A kiss at Finn’s Corner

A kissing couple outside Finn’s clothing store on the corner of Grand Parade and Washington Street, Cork. This was way back in August last year when temperatures were a little higher than they are now.

Psychedelic colouring comes from the “soft light” plasma layer I plastered on top of the original black and white layer.

Edit: of course this is “Finn’s Corner”. I must have been half-asleep when I wrote the title of this post. Thanks to Mykel C for commenting, and Tony Finn for getting touch and correcting me. It’s much appreciated!

Aperture ƒ/5.6
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/320s

Your mom knows kung fuu

I’ve been bursting to tell everyone for the last few months that in 2007 I will become a father!

Jacinta, my wife, is pregnant and she’s due in the middle of April! We’re very excited about it but also nervous. We don’t want to know or care if the baby is a boy or a girl. A healthy baby is all we want. Guys – look out for the book, “A bloke’s guide to pregnancy”. It’s a great read, very entertaining and will explain a bit about what to expect and what’s going in your partner’s body! Now you know why I was more than a little interested in who was pregnant on Today FM!

Don’t be surprised if my blogging slows down a little bit around April, but I will try and have about 2 months of photos ready to be posted for late April and on to May. Hopefully things may quieten down and get into a routine after that.

And now I can reveal the only event that marred what was a great year in 2006. The main reason I didn’t attend the Irish Blog Awards last year was because Jacinta was pregnant at the time and the pregnancy wasn’t going so well. Unfortunately, she had a miscarriage soon after.
I find that miscarriage is a taboo subject to talk about. Very few bloggers will talk about it even though 1 in 4 pregnancies will probably not go full-term. Maybe it’s superstition and considered tempting fate to even bring the subject up. Whatever the reason, it’s an awful tragedy for expectant parents to go through.

Happy new year!

Aperture ƒ/8
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/125s

Oh those lines!

Pedestrians gather at the traffic lights on Grand Parade and wait to cross a busy city-center street. Yes I got a few funny looks as I crouched down with my camera but I’m used to it by now!

This was a construction site a few months ago but work is progressing well and most of the work is done.

This was an entry in the MCC Patterns around us competition a few weeks back.

The city shoot last night with the club was a great success. I didn’t have a tripod with me and in the dark that posed a challenge sometimes but at other times it was a blessing. There’s enough street furniture to rest a camera on if needed.

Aperture ƒ/9
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/200s

Lady at the lights

If looks could kill! I don’t know who she was looking at but she doesn’t look happy!

Pictured on the corner of Washington Street and Grand Parade a few days ago while we waited for the traffic lights to change. Finn’s Corner, a sports clothes shop, has been on that corner for years and St. Augustine’s Catholic Church is visible just down the road. I’ve never been in that church despite it’s central location. It’s so well integrated into the street scape that it’s easy to forget it’s there.

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

The Grand Parade Construction Site

Another view down the Grand Parade and a look at the construction site that takes up most of the street! Well known shop fronts such as the Singer Sewing Centre are visible in the background. In sharp contrast, the new Soho bar and restaurant is right next to it. It’s all modern steel beams and plate glass.

Since this photo was taken they’ve taken down the fountain in the centre of the street. I presume it’ll be put back again?

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

Cone and Barrow

A workman lifts his wheelbarrow on Grand Parade, Cork a few weeks back.

No more Fred photos yet, I’ve been way too busy, and we’re headed to the Spiegeltent tonight to see Mick Flannery so tomorrow will be another street shot!

Aperture ƒ/7.1
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/400s

De-construction on Grand Parade

The construction site that is the Grand Parade right now but it will soon look like Patrick’s Street with broad pavements, paving and those flag bearing poles that are so prominent on our main thoroughfare.

No Fred photos today, I haven’t had time to work on any. Expect more next week!

Aperture ƒ/5.6
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 800
Shutter speed 1/2500s

World Book Day Singer (4/4)

Makes a statement doesn’t he? He was great fun to watch and listen to!

Fourth shot in this series of World Book Day Photos.

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

World Book Day Singer (3/4)

Serenading a passer by. Some women loved it, others got a fit of the giggles and some ran away!

Third shot in this series of World Book Day Photos.

Aperture ƒ/5
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 59mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/400s

World Book Day Singer (2/4)

“I’m a show boy” – he certainly is!

Second shot in this series of World Book Day Photos.

Aperture ƒ/4.5
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 33mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/640s