My New Camera…

So I may have dropped my Canon SX 270HS one too many times this year…

At one stage it landed face down on the beach on Dollymount strand and the lens would not retract. Not log after that, the lens cover stopped opening and then fell apart when I tried to clean it…

Anyway, time for a new camera! I’m not a fan of DSLR style cameras. I just find them too big and bulky for my needs. I like something compact, something that slips into my jacket, something I can bring anywhere.  I settled on the Sony HX60. It had everything I wanted. It’s relatively compact, has a 30x Optical Zoom and a Burst Mode (10 shots / second). It can also take a wide range of accessories thanks to its Multi Interface Shoe.

I was in London not long after purchasing the camera. I hadn’t had much time to play with it, but I brought it along to a gig I was attending.  It took me a while to get used to it (I’d been using Canon cameras for the last 5 or 6 years), but I think I got a few nice shots eventually.

That’s Milton Jones there in what can only be described as a beautiful shirt…

That’s Professor Brian Cox and Commander Chris Hadfield talking space and stuff…

And that there is John Taylor of Duran Duran…

OK, so they are not the greatest shots I’ve ever taken, but to be fair, I was halfway up on the balcony level at the back of the Hammersmith Apollo so I think they came out pretty good!

So, so far so good with the new camera.  I’ve a couple of trips in the new year, so I’ll get more of a chance to play around with it then.

2016 in Review Part 2…

2016 was so good, I had to make a second collage!!!

2016 in Review…

Well not so much in review, just a collage of some of the gigs, people and places I saw and visited over the year.

A lot happened in 2016. I got to travel a bit. I got see some great artists in various fields. I met some amazing people.

Roll on 2017, plans are already in action for it!

Speak…

There was a BT advert years ago that said “it’s good to talk”. Now, I’m not equating a BT advert with a solution to metal health issues, but I think they were on to something with the talking.

Anyway, watch this video, not just because I’m in there somewhere, but because it’s a brilliant track about a very serious subject.

Ireland v Australia–November 26th 2016

It was the last game in the 2016 Autumn Internationals. Oh and yeah, Ireland bet the Aussies!

That’s Rory Best getting ready to win his 100th Cap for Ireland

Jamie Heaslip, Naas man 2016 World Rugby Player of the Year nominee!

The Aussies threatening to score a try!

Conor Murray setting things in motion…

And then they try to flatten poor Conor Murray!

Is that high?  I think that’s high, is it high???

Anyway, that’s a few photos from todays game, a game which meant that Ireland beat South Africa, New Zealand and Australia in 2016!  I think that qualifies as a good year for Ireland.

The 4 of Us at BAG

The 4 of Us… What can you say about them?  Well, they are Irish music legends. Anything else? Nope, there’s no need to!

So, when these guys are playing a tiny intimate gig 10 miles from your home, it’d be rude not to go along. So I did and off to BAG in Ballymore I went!

Wild Atlantic Way…

I headed to Strandhill in Sligo last week for a night out. It’s a beautiful part of the world, a tad chilly and wet in November, but it’s Ireland after all!

That’s the beautiful Knocknarea. You can’t see it there, but Medb's Cairn is on the top!

That’s the rather good Queen Bee there…

 

It was bloody freezing… These guys were mad!

 

 

Mad or dedicated!

 

 

That’s just the beach on Strandhill… Quiet, peaceful, cold!!!
 

 

What Happens in Vegas…

What happens in Vegas normally stays in Vegas. Actually, parts of my recent trip will remain private, but I went to see a few gigs whilst there, and these are some of the shots I took!

That’s Jordan Griffin from Them Evils.

And that’s David Delaney also from Them Evils.

Another drummer, this time it’s Seth Luloff of Holy White Hounds.

On bass for Holy White Hounds we had Ambrose Lupercal.

That’s Brenton Dean on vocals for Holy White Hounds.

That’s Taylor Momsen of the Pretty Reckless

And that’s Taylor Momsen of the Pretty Reckless again!

And ehh… yeap it’s Taylor Momsen of the Pretty Reckless again.

OK, that’s the last one of Taylor Momsen from the Pretty Reckless, I swear!

That’s Lindsey Troy from Deap Vally on vocals and guitar.

That’s Lindsey Troy from Deap Vally again.

That’s Julie Edwards from Deap Vally on drums.

One last shot of Lindsey Troy from Deap Vally.

That’s Jesse F. Keeler from Death from Above 1979.

And that’s Jesse F. Keeler from Death from Above 1979 again.

That there is Sebastien Grainger of Death from Above 1979.

One final one of Jesse F. Keeler of Death from Above 1979

That’s Peter Hayes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

And that’s Robert Levon Been of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

That’s another of Peter Hayes from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

And one final photo of Robert Levon Been from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Plenty more happened on the trip to Las Vegas, but… Ahh sure I think that’ll all stay relatively private for now!

I Went To The Beach… In October!

I don’t normally take photos of my surroundings… I normally only really take shots of motorsports and music gigs, a strange combination, but how and ever.

I finished up a job today in Bray and afterwards, rather than going home straight away, I went for a walk on the beach. It was bloody chilly, but sound of the sea and the smell of the salt in the air made it worth while.

I didn’t have my regular camera with me, so I had to use the mobile phone, but I think the shots came out ok.

Hally & the Hymns in Church…

A few more gig pics… This time it’s Hally & the Hymns in St. Davids Church in Naas on October 7th 2016. Great night, great craic, great music.