-FZ5
Focal length	12mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/30s

Chris 64

Chris 64

The crowds watch a festival in Union Square, San Francisco. I’m not sure who Chris is but I’m guessing he’s a rugby player?

Hmm, Flickr are still mangling the image URL. I hope they fix it soon.

Aperture	ƒ/14
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	20mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/200s

Fianna Fail in Cork

Fianna Fail in Cork

Fianna Fail, “The Republican Party”, had an office on the Grand Parade in Cork for years. Last time I looked the building was derelict. Anyone want to compare the state of their Cork office to their policies or chances in the next election?

Fianna Fail have been in power almost continuously for as long as I remember and before that of course. Will you vote for them?

This is next door to no 48 pictured yesterday.

I like this: May Day in California. Great street shots.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	Canon EOS 20D
Focal length	18mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/160s