Sean's Blog

Midnight Court shots

For those asking here's some photos of The Midnight Court.

posted by SeanMcC @ 12:14 AM 2 comments   

Canon 5D on Luminous Landscape

The more I read the more I want to change up to a full frame camera. I really miss the big bright viewfinder of my EOS 5. Full frame, Spot metering, 13 MP, 2.5" LCD.. I mean it's hard not to want it. I know it has no flash and only 3 fps, but for Portrait and Landscape it would be impossible to beat. Especially tied to the new (cheaper) 24-105 f4L. Luminous Landscape gives this the once over and eyes it very favourably. I'm very keen already (especially as I just eyed up my bank account and invoices due, which could just stretch if I sell the 350D or the 20D) and will wait patiently to see how the first few go. I want to avoid the mess I had with the 20D if I can.

posted by SeanMcC @ 12:06 AM 0 comments   

Busy as usual

Tipping along preping for The Midnight Court in Feakle, Co. Clare. The play is actually set here so It'll be interesting. Mick the other soundguy who's touring the show will be there. I'll be doing tomorrow night and he'll take it from there. I was also working on the Adam Green (The Moldy Peaches) gig in Roisin Dubh on Tues and got a few nice shots. None processed yet but I'll put some here then.
I also had my first shoot in ages too, on Wednesday. This time it was for Keith and Lorraine, a brother and sister duo. I've done stuff for keith before and have put some of the shots up on Random Panderings.

posted by SeanMcC @ 1:08 AM 2 comments   

The show that set the house on fire.

Midnight Court has settled in now. The show is running tight and I'm pretty much on with nearly all my cues. Everyone did well tonight and it was really enjoyable. The weirdest thing about tonight is that when the cast performed an encore song it was rudely interrupted by a little smoke and then a little more fire as one of the stage curtains lit up! No one was harmed but everyone was evacuated anyway for safety. An interesting way to end a show. The cause, by the way, was a lamp that got caught in the curtain. The curtain is fireproofed, but to my limited knowledge it's to time degree. Also it was the lining that seemed to be on fire, not the main curtain. I had my camera but was more concerned for the cast than a photo, so I didn't get one.

posted by SeanMcC @ 4:14 AM 1 comments   

More Court

Got a few shots but no time to post. Maybe tomorrow. The first half of Dress rehearsal had a lot of technical problems. Feedback from monitors, mics interfering with each other, batteries dying, music coming in too loud (someone messing with levels onstage). Art, the director, was not impressed, but of course I was more unimpressed myself. 2nd half was much better. Up early again so off to bed.

posted by SeanMcC @ 3:25 AM 2 comments   

Midnight Court

I'm bang smack in the middle of preparations for the Midnight Court, a musical of the Poem. adpated by Sean Tyrrell. It's been hectic between doing that and normal work as well meaning I've had zero time for myself. I'm getting ready for the very few hours I'll have in bed. I've the kettle on and will have something light to take the edge off my hunger before I settle. It's 3:07am now and I'm in for rehearsals at 10. Not much time for anything really. Hopefully things will run on time and I'll get a break before the Quays gig tomorrow night.
I was asked by the theatre manager to turn down the music because there was a show on in the small auditorium, which led to a funny incident were the director completely forgot this and walked around the room wondering why the mix sounded really weak. Personally, I was having issues with my new KT DN370 which was going into feedback anytime I boosted any EQ fader. Turned out to be the insert lead in the end, after me thinking there was a serious issue with the unit itself. Didn't even have time to shoot any photos today but I'll attach photos from the dress rehearsal hopefully tomorrow, if I get a chance to take them..

posted by SeanMcC @ 3:06 AM 2 comments   

Marky Ramone

Cracking gig with Marky Ramone on Tues in the Roisin Dubh. Nothing like the feeling them hiting the first chords of I Want To Be Sedated and realising you're listening to Marky playing it!

posted by SeanMcC @ 3:42 PM 1 comments   

Photo Friday - Noteworthy

Photo Friday - Noteworthy

I'm delighted to have gotten a "Noteworthy" from Photo Friday. It's a weekly photo challenge and last weeks challenge was "Attractive". I entered a shot of Erica and Franceso which seemed to fit the bill. Not bad for my first try. I'll be sure to enter again!

posted by SeanMcC @ 11:41 AM 1 comments   

Of Lens and Light

As I passed the Galway Camera Shop recently, I saw 2 lenses of interest in the secondhand window. After going in for a look, I was fortunate enough to be allowed to try them out before buying. Both, as it turned out, belonged to my old B&W instructor, Paul Fennell. First I picked up the Sigma 28-70 f2.8 to use during the Arts Festival and did so on a number of gigs. I kinda liked it but was a bit wary of it's lack of sharpness at f2.8. As I was intending using it for gigs I didn't know if it would do for me. It's a bit heavy too, I might add. Still I keep using it to see how it fared out. It was my main lens for the Toasted Heretic gig along with my 70-200 f4 L and to be honest the f4 L was sharper at f4. Also the zoom moves backways in comparison to the Canon's. This simply became annoying and it was breaking any flow I had in composing shots. I decided not to get it because of these factors. Paul also had a Canon 28mm f2.8 in the window. I've read a number of reviews of this lens and the reaction to it is a bit mixed. Some love it, some hate it. Personally? I really like this copy. Bear in mind that 28mm on my 20D/3250D is about 45mm so I'm buying this as a 'Normal' lens rather than a wide. I've shot off a bunch of gig shots, portraits and test shots and really like the sharpness of this lens. The Bokeh is not bad either. This I am buying for sure! Although the secondhand $ price for this is listed about $130 I'm paying slightly more, but it's still a good price to me. Cheers Paul. Anything else for sale?

posted by SeanMcC @ 7:35 AM 0 comments   

John Martyn

Scottish singer John Martyn plays to a full house in the Roisin Dubh last Monday 1st Aug. Backed by a great band, he performed many of his classics including "May You Never", "Don't Want To Know" and "John Wayne".
I've another, larger, shot over on my photoblog Random Panderings for you to check out. Yep, I'm going to keep plugging it.

posted by SeanMcC @ 6:13 AM 1 comments