Ballindenisk International Horse Trials – 26/09/15

Posted on 19/10/2015 by admin

On a sunny Saturday, September 26th 2015, ECCG travelled to the International equestrian/Horse Trials competition which took place at Ballindenisk, Watergrasshill, Co. Cork. This event saw competitors from different nations including Ireland compete over 4 days commencing with the Dressage competition on the previous Thursday with the final phase of show jumping competition on Sunday.

Ballindenisk is the home of the Fell family and hosts competitions for all types of equestrian competitions specialising in eventing. The first competition staged at Ballindenisk was in 1926, when the first point to point was run and eventing started in 1974. Since then, the venue has hosted numerous international horse trials competitions attracting competitors from all over Ireland and abroad.

Over the course of day, ECCG saw some great cross country evening action. Competitors demonstrated their athletic prowess and equestrian skills as they galloped their horses over a course of cross country tracks, undulating landscapes, jumping over a mix of fences and various water complexes. Blessed with good weather on the day, ECCG was right in the heart of action capturing some thrilling cross-country eventing on camera.

Click here to see the full gallery of images from the shoot. Enjoy!

- Noelle Lowney

Bank of Ireland Enterprise Town – Midleton – 10-11/10/15

Posted on 08/10/2015 by admin

East Cork Camera Group has been invited to attend the Bank of Ireland Enterprise Town Expo on Saturday and Sunday 10th and 11th October, 2015 at the Midleton GAA Pavilion opposite the Railway station. A great event is lined up with special guests including John Creedon, Tony Humphreys, Brian Nation and many more.

Saturday: 3pm - 7pm
Sunday: 11am - 3pm

Come along and say hello!

How I Took That Shot – Noelle Lowney

Posted on 07/10/2015 by admin

17_Noelle Lowney_Summer Fun

Noelle Lowney took first place in Grade C in our fifth internal competition of the year recently. The theme was 'Summer Fun' and this is how she made the image:

The 'Summer Fun' theme for this competition was certainly a challenging one particularly with the wet weather we have endured over the summer season this year. To me Summer time is a time filled with sun, the great outdoors and memories.

Initially, I struggled to come up with an idea for a Summer Fun image until a team building event was organised by the company I work for. We all agreed that work was stressful and when working in a team work environment we have a tendency to ‘bounce off’ each other. A Bubble Ball soccer game was organised so that we could literally bounce off each other in a fun way. On a lovely summer evening in early August, a team from the workplace gathered at the Castlemartyr resort to play in a Bubble Ball soccer tournament of an unusual kind. I placed myself safely on the side line with camera in hand and took photos of the event. I decided that I would submit an image from this event to the Summer Fun competition as it took advantage of a rare evening filled with fine weather with blue skies and no rain and epitomised fun in a different way.

Shot in RAW with a Canon EOS 1200d camera using a 55mm to 250mm lens. Settings Manual f/6.3, Shutter Speed 1/200secs and ISO 100. Focal Length 215mm.

See also:
How I took that Shot - Finbarr O'Shea
How I took that Shot - Kevin Barry (Not published yet)
Competition Gallery
Competition Results and 2015 League Table

WorldWide Photo Walk 2015

Posted on 04/10/2015 by admin

When the Town Crier turns out in full regalia to announce the start of your Photo Walk with an accompanying loud, clanging bell, you know something's happening and that the odds are more than favourable for a great day ahead.

So it was in Youghal, Co. Cork on Saturday 3rd October 2015 when the walkers gathered for the 8th Annual Scott Kelby WorldWide Photo Walk organised by East Cork Camera Group on a beautiful, sunny morning. As well as our own members and some locals, we were delighted to welcome walkers from Blarney, Carrigaline and Clonmel who made the journey for the 10.45am start. Present also was our guide for the day, local historian, John Kelly, who proved to be a human repository of information regarding Youghal through the ages, giving meaning and perspective to our many stops along the route.

Our walk was based on the existing Youghal Heritage Trail which has a total of seventeen stops, the third of which is the Clockgate.

A jail and scene of gruesome executions in its time, the building has been recently renovated and has a viewing platform at the top offering fantastic views across the town. Since it is presently closed to the public, we were really pleased to have special access granted to us for our Photo Walk by the local Municipal Council.

Having fully ingested this unique view of the town and beyond, our walk wound it's way through the narrow streets where history and photo opportunities abound.

The next major stop was at St. Mary's Collegiate Church. Built in 1220 and extended in the 14th and 15th centuries, it is one of the few parish churches of the period still in use in Ireland. It has a fascinating history which is fully illustrated in the church.
Recent radio-carbon dating on wood samples in the Church place this roof in the middle of the 13th century (AD1223 - 1281). These findings prove that St. Mary's has the oldest radio-carbon dated roof structure of any Church in Ireland.

About a half hour after the appointed finish time of 2pm, our walk came to an end at The Red Store on North Main Street, where some welcome food and refreshments, served by the friendly and attentive staff, finished our day off just nicely.

Youghal has been a destination for ECCG on several occasions in the past and features in our Lighthouse and Blackwater projects as well as in other shoots we have done there. With its long, golden beaches, harbour and enormously deep historic significance, Youghal has an abundance to offer the photographer and non-photographer alike.

With some new friends made and all of the world's photography issues put to rights, it was off home to get the editing and uploading underway. Already there are around 150 images in our gallery with more to come over the next few days.

Many thanks to Youghal's Municipal Council, Youghal Tourist Office, Community Radio Youghal, Town Crier, Mr. Clifford Winser, historian and guide, John Kelly, the staff at The Red Store and the people of Youghal for allowing us to roam your streets and photograph everything and anything on our path.

You can download Youghal's Tourist Trails for your Apple or Android device(s) by clicking the links below.