Night Shifts and Trailing Lights

Construction signs on Parnell Bridge in front of Cork City Hall were lit up by a passing bus a few nights ago.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO50
Shutter speed6s

JD Sports Coming Soon!

Shopfront with JD Sports "Coming Soon" signage and scaffolding outside the Savoy building, showing posters for Nike and North Face products with text "NEAREST STORE IS COOK STREET" in yellow and black.

It was October 2019 and JD Sports had yet to open their shop on Patrick’s Street in Cork. The back of the building, on Drawbridge Street, featured JD Sports hoarding, but now it’s derelict, with “TO LET” signs in the windows, and the SAVOY entrance is boarded up.

A sign of the times. The city can’t compete with online sales.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO125
Shutter speed1/500s

Stop crows walking on people

It’s a serious problem all over the world. Crows are walking on people. In Cork, they put up signs hoping to discourage the crows, but instead the crows just walk on the signs.


Apertureƒ/2.8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/1250s

Narrator: vehicles weren’t removed

An electronic sign at a beach saying,
"Remove
Vehicles
in GOOD TIME"

It’s good to see a warning for motorists who park on Inch Beach in Co. Kerry. High tide was at 5:15pm yesterday, and motorists were urged to remove their vehicles “in GOOD TIME”.

We parked in the car park and left at 5:42pm, but there were still a few hardy souls on the beach with their cars. Including one German registered Land Rover Defender that was parked right next to the “No cars beyond this point”. I guess they wanted to use their spotless, clean vehicle in “extreme terrain” like a “sandy beach” just once before going back to the urban jungle.

Luckily, high tide isn’t high enough to submerge vehicles.


Apertureƒ/4.9
CameraGalaxy S23 Ultra
Focal length27.2mm
ISO50
Shutter speed1/100s

Evening Walk on Achill Island

A few years back, during our holiday on Achill Island, we decided to take a stroll on a beautiful evening. The warm air and clear sky set the perfect ambiance. As we walked, I noticed a sign that cautioned drivers about children playing in the area, while the Moon shone brilliantly in the evening sky.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length58mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/25s

Exhausted on Snowy Slopes

We had trudged up and down rugged hills, wearing snow shoes, until we finally came to a stop, feeling sore and utterly exhausted. The sun blazed down on us as we stood at 1500m on a crisp, clear day. Ahead of us loomed another hill, descending a valley and then ascending at a steep incline. At the bottom, we spotted two skiers preparing to travel further down the slopes.

In the foreground, a sign attached to a precarious, leaning pole caught our attention. It commanded us to “Halt”, but the sign pointing to the ski lift pointed upwards towards the sky, which was fitting because the ski lift itself ascended the side of a dauntingly steep hill.

Wisely, I believe, we decided to take a break for lunch instead of attempting that treacherous incline. 🙂


Apertureƒ/9
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length146mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/2000s

A Morning Walk in Santa Cruz

Way back in 2013, at the Automattic Grand Meetup, I took an early morning walk along the promenade in Santa Cruz. The sun had already risen, but the world was quiet, and I enjoyed a solitary walk before the day’s work had to be done.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraCanon EOS 6D
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/1000s

THAT’S US BTW! YOU ARE EU

The bus shelter is adorned with a poster promoting a message of “Freedom, Peace & Energy Independence. YOU ARE EUROPE”, featuring a group of youthful individuals standing beside the text “YOU ARE EU”. This poster can be spotted throughout the EU, and I even noticed a few on the Europe subreddit last week.

Meanwhile, an advertisement displayed on the bus parked at the stop bears the message “THAT’S US BTW!” with an arrow pointing downwards towards the end of a URL. However, I like to think the arrow is pointing towards the individuals featured in the EU poster.

These types of advertisements and posters serve as a reminder of the interconnectedness of people across the EU, and the importance of promoting unity and solidarity among diverse communities. The bus itself is a common mode of transportation throughout many European cities, offering a convenient and efficient way to traverse the bustling streets and vibrant neighborhoods of these dynamic urban centers.


Apertureƒ/2.8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO200
Shutter speed1/500s