I was there too
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.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 500 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
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.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 6D |
| Focal length | 28mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/640s |
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.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
A man walks past large posters on a wall showing the labour required to harvest cork, in Palafrugell, Spain.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 500 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
They’re heading to a Halloween party on a rainy October evening in Dublin. The guy looking in the window probably wishes he could get out of the rain, but the others around him show they’re not immune to the wet and are covering their heads.
Me? I was glad I brought an umbrella with me from Cork. I didn’t rub it in by bringing my Corcaigh umbrella…
| Aperture | ƒ/2.8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 8000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Patrolling the front door in Grafton Street, Dublin.
| Aperture | ƒ/2.8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 2000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
