photography tip

A little bit of melancholy

Once in a while there are these days when you feel like the last leaf on the tree…. and the wind is shaking you around… and then you just stop fighting and let the wind blow you away… and you just land wherever it puts you…

This image was taken in Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris. There are many good sad songs reflecting my present mood, and most of them are French.

“Autumn Leaves” is a popular song that was originally written by Joseph Kosma and Jacques Prevert. It has been performed in countless arrangements, but Yves Montand was the one who introduced the song in 1946 in the French film Gates Of The Night.

I am sad for no particular reason, but if there is anybody who feels lonely, you can listen this song with me.

These images were taken in Hyde Park, London.

In the light of the recent events I want to share a sad song by a Scottish alternative rock band Del Amitri, in which the notorious British weather is mentioned… 😉 All of those who are sad because no one loves you, welcome to listen this song 🙂

I think it is all because of the Summer slipping away. The songbirds fly South… Even this crow didn’t want to stay with me…

…and took off leaving his shadow.

Another sad song from a rock band Counting Crows.

Soon, so very soon all the creatures will hide…

… and even the spiders will freeze to death…

Ah, enough of that sad mood! Stop it:)

Tomorrow will be another day, I will do something useful and cross out another item in my long-as-a-life to-do list. To cheer myself up I will listen to the Gypsi Swing band from Waterford, and share their music with you all.

Photography tip of the day: Autumn is the time of clouds. If you are shooting black&white, use orange filter. Your sky will stand out.

Have a great weekend!

River Suir, Ireland

I have moved. I still live near river Suir, but there are no herons, no meadows and no wildflowers here. City life…

Right before I left the town our Camera Club had an exciting outing: a boat trip from Carrick on Suir marina to Mooncoin and back, courtesy of Carrick on Suir River Rescue.

This noble organization has never received any funds from the Government and has been assisting in rescue and search operations all over Ireland since 1960s. At the moment they have sixteen volunteers who are on 24/7 call. If someone can make a donation, please read this page. They also have a charity shop in Carrick on Suir where you can donate unwanted goods.

Here are a few images from that boat trip.

On the way back it is getting darker.

Good bye Carrick!

When you work some people are happy with what you are doing…

…and some not really…

…and it is OK 🙂

Last week I was nominated for two rewards. Wow. Many thanks go to the inspiring bloggers who are just too kind and supportive.

First one was a One Lovely blog nomination. I was nominated by a wonderful lady who inspires her readers to change their life.

The rules for winning this award are simple. Here they are:

1. Thank the person who has nominated you. Provide a link to his/her blog.

2. List the rules and display the award image.

3. Include 7 facts about yourself.

4. Nominate 15 other bloggers and let them know that they have been nominated. This is a way to introduce others to bloggers that you love.

5. Display the award logo and follow the blogger who nominated you.

So here are 7 facts about myself; they are pretty informative:

1. I have sense of humor.

2. I am a lousy swimmer.

3. I adore cats.

4. I have lived in Moscow 5 years and never visited Lenin Mausoleum.

5. I feel sorry for the elderly. I always did.

6. I love mathematical puzzles.

7. I feel perfectly comfortable going to the movies or theatre by myself if no one is available.

It was hard…

My favorite part. I nominate these 15 amazing bloggers.

http://nananoyz5forme.com/

http://abitofwiggleroom.wordpress.com/

http://aquileana.wordpress.com/

http://ronyaroshauthor.com/

http://therepublicofann.wordpress.com/

http://beefandsweettea.com/

http://sydspix.wordpress.com/

http://sweetafternoons.wordpress.com/

http://believeinadream.com/

http://cynthiasreyes.com/

http://harvestinghecate.wordpress.com/

http://yadadarcyyada.com/

http://keeppicturing.wordpress.com/

http://teagansbooks.wordpress.com/

http://thetropicalfloweringzone.com/

Thank you again for the nomination!

Please check out these blogs!

And here is the other nomination, A Very Inspiring blogger award. Thank you Nana Noyz! You are too kind! I always feel humbled because I know how many really inspiring blogs are around. Please check out this wonderful blog!

Here are the rules:

Thank and link the amazing person who nominated you.
List the rules and display the award.
Share seven facts about yourself.
Nominate 15 other amazing blogs and comment on their posts to let them know they’ve been nominated.
Proudly display the award logo on your blog and follow the blogger who nominated you.

I already shared seven facts about myself… There are the bloggers I nominate:

http://nonsmokingladybug.wordpress.com/

http://olganm.wordpress.com/

http://indahs.com/

http://getoffmylawnplease.com/

http://bookofbokeh.wordpress.com/

http://darkecologies.com/

http://montserratsobral.wordpress.com/

http://justmobilephotos.com/photos/

http://thecrazycrone.com/

http://pacificparatrooper.wordpress.com/

http://charlypriest.wordpress.com/

http://beingbettr.wordpress.com/

http://russelrayphotos2.com/

http://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/

Please click the links. You might find a new blogger friend.

Photography tip of the day: Look in your viewfinder and make a composition before you press the shutter button. I know that it is a digital camera, but still you will spend less time deleting bad quality images.

Have a great week!

September 2004-2014

A Calendar of Sonnets: September

By Helen Hunt Jackson

The golden-rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.
The gentian’s bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.
The sedges flaunt their harvest,
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook.
From dewy lanes at morning
the grapes’ sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.
By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather,
And autumn’s best of cheer.
But none of all this beauty
Which floods the earth and air
Is unto me the secret
Which makes September fair.
‘T is a thing which I remember;
To name it thrills me yet:
One day of one September
I never can forget.

I think that this colourful poem and my picture go together quite nicely.

In May I posted a Photography: May 2003-2014 set of images. I am doing it again, “one day of one September”. Isn’t photography all about memories? 🙂

2004

This is the house I grew up in. It is the back yard, these windows face the lake; the front yard used to merge with a large ancient forest. The building is about 200 years old. In 2004 we traveled around visiting all the places that are dear to us, and I took this photograph. In 2010 the new owner cut the forest down.

2005

I love trees. This Monkey Puzzle ( Araucaria) alley is almost gone due to the old age. Last year I visited the place again, and it doesn’t look like in this picture anymore.

2006

St Canice’s Cathedral grounds, Kilkenny. I call this image Dwellings: Past, Present, Future.

2007

Galtee Mountains. That green patch down there is a forest. We are half way to a beautiful mountain lake, icy cold and transparent like a crystal. I came there again two years ago, solo. Walked through the forest, took some pictures. I didn’t plan to walk to the lake, of course, but it was nice to know that it is there, just a couple of hours away.

2008

This picture was taken in the park in Limerick. I think it was my most uneventful, and overall miserable trip ever. Never been to Limerick again.

2009

There is a tiny road in Clonmel going up the mountain. People walk or drive it to climb to the Holy Cross and get a bird’s eye view. This old man is walking down that road with his cows. He and his brother live ( lived?) right around the corner, so his flock doesn’t interrupt traffic too much. I stood in the street watching them and tears came up to my eyes. God bless old people.

2010

This isn’t a result of photo editing: all the colors are natural. Antelope Island State Park, Great Salt Lake. Abundant wildlife, beautiful scenery, solitude and tranquillity.

2011

A friend invited me to take a trip to Connemara. We had two fun days in spite of the weather.

2012

These clouds are something to remember.

2013

A big sister.

2014

This picture is here because I am saying good bye to the river.

Thank you for reading about my Septembers. What about yours? I would love to hear 🙂

Photography tip of the day: More DIY 🙂 Take pictures through plastic bag, stained glass, plastic bottles, magnifying glass, etc. Cover your “filters” with colored vaseline. You will get interesting effects depending on your lenses.

Have a great week!

Castle and Peacocks

I learned to read very early: the magic of putting the letters together opened the whole world to me. One of my first books was a photo anthology of European capitals. Very little text and a lot of pictures, but when you are four even very little text is too much, and architecture is not your idea of fun. The only worthy images in the book were those of Zoo animals.

I memorized their names. I hadn’t been taken to the Zoo yet, but living in the farm with my Grandparents, surrounded by forests and bogs and all sort of wildlife I appreciated the variety of species… I don’t remember seeing much of exotic animals on TV until the mid of the 60s, except some cartoons, so the photographs in that book were my only source of knowledge. The most beautiful of all the animals in the book was a peacock. In my imagination I pictured him walking in our back yard where my Granddad’s blue, green and brown beehives were sitting in the lush grass. My imagination painted the bird in pink, purple and gold: the pictures in that old book were black & white…

I want to share a few images from my recent visit of Johnstown Castle and Park, Co Wexford. If you want to go there some day, here you can find useful information about the tickets and directions.

As you can see, the weather was gradually getting better. Cranky grey morning turned into the perfect sunny afternoon. Photographers are wandering around the castle looking for a good composition.

Since the days I was four I learned to love architecture, but still I visit Johnstown castle mostly because of the peacocks.

Their beautiful plumage hasn’t fully grown yet at this time of the year, so I didn’t take any breathtaking images of a peacock in his full glory. I was simply happy to be close and watch them.

A bold one came to me to check out if I had any snacks.

After getting some pieces of French toast he settled in front of me.

I don’t remember when I found out that peacocks are not pink and purple, but I was right about the gold.

There are two images of the trees taken into the sun. I loved trees before I learned to read.

After that I went to the lake and took all the pictures I posted in REFLECTIONS. This is how the castle looks from the lake.

Thank you for visiting Johnstown Castle with me! Do you remember what animal or bird impressed your young mind? 🙂

Photography tip of the day: Horizontal means horizontal. Keep your camera straight. Of course you can straighten your images with the editing software, but sometimes it means losing the details that are important for your composition.

Have a great week!

Forever Cats

“Of all God’s creatures, there is only one that cannot be made slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat.”
― Mark Twain

I cannot disagree with the wise man. Cats cannot be made slaves. Look at this face if you had any doubts.

Look at this royal gesture.

A warrior fighting invisible evil…

“A silent guardian, a watchful protector”…

He used to live a life of emperor and didn’t know what was coming …

… but he took it with dignity.

Another remarkable cat I had a pleasure to meet.

Leo, the most patient and meek creature ever, a good-hearted friend of his humans and their young.

There are many kitties who are less fortunate, but you can see the aristocracy of blood showing through. This kitty was living in the streets and took the food offerings with grace and dignity.

I met this kitty in Dingle Peninsula, driving around the Slea Head. He was sitting at the empty cottage and wouldn’t make any eye contact with the strangers ( otherwise he didn’t mind us, and was actually purring).

This is another stray cat. The only difference is that he was living in Coliseum, Rome.

There are many stray cats in Rome. Old people feed them. The world is a better place because of the caring old people.

This young fella is KC, a member of a family of four cats all rescued by their human in different circumstances.

These three kittens were taken to the vets and put down by a man whom I knew as a kind and caring son, father and husband. I knew he didn’t want the kittens and I asked him if I could take them and find them home, but he lied that he would do it himself… Three years ago we were reconnected at the deathbed of our friend. After we left the room he was trying to make an apology, mumbling something about a reconciliation. I told him he was fine. The following year I got a word that he had an accident at work, and he isn’t himself anymore since. God knows, I didn’t wish him anything like that.

I still keep the simple toys I had made for them.

“The only escape from the miseries of life are music and cats…”

― Albert Schweitzer

Cat’s in the Cradle” is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash. It has nothing to do with cats. The song is about a man who never had time for his son.

The Cat’s cradle is a string game. You can read about it and many more old and forgotten games here.

Well, we had enough of sad things, let’s have a chuckle 🙂

This image belongs to a Russian artist Svetlana Petrova. Click on the link to see Zarathustra the cat improving some famous artworks with his presence. When Svetlana’s mother died she was deeply depressed, and creating these images was a part of the healing process.

This cutie is Jonne. He had a big happy family – another two cats and a dog. They are all gone. When Jonne joined the family he was sick and weak because of neglect, and he was beaten too. It was long ago, he lives with his significant human now and they are inseparable.

Speaking of friendship.

“You know a real friend?
Someone you know will look after your cat after you are gone.”
― William S. Burroughs, Last Words: The Final Journals

Thank you for reading! These pictures were taken over the years, and some of the cats must have crossed the Rainbow bridge since.

Could you share a few words about your Pet ( not necessarily a cat)?

Photography tip of the day: Taking pictures of your pets use natural light and come closer. The best time for a portrait ( close up) is when the pet has just woke up and is still sleepy. Show their personality in your pictures: You know all these faces and looks, capture them 🙂

Have a great weekend!