A riot of colour from Peru

One of the more colourful stalls at the open air market during the St Patrick’s Festival in Cork!

Aperture ƒ/3.5
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 18mm
ISO 400
Shutter speed 1/125s

The candle seller’s red hat

This man was selling scented candles on a small table in front of the Crawford Art Gallery. The sense of smell is one of our most primitive and releases memories and stirs emotions. He was doing a brisk trade.
When I saw his woolly red hat I had to make a portrait of him!
Pictured during the St Patrick’s Festival Cork.

Aperture ƒ/6.3
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 72mm
ISO 400
Shutter speed 1/125s

Cork St Patrick’s Festival Market

One side of Academy Street was taken up by a long line of stalls populated by an international host of sellers! There were biscuits and cakes from Brittany, soaps and wooden toys from France, clothes and trinkets from Peru and lots more.

I took a few shots of this scene but I like this one because the famous tower of St. Anne’s Church, or Shandon Bells as it’s more commonly known is visible in the top right. Nobody could mistake it for anywhere but Cork. That Barry’s Tea sign is a pretty big give away too of course!

Aperture ƒ/6.3
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 106mm
ISO 400
Shutter speed 1/160s

Such is the wonder of childhood

A young child watches a street performer go through his act on Patrick’s Street, Cork last Saturday as part of the St. Patrick’s Festival 2006.

Aperture ƒ/6.3
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 200mm
ISO 400
Shutter speed 1/125s

Mr Crow performs for St Patrick’s Festival 2005 in Cork

“On the count of three you pull!”

Mr Crow is crazy, there’s no question of that. First of all he introduced his ex-girlfriend’s head, which he swung around his own head while juggling 3 doll heads! He “helped” a girl from the audience juggle, and finally he climbed up onto an unstable platform and asked two men to pull supports from under him.
Then he juggled knifes. *gulp*
Pictured in Daunt Square, Cork at the St. Patrick’s Festival.

Aperture ƒ/7.1
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 40mm
ISO 400
Shutter speed 1/125s

American Bald Eagle

This bird, the American Bald Eagle, took my breath away when I saw it at the zoo. He looked so majestic and dignified, despite the fact that he was surrounded by bars in a large enclosure.
The shot is at the extreme end of the Canon 75-300mm zoom and it’s a little soft. I wish I could have retained more detail from the beautiful downy neck.
This bird is of course the national symbol of the United States.
Pictured in Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago.

I have a ton of photos to post from the St. Patrick’s Day Festival here in Cork. There are street performers and drama, markets and stalls and a rich mix of cultures present and it was a great experience.
The best news? It all happens again today if you missed it yesterday!

Aperture ƒ/5.6
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 300mm
ISO 800
Shutter speed 1/320s

White Owl

An owl pictured inside it’s enclosure at Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago. The faint lines are the thin bars of the cage.
I love the eye!

If you have a moment, check out Glassey Alley, Ryan’s new photoblog!

Aperture ƒ/9
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 210mm
ISO 800
Shutter speed 1/800s

The Mean Look

Is this a buzzard? I really should have taken note of the signs near the enclosures! Moments after I took this photo he was thrown some raw meat and went at it with gusto.
Pictured in the Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago.

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. It rained, it snowed, it was cold. Brrrr! I stayed in with family and had a lovely dinner, delicious chocolate Swiss roll and relaxed for the day. Sorry, no photos of the parade this year, but here are some photos of the 2004 parade, the last one I was at!

Aperture ƒ/6.3
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 255mm
ISO 800
Shutter speed 1/320s

Long Legged Bird

God help anyone who finds this picture through Google. I wonder what they were really looking for!
Matt, any idea what kind of bird this is?
Pictured in the aviary at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo.

In other news, I received an email from GE Health. My photo of a skateboarder is on their website and will be displayed in Times Square in April!

Aperture ƒ/5
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 155mm
ISO 800
Shutter speed 1/60s

Jealousy

Do animals feel emotion? Do they feel joy and sadness, regret and elation or even jealousy and envy?
This little fella eyed the bigger mound next to him with what I’d swear was envy. Does anyone know what kind of animal he is?
Pictured in Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo.

Later.. if you wondered what Meerkats do when they’re underground, you should read this 🙂

Aperture ƒ/8
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 51mm
ISO 1600
Shutter speed 1/100s

Grooming the Monkey

When you’ve had a hard morning climbing branches and swinging from tree to tree, what better way to relax than have your mother run her fingers through your fur and pick out the ticks and insects.
Pictured in Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago.

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 75mm
ISO 1600
Shutter speed 1/40s