So many steps

The steps at the bottom of the Escadinhas Damasceno Monteiro in Lisbon. Beautiful butterfly graffiti and a crudely written "FREE PALESTINE" on the wall.

The city of Lisbon is infamous for its hills, and the Escadinhas Damasceno Monteiro is a fine example. It is down the street from where we were staying. It’s got lots of steps. So many steps.


Apertureƒ/2.8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO160
Shutter speed1/500s

Still Water and Blue Sky

One afternoon while we were in Valencia we visited the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe on hire bikes. There were huge crowds there, taking selfies and hanging around, but with a long 20-second exposure they all (mostly) disappear into a blur. In the photo above you’ll also see the Pont l’Assut de l’Or bridge and CaixaForum in the background and, of course, the clear blue sky.


Apertureƒ/14
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO50
Shutter speed20s

Listen to the radio

A man sits at one of the tables outside Gino’s Gelato listening to the radio. It was a cold day, and he was dressed for the weather, as were the people nearby. That ice-cream shop was still selling delicious treats to customers!


Apertureƒ/1.7
CameraGalaxy S23 Ultra
Focal length6.3mm
ISO640
Shutter speed1/1500s

Alexandre III Bridge at Night

The Alexandre III Bridge in Paris was a beautiful sight to see. Unfortunately, there were road works on the bridge and traffic was busy, so you had to be careful where you went. A large group of Japanese tourists spent an age taking photos with the bridge in the background. They even had lights on a stand. It was quite a set-up.


Apertureƒ/16
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length32mm
ISO100
Shutter speed2s

R&H Hall in Cork City

The R&H Hall building looms over Kennedy Quay as seen from Michael Collins Bridge today. It’s going to be demolished this year, so if you want to record “what once was” on the site, get down there soonest!

This Irish Examiner article talks about the demolition, and includes this picture of what will replace it.

A view of the proposed development on Kennedy Quay showing the Rehabilitation Hospital at the junction with Victoria Road, the residential block, the three office buildings, including the new Silo building and the re-purposed Odlums building.
A view of the proposed development on Kennedy Quay showing the Rehabilitation Hospital at the junction with Victoria Road, the residential block, the three office buildings, including the new Silo building and the re-purposed Odlums building.

Apertureƒ/4.9
CameraGalaxy S23 Ultra
Focal length27.2mm
ISO50
Shutter speed1/160s

Human imitates statue

The Jeunesse d’Aristote is a statue made by Charles Degeorge and is currently in the Musée d’Orsay, Paris.

Sometimes, we humans, unintentionally imitate others, even inanimate objects. Or maybe it’s just a comfortable way to sit. Degeorge captured that amazingly well in his work here.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length32mm
ISO10000
Shutter speed1/500s

Armed Soldiers patrol around Montmartre

Four soldiers climb the steps of Montmartre up to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre on a warm August afternoon. They slowly walked up the steps, without comment or conversation. Walked around the fountains above and up the steps to the Basilica.

It was unnerving, but months later, tourists were being stabbed and violently robbed in Dublin, and I remember people were calling for better security on the streets of the city. Some used Paris as an example and asked why armed soldiers couldn’t patrol the streets.

I think a better way of solving this issue is to make Dublin into a proper living city, with actual local people living in the city, not tourists in an Airbnb. Some chance.

David McWilliams called it, “People Before Bonnet” in the latest episode of his podcast. Worth a listen.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO250
Shutter speed1/500s