Through the Lens - CLOSED

LATE LATE

Keep an eye on next Fridays Late Late show when Ray D'Arcy will give a preview of the "US" book project which captures our lives in Ireland today. My agents tell me it's a great success for all involved and the standard of the pictures is impressive. A must for the Christmas list.

PHOTO SHOOT

Congrats to the Collins Agency for capturing a great shot of Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea during a visit to the Curragh Camp where he was meeting the Rangers. The Minister was inspectiong a range of weapons when he playfully lifted an automatic pistol and pointed it towards photographer Colin Keegan. The image shows the Minister's impish grin in close-up as he gets the photographer in his sights with both eyes wide open. A moment of Ministerial mischief captured. What a pity we had to listen to opposition politicians banging on about the pic. It's an honest image capturing a moment of light hearted fun.

THE GRADUATES

The 2005 Bursary Show by the graduates of St John's Central College, Sawmill St., Cork is open until 20th Dec. My agents tell me it's a show not to be missed. Listed on the roll of honour is: Brenda McGuire, Maurizio Vallebella, Damian Drohan, Michael Ryan, Michael O'Farrell and Amanda Healy. Roll on the view of the new.

BIRTHDAY BOY

Colleague and kindred spirit Eamonn Farrell celebrated his birthday last weekend. I received his kind invitation to attend the party at a riverside pub. He knows i disapprove of birthdays and refuse to recognise them. Especially when my planets and stars collide with his. The last time I attended his candle blowing ceremony I was sent home with a cauldron of coddle on the passenger seat of my car. The Judge was very lenient. To avoid a similar embarrassment this year I went to a clog dance festival in middle England. Please Eamonn, no more, wer'e getting too young to party and too old to clog dance.

FURRY DICE

The Central Remedial Clinic are to benefit from the sales of a new picture book. Entitled: Out Of Your Tree, it combines the work of photographer Dominic Lee and digital manipulator Vladimir Polivanov. It features portraits the great and the good enjoying their hobbies or passions. Joe Duffy plays with a fire engine, Frank Fennell magically puts his head through a steering wheel and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern makes some hanging baskets which we all know is the horticultural equivalent of the furry dice.

WEATHER EYE

During the Tall Ships recent visit to Waterford 20 members of the Dungarvan Camera Club went a gathering. They documented all aspects of the visit from the floating to the funky. Despite bad weather and hopeless light they have managed to present an exhibition of over 120 images. Club secretary Richard Cutbill tells me that the results are a credit to the photographic skill of the members. This club has a record of excellence in documenting it's community and it's events. So this show will be one to see. It opens at Dungarvan Library, Davitts Quay from Nov. 24th.

BEAM ME UP

Funny how we use the word "light" to give us an expectation of newness and learning. It suggests a moment when darkness is conquered and an automatic seeing or revelation is enjoyed.
IADT Dun Laoghaire to day offered a conference to all titled : Into the Light: Photography in 19th Century Ireland.
The programme foreword announced: Each paper offers a different perspective on the history of Irish photography in the 19th century covering disciplines ranging from modern Irish history, literary theory and sociology to cultural geography, art history and the history of photography.
The conference opened with an introduction of inaudable mumblings due to a sound system that reminded me of two cans and a piece of string. A take it or leave it attitude was the response from organisers to this complaint.
Apart from two heros it was a day of cringing embarrassment with speakers so far off subject offering papers that should have been used for recycleing.
Question time offered a moment of beauty when one citizen used the oppertunity to inform a speaker on Joyces bad eye sight.
The organisers of this conference must accept that they have confused their ambitions with their abilities.