Gotchya Buddy!

It was a foggy morning. So foggy that you can literally see the fog as a mass hovering over the ground wherever you go. But it is also a morning when I finally got the culprit and my #1 nemesis! The Magpie! YES!
Of course the images were taken with high ISO and hence, got lot of noise in them but I kept on shooting in a mood of a triumphant that I didn't want to stop whatsoever!

Two of the many shots I took for this big bird.

This bird's size is around that of a hen in fact, but of course it is slim and more elegant. It is closely related to the raven or the crow and the beak is almost the same in both going up with the shape of the head, but its colors are significant. The raven is also beautiful when the sunlight gives it a bit of dark blue streak on the side.

However, after the breakfast I went on roaming the garden and taking some simple pictures of some weird stuff (mainly spider webs!), then my host thankfully dropped me by the place that I always wanted to see myself, in close. The ruins that I kept looking at from afar from the graveyard at the back of the castle at Cashel Rock. 

The ruins on the far left.

It turned out that the name of these ruins is Hore Abbey. I don't know much about its history but I think I would be able to find it easily by googling anyway. My host drove me down to the abbey entrance and it lied in the middle of some field. Just like that, forgotten. The weather was foggy as I said in the morning, but eventually, everything became OK and the sun started to shine through and the sky turned blue again just when I started to take my panoramas.

Hore Abbey amid the fog.

The place is almost completely forgotten, and the good point is tourists do not know much about the place I would say. I didn't see any there and could work for almost 2 hours with my panoramas with no distractions. The place is connected to the path I've encountered yesterday, where the sign said "Tipperary Heritage Path." The abbey itself actually was located over the "Bóthar na Marbh", road of the dead. The name refers to the path it was taken to move the dead people for burial, presumably, here, in this spot, in the abbey and around the abbey. I do think that the grounds and this wide field around the abbey is indeed occupied with some unseen friends.

However, I went inside, and on the way to the main yard inside the abbey there were some tourists who were going out themselves, and so I was so HAPPY about it. It was a really busy day with panoramas and for the first time ever, I had to change my memory card from the 16GB CF card to the 8GB one (which I used before for my 350D always). Generally there were 4 panoramas; 3 spherical and one vertical. The vertical panorama here is the first I do with my VR-head, which I believe is better, but also takes a longer time to settle. When I take a vertical panorama, I usually set the camera directly on the tripod without the VR-head because I need the camera, with the fisheye lens, to take a large horizontal field of view. With a vertical stance, the fisheye would take large vertical field of view. Anyway, I was thinking of how to use the VR-head but putting my camera in landscape orientation but seems it is impossible to do, and to compensate for this, I went on taking 3 images from left to right on every elevation. I did a mistake here, I have to confess and I'm worried about the results when I get back home. In this vertical panorama, which was taken from a side walk in the abbey overlooking some graves, I went on elevating the camera up from -30, 0, 30, 60, 90, 60, 30, 0, and -30 to the other side of the scene. Now, my worries is that the sky, do not have much significant features that it might prove insignificant for the view in general. Maybe I should have included the ground I was standing on better. However, this was one vertical panorama, and there is not much harm in it, but my main concern now is the changing conditions of the weather while I was involved and indulged in my work in the panoramas, the major ones. The change from the foggy to sunny day, might prove very problematic in the final composition.

After finishing the major panoramas I wandered about taking pictures here and there from around the abbey, and the view of the castle from there was fantastic as well, just like the view of the abbey itself from the castle!

The castle as viewed from Hore Abbey.

And that was not enough for me as well. After finishing from the inside of the abbey I went around it. It was so hard walking on that wet grass and also some mud and dung were all over the place. However, I did catch some snaps from the sides and the back of the abbey. The structure in general is beautiful and I do really like the inside. I wonder how it was before it became like this. I'm pretty sure the design was amazing. I've captured some coat of arms from the inside and some logos on the walls, while some other features were unknown to me.

 The back of the abbey, with many holes that I presume they were holding 

supprting beams of some kind. Notice the 2nd arch from 

the right. It has been almost closed but not completely. I wonder why?!

I left the place after all, carrying my heavy load of images, which are carried on 2 CF memory cards this time, and started to walk down the bóthar na marbh heading back home. Before I go out I had to settle down my stuff and pack them up, and while doing this, I've lost the back cover of my 18-55mm lens. It is the cap that covers the back of the lens which attaches to the camera. I think it is not a big deal for the time being. I might use an aluminum foil to cover it in the future or might even consider buying a completely new lens. I don't want to bother myself with a cap story right now.

Tomorrow hopefully, I will be heading to the other abbey which lies almost in the center of the town. It was an abbey that I couldn't get into all these days and it lies on the way to the castle. My host tells me that I can find te key some where to the gate to get inside if I like, and she said she will check after it. I really didn't notice any signs of any kind in the previous times. If this proves true, and I can indeed get inside, I need to get prepred for another panorama, or should I say, a set of panoramas maybe!

My clothes are so wet after walking here and there and I'm trying to dry them out with the hair dryer provided for me in the room. Well, it did some job. Few days are left for me here and I need probably to set things straight and prepare the luggage before I head to Cahir. I was planning for a panorama in the main yard of the castle but I think I will leave that to the time when I get there to spend one night before heading to Dublin on the 15th.

Cliff Hanger!

It's the 10-10-10 day. Well, should be either a bad or good omen, I don't know. To me, it was 50-50 deal. I had a walk to the castle again but this time I went to climb up the hill and be beside the walls of the castle itself, and that was a big deal with a backpack and a camera bag full of tools. The weather is not rainy but foggy a bit with clouds covering the place, but the wind was calm. Anyway, just in any case I put my cap on and the back of my hair was out of order. I think I did look like more of a... gypsy beggar!
I did take the walk as usual by the short cut to the town and I was thinking of going in between the alleys to shorten the way, but gracefully, 3 little dogs in one alley were fighting together so I decided to stop and turn back from where I come from and go back to my old way and path!
I turned to my old way, and found myself being panting like I never did before. The town was quiet even though it was already 10 in the morning. Well, no wonder. It's Sunday. However, the castle side was a bit busy with tourism as usual. Asians mixed with Americans and some Europeans as usual.
Beside the castle, I climbed up beside the castle. This is my second time in fact, as for the first time I couldn't go on further because there was a couple, having some "nice" time together. Anyway, this time, I've been climbing up and resting on some rocks and once I did that, a whole punch of tourists started to follow me and take pictures for themselves upon the rock, while I was sitting and panting trying to rest, and waiting for them to leave the place.
From up there, I took a regular (not-so-fascinating) image for the town of Cashel, and also I ran a handheld panorama for the town of Cashel from up there, almost 90 degrees wide. Just a simple one. The thing is the weather was foggy ad whitish, and I wonder if the HDR will make some interesting venture from these images. I took after that the path to the side of the castle on these slippery soft rocks and wet grass, and I reached a point that I couldn't get past through. This is because a weird structure!

The weird structure.

Seems this structure was put there for a purpose originally as an obstacle to block the way of attackers. To pass this structure you have to jump over it, which in my case was not a good option to do with all my bags and the hevy weight, adding to that, the cliff was directly under this structure. One slip, and you're down.

After this point, I decided to get back from where I came. Eventually, I sat down on one of the benches trying to take some rest and preparing myself for the long way back to my place, but something kind of weird (natural, but weird to me) happened.

Just at the bench, and while getting my camera cleaned a bit and putting back the lenses while I was taking a rest, I've noticed 2 ladies coming from some pathway at my back. I looked back to see that, the gate that I always thought to be closed and locked, was actually open and there is a path that leads to some where. I didn't notice before that this pathway was open and people could go there. So, here we go.

The newly discovered path!

The magnificent thing about this path really is that you can view the castle from the side in a more pleasant view, and away from the presence of the tourists all around the place. So, I didn't miss the chance, and I took some shots for the side and for the back of the castle with my fisheye. 

Cashel Rock Castle (once owned by Brian Ború himself!).

The picture is a bit dark, because it was one slide from the HDR auto-bracketed sequence and I tried to enhance it as much as possible but the DPP that comes with Canon utilities is not that much of a good tool like the Adobe RAW Converter, or ACR for short.

I've continued on the path and I've noticed some fields on the other side of the fence and the hills in the far horizon, and finally, at the end of the sloping down path, there was a locked gate. I don't know how people did cross this gate because I saw already some people come in and out of this path! Anyway, across the gate I've noticed a sign saying "Tipperary Heritage Path" and pointing to some direction. Now I began to wonder, what's hidden in this little town now? I thought I've seen everything so far! Tomorrow, I was planning for going out to Cahir and take a panorama for the main yard inside the castle (although I'm still reluctant about it), but now, I think I have some work to do and chase after this heritage path. Who knows, it might lead me to the ruins I've seen from the graveyard up in the castle.

Back now to my place, processing some images and keeping some for later and organizing some other, I've noticed that actually after settling down my bed after the hot shower, I still feel like the bed is moving and like I'm about to fall! In fact this is the second time this happens, and in the previous time I was also climbing the hill near the castle. I'm wondering now if this is something like the sea-sickness, or land-sickness. Yes, there is land-sickness, and it affects sailors mainly who spend so long time in the sea that when they touch the stable ground, everything seems to be moving for them. The thing lasted few minutes for me though, and I'm fine right now. Thinking about it now, I think I'll be heading to Failaka island at the nearest chance after getting back to Kuwait. I would still be in vacation, until November.

Time for me now to think of how to catch the damn magpie, after failing twice today. This bird really has the actions of a thief!

Hunting Day!

Hunt, hunt, hunt. This is all what I was doing today. Not necessarily for images, but for various stuff. In the beginning, it was the hunt of food. I woke up with a really squeaky tummy. On breakfast, I've pulled out my camera and made it settle on the chair next to mine. I had in mind that I must catch that magpie and eventually, and maybe because it was not a sunny morning (although the rest of the day was wonderful), the magpie didn't show up, just in the beginning.
While I was talking to my host about some stupidity with cars back there in Kuwait, the magpie cut off the conversation and landed on the grass and followed by another. My host told me that there is actually some old song about the magpie (with some variations and versions) that says:

One for a bad luck and two for a good luck...

I don't know the origin of the story, but seemingly this means I'm having a good luck. Anyway, I was not that lucky with catching him with my camera and my simple 55-200mm lens, but, I do have hopes for the future in the few days left for me here.

The magpie fleeding as it appeared from the dining room window.

My host went out in a hurry after that and went to the lounge where the window there overlooks the other side of the garden and called me to check. I went there and the magpie was jumping in a hurry and hid behind some bushes. After that, I really gave up looking after it. I was moving in between the windows in the lounge with the camera hanging around my neck and waiting for a suitable chance to snap that thief! Anyway, no luck at all so I decided to get ready for the cab to pick me up to Cahir.

In Cahir, I've paid a visit again to the castle, and I was surprised at the amount of things that I didn't see in the first time I was there some days ago, when I was about to visit the Swiss Cottage. Many things to be seen and many stands to take and just watch that beautiful part of nature. An, in case you are blind, it is enough for you to step there and listen to the running river, the river Súir, going on and on. In fact there, I decided to be a bad boy. Yes, a bad boy. How? Simply, by using a high ISO value with a fast shutter speed. High ISO is not something you want to use in your photos, unless you are really capable of eliminating the noise coming out of the sensor. Anyway it was a trial, and when I get back home, we'll see if I can do some decent job out of these photos. While I was walking on a path beside the castle walls, the path drove me to some source of "noise" if I should say. Some really loud sound coming from the river. Finally, I reached the point when the water was gushing from no where virtually and crashing on some rocks. On tht spot, I've worked on my camera with various settings really, but all I remember was putting the camera on Tv mode (time value priority) and sitting the speed something between 1000 and 2000 (that is 1/x) and the ISO on 1000 and higher (and even used the highest value available, the 12800, which by the way is denoted by "H").

Water crashing on the water.

I got many shots in these settings and the water was, for the naked eye, beautifully frozen! I tried this as well with other objects, specially birds, but it was harder to make something of them. Anyway, there was some nice chances out there. But maybe one of the weirdest thing in the catch today was, that "memorabilia"...

 Couldn't agree further!

Now, into the castle. In the beginning, I didn't know that that gate which was half closed with some construction sign falling on its side beside it was really the gate to get into the castle and see it from the inside, well, after getting the ticket of course! I thought the location was closed when I saw the castle the first time I came to Cahir and spent one night in it.

I got inside, got the ticket and got into different halls and different chambers and rooms, and the stairs were so so so small. It was so hard climbing up on those stairs with a backpack and my camera bag on the side. In some cases, I was literally going down the stairs backwards because the space was so small to turn around and get down the normal way. After jumping here and there from one corner of the castle to another, I noticed in the main yard of the castle, some stairway tht goes down into the ground. I went down to find myself in a place that I think it would be suitable for a garrison. Of course, everything was made by solid rocks. The stairs were going downstairs and ending to some black gate with bars, exactly like in jails, but in the middle of this stairway, there was a relatively new stair going up and connecting to another side which, as it seems, was connected to this stair I was standing upon but fell down by time.

I climbed up that stair. It was so so narrow even though it was relatively new and made of metal. After that "bridge" to the other side, the stairs became even harder to climb and literally, I had to bend my back in like 90 degrees to go through. Finally, at the end, I was up on one of the towers, as if by magic! You go down and you end up being up!

The view from the tower was simply amazing. With even little waterfalls viewable, some flock of birds were also there and made a nice chance for some hunting again!

General view for Cahir from the top of the tower.

The main thing that captured my eyes is a crane (or a heron). It was so big even though it was so far away from me, but I was greatly disappointed with me lens that I wished I had a larger one with a nicer zooming to make it even bigger in the viewfinder.

 The crane on the edge of the small waterfall.

My 55-200mm was on its max when I shot this but still the crane was not that clear, and with the high ISO and high shutter speed things aren't any better. Anyway, I'm still hoping that when I get back home I will do a better pic out of those.

Beside the crane there were other guests. Swans and ducks. While I was shooting them continuously, the camera needed some time to process the images and hence there were stops in the sequences of images, which made it look like 2 different groups of images. However, this is not a big deal to me. I'm not making a story here!

After finishing from the castle I got into a gift shop and tried my best to pick up something for the family. Most of my shopping was to bring gifts for females rather than males actually. I asked the shop owner about the antiques shop on the other side of the street and he confirmed what I doubted about, and the shop was closed. He said that they have some branch in Dublin, but it is less likely I'm going to check it when I get back there before my final leave. 

Well, I'm still thinking and planning for what to do tomorrow. I'm still not sure. I think I've seen the majority of scenes in Cashel and Cahir, and despite the fact that my fisheye betrayed me today and some images appeared out of focus a little, I don't think I will re-take these images anyway. I guess I will sit down and watch for the magpie!

The Garden Hunt!

As planned yesterday, today I've decided to take a rest in my place; since there is no more room left for another muscle in my legs! Anyway, that doesn't mean I'm not using my camera. In fact, with the breakfast, my mind was at work planning on what should I catch for today.
My first idea was to roam the garden for some birds hunt, and specially, the Irish magpie, which made me felt like I've been accompanied by a guest all this time...

TheMagpie

Source: TvTropes.

This bird was an everyday visitor almost. Every day, at the time of breakfast, you would see him jumping in the garden catching something, most probably small insects that I couldn't see. I loved its colors and patterns. I thought him a raven or a crow in the beginning but his white streaks were destinctive indeed, and when I asked my host about its name, she told me The Magpie. The way he jumps on the grass sort of reminds me of penguins as well.

Now ravens are also nice looking birds despite the bad reputation and the awful sound they produce, and they had been a target as well. But unfortunately, no luck so far. The closest I could get to a bird, any bird, so far does not give the quality I'm seeking...

Something like a magpie, but I don't think it is a magpie, on electric pole.

A raven, picking up something from the field or yard next house.

But nevertheless, it is a nice atmosphere, and really puts me to sleep again. Cold wind, yet I like it. I wonder how is the weather back there in Kuwait. I'm not optimistic about it, but I do expect the temperature to be down to around 36C. After all, my catch wasn't that bad for today. I got a close up of this tiny little creature...

On the other hand, I tried to try my flash head today and tried to make some sparkles on the glassware, but my trials were not successful. I think I do need a darker room or a softbox. In fact, I was conducting the experiment without removing the glassware from the cabinet, and using my 55-200mm lens from a distance of nearly 2 meters or more a bit. I think the circumstances did not help on making some sparkles on the glass edges. The light coming from the window was also fine, hence no great change in light on objects. I think I shall leave it to another day. I didn't really want to remove or touch any glassware like I did last time. I didn't know how to compose my image after all.

In the mean time, I think I will be going to Cahir again by tomorrow. I'm going to check the antiques shop again. I might have done a mistake thinking it was sold or something. But the real reason is to check the gifts shop there actually, and also check the castle there for the last time. The way on cab took me around €25, and the way back to Cashel was for €20! A week passed so far, but I still feel the need to do more photography than this...