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Giant Bubbles in London

A man created huge bubbles in London with two poles and string with little loops, and one huge loop. Adults and kids watch and try to burst them.

Away back in 2016, when the Rebel Street Photography group when to London for the day we passed by this man creating huge bubbles. Adults and kids alike were entertained!


Apertureƒ/8
CameraCanon EOS 6D
Focal length35mm
ISO320
Shutter speed1/320s

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The Eye Sees All

Graffiti on a wall. An eye in a triangle with a starry background overlaid on the face of a screaming bearded man.

This graffiti caught my eye when I walked past. It was on the corner of Barrack Street and Fort Street in Cork. The eye sees you and the man screams at you.

It’s long gone now, this photo was made in 2019!


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length35mm
ISO500
Shutter speed1/500s

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The Horse in the box

A horse in a horsebox looks out at me from across the road.

On the day before the Dingle Races I saw a horse looking out of a horse box. His owner had gone into the nearby petrol station and came back a few minutes later.


Apertureƒ/7.1
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length46mm
ISO640
Shutter speed1/500s

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Framing the Cathedral and the Church

The view from Bell's Field, Cork looking over towards The Cathedral Of St Mary & St Anne, on towards Cathedral Road and up the hill to The Church of the Ascension.
Cars on the road and lots of houses visible too.

In the midst of a mellow July evening, I met with members of Blarney Photography Club at Bell’s Field, a blissful backdrop boasting breathtaking views of the north side of Cork City. From my lens, I looked upon The Cathedral of St Mary & St Anne, majestically standing on Cathedral Road, and The Church of the Ascension, nestled amidst the cityscape.

My eyes drank in the details of countless cosy homes while cars careened along the winding road below, adding a dynamic dash to my dreamy, detailed composition. It was an awe-inspiring moment, an alliterative adventure accentuating the essence of Cork City in one captivating click.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length240mm
ISO12800
Shutter speed1/200s

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Surfing on the Isar

A surfer on the River Isar sits on his surfboard

I had a fantastic time in Munich with my team recently. We explored the city and enjoyed its sights and sounds. But the most surprising and thrilling thing I saw was in the city park.

As we walked along a path, I heard a roaring sound of water. I peeked through the trees and saw two men in wetsuits carrying surfboards. They were heading back up the banks of the River Isar, where a crowd awaited them. I ran to the riverbank and witnessed a spectacular scene: surfers riding a fast and furious wave in the middle of the city! I quickly grabbed my camera, and snapped some remarkable shots of this incredible spectacle.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length112mm
ISO12800
Shutter speed1/250s

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Motionless in speed

People on a subway train. Looking at phones or talking, standing, seated.

I watch the subway train speed by, feeling a rush of wind and sound. It’s like a flash of light, but I can see the faces of the people inside. They look like they’re in a hurry or a trance. I wonder what their lives are like.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraCanon EOS 6D
Focal length24mm
ISO500
Shutter speed1/13s

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The Mannequin and Me

A woman standing in the street lighting a cigarette next to a window with a mannequin

She needed a break. Hours of non-stop work had taken a toll on her, typing away on her laptop, answering emails, making calls, and dealing with deadlines. She felt like she was drowning in work and stress. Grabbing her jacket and her cigarettes, she headed to the front of the building, where there was a large window that faced the street.

A cigarette was lit, and she took a long drag, exhaling slowly. The nicotine calmed her nerves and relaxed her muscles. Leaning against the wall, she looked at the window. Next to her stood a mannequin, dressed in a short denim dress. It was part of a display for a clothing store on the ground floor.

The mannequin made her frown. It looked so casual and carefree, so different from how she felt. What would it be like to be a mannequin, to have no worries or responsibilities, to just stand there and look cute? She imagined swapping places with it, wearing its dress and shoes, posing in the window. Would anyone notice?

Another drag of her cigarette was taken and she flicked the ash. A man walked by on the street and stopped to look at the window. He seemed to be staring at her. A surge of self-consciousness and embarrassment filled her. She quickly looked away and pretended to be interested in something else.

She glanced back at the mannequin. It was still looking at the window, unfazed by the attention. Its smug expression seemed to mock her. A pang of envy and resentment hit her. She wished she could be as cool and confident as it was. She wished she could have its life.

Her cigarette was finished, and she threw it in the dustbin. She straightened her jacket and her hair and headed back to her office. She had work to do. She couldn’t afford to waste time fantasizing about being someone else.

She walked past the window and gave the mannequin one last look. It was still looking at the window, oblivious to her existence.

She sighed and walked on.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO500
Shutter speed1/500s

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Unexpected Irish in Madrid

An older man wearing a cap that says "Ireland" on it reads the newspaper. Other men sit near him while a couple walk past. A statue of a horse and rider in the background and a large poster advertising a Netflix show is prominent in the background.

There’s something about people and newspapers that fascinates me. Maybe it’s the contrast between the printed words and the digital screens that dominate our lives. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia for a simpler time when news was not a constant stream of updates and alerts. Perhaps it’s the curiosity about what stories catch their attention and what opinions they form.

On this day I was walking around Madrid, I saw an older man today, sitting on a low wall. He was wearing a cap that said “Ireland”, which made me wonder about his origins and his reasons for being here. Was he a tourist, a migrant, a retiree? Was he really Irish, or just a tourist that had passed through Dublin on the way here? Did he read the newspaper to stay informed, or to escape from reality?

He seemed oblivious to the people around him, who were also sitting on the wall but looking away. They were probably waiting for someone, or just enjoying the warm evening. A couple walked past them, hand in hand, smiling and chatting. They looked happy and in love, unaware of the old man and his newspaper.

The sun was setting behind the buildings, casting long shadows on the pavement. The light was fading, but the old man kept reading. He turned the pages slowly, as if savouring every word. He looked calm and content, as if nothing else mattered.

I wanted to talk to him, to ask him about his life and his thoughts. But I didn’t want to disturb him, to interrupt his peaceful moment. So, I kept my mouth shut as I walked past, admiring his dedication and his solitude.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraCanon EOS 6D
Focal length28mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/640s

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Young Adults in the Shade of the City

A young man leans against a wall and squints into the bright sky opposite, while a young woman sits on steps nearby checking her phone.

The hustle and bustle of city life often leads to interesting and unexpected moments, and I was lucky enough to capture one such moment on camera. A young man was leaning against a wall, squinting up at the bright sky opposite, while a young woman sat on the steps nearby, checking her phone. They both seemed lost in their own thoughts, but were still somewhat connected by their proximity.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO250
Shutter speed1/500s

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The Labour of Cork

Posters on a building show the work involved in harvesting Cork off trees. A man walks past.

A man walks past large posters on a wall showing the labour required to harvest cork, in Palafrugell, Spain.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO500
Shutter speed1/500s

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Photos

Waves crash on rocks in a mist

Water crashes on rocks but is turned to mist in a long exposure photo, with a lighthouse in the background.

Waves crash on rocks but all you see is a mist in this 4 second long exposure shot. That’s Roches Point Lighthouse in the background, of course, because this photo was taken in Church Bay last year.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length240mm
ISO100
Shutter speed4s

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Intense Chess

Chess players in Malaga concentrate on their game. A young woman in the background checks her phone.

Men of various ages concentrate on their games of chess in the warm air on a December evening in Malaga, Spain.

Bonus: Alex Kilbee talks about square format photography on The Photographic Eye.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length205mm
ISO12800
Shutter speed1/40s