As a Skoda driver myself, when I enter Randalstown from the M2, I’m always intrigued by this vintage Skoda that’s seen better days—like, maybe during the disco era?
Now it’s living its best life as a floral display, proving that even rust can blossom! Who knew a decrepit old scrapper could be so… (ahem) ‘blooming beautiful?’ LOL. So, I walked (yes – WALKED) out towards the Ballygroobey Roundabout, armed with with the Leica C-Lux camera to get a quick snap, because even old Skodas deserve a moment in the spotlight!
Can you ever tire of photographing a river? I now have a whole folder of images from the Lower Bann, that majestic river that flows from Lough Neagh out into the Atlantic Ocean at Coleraine.
Many of them are made from the western side of the river, accessed by The Fisherman’s Walk, and on those occasions I have looked across the Bann to a small jetty, about half a mile or so upriver, on the other bank.
Look! It’s Dougal the Old English Sheepdog from the Magic Roundabout, trotting along the forest path and getting himself all dirty. I shot him with a Fujifilm X-T5.
Old English Sheepdog
(Don’t worry – Florence and Mr Zebedee weren’t around, so they didn’t see it happening. I think I’ve got away with it.)
I realise most of you are too young to know what I’m on about! lol
Bushmills, Co.Antrim – our annual visit to the small Northern Irish town famous worldwide for its whiskey…
The Legion Hall
Situated in an entry and behind some houses off the Main Street of Bushmills, this derelict building is currently owned by a community group, who intend to restore it for community events.
Isn’t it great when you shoot them and they have both feet off the ground. Incidentally, this image was made at a distance of around 150 yards from camera position.
For those who like to know these things, the image was shot at F=290mm, f/5.6 @ 1/500th second on ISO500. The aperture was wide open to allow a shallow depth of field, hence the bokeh (the fall-off in focus) visible on the ground, while the faster shutter speed froze the feet in a fraction of a second – a moment in time. The ISO was set at 500 to achieve a 1/3rd stop over-exposure, and CLICK.
On Tuesday 23rd July 2024 Janette and I visited (for the first time) the small island of Rathlin, just off the north coast of County Antrim. Rathlin is the only inhabited island on the coast of Northern Ireland, with a population of around 150, although it is reported that the population is steadily growing. I can understand why. We were quite taken with its tranquility, and its peacefulness. The island is very community focused, and a graphic near the Co-op lists the values that mark the community, – seeking to make Rathlin a welcoming place for everyone.
I was making a photograph of the Crosskeys Inn, Co.Antrim, when this motorbike and sidecar roared past me, – a rare opportunity to capture a rare mode of transport these days! No time to adjust the camera, so the existing settings had to do – and thankfully they were fine.
In September, 2023 I visited the Belfast Book Fair, held this year in Methodist College (Methody) at Stranmillis. There was little in interest this year, by way of books, (mostly Irish history etc), but there were a couple of dealers selling antique postcards, and I spent quite a time trawling through them – with no intention of buying, of course, (some of these antique postcards can be rather expensive), despite the enthusiastic sales techniques of one of the vendors, who mistook my prolonged browsing for a potential sale. I was looking for photographic inspiration! Actually, I was sorry I hadn’t taken a notebook and pen!
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