with with 2.8/80 Zeiss Planar Lens, f16 1/4
. Block mounted by
and hung in Bathroom as seen.
Captured underneath Dun Laoghaire pier in 2004, this photo was deliberately over exposed by four stops to create the shadow defining black and to seperate the image into two components.
I realised that people were walking by and waited until I managed to get two souls (more or less) equidistant from each pier. Without people this shot would have lacked movement, an integral part of its composition.
D700 with 12-24 G ED lens @12mm. f5.6 1/40, ISO 2000.
I had the pleasure of photographing the "Big Book of Hope" release, recently at the Avoca Cafe, Suffolk St. As charities go this is one of the most deserving I have worked for so far. The amount of fundraising needed and more importantly, actual funds that go towards the children in Kolkata is remarkable. The tireless efforts undertaken by sponsors and fundraisers would astonish you. Currently the fundraisers are heading to Everest Basecamp on a mission to raise funds.
Perspective is the key to this photograph, the people are well known, authors, celebrities and life living souls who have a story to tell, an anecdote or a tip, something to say lest we lose sight of the important things on earth. What is your perspective on life, do you have one?.
If you feel you can contribute in any way please contact the Hope Foundation. Every cent helps!!!.
Astonishing, thought provoking, intuitive, surprising: - The Big Book of Hope Officially Launched
The Big Book of Hope, an eclectic blend of over 40 fiction and non-fiction short stories was officially launched on Thursday 9th September in Avoca, Suffolk St., Dublin in aid of The Hope Foundation.
Complied by Inkwell’s Vanessa O’Loughlin with writer, journalist and broadcaster Hazel Katherine Larkin, The Big Book of Hope is a unique collection of contributions from Ireland’s top writers, media personalities, businessmen and women, and political figures; a number of which attended the launch in Avoca, along with over 70 other invited guests and representatives from The Hope Foundation.
Contributors to the book in attendance included Evelyn Cusack, Deputy Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann; and Brian Keenan, who was taken hostage in Beirut in 1986, and has since won numerous literary awards for his work “An Evil Cradling”. A number of well known authors who contributed to the Big Book of Hope also attended the book launch, including Martina Devlin; Monica McInerney; Julia Kelly and Mary Malone; as well as Roisin Meaney; Lia Mills; Sinead Moriarty; Kate Thompson; Brian O’Connor; Niamh O’Connor, and Sarah Webb.
Ex Fair City actress, Claudia Carroll, who has published seven bestselling novels since leaving the show, dropped in; as did writer and performer Ann Gildea, who shot to fame with her all-girl comedic songster group The Nualas. Teena Gates, Head of News in Dublin’s 98FM came along and was happy to talk about the fundraising she is currently doing for the HOPE Challenge 2010, in aid of The Hope Foundation, which will see her and a well known group of Irish personalities climb Mount Everest in late September.
Speaking at the launch, Maureen Forrest, Hon. Director of The Hope Foundation said “We are delighted with the support the Big Book of Hope is already receiving, and would sincerely like to thank all the contributors, without whom, this project would not have been possible. I would also like to thank Unilever, who have kindly supported the official launch tonight, support like this is invaluable to HOPE.”
Proceeds from the sale of The Big Book of Hope will go directly to The Hope Foundation which was set up in 1999 to raise funds for one girls’ home, and today funds 64 projects in Kolkata (Calcutta) including education, primary healthcare, shelter, vocational training, child protection and drugs rehabilitation. HOPE works with 16 Indian NGO partners to rescue thousands of children from the streets and slums, improve their quality of life, and give them a better future; and is currently reaching out to over 18,000 children through education alone and hundreds of thousands more through primary healthcare, in partnership with Irish Aid. These are the children that sales of The Big Book of Hope will help to house, educate, and protect and love.
Published by Poolbeg, The Big Book of Hope is available now in bookshops, and online. For further information on The Hope Foundation visit: www.hopefoundation.ie.
The Big Book of Hope - Full list of Contributors
Ivana Bacik, Ivy Bannister, Maeve Binchy, Sam Blake, Declan Burke, Claudia Carroll, Norah Casey ,Don Conroy, Evelyn Cosgrave, Brian Crowley, Bill Cullen, Tracy Culleton, Evelyn Cusack, Martina Devlin, Clare Dowling, Myles Dungan, Ana Fischel, Derek Foley, Maureen Forrest, Teena Gates, Anne Gildea, Noelle Harrison, Hazel Katherine Larkin, Brian Keenan, Julia Kelly, Ferdia McAnna, Monica McInerney, Liz McManus, Mary Malone, Roisín Meaney, Lia Mills, Sinead Moriarty, Anita Notaro, Denis O’Brien, Brian O’Connor, Joseph O’Connor, Niamh O’Connor, Vanessa O’Loughlin, Jim Power, Kate Thompson, Sarah Webb
About The Hope Foundation
Set up in 1999 to raise funds for one girl’s home, today The Hope Foundation funds over 60 projects in education, primary healthcare, shelter, vocational training, child protection and drugs rehabilitation.
HOPE works primarily with the street & slum children of Kolkata (Calcutta) and the subsequent difficulties that these children encounter. The estimated population of street children in Kolkata is over 250,000. HOPE is currently reaching out to over 18,000 street children through education alone and hundreds of thousands more through primary healthcare, in partnership with Irish Aid.
The Hope Foundation is a registered Irish charity (No: CHY 13237).
D200 with 18-200 G ED lens @130mm. f5.6 1/80, ISO 400.
Sometimes you are away for a break, it might be Sheffield, Cardiff or Edinburgh - this time it is London, Brick Lane in fact. There is so much to see, taste and view, a veritable microcosm within the pulsing heart of a busy city once known as Londinium.
The face on the wall looks familiar, someone famous, a DJ or an actor? - not quite sure who but I certainly would be enlightened to know. This shot was taken on the 30th December 2007, a night away from New Years Eve where the Yuletide celebrations were still in full flow. It has a strangely calming effect on me each time I see it.
D300s with 18-200 G ED lens @150mm. f6.3 1/15, ISO 500.
The dying leaf is caught in the worm-thread plastic doormat.
It has been an extraordinarily warm Autumn so far, although the change in weather temperature has been noticeable both yesterday and today. The last big festival, Electric Picnic sees kids back to school and daylight reduced noticeably. SAD is upon some of us who are sensitive to life. Others keep their heads down and pray that winter will be mild.
Our nation has been bled dry by greed and avarice of a few, and a few more besides. The above leaf is trapped, just as we are by our unnatural desires for more and more. We will get out or this mire through persistance, though it will brand deep current generations that actually believed the 'hype' that all was indeed good in the land of the new Celt. We need a change in thinking, remove ourselves from wanton possessions, money, material goods, etc, move towards thinking more about family, community and natural life. When we gather money as if it will heal us, it deprives others, it maims and isolates us from reality and soothes temporarily.
A disgraced taoiseach once assured us that we should remove ourselves from this life rather than talk down our economic woes, the teflon don, he is/was otherwise known as. The same animal (A european Chavez of sorts) sticks his head out of cabinet doors on TV now to make a living........we are not impressed.
