Killeagh Point to Point – 17/01/2016

Killeagh p2p DOFlynn-2

The fourth ECCG shoot of 2016 was at the Knockane track outside Killeagh in East Cork where the Killeagh Harriers annual P2P meeting was held for the fourth consecutive year.  Despite the rain, cold elements and mucky conditions the event was well supported and attracted a huge crowd from the local area and beyond. There were six races on the day with from 3 to 21 horses competing in each race covering a 9 circuit course over a 3 mile  distance. The last race of the day saw 21 horses compete.

ECCG members were on hand suitably attired in wellingtons and warm clothing to capture some challenging action images. Some horses fell at the second and last fences in their pursuit of victory. Fortunately all riders walked away unscathed and horses survived the falls.

The last race of the day saw 3 horses running having unseated their riders,  completing the 3 mile distance with the other horses and jockeys.

Some great images were captured on the day including the jockeys and horses in the parading area and jumping over the second and third fence up on the hill area of the track.

Click here to see a gallery of images from the day. Enjoy!

If you have an interest in photography and would like to find out more about East Cork Camera Group, click the ‘Contact Us’ link and leave us a message.

 

Sunrise at Ballycroneen – 16/01/2016

Sunrise Ballycroneen 160116DBarry-5

While sunrise continues to hover around the ‘sensible’ time of 8.30am, we headed to Ballycroneen in the hope of catching some colour on Saturday 16/1/16.

Thankfully the -5ºC forecast missed the East Cork area and we were able to travel in safety to our destination before setting up at around 8am as the tide filled around the beach and rocks.

Cloud was thick on the horizon which prevented a dazzling sunrise but, nevertheless, some colour and shafts of light appeared for the briefest of moments which yielded some decent photographs and sent us off reasonably happy with our early morning shoot.

See some images from the shoot here. Enjoy!

If you have an interest in photography and would like to find out more about East Cork Camera Group, click the ‘Contact Us’ link and leave us a message.

 

Sunrise at Pilmore – 10/01/2016

Sunrise Pilmore 10-01-16 F OShea-1

Following the last-minute cancellation of Lisgoold Point to Point due to the recent adverse weather, a sunrise shoot was hastily organised for 10th January at Pilmore beach near Youghal in east Cork.

With the recent monsoon season finally abated, the morning was crisp after a good overnight frost. We gathered at our destination shortly after 8am hoping for some decent sky colour around the 8.40am sunrise. High tide had been at around 5am and was running out fast which is not ideal around the multitude of timber groins that litter the beach and make for interesting features and leading lines.

Clouds filled the horizon as sunrise approached leaving just a hint of a warm glow as the sun struggled to peek through. With the tide well out, our time for shooting was over by 9.30am and, as the group photograph above was being taken, the sun finally burst through bathing the beach with a welcome warmth that immediately began to thaw the chill. A hot coffee afterwards in Youghal completed the thaw as we contemplated our next move against the conspiring elements.

Click here for a gallery of images from the shoot. Enjoy!

If you have an interest in photography and would like to find out more about East Cork Camera Group, click the ‘Contact Us‘ link and leave us a message.

 

John Hooton visits ECCG – 05/01/2016

J Hooton Talk-1

East Cork Camera Group was delighted to host one of Ireland’s foremost photographers, John Hooton, at our first meeting of the year at the Midleton Park Hotel on Tuesday 5/1/16.

Those present were indeed fortunate as John, accompanied by his wife Noreen, gave a master class on his photography, displaying print after immaculate print while dropping nuggets of photographic tips throughout. The images he displayed were shot mainly around the Dingle peninsula in West Kerry, which is his second home, and from where he runs courses and workshops for eager photographers from home and abroad.

As a founder member of Mallow Camera Club, John has held many positions within the club, and has been a committee member of the Irish Photographic Federation Council (I.P.F.). Presently he is one of the main adjudicators with the I.P.F. on their National Distinction Panel and has been a judge for numerous prestigious competitions.

In 2010 he was invited to join the PermaJet team of lecturers who travel the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland lecturing to camera clubs and photographic societies. In 2015 he was invited to Bristol, Cambridge and Scotland to lecture and sit on judging panels.

He is a Fellow of both the Irish Photographic Federation and Royal Photographic Society and in 2010 was awarded an M.F.I.A.P. – the highest award given by the International Federation of Photographic Art. His work has appeared extensively in salons throughout the world and he has done a number of personal exhibitions both in Ireland and abroad.

cover2Not only a multi award winning photographer, John is also a published author with two fine photographic books under his belt. His first publication, ‘Gathering Light on the Dingle Coast‘ was published in 2012 and features 200  beautiful images taken between the 1980’s and 2012.

His second book, ‘Dingle My Own Place‘ was published only recently. All the images for this new book were taken over the last three years and in it he takes theDingle My Own Place viewer on a photographic journey of the Dingle Peninsula from Blennerville on the northern shore to Inch on the southern coast. Many of the images were taken during the ‘magic hours’ of pre-dawn and post dusk when the available light offers opportunities that make the difference between the ordinary image and the extraordinary image.

Our night with John and Noreen went all too quickly and if we could, we would have stayed chatting and looking at images all night. It was the ideal start to another busy year for East Cork Camera Group which will feature many more guest speakers, shoots, competitions and workshops throughout 2016.

Many thanks to John and Noreen for attending our meeting and you can find out a lot more about John and his photography at the links below:

Web: www.john-hooton.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.hooton.92?fref=ufi

If you have an interest in photography and would like to find out more about East Cork Camera Group, click the ‘Contact Us‘ link and leave us a message.

 

 

 

 

1st Shoot of 2016 – Sunrise at Ballycotton

Sunrise 03-01-16 AOC-1

After a relatively inactive few weeks due to bad weather, our first shoot of 2016 took us to Ballycotton for sunrise on Sunday 3rd January. 5 members of the group braved the elements, leaving Midleton Park Hotel at 7:30am, and with a favourable weather forecast we hoped for some good colour in the sky.

With Garryvoe beach inaccessible due to flooding we headed to Ballinamona and set up 20 mins before sunrise. Unfortunately heavy cloud which moved in from the west, obscured the sunrise, so it was on to Ballycotton pier and adjacent beach where there is always a shot to be found.

Sunrise 03-01-16 FOShea-2

See our gallery of images from the shoot here. Enjoy!

 – Anthony O’Connor