Peoples Photography Dublin 2010 is once again just around the corner. This will be my third year attending the event and once again I’ll be with Dermot and his family.

During lasts years event, Dermot and I got to talking about doing something with a space between the two of us as well as the usual individual displays.

We’ve no rules, hell we’re not even sure of the game, but the theme for this space is “Red”

Which leaves me in a pickle.

Anyway, while at the Games Fair today I took this.

I’m taking it as an omen.

How exactly do you explain to people why sitting in the street watching the world pass by and dodging the occasional rain shower can leave you inspired and enthused?

Well, all I can say is when you’ve spent the time with photos on the fence at Peoples Photography, that’s just what it does.

(Sorry for the rather spongy intro. That’s just kind of how I felt about the whole weekend…)

Saturday and Sunday saw the 2009 People’s Photography in Dublin. This year I managed to attend and exhibit for both days, combining the trip with a chance to meet up with Eoin and Dermot as well as spend a bit of wedding anniversary time with the missus.

Both days ran from 9am to 6pm and each day was a completely different experience.

Saturday

I arrived about 9:30 on Saturday morning to find Dermot already there hanging his photos. I’ll never understand how he can be so efficient and effective at getting them hung neatly in such a short time. (Personally I think he has an army of invisible midgets that do it when I’m not looking.)

I got to work, only to discover that my approach to hanging was, frankly, awful and worse yet the mounting I’d done in preparation was a mess with lots of mounts separated and photos having slipped. So began 45 minutes of banging heads of the wall before I gave up and tried to relax.

I’m always a little nervous when I first show people work, especially strangers. I panic that they’ll just point and laugh.So, it took to about 11:30 before I’d actually be near my photos and get down to the serious business of people watching.

It’s always interesting to see someone walking past who slows to look, or comes back for a second time. It’s gratifying to see people comment to their friends or look round to see who might have taken it. As always I kept well back and didn’t get involved unless I was singled out. Maybe I would have got more feedback if I’d been up front, but I wasn’t really there to sell anything just to have a nice time.

Most of the rest of the day was spent catching up with Dermot and browsing.

 

Sunday

On Sunday I managed to get to the green for 9am and thanks to a whole new approach was set up and ready to roll by 9:30. A few little repairs later and I was settled and enjoying the calm of a Sunday morning for 10am.

The nice thing about Sundays exhibition, and something I didn’t realise last year, was that people have more time. More people stopped to look or to chat and the atmosphere was much more relaxed. So much so Dermot and I started plotting about 2010… Any rumours we’re booking extra space are totally rumours…

Overall

If you’re even half considering this, I’d recommend it. And if you’re not considering it, I’d say you should start. It’s a fantastic way to understand what’s good about your photographs and to see people of amazing calibre who are willing to share tips and tricks. It’s also a great way to relax in a decent European city.

After a bit of reorganisation, it seems the peoples photography exhibition is on again in Dublin this year. It also seems it’s already sold out!

I’m reliably informed that Dermot has booked a place for me along with him and his sister. So if you’re in Dublin over the weekend of the 29th and 30th August, look us up.

All I need to do now is work out which images I’ve taken in the last year that are worth displaying, get them printed (if necessary), mounted, arrange a hanging structure, book a hotel for the weekend, buy all the clips and ties and strings I’m likely to need…

No rush, plenty of time…

Yesterday was an unusual day.

I turned down my first ever photographic engagement and I gave my first ever photographic talk.

Pretty impressive huh?

Well, I guess it’s all in how you sell it.

My work asked me if I’d take some photographs at an event they’re hosting in a few weeks. Sadly, it conflicts with actual real work for me, so I had to decline. Annoying, but it was lovely to be asked.

And my talk? CPA had a members choice evening where 6 members were asked to talk for 10 – 20 minutes about a selection of their photographs. I picked 8 photographs that represented things I’d tried with photography, from HDR through to portraits and trying to sell stuff.

Good fun, but more nerve wracking than I expected. I also felt a little down after I did it as the other talks contained photographs which just blew mine away. So, If you were talking to me after the event and I seemed ‘funny’ I was just feeling a little exposed and needed to run away!

That’s not to say I won’t do it again…

Oh, and that reminds me – People Photography 2009 must be coming round again.

"On top of the world"

I spent yesterday in Dublin taking part in the Peoples Photography 2008 exhibition in St. Stephens Green.

My aim for the day was simply to hang up some of my favourite pictures from the last year and be a man about the comments I would receive. I don't know what I was expecting, probably lots of sniggering and people saying "you suck" or something. What I didn't expect was the great reception both the pictures and myself got, the fantastic comments and the praise.

Probably the most stressful part of the entire day was setting up my display. It ended up looking something like this.

I was lucky enough to have grabbed a space as part of the Kirribilli empire and was soon adopted into the Greene family. As well as their enthusiasm and chocolate muffins, their company for the day meant there was always someone to talk to and joke with, as well as someone to watch kit when I went for a wander.

Once set up, there was little to do, but sit back and chat with Dermot's family and people on neighbouring displays.

The feedback I got was excellent. Quite a number of people said hello and commented on the pictures. From amateurs to professionals, it was great to hear every opinion. And what was better, people were so complimentary about pictures. So much so, I was routinely left speechless and looking like a gaping idiot

So, if you spoke to me and I didn't say it, thank you.

In all seriousness, if you're into photography and can make the event, it's a great way to spend some time.

All in all a good day.

Thanks have to be said to Eoin and Este for the tea, steak, movies and bed, and to the Greene family for the companionship on the day!

 

 

Oh yeah, I sold a couple as well.

... that sent their art in to Tony Hart for his gallery wall.

Dermot has finally talked me into taking part in the Peoples Photography exhibition in Dublin later in the summer.

Expect a lot of posts over the coming weeks where I panic about what photographs I should use, what way I want to mount them and what I need to bring and stuff.

All madness. Madness I tell you.

Anyway, if you're in Dublin at the end of August, it seems like it could be a fun thing to check out.