See2be Photography: Photo tours Ireland

See2be Photography: Photo tours Ireland: Want a week of fun in Ireland? From Sept 10th-16th inclusive. Get picked up at Dublin airport and head chauffeur driven into the West for ph...

Photo tours Ireland

Want a week of fun in Ireland? From Sept 10th-16th inclusive. Get picked up at Dublin airport and head chauffeur driven into the West for photography, fun and fine food in Co Donegal. Everything inclusive, hotel, dinner BnB, photo tuition and transport at a cost you won't believe!!! After visiting places like the highest cliffs in Europe at Slieveleague, the volcanic form of Errigal mountain, the rugged and barren headlands of the Inishowen peninsula and much much more, and not forgetting the music, beer and food after long days of photography you'll be ready for a pint and a fine Irish dinner. Perhaps a dance or two later? After six days you will be chauffeured safely back to Dublin airport by a qualified chauffeur. For more info email me kevinhayden62(at)hotmail.com

Paris strikes and chaos

Paris, Strikes and mayhem May 26th 2016 The 35-hour week remains in place, but as an average. Firms can negotiate with local trade unions on more or fewer hours from week to week, up to a maximum of 46 hours Firms are given greater freedom to reduce pay The law eases conditions for laying off workers (much needed), strongly regulated in France. It is hoped companies will take on more people if they know they can shed jobs in case of a downturn The above is taken the BBC website and is more or less correct. Here in France employers are very restricted when it comes to firing a useless employee. And they can be held to ransom when their shiny new employee turns out to be not so shiny. I think the French workers do ok overall compared to other European countries. The average number of hours worked is higher than the statutory limit - 37.5 hours a week in 2014, in the UK they average 36.1 hours a week and in Germany 35.3 hours per week. And the French love their holidays and long weekends! On average the French have 30 days a year of paid leave, compared with 28 in the UK, 25 in Norway and Denmark, and 20 in Germany. France's annual average wage in 2014 - 38,885€ - compared favorably with Germany's - 39,479€ the UK workers win out at 44,350€ approx. The strikers believe that unless they go all out and use extreme measures (as they are) the government won’t listen to them. The countries tourism sector has been badly hit since the Charlie Hebdo and November 13th attacks with some hotels claiming up to 60% of a drop in business for the same period last year. This action is making life miserable for those (myself) who have to travel by car or train to work every day. I do not agree with them! I want to work and I agree that employers should be able to hire and fire more easily. I’ve had colleagues in the past that I wanted to fire myself! So today I went to the Bastille to see the start of the protest. It made for good entertainment and interesting photos. The atmosphere was festive, lots of food stalls of course, music and people shouting into megaphones. Anyone entering into place de la Bastille with a bag was stopped and searched. Futile. I took photos just to show the types that were in the march. They were young and old, scruffy and elegant, skinny and not so skinny but for the most part I couldn’t see a real hooligan element to it. I wasn’t looking very closely obviously. Who once said, “a mob has many heads but no brains”?

Windmills in France

The Moulin de Chesnay in Moutiers en Beauce Last week-end I had a pre-wedding shoot in the charming village of Gif sur Yvette and from here my wife who very ably doubles as my assistant and second shooter and myself headed to the department of Eure-et-Loire, region of Centre-Val de Loire. We have friends there in the village of Moutiers en Beauce. Don’t bother trying to find it with a GPS it’s too small a village. Google maps can find it ok. It’s a village like many in the region, anonymous and untouched for centuries. With only 244 inhabitants waking to the dawn chorus is a special time of day. No sirens, no traffic, no pollution just the sound of happy birdsong and the aroma of strong coffee. I’m up! Now I have a thing for windmills. Not sure why? It was love at first sight! Windmills have been around for about 2000 years the earliest form being created by Heron of Alexandria, a Greek engineer in the 1st Century AD. It was further developed in Persia now known as Afghanistan. Then the clever Dutch developed it even further and increased it’s efficiency and usefulness from producing peanut oil, flour and paint colours for the Dutch masters. In the region of Eure-et-Loire every commune had at least 2 windmills but most were destroyed with the Franco-Prussian war and WWII. Then with modernity and more efficient ways of producing flour the handsome and long serving windmill was only used for grinding barley oats for pig food. Today some devotees are keeping them alive. The windmill of Chesnay (Moulin de Chesnay) was constructed in 1770 and is classed as a historic monument. The 3 men who are always there are really very welcoming and ready and willing to answer any questions you may have. They know this windmill intimately and maintain it meticulously. They never ask for money but there is a suggested fee of 2€ and if luck is on your side you may leave with a bag of freshly ground flour. I did and the crepes were great! There are several windmills in this region but if windmills are not your thing and you just want to experience some real peace and quiet well this area is for you. The villages are spotless and the buildings well maintained and the scent of glycine, lilac and roses will have you stopping often to soak up the scent. If like me you enjoy photographing butterflies and insects this place is heaven. You can also stock up on honey and fresh veg. The best of it though is to feel the warm sun on your face, smell the flowers in the pure fresh air and when the sun is high you can take shade under a windmill. These windmills and their villages are worth making the detour if you’re on your way to visit the chateaux of the Loire valley. Contact myself Kevin Hayden for a guided tour of the region.

un petit coin de la créativité

Strangers, friends that we are creating, in the making if you like. If you don't like you don't make. The day was warm and positive inside and out. It all seemed just so right. One of those days that you just wnted to smile and say hello to everyone you met while walking on the sunny side of the street. The universe and it's Gods were busy that day conspiring as always for our good, my good. It was on rue Eugénè Carriere that my eye was caught by the shape of an over fed violin. I stopped and admired the precise and detailed woodwork. The hand of a master I thought. I know nothing about the manufacture of musical instruments but we all or most recognise the hand of a master when we se it. Things of beauty stop us in our tracks or at least they should. I scanned the window and then the interior, that's when I spotted a young lady busy at something I'd describe as an arm. She'd describe it as the neck (cou). It had a definite angle to the scroll where the strings fitted well into their perfectly crafted beds. Without hesitation I was in the door. My curiosity had me by the scruff and my mouth worked out the French spontaneously. If you'd asked me 5 minutes later what I'd said I wouldn't have been able to answer. I was on autopilote and in my element. When I'd been stopped by this elegant intrument (luthier) in the window I had no camera in my hand. Can't say I'd forgotten that I had it, I believe that unconsciously I know I always have it, it's my passport I never travel without it! If I didn't have a camera this magic moment and story would never have existed and the friendship I now have with Laurence and Irène would have been for someone else with a camera, an eye and a heart and they would be writing this story instead of me. This lttle corner of creativity is just behind Sacre coeur 3 rue Egunénè Carriere and I am so grateful that these two darling girls opened their door and their hearts to this nosey photographer. This day has been engraved on my heart thanks to these two ladies. Laurence is a graphic designer and Irène creates these beautiful instruments. I owe so much to my camera, to you and the universe. I will keep coming back!

Is it me or has it become fashionable to use words like fluidity, signature, artists philosophy, common themes, personal style? It seems we now have to explain ourselves intimately and to reveal our souls even further. I used to get away with saying, "my photos speak for themselves". Not anymore. This morning I just edited the photos of two days with Clara my 7 year old daughter. The images range from morning to night and show the fun we have together. Now I will let you study the poetry of our day. I also want to show that perfection has no place at all in any art form least of all photography.

Do you find yourself blocked by obstacles to creativity? I know I do. These obstacles range from a lack of time to a lack of ideas, and many more things in between. Also the inner background static that often talks me out of certain projects and ideas. That is when I start something full of enthusiasm and determination but after 24 hours I'm already bored with the idea or subject, or maybe I've just taken to much notice of the background static of my minds inner voice telling me it's not going to be any good, so I eventually talk myself out of the project and start anew. That is why I strongly believe that artists need to spend more time amongst artists and not stuck in front of a screen wondering. Time is another big obstacle. The need to make money and the lack of it, along with daily family life, and on and on... I have participated in many workshops and I've also given many workshops in Ireland, France and Italy and I have never walked away from any of them without having been inspired and re-energised. Your camera is a passport, use it!