Great to have worked again with Proclamation Whiskey on their Christmas Campaign. It was a tricky project and here are the behind the scenes images to show how we executed it.
Bringing it all together.
Contact: Studio Eight, 32 Brunswick Street North, Dublin 7. D07TWX3. Ireland.
tel: 353(0)872597907 email: eugene@eugenelangan.com
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland.
eugene@eugenelangan.com +353(0)872597907 www.eugenelangan.com
The Christmas lights along the River Liffey are doing their upmost to brighten the long winter nights. Bless Dublin City Council, individuals and businesses for making the effort.
Today, 21st December, is the shortest day of the year, and from now on we can look forward to the daylight hours, day by day, imperceptibly lengthening.
What a wonder.
Wishing you a very happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year.
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland.
eugene@eugenelangan.com +353(0)872597907 www.eugenelangan.com
If you, or someone you know, is thinking of hiring studio space - daily, medium term or longer, contact me eugene@eugenelangan.com
Studio Eight has a beautiful ambiance and is a creatively inspiring place to work.
Approximately 56sq metres plus mezzanine. It has natural daylight which can be closed off when needed.
The studio is suitable for portraits, still life and food photography with its fully fitted out kitchen.
Interested? Organise a viewing and a chat : eugene@eugenelangan.com
Whiskey Sour.
Great to be shooting again. Spent a day photographing various set ups for Proclamation Whiskey. Great to get the opportunity to push the boat out sometimes.
If you would like to chat about any aspect of photography, do give me a shout:
Studio Eight, 32 Brunswick Street North, Dublin 7. D07TWX3. Ireland.
tel: 353(0)87257907 email: eugene@eugenelangan.com
The Pomegranate has been a symbol that represents rebirth since ancient times. The Greek goddess, Persephone, whose symbol is a pomegranate, returns from the underworld each year to ignite Spring and bring new growth and life. In Christianity and European art it represents resurrection and renewal. In Chinese culture pomegranates are symbol for fertility. In Buddhism it is one of the ‘Three Blessed Fruits’.
What better way to finish this year 2020 than with an image of a potent symbol of renewal, regeneration and rebirth.
Wishing you a fantastic New Year full of health, of closeness and an appreciation of the simple things in life.
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland.
eugene@eugenelangan.com +353(0)872597907 www.eugenelangan.com
I always love a challenge and shooting the new Irish craft gin, Blood Monkey, was a nice one. The beautifully designed black bottle was to be shot on a black background. We spent a productive day in my Dublin studio, photographing the Blood Monkey bottle and some gin based cocktails. So it is great to see one of the shots gracing the back cover page of the very cool ‘Totally Dublin’ magazine in an ad campaign that flirts with unspoken expletives. Very clever. As a newcomer to gin drinking - I loved the taste of this Irish malt gin. And by the way - as far as I recall there were no angry expletives expressed or otherwise during the making of these photographs.
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St.,
Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
e-mail: eugene@eugenelangan.com tel: +353(0)872597907 web: www.eugenelangan.com
Delighted to receive recognition for the photograph of Oliver and Oscar at the International Photography Awards. The photograph was taken at a Balcony Bingo event organised by The Iveagh Trust in their Kevin Street estate during the first Covid 19 lockdown. The mood and the atmosphere was extraordinary. People keeping pretty much to social distancing guide lines, were having so much fun I could feel the happy buzz on entering the complex. The flats were decorated with flags, bunting and balloons and the residents sat on their balconies or on the streets below on chairs pulled out from their flats. Regular bursts of spontaneous dance broke out when particular tunes were played over a sound system. It was like a well rehearsed film set. Oliver and Oscar, in the photograph, arrived. Their dad egged me on to take their photograph. The moment I turned my lens onto the twins they, too, broke into a spontaneous dance routine. I left that event with a huge smile on my face. It was so invigorating and uplifting. I like to think that Oscar and Oliver represent that sense of fun and exuberance that happened that evening. It was such a positive thing and a great antidote to the pandemic. Well done Oscar and Oliver.
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
e-mail: eugene@eugenelangan.com tel: +353(0)872597907 web: www.eugenelangan.com
The new cycle and pathway along the Royal Canal at North Strand, Dublin.
I was blown away recently when passing a verge along the roadside in Dublin filled with an explosion of different flowering plants. Tall elegant flowers pushed their colourful heads above mixed grasses. When the sun hit them they were stunning. They were in flower in late September, when I photographed them. So beautiful.
Flowering beds along the roadside near Ratoath Bridge on Royal Canal.
We must congratulate Dublin City Council for their latest planting plan. These colourful beds popping up all over the city are a joy to behold. A spectacular example can be seen at the Dart station in Kilbarack - worth travelling to, just to see it in flower.
An array of spectacular colour along the roadside.
Fingal County Council are planting similar flowering plants along roadsides too. These colourful flowers are havens for bumble and honey bees as well as an array of insects and butterflies. It lifts my heart to see them. They look like wild flowering meadows although some of the flowers are more garden stock than naturally wild. Nevertheless they are a sight for sore eyes.
New Parklet at Arbour Hill, Dublin, at the rear of Collins Baracks.
Another great innovation appearing all over the city of Dublin are the new Parklets. These little parks are about two meters wide and can be up to ten meters along the foot path. They are deep enough to plant trees as well as shrubs and flowering plants. They are surrounded by quaint bockety picket fences that gives them a timeless feel. They certainly enrich an area. Check them out on James Joyce Street in Dublin where they have been planted with lovely birch trees. The parklets in the photographs are behind the National Museum, Collins Barracks.
The colour! The colour! How beautiful.
These are such a simple and effective way to make our streets safer and more beautiful. Well done to Dublin City Council and the people involved in the planning and installation.
Close up of flowering plants inside the ‘bockety’ picket fence.
If you would like to chat about your upcoming photography project or any aspect of photography do give me a call or send me an e-mail
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
e-mail: eugene@eugenelangan.com - tel: +353(0)872597907 - web: www.eugenelangan.com
Surely one of the great facets of Berlin life is the weekend visit to the many flea markets about the city where you can find anything from antiques to zips. They are on streets, around squares, in parks and in odd locations really worth finding. My favourite market, for its variety of produce and its amazing location, is the market in Alt-Treptow on the banks of the Spree river. It is indoors which is great in winter, and located in a beautiful nineteen twenties industrial building.
The huge red brick building was built for the Berlin bus company, ABOAG, with amazing sculptural details placed all around the exterior. Check out the gateway shown here in the photograph, with its cut brick sculptures and sandstone Berliner Bear - the emblem for Berlin. Look at the way the bricks make the fanned archway - such attention to detail. Thankfully it is a protected structure now and home to this great ‘Flohmarkt’ - just one of the activities that take place here. The industrial site also hosts exhibition and concert venues and an open air swimming pool and artificial beach by the banks of the Spree river.
Inside the Flohmarkt with its diverse offering
There is such a variety of items for sale it is boggling. Old boots, fur coats, lampshades.
Secondhand missiles? Perhaps.
A beautifully built canoe that needs finishing.
Old keys without locks. Old locks without keys. Who wants either I think to myself.
And, deep breath, cutlery, phones, candlesticks, screwdrivers, chandeliers, brass frogs, bronze elephants, secateurs, squeezey toys and metal letters…and so much more.
There is something sad about the amount of old family photographs in decaying albums, old boxes and envelopes. They have been thrown away by family, friend or stranger because all these previously cherished family portraits have no one around who cares for them. The end of the line I suspect. I look around my living room at the photos and think of how special these are for me. I hope they never end up in a flea market, unloved.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of photography do give me a call or send me an e-mail:
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
e-mail: eugene@eugenelangan.com - tel: +353(0)872597907 - web: www.eugenelangan.com
This was shortly after 10.00am last Saturday.
It is somewhat chilling to see the streets in the centre of the city on a Saturday morning deserted. Hardly a car, a few buses and trams and a few stragglers coming and going to their workplaces. Or, like myself, out for the stroll. Each of the locations here are normally packed with people and traffic. Strange things happen in a city that is now silent. You can hear birds singing. You can hear the fall of your footstep. You can hear a murmur of conversation as you near parks. The air is clean. All very civilised. And strangers are chatting to each other (from a distance of course). Oh but the downside is eerie. It weirdly brings the economics to the fore.
Empty College Green reminds me of scenes from early photography when you never saw the people in the streetscapes.
Walking up Grafton Street my heart dropped when I could count the number of people on both hands. Who knows what the economy will be like after this is over.
(L to R) Grafton Street, South Anne Street, Harcourt Street. All photographed on Saturday 11th May between 10.00 and 11.00.
Daniel O’Connell, mounted on his monument on the eponymous O’Connell Street is doing his bit to combat Covid-19. He even got the hoi polloi beneath him to don face masks. But that seagull, cheeky git, just plain refused.
His supporter further up the street, John Gray, who was involved on the City Council in bringing fresh clean water to the city and helping to rid the city of earlier epidemics of typhus and cholera, is wearing his face mask too. James Larkin also is imploring the working man and woman to stay safe.
And maybe if I were to suggest to the powers that be…
Yes, we can all do our bit. Stay Safe. Stay Healthy.
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
email: eugene@eugenelangan.com - tel: 353(0)872597907 - web: www.eugenelangan.com
Spurred on by a more regular use of video conferencing, Zoom, FaceTime etc… here are a few tips to help you look your best by using flattering light and camera angles and non-distracting backgrounds. Don’t get too anxious about the process - most of the software allows you to check yourself out before going public. But do take time to prepare and to do a dry run before you start.
Preparing yourself.
It is a good thing to give yourself a ‘once over’ in front of a mirror before starting. That piece of food stuck in your teeth will distract your viewers. Also a quick sort out of your hair if you are lucky to have some. If you are wearing make up I would recommend, as I do when I am working on portrait photography, a matt finish as they can reduce sheens on your skin. If you are not a make up wearer give yourself a wipe down with tissue. Also check your shoulders and your front for specks of dust and other stuff, especially if you are wearing black.
Lighting and Background.
Most inbuilt cameras on your devices work best with a soft light - like light from an overcast sky. This type of light will not have the bright highlights and dark shadows which the cameras cannot deal with. Nor will it throw harsh shadows on your face. So when you are setting up, during daylight hours, choose a window that is not in direct sunshine. Take a tip from the Renaissance Masters and choose a North facing window if you can - the same light that they used for their portraits. I would recommend that you sit facing a window or at a slight angle to it so your face is fully lit bey the soft light.
If you have the space try have as much distance from you and your background - be it a wall or a room or office scene, it gives a comfortable sense of space to the other viewers. Make sure that there are no distracting items close to your head, from the camera point of view. This could include a painting, a lamp standard or sconce, a pull cord for a blind or shutter, heavy patterned wall paper or a branch moving in the breeze outside. Keeping the background as neutral as possible is a good thing.
This is a common issue - avoid having any bright lights behind you such as windows, bright doorways, lamps, standard lamps, wall sconces, ceiling light etc… The camera lenses see these bright areas and will darken down the whole image, including you, so you end up as a shadow or silhouette in the video.
If it is night time and you must use artificial light, use soft light. This can be achieved by moving your desk or table to a neutral or light coloured wall or door - Point a lamp at the wall and sit facing the wall, the light reflected from the wall should be enough to light you with a nice soft light. Keep the lamp itself well out of frame of the camera. Use a white, grey or light coloured wall for this as using a strong coloured wall will give your skin a strange colour cast.
Position of laptop, camera.
At all time keep the position of the laptop or smartphone in line with your face. You may need to raise the position of your laptop or phone by placing it on a stack of books, for instance, or some other convenient platform. If you are using your smartphone do not hand hold it. You should put it in one position, leaning against a book or other stable support. Also check out where the lens is positioned on your phone as this will help you with composition. Keeping the straight on angle your fellow viewers won’t be distracted by your well coiffured nasal hair or your double chin if the camera is too low, or your shiny forehead or immerging roots if the angle of your camera is too high.
Try not getting too close to the lens on your device. You should at least have all your upper body a little above the waist and all your head in the shot with some space over your head. Try sitting at a slight angle to the lens as this can enhance the image. If you can position yourself slightly to one side of the camera frame it can help composition also. You will get other help from an earlier blog I did on how to prepare for your portrait at: https://www.eugenelangan.com/blog/2017/3/7/preparing-for-your-portrait
One other item I just remembered is to clean the lens on your device - especially a phone as it picks up finger grease very easily. You a lint free cloth similar to what you would use to clean reading glasses. If it is bad pop a drop of window cleaner on a tissue and clean around the lens then finish off with the lint free cloth. Don’t apply the window cleaner directly on to the device.
Best of luck with it.
Stay Safe. Stay healthy.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of photography do give me a shout.
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
e-mail: langan@indigo.ie - tel: 353(0)872597907 - web: www.eugenelangan.com
Easter 2020. I visit the pretty harbour town of Howth on the north side of Dublin Bay quite regularly. At least I did before lock down. I try to take a photograph on my iPhone(an old iPhone 6) of the port light at the end of the East Pier from the same spot each time I visit. So over the last couple of years I’ve been building up a sequence of photographs of the beacon and the diverse skies that present themselves. Beautiful skies ranging from white to blue to grey to slate grey depending on the weather conditions. Covid 19 and the Lock Down allowed me time to sit down and edit the images and I have produced this little slideshow/movie for your diversion during the lockdown.
The title of the slideshow is Fl(2)WR 7.5S 12/9M. This a nautical chart reference unique to this port beacon. Every lighthouse and lit beacon has one. This beacon being red tells sailors to keep it on their port side, i.e. left hand side, while entering the harbour. The FL(2) tells it flashes twice. The WR tells us the first flash is white and the second is red. The 7.5S tells us the lights flash every 7.5 seconds. And the 12/9m tells us that in maximum visibility the white light has a range of 12 nautical miles and the red 9 nautical miles. All very useful when you are in poor visibility and need confirmation as to where you actually are in the sea.
And if you are locked down and haven’t been to Howth recently here is a little reminder for you…
Stay Safe. Stay healthy.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of photography do give me a shout.
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
email:eugene@eugenelangan.com - tel: 353(0)872597907 - web: www.eugenelangan.com
It is always a lovely experience to come across your own work by chance. The other day I was googling and came across Barry Douglas’ web site. Barry Douglas is one of Ireland’s most renowned pianists. He has played the piano across the world with the most prominent orchestras and solo. He founded the orchestra Camerata to encourage and nurture new talent from the island of Ireland. And he has a bevy of international awards for his musical talents.
I was delighted to see a selection of his recordings are bedecked with portraits we did together in my studio and in locations around Dublin. The first time I photographed Barry was for the National Concert Hall Millennium Calendar in 2000 and I have photographed him a few times since then. It is always a treat to have him in front of the camera. But even more fun is to see him play live. Spectacular.
If you would like to discuss portraiture at any time do give me a call at;
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
e-mail: eugene@eugenelangan.com - tel: +353(0)872597907 - web: www.eugenelangan.com
It was with anger and sadness that I learned that Gavin McCrea was the victim of a homophobic assault at six in the evening in a leafy Dublin suburb. I have known Gavin all his life. And more recently had the pleasure of photographing him for the cover of his first published novel, Mrs Engels. Below is an e-mail from Gavin and an interesting and important article on the assault and how we as a society deal with it. (Check out Google Translate for this.)
“As many of you know, I was assaulted last Saturday (1 Feb) at 6pm while walking along the Dodder river in Dublin. A homophobic attack. A group of six 12- to 14-year-olds. They broke my nose and my cheekbone. Since the attack, I have been overwhelmed by the love and support I have received. I feel fortunate and proud to have around me such a community of big hearts and brilliant minds. One such brilliant mind is Andrea Rizzi, the International News Editor at El País in Madrid, who has written an article about the attack:
https://elpais.com/internacional/2020/02/07/actualidad/1581101417_997989.html?ssm=whatsapp
In the article, Andrea describes what happened to me (as recounted to him by me) before going on to make a few larger points: 1) recent advances in legislation in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe do not by and of themselves dissolve centuries of homophobia; 2) such homophobic attacks perpetrated by boys of such a young age highlight the need for more and better inclusion, tolerance and anti-bullying training in schools; 3) initiatives which would allow parents to veto such in-school training, such as those proposed by the right-wing parties Vox and PP in Spain, ought to be resisted; 3) research shows that homophobic bullying, abuse and violence remains a huge problem throughout Europe, especially in the East; 4) the recent rise of conservative and nationalist sentiment as a response to current challenges in Europe must not act as a cover for the legitimisation of homophobic and xenophobic sentiment
I am a private person and going public in this way makes me uncomfortable, but I felt it was the right thing to do. Please do pass the article along, especially to any friends you have in the Irish or English-speaking media.“
Wishing you a speedy recovery Gavin. And don’t let the bastards get you down.
