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Women’s march and US embassy

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A couple of interesting events took place over the last few weeks: the Women’s march in Dublin – coinciding with similar marches all over the globe – and a evening protest outside the US embassy against the so called “Muslim Ban”.

Apparently some of the latest choices in American policy are not well regarded in Ireland…

Women’s march

Patriarchy Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Not Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Revenge of the kittens Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Red Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Marching dogs Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Resist Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Trumping Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Dump Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Against patriarchy Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Shame Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Resistance Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Respect Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
One struggle Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
No walls Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Actual Zenza Bronica SQ-A – Ilford HP5+
Don’t give up Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Respect 2 Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)
Grab Canon FTb – Kodak Gold 100 (Expired 2004)

 

US embassy

Stand with refugees Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
I can show you the world Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Very Irish Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Gaze Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Memories Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Resisting 2 Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Resisting Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Anti-racism Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Disobey, please Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Untitled Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Bystanding Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Enthusiasm Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Interview Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
History Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Don’t play with lives Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Migration Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
No craic Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)
Girl Canon FTb – Ilford Delta 3200 (pushed 6400)

I shot a few rolls at both events, but a couple of pictures really struck me when I saw them:

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I’m with her

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Peace, love and solidarity

 

Back to film

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Sometimes it’s good to go back. Let go of all the modern technology and return to the basics. I started shooting pictures using film (well, it was 1995…) and I have kept using film well into the first decade of 2000. I only switched to digital 7-8 years ago, but every now and then I like to back to film. That’s what I have mostrly been doing for the past few weeks and I forgot how fun it can be 🙂

Slowing down, thinking more about the composition, metering to get a good exposure, waiting for the right moment and *click*.

The quays. Canon FTb, HP5+.
Walking the dog. Canon FTb, HP5+.
Connolly station. Canon FTb, HP5+.
Connolly station 2. Canon FTb, HP5+.
Gotcha back. Canon FTb, HP5+.

No spray and pray, no do-overs… Ok, some film can be quite forgiving, but you can’t get it too far off the target or you lose everything.

I have also got my hands on an old MF Zenza Bronica and I really like shooting with it 🙂

Poolbeg chimneys from Clontarf. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
Poolbeg chimneys from Clontarf 2. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
Dublin bay. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
Dublin bay, Bull Island. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
Men’s shelter, Bull Island. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
Wooden bridge at dawn, Bull Island. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
St. Patrick’s cathedral. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
Bell tower, Trinity college. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
Three girls, O’Connell street. Zenza Bronica SQ-A
Ha’penny bridge. Zenza Bronica SQ-A

Besides, I love the square format 😀

 

Oh boy… Do I miss the mountains

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I’m back!! BACK!! After a whole year, I’m finally back on a mountain!

Yeah, I know there are “mountains” in Ireland, but it’s definitely not the same. I mean, today I managed to hike to the Pratignano lake (Lago di Pratignano) in the province of Modena. It’s at 1,307m above sea level: not particularly high up… But it’s still more than 200m higher than Ireland’s highest mountain!!

And the weather… well, it’s absolutely impossible to compare  🙂

The valley below
The horizon
Looking back towards home
The guide
To the top
Sky and sun
The ascent
Who said you can’t shoot into the sun?

It didn’t feel like December at all!

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On the ridge

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Along the lake

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Blue and ice

Clear skies
In the valley
Cold and wet
The way back
Layers
Berry
DAT SKY
Lone tree
Briscola (the dog’s name)
Near the lake
Frames
The guide (2)
The guide (3)
Just keep walking

Great day and hike. Tip of the hat to our wonderful guides!

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Monte Cimone (Mount Cimone, 2165m)

Oh, and a very happy new year 🙂

A sleepless night

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What can you do when you wake up at 3 am and you’re hopelessly wide awake?

Realizing that getting any sleep was hopeless, I headed out into the night to get some night pics of Dublin. It was, obviously, raining :/ …

Four Courts
Ha’penny bridge
First opening

All in all, I can think of worse ways of starting a day. I got to the office at 6.30, but at least I got this:

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Love Dublin

Westward Ho! – Travelling light

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When your folks decide to visit you, you don’t really have a say in what happens when they are with you…

Three days in the west of Ireland, so I was – obviously – expecting rain, lots of it and I didn’t want to expose a lot of photographic equipment to the elements. That’s why I decided to travel as light as possible, but I didn’t want to sacrifice too much quality either.

Enter Fujifilm…

To be honest, I got tired of lugging around over 3 Kg of camera+lenses and I will probably sell most of my heavy stuff soon. For this trip I went fully mirrorless: Fujifilm X-Pro1 + 18mm f/2 and the magnificent Fujifilm x100T…

Clonmacnoise
Shannon river
Clonmacnoise
On the road: Athlone
Peace
If this isn’t Ireland, I don’t know what is…

I admit I was a bit anxious at first, being used to the IQ of my Canon 5DMkII, but after seeing the results, I don’t think I’ll ever consider my D-SLR for another trip…

Some of the results follow: Ceide fields, Downpatrick head, Sligo and strandhill. I think I might be selling my canon gear soon 🙂

Old church
Near Sligo airport
Low flight
Prohibition
Surfing
Playing golf in Sligo
Downpatrick head
Ceide Fields
Risky
Surf

 

And I have to admit the ocean was beautiful to admire:

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Vastness of the ocean

A castle and a pint of Smithwick’s

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Autumn has officially started: sunny and cold (cold for me, at least).

A great day to travel and to go see new places. This week: Kilkenny. Ok, it’s not really a new pllace for me: but it’s been so long!

No trip to Kilkenny can ignore the castle:

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Kilkenny castle

Built between 1195 and 1213, the castle is an iconic view of the town of Kilkenny. It was recently renovated and it’s a very popular attraction for tourists.

It’s a very well kept and organized attraction and it’s possible to have a self-guided tour of the castle and grounds:

Kilkenny castle: Picture Gallery
Picture gallery
Moorish stairway – Kilkenny castle
A view from the castle
Tapestry room
Piano
Dining room

As marvelous as it is, Kilkenny castle is far from being the only thing to see in town:

St. Canice’s cathedral
The rosary mysteries – Dominican Black Abbey: I’m told this is the only such window in the world (I haven’t checked, though)
Kilkenny design centre
A quiet pond

Those visiting the town may also see the beautiful cathedrals and churches as well as the old medieval town.

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River Nore

Another thing that cannot be missed in Kilkenny is, obviously, Smithwick’s brewery 🙂

Smithwick’s gate
A tasty afternoon

The oldest beer in Ireland!

A fine ale you should taste every day until the world’s end!

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The world is coming to an end, all right…

A day at the park: of horses and men

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Okay, okay… I know: it’s been a while…

This summer has been quite uneventful (at least for me): no real holidays, all the time spent working and so on…

Today I finalyy got some photography done 🙂

Photowalk in Phoenix Park! Ok, I know: been there, done that; but still…

Big bunch of guys, fighters, horses and games 🙂

 

Polo
Stop!!!
Off the ground
Watching the game
Pregnant kick
Hit
Cartwheel
Capoeira
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Referee

Not many keepers, but lots of fun 🙂