Ascension Saturday

Ascension Saturday

More pics on facebook. The requirements of the Dad-taxi service meant I had limited time on the Bull Island this afternoon for the Battle of the Bay kite-surfing festival but I like this one. As the light was very strong anyway, I pushed it even further by adding contrast as well as blue in the white balance to to get a vaugely Alexian look to it. I took it with the Canon 100-400mm, handheld with image stabilization at 210mm, for 1/1250th of a second, f11 and ISO 200. The statue is commonly known as the Virgin Mary Monument but its correct name is Realt na Mara - Our Lady Queen of the Sea - built in 1972.

An alternative title for the shot could be Someone to Watch Over Me but I didn't think the rythym of this classic jazz ballad by George Gershwin syncs with kite-surfing!

Anyone can see this photo All rights reserved

Uploaded on May 26, 2012  |  Map

7 comments

 
A Powerful Sunset

A Powerful Sunset

I went down to Poolbeg one evening early last March to get a moonshot that didn’t really work – but this grab shot as I arrived wasn’t bad as a consolation! I used the Canon 17-55 lens at 55mm for 1/250th of a second, f8 and ISO 100.

Anyone can see this photo All rights reserved

Uploaded on May 23, 2012  |  Map

13 comments

 
Portrait of a Razorbill - Explored - 4 in a row!

Portrait of a Razorbill - Explored - 4 in a row!

In at #41 this morning :-) - thanks as always for your interest and comments. Another one from the Offshoot outing to Great Saltee off Co. Wexford on 12 May. The aim here was to get a clean background by finding a Razorbill Alca torda with the sea behind it– but without reflections from the sun. Given the very strong illumination and consequent harsh shadows, I added some fill light with high speed flash (info here & here). As I was only 2-3m from it – as captured by Olive, I didn’t use the flash extender. I stopped down the aperture to try to get both the eye and the tip of the beak sharp. It was the taken with Canon 100-400mm, for 1/400th of a second, 400mm, f9 and ISO 200. This is my favourite from a long series of this bird – the constant moving of its head and resultant changes in the lighting, as well as the bird’s regular blinking meant that most of the shots were throwaways!

Anyone can see this photo All rights reserved

Uploaded on May 20, 2012  |  Map

40 comments

 
The Rule of Breads - Explored!

The Rule of Breads - Explored!

Three EXPLORES in a row! This one is in this morning at #285 - as always thanks for the interest and your comments - it's risen to #28 now! I shot it during at the English Market during a visit to Cork over Easter. Even though I wasn’t that happy with it when I printed it, it got a “Highly Commended” at Offshoot’s food competition this week - perhaps in part because the judge liked my title :-). Check out all the winners here. I used available light – I didn’t want to be too obtrusive around the market by using flash - with the Canon EFS 17-55 lens at 35mm for 1/25th of a second (image stabilized), 5.6 and ISO 200.

Anyone can see this photo All rights reserved

Uploaded on May 16, 2012  |  Map

22 comments

 
Final Approach - Explored!

Final Approach - Explored!

Explored at #60 - thanks for the interest. A shot of a Gannet Morus bassanus taken on Saturday’s Offshoot outing to Great Saltee off Co. Wexford. I used a Canon 100-400mm, handheld with image stabilization at 250mm, for 1/3200th of a second, f7.1 and ISO 200. I got some fill in light on the bird's underparts using high speed flash (info here & here) using a flash extender - also known as a "better beamer" – and no, that's not an improved German car! I got mine from Speedgraphic. The downside of using flash on shots like this is that there's only chance on each approach - fortunately the birds almost hang in the air for an instant just before they land.

Anyone can see this photo All rights reserved

Uploaded on May 14, 2012  |  Map

71 comments

← prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 31 32
(546 items)
Subscribe to a feed of stuff on this page... Subscribe to John Coveney Photos' photostream – Latest | geoFeed | KML