Tall trees in Oracle

These tall evergreens planted in front of a set of small houses in Oracle were almost gone before I saw them. The scene looked bizarre. Tall trees, tiny houses. I wonder who lives in them?

Here it is on Google Maps. Try the Street View, you’ll see two cars pulled up in front of the same house as in my photo. Spooky.

Aperture ƒ/6.3
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/100s

Why does my Canon 20D keep clicking?

Bord Gais, fuelling the passion for Camogie in Cork. Or is it the wine? I couldn’t resist taking this shot this evening!

This is the second last photo I took with my Canon 20D before the shutter started clicking continuously. The last one is a slightly blurry shot of my family and inlaws in the pictured Wine Bar on Washington Street, Cork. I had just taken the shot, decided it was time to put the camera away and get Adam out of the buggy. I put the lens cap on, and click, click, click, click..
The clicks would only stop when I took the battery out. It appears from this thread that I’m not alone. I know that in the old days, cameras would last decades and “they don’t make them like they used to”, but I never expected the Canon 20D to break down on me in just 3 years. At a guess, I’ve probably shot 75,000 pictures with it so perhaps it was about time the shutter complained.

Anyway, I’m going to ring Canon in Dublin tomorrow for a repair quote. If it’s too expensive I’ll have to look into getting a replacement camera. Hope the house insurance will pay out in that case.

Aperture ƒ/7.1
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 28mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/100s

Restaurant

A restaurant on St Patrick Street in Cork has this architectural feature over it’s door. You’re either going to love the lomo+vignette+colour effect or you’re going to hate it. This is an experiment with the newly enhanced GIMP Lomo plugin I had originally updated to work with GIMP 2.4. Elsamuko has added a few nice features.

In other news, the Guinness Storehouse photowalk was yesterday. I couldn’t make it but a number of bloggers did, including Will Knott, Darren and Alexa.
You can see some of the amazing shots from the day here, but that url may go stale in a week or so I guess. Well done to Marcus who had a huge hand in organising the trip.

Another Cork photowalk is out of the question in August unless someone else wants to organise one. I’m busy both weekends that are left this month. Perhaps in September? What about constraining it? Make it b/w only? Or portraits only, or architecture, or “secret” places in the city that people won’t recognise perhaps?

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 400
Shutter speed 1/100s

Under the L

The L is the elevated train system in Chicago and many films have been filmed underneath it’s tracks, including some scenes in Batman, The Dark Knight. Here’s the L under Kimball on the brown line. I worked close by a few years ago!

Aperture ƒ/4.5
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 18mm
ISO 800
Shutter speed 1/50s

Looking for a parking space

You’re in town and desperately looking for a parking place. Where do you go? All the on-street parking has either been removed because of road works or taken by everyone who went shopping at 9am. Just look up. There’s a multi storey carpark somewhere near you. Probably.

Front of the car park on The Grand Parade. Shot after I said goodbye to Phil and the others a few weeks ago.

Aperture ƒ/13
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/400s

Ryanair’s bumpy landing

Will Ryanair face a bumpy landing this year?

Shots taken at Cork Airport of a Ryanair flight coming in to land. There are two small cottages just down the road from where I stood with children playing in the garden of one. I guess you get used to the engine whine after a while.

Let’s celebrate with a few drinks! Hic!

Both Phil and Geraldine listed this blog in their “Arte y Pico” award list which gave me a warm glow because (other than the River Lee photos earlier in the week) comments have been far and few between here for quite a while.

Unfortunately I’m going to break the chain and not link to the Arte y Pico blog as it seems like nothing more than a link generating exercise by a clever blogger, or am I getting too cynical in my old age? I really do appreciate the sentiment however and listing your favourite bloggers is always a great way of showing your appreciation and starting a conversation. I have no hesitation in recommending you subscribe to both Phil and Geraldine’s blogs right this minute. They’re great photographers and you’ll enjoy their work!

This photo was taken in Bantry, Co. Cork a while back. I don’t actually recommend anyone get drunk to celebrate anything but the picture fit my buoyant mood. Can’t remember the last time I was drunk tbh. Probably before Adam was born methinks. Oh well, there goes the Irish stereotypes down the drain. I don’t even drink Guinness. I should be kicked out of the country!

Aperture ƒ/5
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/60s

A touch of colour

A slightly different version of yesteryday’s black and white shot of the River Lee. Which one do you prefer?

Aperture ƒ/7.1
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/125s

The river in black and white

The River Lee in Cork shot from the Nano Nagle Bridge (erected in 1985 to commemorate Cork’s 800th birthday). Far off in the distance is Holy Trinity Church as well as Parliament Bridge. That ugly building on the right is where the IDA have their offices. What an eye sore.

Another version of this shot tomorrow. I couldn’t decide which one I liked best so I decided to post both!

Aperture ƒ/7.1
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/125s

Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2 lies in the dusty hot desert in Arizona. It was originally designed as a self contained “world” where scientists stayed for an extended period of time. After going through the tour, there’s no way I’d volunteer to spend my time inside. It must have been very difficult being cooped up in one building. The Wikipedia page on the project has a lot more detail about what went on there.

Anyway, the building is very striking to look at, especially as the day was fine and interesting clouds added to the scene.

Aperture ƒ/8
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/200s

Musical Sunglasses

A brass band played in front of Cork City Library today and I made this shot while waiting with Phil and his brother Christopher for Damien to appear.

We didn’t make it to Robodock in the end. I was busy and exhausted with a sick baby all morning and I think I’m lucky I managed to get into town at all! Nice to meet up with everyone, including Donal later on in The Newport.

Baby Adam is feeling much better after a lot of care and nursing. Doctor says he’ll be right as rain (and we get enough of that these days!) by Monday. Phew. Poor fella is really suffering.

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