Blog - AJ PHOTOGRAPHY IRELAND

CORK CITY - STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

3/6/2017

© AJ PHOTOGRAPHY.IE

Living close to Cork city has its benefits. It was a day for ' My Photography ' Having no other business on this day, I headed out to Cork City to find some interesting subjects and faces for some Street Photography for my own project ' In the middle of the day the light is harsh and direct, not the ideal for landscape photography.. ( although all rules have exceptions ) A better day weather wise, the sun was out and also having the effect of bringing people onto the streets, it would be good fishing trip ' for a photographer.
Heading for Oliver Plunkett Street in the heart of Cork City Camera and one lens in hand, restricting myself to a wide angle lens on the Canon 5dMk3 Camera Body.. A 16mm-35mm 2.8 lens is a favourite of press photographers and Wedding photographers.. You need to be in close to your subject for dramatic shots, or step out a little to include the surrounding features. Either way, the lens was the ideal for my wanders around Cork. First off, I found these two characters outside Casablanca Barbers. They were I think taking selfies with their themed props to perhaps include on their Facebook page of other.. They were perfect subjects and were very happy to be directed for this image.

The Allianz Sciath na Scol Cork Finals Hurlilng and Camogie.

1/6/2017

Over the last two days of May I covered the Cork, Allianz " Sciath na Scol Chorcaí " Finals at Pairc Ui Rinn, Cork City. This was on behalf of the Irish Examiner and Cork Evening Echo. It takes place each year and involves Schools around Cork taking part in traditional Irish Sport of Hurling ( Camogie for the girls. ) The children are up to the age of 14-15 and the two days are the resulting finals which are keenly contested and followed by the schools and of interest to the national press. As can be seen from the first image, this is no game for the fearsome. It takes incredible fitness and bravery to compete in the contest and I was delighted to be there to witness the event again this year.

Supporters at this years Cork Allianz Sciath na Scol finals.

AJ Photography - Sports - press- and P.R photography . Winners with their Trophies.

Internationally acclaimed artist the late Ben Maile's Artwork donated to Local Care home - Glanmire, County Cork, Ireland.

29/5/2017

The late Ben Maile a British artist living in Glanmire until his recent passing will be remembered for many years at the Glyntown Care Centre, Glanmire, Co. Cork. His widow, Carrie donated a piece of his art to the centre today. The painting featured in this image was presented to the centre in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Des Cahill . These three ladies, all sisters and residents of the home were keen to show off the new acquisition at the home with Carrie Maile. AJ Photography was there to photograph the event for the Irish Examiner and the Cork Evening Echo. Ben's work and paintings hang in some very prestigious places around the Globe. For example, one of his paintings hangs in Buckingham Palace, London and the White House in Washington. His art has been exhibited all around the the world .

Staff at the Glyntown Care Centre in Glanmire, County Cork with Carrie Maile, and her husband's painting. Image's © AJPhotography Ireland. AJ Photography for event, PR. Media and Commercial Photography.

First Communion Photography, Ballincollig, Cork by AJ Photography

28/5/2017

This weekend I covered a First Communion Mass at the Christ of out Light Church in Ballincollig - mainly for the Cork Evening Echo in Cork a publication which has been present in the County of Cork for many years and distributed around the whole county. I enjoy covering these events which for of course include Confirmations too. Contact AJ Photography for more information .. 0876 234107

Cobh county Cork, Formerly Queenstown

22/5/2017

Pictured from it's harbour , in Cobh, County Cork, is St. Coleman's Cathedral one of Irelands tallest buildings and seat of the diocese of Cloyne, This amazing piece of architecture looks over Cork Harbour, arguably one of the largest natural harbours in the World, in any case a great harbour and home to Ireland's only dedicated cruise terminal. Cobh benefits greatly in tourism terms from its emigration and maritime legacy with its association with the RMS Titanic. The Cathedral is a wonder of construction. Building began ni 1867 and was not completed and consecrated until 1915. The delay in construction was due to revisions of the original cost and plans, ( not unlike today's circumstances ).

A Cork Harbour pilot boat returns to Cobh after escorting another Cruise Liner out to sea. A Seagull shadows the vessel . Images © AJ Photography - Cork Photographer.

Once a Photographer - Always a Photographer.... Spain..

14/5/2017

It's been a while since I have visited the Costa Blanca region of Spain. I tried really hard to leave behind my Camera and Lenses at home, but gradually found that I was feeding my camera bag with a Canon 5d Mk3 and several lenses. For those interested, the above shot was taken with a 100-400L Canon lens at the longer end of its reach. It's a bit of a beast, a white lens that shouts professional' and hardly inconspicuous. However it was not at my side for many excursions out and around Calpe, on the Costa Blanca. Knowing that I was going to a region that had abundant wildlife nearby on Calpe's Penon de ifach, a rock very similar to the Rock of Gibraltar, but on a smaller scale, I had intended to take pictures of the Rock's bird population . The Rock was a few hundred metres from the apartment that I was staying in near the port of Calpe, a picturesque location with sheltered beaches and coves ideal for those wanting to get away from it all' ' in the early summer sun. However the bird photography did not materialise and the 100-400 Lens only made one appearance as a kind of regatta commenced on the Sunday in the waters between Calpe and the distant city of Benidorm. I like this shot as a single sailing boat entered the scene with the hazy skyline of Benidorm in the background. The boat was in fact a British registered vessel as can be seen by the markings on the sail. The picture has depth with the Palm tree in the foreground and the backdrop of Benidorm. An idyllic scene showing the tranquility of the boat with the more hectic backdrop of a modern tourist destination, which has little to do with Spain naturally, but the juxtaposition works I think....

The next image was taken whilst on a beautiful walk along the coastline beside the port of Calpe, as it meanders into the town itself. I saw this mature gentleman walking along the rocky part of a beach in deep thought as he soaked up the sunshine of the day. I couldn't resist taking the shot with a 24-105mm zoom lens on the Canon 5Dmk3 . It is the Journalistic photographer part of me that brings my camera up to my eye to record a moment in time. Again Benidorm is in the background from this more Gentile location some 9 miles or so from Benidorm as a crow would fly.. The coastal route to the city is a little longer and thankfully separates the Port of Calpe for those wishing a more tranquil location. I cannot recommend enough this location for a holiday. Should you want to travel a short distance Benidorm and Alicante they are well within reach by bus of train.
I am glad that I made the effort to take my camera with me to Spain on this trip. The shoulder back pac' was heavy and went as hand luggage, but to be honest was probably overweight for the 10Kg allowance. Perhaps it is time for me to consider a smaller format for travel, like Sony's amazing A series of camera's the latest being the Sony A9. It is a camera without a mirror pentaprism and thus is not a SLR or DSLR format.. As a mirrorless camera format and without the additional weight of the prism its size defies the quality of images that it produces. Indeed more and more professional photographers, especially portrait and wedding photographers are using this format and doing so with great style. However perhaps I am a dinosaur remaining with an outdated Camera system such as the Heavy full frame Digital Single Lens Reflex camera that I use. But this dinosaur is a happy one and for now will carry on snapping.... Thanks for reading and please subscribe and comment. I hope to post some video's of my photography in a short while to augment this site. Bye for now !

Cork City Athlete of the Month Award at the River Lee Hotel, Cork

5/5/2017

Part of my role as a photographer is to attend events around Cork and in General around the Island of Ireland for Local and National Press. Today I had the pleasure of attending an award which takes place monthly at the River Lee Hotel, in Cork City - The Cork City Athlete of the Month Award . Pictured above is an amazing athlete Emma Coffey who received this months award after her achievements as a Pole Vaulter with her Club Carriage na bhFear AC. Pictured with her is her little sister Hannah, aged 5 who possibly took the limelight from Emma ! Undoubtedly Hanna was very proud of her older sister as she clung to the award . © Copyright AJ photography Ireland.

Spring is in the air.. or is it ?

26/4/2017

It's that time of year again . Spring, my favourite season.
I am a self confessed sufferer of that condition known as S.A.D. Seasonally Affected Disorder.... I have been called many things over the years, but it is sad to be labelled Sad ' ! Living in Cork, Ireland there is no escape from the seasons. I am not complaining, I chose to live here. I merely comment on things as they are. It is part of the human condition to have favourites and some not so favourites. My not so ' happens to be winter .. Autumn though, I like more, with its beautiful colours as the follage slowly changes from greens to wonderful reds, browns and Oranges. It is a good time for a photographer , although tinged with the knowledge that Summer has passed and Winter on it's way........... Back to Spring . A season of rebirth. Nature never fails to amaze me as everything around us slowly gathers momentum. A wonder of nature indeed. As the evenings start to stretch', so does mother natures subjects . Without fail. Something as simple as seeing the buds and leafs on the trees start to shoot . Like some time lapse video, but a little slower. If we blink though, we miss the spectacle . There are so many things going on though that it is easy to not to see it. We all have busy lives, rushing from one schedule to the other. We seem to be watching the screen on our mobiles and iPads, ensconced in social media, sometimes, to miss Natures new offerings. As a keen photographer I am continually looking at the light' . How it falls on our surroundings . Morning and evenings have very different looks', when the light is low in the sky, either building or settling down in the horizon. Either I get up early, or head off later in the evening to capture that light . My preference is evening. The light at the end of day is mesmerising to me.

The last light of the day as an Angler at Cobh harbour, Cork throws his line in one more time ' No-one is safe from my lens ( ! ) . Actually I did approach this subject and ask his consent, which although is not a necessity , but polite and can sometimes provide dividends . For this shot I was using a wide angle lens on my Canon 5DSR digital camera. It required that I move in close to the angler to frame the shot . I under exposed a little, shooting directly into the sun to produce that Silhouette effect that I think works well here. No model release required here.! the beauty of the Silhouette image. These sort of images do well in image Libraries as stock photography, which normally requires releases from subjects in shot.
I will end this post with reference to the Title .. Spring is winning the battle with winter, although I hear in Scotland they have significant snow . Even normally moderate county Cork had showers of frozen hail stones yesterday. Temperatures dropped to about 5c for a short time, a reminder that each season fights for its territory, eventually giving up to the next. As nature plays out it's survival of the fittest. Thanks for reading...

Wonderful Cobh, Cork , Ireland

24/4/2017

Photography, apart from being a profession, also provides the soul with unending material to refresh and renew ones outlook on life . Living just outside Cork City, It never fails to surprise me with the numerous locations to find inspiration and images. Take for example Cobh, just a fifteen minute drive from my location. Steeped in history, Cobh formerly known as Queenstown, is on the south side of Great island in Cork Harbour. Cobh is home to Irelands only dedicated cruise terminal attracting tourists from all over the world, its Maritime history a magnet with its association with the RMS Titanic. For AJ Photography and for my own personal work, I often find myself wandering the streets of the Harbour town with Camera in hand. Looking out across the Harbour ( the World's second largest natural Harbour ) it is easy to image the Titanic at anchor just outside the mouth to the harbour, as passengers were transported to the liner before its fateful journey. There is a memorial garden close to the Cork coastguard building, which carries the names of those lost at sea. Indeed there are several memorials to both the Titanic and the Lusitania . The Lusitania was a British ocean liner which was sunk by German submarines in World War 1, causing a major diplomatic uproar. She was also run by the Cunard line and was based in Liverpool. Her wreck lies about 11 miles off the old head of Kinsale lighthouse. 1,198 souls were lost when the liner sank.

THE NAVIGATOR'
This Sculpture by Mary Gregory is located on the Cobh waterfront . Created in bronze, the statue denotes a Christ like figure sitting in a boat shaped tub. He holds in his hands a small boat , looking out to sea . It is supposed to represent the guiding force of a benevolent Christ, helping weak and vulnerable human beings as they battle against the seas storms.. Whatever you believe in, .you cannot but be touched by the significance of this gesture taking into account the nearby sea and historical Maritime history of Cobh.

Another image from Cobh shot by AJ Photography. This is a bronze statue of Irish Olympic Hero Sonia O'Sullivan a native of Cobh. Commissioned by Cobh tourism , the statue is located in the centre of Cobh town, with the Iconic St. Coleman's Cathedral in the background.

FOLKS YOU MIGHT MEET IN COBH
Whilst I was on my wanderings along Cobh waterfront recently I came across this interesting bunch of people, who had just got off a boat from the nearby Spike Island. ( this will be the subject of another blog soon. ) They are members of the Cobh Animation team, who bring to life the rich history and heritage of Cobh town. This chance meeting was just that , a chance meeting. As I had my camera with me, I quickly got them into formation , which they politely agreed, and grabbed this shot..Thanking them, I continued on my wanderings along the sea front. I had just witnessed a look back of what Cobh would have looked like in another Century. !!! Thanks Cobh Animation team .

April 19th, 2017

19/4/2017

Hi and thanks for dropping by AJ Photography . This site has been active in another guise for some 12 years now and was starting to show its age. I have therefore took the brave step of moving to another Web site design under Letshost.ie who have hosted my site since its inception. You may not find earlier material here at this stage, as I suspect that I would have dropped in SEO ratings with Google.. So there is work to be done there !
However I will be adding fresh material as well as old favorites from my photography over the years . Please do follow my blog if you wish and I hope that I can provide some interesting images .... Bye for now ! PS I would be also interested in hearing some feedback, whether positive of constructional, so please do not hesitate to enter your thoughts into the Comment section below. Andy Jay AJ Photography. Cork, Ireland.