Wild strawberries
Nikon D7000, 105mm macro lens, iso 200
Wild strawberries, slate quarries, county Kilkenny
Nature photography : Nigel Borrington
Wild Strawberries
Each June and July growing locally we have lots of wild strawberries, they do best in dry and well drained ground such a raised hedgerows or like these ones, along a river bank in a disused slate quarry near the village of Windgap, County KIlkenny.
Nikon D7000, 105mm macro lens, iso 200
Wild strawberries, slate quarries, county Kilkenny
Nature photography : Nigel Borrington
Wild Strawberries : Wikipeadia
Its the weekend so……
Fuji X100, 28mm lens, iso 100
County Kerry coast-line ,
Irish Landscape photography:Nigel Borrington
It’s the weekend so if you can find a place with a view and lose yourself in it…..
Coolagh old church, county kilkenny
Nikon D200, 35mm focus length, iso 200
The old church at coolagh
Kilkenny photographer : nigel borrington
When we first came to live in Kilkenny back in 2003, we lived right next to these old church ruins at coolagh county kilkenny. Early each morning I would walk our then 6 month old golden retriever puppy, molly into the fields and up-to this spring below the tree.
These old church remains date back from around (1171-72) being constructed by the Anglo-Normans. The old church on coolaghmore hill, was replaced with a new church in about 1880. These old remains of the original church have stood unused ever since.
The wonderful Kilkenny landscape.
Five go up a hill and come down a mountain
Some time back Five of us (Breda, Tess, Andrew his brother Steve along with Myself) all headed from north London to Melfort Village, Argyll, Scotland for the week. At the time I owned a time share week here and the visit to such a wonderful location each March was more than welcome.
One Morning with myself and Steve both being into photography, the others just wanting a good walk we packed the bags and headed up the hills at the back of the Melford estate, the below images I hope do something to document this walk and the resulting Photographs.
I only found these pictures again last week as I am scanning all my old negatives….
All images taken on a Nikon F90x and on Kodak 200iso colour film as you can see…
Kate Rusby
Fujifilm X100
I Courted A Sailor
I courted a sailor for six months and many,
I courted a sailor, now he’s far from me.
I courted a sailor for six months and many,
I courted a sailor, now he’s far from me.
On a fine summer’s evening he said his heart was grieving
On a fine summer’s evening these words he said to me
CHORUS
Oh I’m bound for the waves, the waves dearest Annie,
I’m bound for the waves, the waves upon the sea.
Oh I’m bound for the waves, the waves dearest Annie,
I’m bound for the waves, the captain calleth me.
CHORUS
Me heart has been yours now for six months and many,
Me heart has been yours now and will always remain.
Me heart has been yours now for six months and many,
Me heart has been yours now and will always remain.
Take with you me ring and me heart you’ll always bring,
Take with you me ring when you sail away to sea.
CHORUS
I’ll wait for me sailor for six months and many,
I’ll wait for me sailor till he comes home from sea.
I’ll wait for me sailor for six months and many,
I’ll wait for me sailor till he comes home from sea.
I’ll wait for you me dear, for time we’ll know no fear.
I’ll wait for you me dear till you come home from the sea.
CHORUS
I’ve married me sailor for six months and many,
I’ve married me sailor now he’s safe with me.
I’ve married me sailor for six months and many,
I’ve married me sailor no more he’ll say to me
You tube performance : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybRPZAqN7WA
Its the weekend
Nikon f90x
Kodak film
50mm f1.4 lens
Its the weekend so find a place with a view and relax
Artic Penguin – Inveraray
Nikon F90x
Ilford XP2
Nikon 50mm f1.4 lens
Sitting on the quays at Inveraray in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, the Artic Penguin now rests.
She had the following History
History
1910 Named: PENGUIN as lightship for the Irish Lighthouse Service – cost £7,230. Flag: Ireland
1966 Sold to T.E. McSweeney and converted into a Youth Adventure Sea Training Vessel Renamed: HALLOWE’EN Flag: United Kingdom
1982 Sold to Mr D. Norris and converted to a schooner. Cruise Boat Renamed: ARCTIC PENGUIN Moored close to the eastern shore of The Gareloch where her new owner single-handedly fitted her with twin diesel engines. All the work, the boring out of the stern propellor tubes, the fitting of the necessary external propellor shaft brackets, the propellor shafts and the propellors was all done without the ship being docked or slipped.
1995 Maritime Museum at Inveraray Pier
Today she enjoys one of the best views Scotland has to offer.
Nikon F90x
Ilford XP2
Nikon 50mm f1.4 lens
Inveraray sits on the A83 between Glasgow and Oban/Argyll, I have driven this route many times and stopping to look at the Artic Penguin and loch Fyne was something I did every time, just a fantastic view.
I am planning to return in November this year and cannot wait!
Nikon F90x
Ilford XP2
Nikon 50mm f1.4 lens
Nigel …
The Sea
The sea is a hungry dog,
Giant and grey.
He rolls on the beach all day.
With his clashing teeth and shaggy jaws
Hour upon hour he gnaws
The rumbling, tumbling stones,
And ‘Bones, bones, bones, bones! ‘
The giant sea-dog moans,
Licking his greasy paws.
And when the night wind roars
And the moon rocks in the stormy cloud,
He bounds to his feet and snuffs and sniffs,
Shaking his wet sides over the cliffs,
And howls and hollos long and loud.
But on quiet days in May or June,
When even the grasses on the dune
Play no more their reedy tune,
With his head between his paws
He lies on the sandy shores,
So quiet, so quiet, he scarcely snores.
The sea is a hungry dog,
Giant and grey.
He rolls on the beach all day.
With his clashing teeth and shaggy jaws
Hour upon hour he gnaws
The rumbling, tumbling stones,
And ‘Bones, bones, bones, bones! ‘
The giant sea-dog moans,
Licking his greasy paws.
And when the night wind roars
And the moon rocks in the stormy cloud,
He bounds to his feet and snuffs and sniffs,
Shaking his wet sides over the cliffs,
And howls and hollos long and loud.
But on quiet days in May or June,
When even the grasses on the dune
Play no more their reedy tune,
With his head between his paws
He lies on the sandy shores,
So quiet, so quiet, he scarcely snores.
James Reeves
Air
Fujifilm X100
The pagan elements :
Air is one of the four classical elements, and is often invoked in Wiccan ritual. Air is the element of the East, connected to the soul and the breath of life. Air is associated with the colors yellow and white. Interestingly, in some cultures a triangle sitting on its base like this is considered masculine, and is connected to the element of Fire rather than Air.
In some traditions of Wicca, Air is represented not by the triangle, but by either a circle with a point in the center, or by a feather or leaf-like image. In other traditions, the triangle is used to mark the association of degrees or initiation rank — typically first degree, but not necessarily. In alchemy, this symbol is sometimes show with the horizontal line extending beyond the sides of the triangle.
In rituals, when the element of Air is called for, you can use this triangular symbol, or use a feather, incense, or a fan. Air is associated with communication, wisdom or the power of the mind. Do an outdoors working on a windy day, and allow the powers of air to aid you. Visualize air currents carrying away your troubles, blowing away strife, and carrying positive thoughts to those who are far away. Embrace the wind, and let its energy fill you and help you achieve your goals.
In many magical traditions, air is associated with various spirits and elemental beings. Entities known as sylphs are typically connected with the air and the wind – these winged creatures are often related to powers of wisdom and intuition. In some belief systems, angels and devas are associated with air. It should be noted that the term “deva” in New Age and metaphysical studies is not the same as the Buddhist class of beings known as devas.
Read more about the magic, mythology, and folklore of air and the wind: Air and Wind Folklore.
The first element of the alchemical tradition.
Air is the essence of intuition and learning, the element of the nature of the mind.
Astrological Signs: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.
Represented by: Feathers, Birds, incense, fans, flags, flowing garments and sheer material.
Season: Winter
Color: White
Chakra: Crown
Celtic gods and goddess:
Arianrhod
“The Silver Wheel”, “High Fruitful Mother”. Celtic (Welsh) Goddess, the sister of Gwydion and wife of Donn. Deity of element of Air, reincarnation, full moons, time, karma, retribution. The palace of this sky Goddess was Caer Arianrhold (Aurora Borealis). Keeper of the Silver Wheel of Stars, a symbol of time and karma. Her ship, Oar Wheel, carried dead warriors to Emania (Moon-land).
Arianrhod (Welsh pronunciation: [arˈjanr̥ɔd]) is a figure in Welsh mythology who plays her most important role in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. She is the daughter of Dôn and the sister of Gwydion and Gilfaethwy; the Welsh Triads give her father as Beli Mawr.[1] In the Mabinogi her uncle Math ap Mathonwy is the King of Gwynedd, and during the course of the story she gives birth to two sons, Dylan Ail Don and Lleu Llaw Gyffes, through magical means.
Autonomy
Independent Heart
Soft words you spoken
From the heart that is broken
I know deep inside
You have a level of independence
With a mystery of suspense
You are recovering
Waiting for someone
To catch on to the discovering
Of the real you
With a heart so true
Giving of your best
Expecting nothing less
While hurt is making amends
Leaning on loving friends
Accounted for in time you spend
With words you write
Not giving into a broken hearts flight
Staying strong
Carrying others like me along
by Jodie Moore
Created on: May 22, 2007
James Ravilious
Who was James Ravilious ?
“James Ravilious was an English photographer born in Southern England in 1939. He was the son of the artist Eric Ravilious and studied art himself at St Martin’s School of Art in London. James Ravilious took up photography in the early 1970′s, teaching himself, and he is most famous for his work for the Beaford Archive. The Beaford Archive was started in 1971 by Roger Deakins and was built into a collection of more than 80,000 images by Ravilious between 1972 and 1989 documenting rural life in North Devon. Ravilious’ photographs feature many everyday activities over the seventeen year period and provide a very interesting historical documentary about disappearing ways of life in rural England. James Ravilious was awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Photographic Society as recognition of his contribution to photography in 1997. Ravilious died in 1999. His images are largely black and white and taken on film. By spending so much time with the inhabitants of the area and over such a long period of time Ravilious has managed to capture very natural looking images, as though he weren’t there in many of them or with the subject looking comfortable. From a single photograph his images all tell a story. His photographs include little objects or daily events that build a picture of their way of life. From each one you can imaging the scenario and more than just the moment at time when the image was shot. By shooting all year round his images also capture the moods of the seasons and the traditions of the year.
Images such as the one of John Bennett the traveller. The image captures the warmth of the season, and by including all of his belongings within the frame tells you lots of things about Mr Bennett’s lifestyle. You can pick out his walking stick, his boots, his pans and this all creates images within your head of Mr Bennett walking along a country lane with his belongings on his back, or perhaps cooking at the side of a stream. The image tells much more than a man lying on the grass in the sun.”
I like James work very much, A photographers lifetime in his work….
You see a great video on James work here:
Offical Web site:
Canon G1x
Canon G1x
So since I sold my Contax G2 kit on ebay.ie last summer and then purchased a Canon G1x what have I be using it for and what’s my feeling about this Camera.
I am a big believer that a camera has to fit its owner before good images can even be approached, if you’re going out to get images with something that you just don’t feel good with then yes you may still get some good photos but you will always feel that bit removed from what you’re taking pictures of.
To me when you get your camera out of its bag and move toward the things you want to record, if you just don’t feel good about the camera in your hands then any issues you have with it will be in the front of your mind and not your subjects. Good photography is all about mind just like any other areas of life.
So what about this little Canon, I have to say from the first time I held and took some shots it was clear that I could just get on and use it. I don’t care that much about camera spec’s. It’s been a long time since any camera lacked a feature that I needed and I think that most photographers just know the kind of camera to pass on.
What counts for me is how the camera feels in my hands and how simply I can make a change to a setting that I need. The Canon G1x is about as good as it gets in both these areas. Yes its different from an SLR but not so different that it takes more than ten minutes to feel at home.
I can only point out one thing that I didn’t like, this being the placement of the video button. It’s far too simple to press it when you just holding the camera and walking around. You will also find that its not fast to cancel this mode when you want to, it takes at least two second to get out of recording and go back to stills mode. Next to the video button is a rubber rest for the thumb, make sure your thumb stays on this and this problem won’t happen.
The one thing that I felt I would have a problem with was the viewfinder or lack of it but even after using 100% view, optical viewfinder cameras for so long like Slr’s or rangefinder cameras I did’nt have any problems from the start. The single reason for this was the LCD screen, its crystal clear and I have always been able to see it in any lighting conditions.
The process of holding the camera in front of yourself is very different but I felt that it went hand in hand with the type of photography this camera is so good at, this being photography in the environment. Just being outside and going on a walk about, heading in town and doing some street photography or up the top of a mountain with a camera that’s not so heavy that its all you can think about. Using the LCD screen to frame your shot somehow keeps you feeling involved with the very things you’re taking pictures of.
I will post much more about this camera and talk about the C1 and C2 modes and how I have set them up to store things like my preferred focus length (35mm) and how to use the front dial to zoom to fixed focus positions.
The following pictures below are just some samples from the first few weeks I have owned this camera, as you can see its got me out taking lots of subjects. The image quality is second to none when put against the size and usability of this type of camera.
If I had one simple comment it would be, well done canon for making a camera that with no fuss gets people involved with the subjects they want to photo, while not spend any-time thinking about the camera you just sold them. Well done!
Black and white landscapes
Canon G1x
Nigel Borrington
Paula Dawn
I was sorting through some old films this morning and wondering what to do with them when I came across this shot above, The Paula Dawn one very early morning in September 1998 on the north Norfolk Broads.
I also found her being talked about on the following web site. Paula Dawn
I don’t think we had one spot of rain all week and what a boat.
This is her some years before
Slievenamon
Canon G1x
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington
Rising as a huge heathery dome amid gentle green countryside, Slievenamon’s profile naturally attracts the eye. This is an easy mountainwith with a broad and clear track leading all the way to the summit cairn.
On fine days there are extensive views, taking in all the best walking areas in the South East of Ireland.
Slievenamon is a mountain of history and mystery of lore and legends. Its name means the ‘Mountain of the Women’ and the story is told how all the fairest women raced to the top to claim the hand of the warrior, Fionn Mac Cumhail. Fionn secretly fancied Grainne, the daughter of the High King of Ireland, so he advised her how to win the race!
Although it looks like a solitary height, Slievenamon is surrounded by a series of lower heathery humps. Some of these, like the main summit, are crowned by ancient burial Cairns. The highest cairn is said to mark the entrance to the mysterious Celtic underworld.
The Celtic Underworld … and the Otherworld
According to the Celtic myths, the Celtic deities and the fairy folk lived in the spiritual domain that was generally called the “Otherworld”. These domains were usually hidden from mortal eyes, though not always. Sometimes, human beings are admitted, sometimes against their will or better judgement.
In Irish myths, the Otherworld could be an island, such as Glastonbury, or a dun or hill-fort. Sometimes, the Otherworld was called Sidhe, the fairy hill-fort (dun) or palace.
In the Welsh myths, the Otherworld was often called Annwfn or Annwyn, and the fort or castle was usually known as Caer.
The Underworld is what many people today might call the afterlife, referring to the spiritual realm in which newly dead spirits and souls go. Sometimes the underworld is identified as being like the Christian Hell because Hell is sometimes pictured as being under the Earth. The Underworld is possibly linked to the Earth because that is where the body goes after death.
Kilkenny photography
Landscape Photography of Kilkenny, The Gate, Nigel Borrington
Solo Image, Taken at Windgap, Co Kilkenny.
Kilkenny Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington
Waterford Tall ships race 2011
Image from the Waterford tall ships 2011, event.
Saturday 2nd July 2011 and the Tall Ships have arrived in Waterford Harbour, I arrived in Waterford around 7am and the mist on the water was perfect for some images of the ships. I spent about a hour photographing before the fog lifted, what great conditions perfect!
I will post some more images over the next week.
More details on the Race…
Ref : http://www.waterfordtallshipsrace.ie/the-race/
“The magnificent tall ships will depart Waterford from 7am on Sunday, 3rd July as they head down river to the mouth of the Suir for the start of the Race, with some wonderful vantage points along the coast. Subject to weather conditions, the tall ships will assemble off Dunmore East between 8.30am and 10am.
Most ships will be open to the public from Thursday through to Saturday, from early morning to late evening and admission is free. Over 1,000 crew members from around the world will be welcomed to Waterford and around 100 young people from Ireland will join the ships, as trainee crew members, for the first leg of The Race.
As the ships leave Waterford, they will race around Ireland’s south, west and north coasts to Greenock, Scotland (9th – 12th July). Later, there will be a cruise-in-company from Greenock to Lerwick in the Shetland Isles (21st – 24th July). The second race in the series will then go from Lerwick to Stavanger Norway (28th – 31st July), from where the third and final race will bring the fleet to Halmstad, Sweden from 5th – 8th August.”
Irish Landscape photography by Nigel Borrington
Nigel Borrington 
Boating at the lake district
All images taken using a Nikon D7000, 18-200 VR2 lens.
Images from the English, Lake district national park
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
The Lake district national park
I just want to spend sometime today away from Ireland, my fathers family are from the Windermere area in the lake district and until recent years we still had at least one relative living here. I have visited may times and enjoyed boating on the lakes here as much as possible.
So I just want to share some images I have taken during these trips, its a wonderful part of the UK and if you get a chance I would most definitely recommend you spend a week here.
Boating on the lakes – A Gallery
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July 12, 2013 | Categories: Comment, Gallery, Landscape, Travel Locations | Tags: boat trips, boating, england, family history, holidays, lake district, lake windermere, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Nikon D7000 | 2 Comments