A Good Photograph is Knowing Where to Stand

Peeking at Bridge of Sighs
with Marco Secchi

Photography is essentially documenting a point in time by producing your artistic interpretation of it (emphasis on your). Good photography requires patience, dedication, creativity, good luck, and a lot of hard work. The advent of digital photography (as well as social media) has not changed that, all it has really done is open new doors with promises of instant gratification, numerous shortcuts and the ability to click away at no additional cost thereby increasing the likelihood of a good shot. But is that good photography; well yes and no, and really that depends the intent of your photograph. Digital photography has made photography more fun and available to the masses. Many of my personal favourites are from family and friends sharing a special moment from their day. They make me smile and wish I was there, which was their intended purpose.

Ha'Penney Bridge, Dublin Photo Tour 

Digital photography means almost everyone carries a camera (cell phone cameras are cameras) and that is definitely true for travellers. Therefore the growth and proliferation of Photography Tours was a natural progression of this reality. Photography tours can range for several hours to photo adventure vacations, tend to be comprised of relatively small groups and are for all levels of photographers. The concept can be appealing: travel around with a pro photographer who can show you all the great places to shoot.

Barcelona Building Facade with Stefano Markovina
Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona

Now, I am an enthusiastic amateur with good knowledge of my camera gear so doing a day (or half day) photo tour is not about enhancing my camera skills per say, rather it is about working with a professional photographer who can suggest alternate venues to visit and photograph other than the traditional tourist sites. This is not for everyone but remember local photographers are extremely knowledgeable about both photography and their locale. Ansel Adams stated "A good photograph is knowing where to stand” and local photographers know where to stand. The upside to doing a day or half day photo tour is that they are significantly less expensive than workshop or vacation photography tours, and these photographers definitely know all the off-the-beaten-path shooting locations. A big plus is you can schedule the rest of your trip around your time and other interests.

The Eiffel Tower
with William Lounsbury

When hiring a local photographer, make sure they know exactly what you want to photograph. I tend to send them links to my blog and Flickr site, as well as any for my travel companions who will be taking the tour with me. This gives them an idea of the skill levels and interests.  Furthermore as the group size is limited (usually 4 or less at a fixed rate), this is a cost effective private tour focused on your interests. Be prepared to walk and use public transport.  No chauffeured rides for these type of tours. The best ones will schedule tours for the best light conditions; early mornings, dusk or night. It really is all about the light. Ultimately working with a professional results in some great photographs and yes, the bonus is you will always learn a thing or two about photography!  So here's to taking a good photography by knowing where to stand...and a little help does go a long way especially when one has time constraints.

Venice Photography Tour (with Marco Secchi)

A gentleman who knows and loves Venice (http://www.marcosecchi.com/).  During his tour, Marco suggested several places to visit to us based on our interests and that definitely helped make this trip memorable.  This was the first Photography Tour I took and he is the reason I try to book one in most cities because the experience was so great.  

Sunrise over The Grand Canal

Piazza San Marco - Up Before the Birds! 

Bridge of Sighs - A Little Different Perspective

Sprucing up - Venetian Facades

Paris Night Photography Tour (William Lounsbury)  

I wanted to do some night photos in Paris but I was by myself.  I figure it was safer to do a night tour with a photographer (https://www.wlounsbury.com/about/).  Great decision.  I got some great photos despite it being a fairly breezy night.

Louvre Pyramid

Taxi!  

The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile
Sometimes it's the right location but due to a variety of circumstances it's the wrong time for the perfect tourist photo.  

 

Barcelona Photography Tour (Stefan Politi Markovina) 

The photography tour we did with Stefan (https://www.stefanopolitimarkovina.com/) focused on area surrounding Las Ramblas particularly the El Raval Neighbourhood.

This mural "Together We Can Stop AIDS" by Keith Haring was done in 1989 in Barcelona’s notoriously drug-infested Barrio del Chino. In the mid-90’s, the mural was disintegrating, so a tracing was made, and the mural was transferred to an outdoor wall at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona (2014).

Alone! 

Statue in Plaza Catalunya with Hotel Barcelona in the background

La Boqueria Market

Dublin Photography Tour  (Darren McLoughlin)

This was a great tour which started out with street or urban art near our hotel that we would never have found.  Darren's knowledge about both Dublin and photography made this tour worthwhile and totally enjoyable (www.darrenmcloughlin.com).  Add in some great tourist attractions and it was a day well spent.  The Street art was so fascinating on this tour that I did a blog specifically about it. https://sandrawhiteway.blogspot.ca/2015/11/the-medium-is-message.html .  

Chapel Royal and Record Tower, Dublin Castle

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin

The Morrigan, a Celtic Deity by Friz at Tivoli Theatre Car Park.

London Photography Tour (with Andrei Botnaru)  

Our Photography Tour with Andrei (http://www.andreibotnari.com/) was booked through Aperture Tours and they will design a tour specifically for you as it is a private tour.  They recognize that not everyone wants to shoot the tourist attractions.  We went to Kentish and Camden Town areas and had a blast.   

Meeting in Progress!  Do Not Disturb.

Grand Union Walk Townhouses
Built in 1988 to a design by the renowned architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw.

Bucks Head Roof Garden (Buck Street, Camden)

an Gorta Mór (The Great Famine)

The Great Famine (an Gorta Mór) or the Great Hunger (1845 – 1852) began as a natural catastrophe of extraordinary magnitude, but its effects on Ireland were severely worsened by the actions and inactions of the ruling British government. Ultimately, the root cause of the famine was perceived to be British policy, which reduced the amount of land available for feeding the Irish, and therefore stimulated the demand for political autonomy. This period of mass starvation and disease resulted in the death of over a million men, women and children with another two million emigrating.  It is acknowledged that the Irish famine was proportionally more destructive than most of the famines of modern times, killing nearly one-eighth of the entire population.

The introduction of the potato in the second half of the 16th century heavily influenced Ireland's cuisine thereafter and its importance as an Irish staple is still evident today. Chips seemed to be served with every meal and if not, there is likely to be potato in some form or another. However in 1846 and successive years, blight destroyed the potato crop that had provided approximately 60 per cent of the nation's food needs.  The fact that only four types of potato were brought from the Americas contributed to the famine, because, a lack of genetic diversity exasperated the situation resulted in potentially greater devastating consequences from the blight. 

A walk along the Customs House Quay passes by a series of gaunt and expressive statues that represent the starving and dying population of The Great Famine (1845 – 1848).  The statues were designed and crafted by Dublin sculptor Rowan Gillespie (1997) and are simply entitled “Famine”. This evocative piece of art captures the very essence of the suffering during the Famine. This series of sculptures are executed superbly with exquisite detail captured on their faces depicting their anguish in the near lifeless expressions; that is both somber and haunting. The sunken, hopeless faces tell it all; starving, pleading, dying. It is a simple monument with an aura that has the power to stop you in your tracks, is thought provoking, well positioned and overall a beautiful series that is well worth the walk along the Customs House Quay. It was Rowan Gillespie's intention, to compliment his famine sculpture in Dublin, with a sculpture of a group of figures arriving on the other side of the Atlantic. In 2007, a second series of famine sculptures was unveiled on the quayside in Toronto's Ireland Park commemorating the arrival of these refugees in Canada.  These statues were so beautiful I thought them a fitting conclusion to my series of Dublin posts.  A visit to Toronto's Ireland Park is a must in my future.

The Medium is the Message

Richmond Street Art

Art is about expression and that expression maybe beautiful, complex, simple, crude, ugly, selfish, or political, but, ultimately it is about expression. The term street art conjures up images of graffiti with close associations to gang culture, basically used to vandalize public property and mark a gang’s territory. The current reality is that street art has evolved past graffiti writing into a complex interdisciplinary form of artistic expression that may include graffiti, stencils, prints and murals, large-scale paintings and projects of artistic collaboration that has ultimately woven their way into the core of contemporary art. Street art offers young artists a medium that allows for relevant and creative means to express themselves; that is both unhampered by rules and boundaries imposed by academic institution while allowing them to employ artistic license and freedom thereby creating unique style and form. 

Traffic Signal Control Box Art

On a recent visit to Dublin, I had the pleasure of doing a private tour with a professional photographer. These types of tours allow one to enjoy a locale with a tour tailored to their particular interest from a photographer’s point of view (a definite must for a photography enthusiast).  So when we started the tour with street art, the first thought that popped into my head was “really”! Then I remember an early morning tour of Philadelphia, more years ago that I care to admit to, that showcased some of that city’s street art (some call it graffiti art but it was and is so much more). 

View of John's Lane Church
from Tivoli Theatre Car Park, St. Francis Street

Dublin, not unlike other cities, has a street art scene that has developed from a collaborative effort between businesses, arts organizations and the City Council sponsoring and promoting artists. The type of street art you can find in Dublin ranges from whole buildings to shop shutters that only reveal their art when they're rolled down after closing time. This art form has allowed lovely but crumbling buildings and urban parking lots to be revived.  The photos included are from three areas; Richmond Street behind the Bernard Shaw pub, Liberty Lane and the Tivoli Theatre car park. The Bernard Shaw Pub has a large open area to the rear with walls that are free to paint over. A local art supply company provides the materials and this area has an appeal to both emerging artists as well as the more established ones. The Tivoli Theatre organizes an annual event to paint its large car park, with artists attending from all over the world. 

“The medium is the message”; the phrase coined by Marshall McLuhan considers that how a message is conveyed may provide more meaning than there is in the message itself.  Street art is an excellent example of the medium being the message as it practically defines the purpose of the art form.  The medium gives a context to street art that when removed, alters both the purpose and power of what it says and its intended audience.  So embrace the medium in the message while enjoying this unique art form or for that matter any medium and its message. 

Tiger by Dan Leo on St. Francis Street painted during All City Jam 2015 (One of my favourites)

The Morrigan, a Celtic Deity who could take the form of a wolf, cow, eel and crow
by Friz at Tivoli Theatre Car Park. (Another favourite)

Tivoli Theatre Parking Lot off St. Francis Street

Street Art from Liberty Lane

Liberty Lane Street Art

Tivoli Theatre Car Park Street Art

Liberty Lane Street Art

Art from near Bernard Shaw Pub on Richmond Street

Tivoli Theatre Car Park Street Art

Art on Richmond Street, Near the Bernard Shaw

Tivoli Theatre Car Park Street Art by James Earley

Irish Wolfhound, interspersed with iconic Dublin landmarks like the Spire, Ha’penny Bridge and
Guinness Storehouse by James Earley for Visit Dublin in City Quay.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

"A wise man invented beer.  A smart man drinks it.  But a genius drinks Guinness".   When in Dublin (August 2015), a visit to the Guinness Storehouse seemed to be in order. I went on the recommendation of my friend, who advised me to go for the view from the Gravity Bar, if for nothing else.   I had not read the reviews before going; which were you either loved it or hated it. I am not a beer drinker, it is rather pricey and could easily be considered a tourist trap. Much to my surprise I loved it!

The tour is self guided so you could spend as little or as much time as you wanted viewing the storehouse.  It is NOT a brewery tour so you will not see a working brewery, which is an experience in itself. It is essentially a museum of sorts house in the original brewery showcasing older models of machinery used to make beer, vintage Guinness advertisements and various assorted information about Guinness beer and their brewing process. As an enthusiastic amateur photographer, the Guinness Storehouse presented a variety of objects and textures that would delight and tempt most photographers.  It was also interesting to learn a bit about the brewing process from the Guinness perspective.

My recommendation is to pre-book on-line and avoid the cues; go early in the morning or later in the day; avoid the high tourist season, weekends and around St. Paddy's Day; take a camera and finally yes the view from the Gravity Bar is worth the price of admission.  Oh and yes this wine aficionado had a pint of Guinness and drank most of it. Finally don't be afraid of the dark...it's really just a dark ruby red. 

Views of Dublin from the Gravity Bar, Guinness St. James Gate Brewery

Saturday night sinners and Sunday saints (Notice the church conveniently located nearby the Guinness buildings)

Various equipment, valves and pipes found in older breweries.

Guinness Factory Gate