Gallery MacIomhair

Barbed Wire Cattle

2009-07-10T18:58:00.001+01:00

Barbed Wire Cattle, originally uploaded by Maciomhair.

StumbleUpon and Photography

2009-07-10T18:50:00.002+01:00

Photography is a verymuch abused category within Stumble. Any old image from a snapshot to a scribble done in MS Paint gets lumped into this category by lazy categorisers. Stumble is one of my favourite webtools, but I am going to have to abandon it due to how poorly it deals with my main interest - photography.

See below ten examples of why Stumble needs new, deeper photography categories so that the junk can be filtered apart and those who want to investigate photography in more depth could look up categories such as history of photography, artistic photography, photographic techniques etc. In the meantime, we have to put up with the below. All ten of these were picked one after the other stumbling through the Photo category.

1) Titleless Image

What this has to do with photography is anyone's guess. It may be a photograph, but it looks much more likely that it is a photocopy. I am sure you will agree, Henri Cartier Bresson would be very jealous of such an image.

2) Direct link to a photo - No page, no title, no photographer info.

This one is a rather good image, but how would we look further into this? Where to go to get more from the artist? What's the story behind it?

3) Direct link to a photo - Similar to number 2 in its problems, but with this one, you can fiddle the URL to find a bit further back - but you shouldn't really have to.

4) Direct link to a photo - Again, a direct link to a photo, but fiddling the URL does take you somewhere this time. Again, you shouldn't have to.

5) ZerFunny

Fair enough, a proper link at last. However, this is a website that is supposed to be about funny things and which uses images - as do most websites - to illustrate this. It has, however, been dumped in the Stumble photo category as the original stumbler couldn't think of anything better.

Plus, the page has direct links to NSFW material.

6) The Top The Best

An actual photoblog! Wonders will never cease. This would benefit from a photoblog category on Stumble.

7) Direct link to a photo - Yet again, no way to go any further. Not that you would want to, it's a photo of writing - a motivational message. Surely there's a better category for this? At least, however, this is a photo. There have been a lot of these cropping up lately which are just screenprints of text on a black background.

8) Total Mania

At least this seems to be some sort of photo collection. But I doubt whether serious photography was the intention of the website (not talking about the actual photographs).

9) Link to a Google Search!

Surely they could have gone to the trouble of clicking the little "x" for "Remove this frame"? And if only the first article is about photography, why not click that one further click to stumble the right page?

10) Direct Link to Photo

Shouldn't this be filed under cute animals rather than under photography?

It is clear that Stumble does not work for photography as there are many, many people who think that any picture is by its nature photography and not something else.

Frog Eye

2009-07-05T18:32:00.001+01:00

Frog Eye, originally uploaded by Maciomhair.

Busy

2009-06-20T18:22:00.001+01:00

Busy, originally uploaded by Maciomhair.

Balgownie Duck

2009-06-14T15:53:00.001+01:00

Balgownie Duck, originally uploaded by Maciomhair.

Inevitability

2009-06-03T18:37:00.001+01:00

Inevitability, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

OOB Roses

2009-06-02T19:16:00.001+01:00

OOB Roses, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Beach Feather

2009-05-31T12:07:00.001+01:00

Beach Feather, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Daniel

2009-05-23T18:19:00.001+01:00

Daniel, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Cold Rose

2009-05-14T22:31:00.001+01:00

Cold Rose, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Test Still Life

2009-05-09T21:17:00.001+01:00

Test Still Life, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

In and Around Bobrka (202)

2009-04-25T21:26:00.001+01:00

In and Around Bobrka (202), originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Long Grass Sunset No Flash

2009-04-20T18:47:00.001+01:00

Long Grass Sunset No Flash, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Misty Trees

2009-04-15T09:19:00.004+01:00

Misty Trees, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Poland

Garry Beach

2009-03-18T18:24:00.001Z

Garry Beach, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Lit Church at Night Bobrka

2009-03-08T07:18:00.003Z

Lit Church at Night Bobrka, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Print Available

" It was announced with trumpet-blast from the ramparts and from all the towers that the marriage should be celebrated. The Princess was not quite pleased about it, but she looked charming and was gorgeously dressed. The church shone with candles; it shows best late in the evening. The noble maidens of the town sang and led the bride forward; the knights sang and accompanied the bridegroom. He strutted as if he could never be broken.

Now the singing stopped and one could have heard a pin fall, but in the midst of the silence the great church door flew open with a crash and clatter, and boom! boom! the whole of the clock-work came marching up the passage and planted itself between the bride and bridegroom. Dead men cannot walk again, we know that very well, but a work of art can walk again; the body was knocked to pieces, but not the spirit; the spirit of the work walked, and that in deadly earnest. " - The Most Incredible Thing - Hans Christian Andersen.

Predjama Castle

2009-03-05T07:09:00.001Z

Predjama Castle, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Print available

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"DUNCAN: This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
Unto our gentle senses.
BANQUO: This guest of summer,
The temple-haunting martlet, does approve
By his loved mansionry that the heaven's breath
Smells wooingly here. No jutty, frieze,
Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird
Hath made his pendant bed and procreant cradle;
Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed
The air is delicate."
- Macbeth, Act I, Scene VI by William Shakespeare.

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Click here for an online guided tour.

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The castle was once the fief of a robber-baron who would taunt those besieging the castle by sending down fresh fruit to his enemies. This fruit was delivered through a network of secret caves above the fortress. A traitor, paid off by the enemy, advised those laying siege to Predjama that there is one place that even a King must go on foot, alone. When the laird went to the, you know, the the in the middle of the night, the traitor made a signal to the enemies who blasted the smallest room with cannon fire, killing the baron.

What can be seen today is the newer castle, an older one still exists behind the newer facade, delving deeper into the caves behind.

Le Comte de Monte-Cristo

2009-03-04T07:28:00.002Z

Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Available for purchase.

Mercédès jeta un cri qui fit jaillir deux larmes des paupières de Monte-Cristo, mais ces deux larmes disparurent presque aussitôt, car sans doute Dieu avait envoyé quelque ange pour les recueillir, bien autrement précieuses qu'elles étaient aux yeux du Seigneur que les plus riches perles de Gusarate et d'Ophir.
«Oh! s'écria-t-elle en saisissant la main du comte et en la portant à ses lèvres, oh! merci, merci, Edmond! te voilà bien tel que je t'ai toujours rêvé, tel que je t'ai toujours aimé. Oh! maintenant je puis le dire.
—D'autant mieux, répondit Monte-Cristo, que le pauvre Edmond n'aura pas longtemps à être aimé par vous. Le mort va rentrer dans la tombe, le fantôme va rentrer dans la nuit.
—Que dites-vous, Edmond?
—Je dis que puisque vous l'ordonnez, Mercédès, il faut mourir.
—Mourir! et qui est-ce qui dit cela? Qui parle de mourir? d'où vous reviennent ces idées de mort?
—Vous ne supposez pas qu'outragé publiquement, en face de toute une salle, en présence de vos amis et de ceux de votre fils, provoqué par un enfant qui se glorifiera de mon pardon comme d'une victoire, vous ne supposez pas, dis-je, que j'aie un instant le désir de vivre. Ce que j'ai le plus aimé après vous, Mercédès, c'est moi-même, c'est-à-dire ma dignité, c'est-à-dire cette force qui me rendait supérieur aux autres hommes; cette force, c'était ma vie. D'un mot vous la brisez. Je meurs.
—Mais ce duel n'aura pas lieu, Edmond, puisque vous pardonnez.
—Il aura lieu, madame, dit solennellement Monte-Cristo, seulement, au lieu du sang de votre fils, que devait boire la terre, ce sera le mien qui coulera.»
Mercédès poussa un grand cri et s'élança vers Monte-Cristo; mais tout à coup elle s'arrêta.
«Edmond, dit-elle, il y a un Dieu au-dessus de nous, puisque vous vivez, puisque je vous ai revu, et je me fie à lui du plus profond de mon cœur. En attendant son appui, je me repose sur votre parole. Vous avez dit que mon fils vivrait; il vivra, n'est-ce pas?
—Il vivra, oui, madame», dit Monte-Cristo, étonné que, sans autre exclamation, sans autre surprise, Mercédès eût accepté l'héroïque sacrifice qu'il lui faisait.
Mercédès tendit la main au comte.
«Edmond, dit-elle, tandis que ses yeux se mouillaient de larmes en regardant celui auquel elle adressait la parole, comme c'est beau de votre part, comme c'est grand ce que vous venez de faire là, comme c'est sublime d'avoir eu pitié d'une pauvre femme qui s'offrait à vous avec toutes les chances contraires à ses espérances! Hélas! je suis vieillie par les chagrins plus encore que par l'âge, et je ne puis même plus rappeler à mon Edmond par un sourire, par un regard, cette Mercédès qu'autrefois il a passé tant d'heures à contempler. Ah! croyez-moi, Edmond, je vous ai dit que, moi aussi, j'avais bien souffert; je vous le répète, cela est bien lugubre de voir passer sa vie sans se rappeler une seule joie, sans conserver une seule espérance, mais cela prouve que tout n'est point fini sur la terre. Non! tout n'est pas fini, je le sens à ce qui me reste encore dans le cœur. Oh! je vous le répète, Edmond, c'est beau, c'est grand, c'est sublime de pardonner comme vous venez de le faire! - Le Compte de Monte-Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

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Translation used by Project Guttenberg:

Mercedes uttered a cry which made the tears start from Monte Cristo's eyes; but these tears disappeared almost instantaneously, for, doubtless, God had sent some angel to collect them -- far more precious were they in his eyes than
the richest pearls of Guzerat and Ophir.
"Oh," said she, seizing the count's hand and raising it to her lips; "oh, thank you, thank you, Edmond! Now you are exactly what I dreamt you were, -- the man I always loved. Oh, now I may say so!"
"So much the better," replied Monte Cristo; "as that poor Edmond will not have long to be loved by you. Death is about to return to the tomb, the phantom to retire in darkness."
"What do you say, Edmond?"
"I say, since you command me, Mercedes, I must die."
"Die? and why so? Who talks of dying? Whence have you these ideas of death?"
"You do not suppose that, publicly outraged in the face of a whole theatre, in the presence of your friends and those of your son -- challenged by a boy who will glory in my forgiveness as if it were a victory -- you do not suppose that I can for one moment wish to live. What I most loved after you, Mercedes, was myself, my dignity, and that strength which rendered me superior to other men; that strength was my life. With one word you have crushed it, and I die."
"But the duel will not take place, Edmond, since you forgive?"
"It will take place," said Monte Cristo, in a most solemn tone; "but instead of your son's blood to stain the ground, mine will flow." Mercedes shrieked, and sprang towards Monte Cristo, but, suddenly stopping, "Edmond," said she, "there is a God above us, since you live and since I have seen you again; I trust to him from my heart. While waiting his assistance I trust to your word; you have said that my son should live, have you not?"
"Yes, madame, he shall live," said Monte Cristo, surprised that without more emotion Mercedes had accepted the heroic sacrifice he made for her. Mercedes extended her hand to the count.
"Edmond," said she, and her eyes were wet with tears while looking at him to whom she spoke, "how noble it is of you, how great the action you have just performed, how sublime to have taken pity on a poor woman who appealed to you with every chance against her, Alas, I am grown old with grief more than with years, and cannot now remind my Edmond by a smile, or by a look, of that Mercedes whom he once spent so many hours in contemplating. Ah, believe me, Edmond, as I told you, I too have suffered much; I repeat, it is melancholy to pass one's life without having one joy to recall, without preserving a single hope; but that proves that all is not yet over. No, it is not finished; I feel it by what remains in my heart. Oh, I repeat it, Edmond; what you have just done is beautiful -- it is grand; it is sublime." - The Count of Monte-Cristo - Alexandre Dumas.

River

2009-03-03T18:29:00.003Z

River, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

New Zazzle store now opened, linked to website.

This image is available as a print and as a mousemat.

make custom gifts at Zazzle

The Sea

2009-03-01T18:13:00.001Z

Ice Spirits

2009-02-12T18:29:00.001Z

Ice Spirits, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

(Hopefully) improved look of website. Removed some clutter, should be simpler and fresher.

Steps to College

2009-02-09T18:34:00.001Z

Steps to College, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Que la neige tombe!

Bled Castle 3 BW

2009-01-29T17:59:00.001Z

Bled Castle 3 BW, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Quick announcement of new photos and new galleries - one's a bit of a cheat (New Photos) - the other is for nature in the city and is a bit bare for now, but will fill up. All 8 of the new images are from Spain.

The tag-cloud has also been tidied up a bit with no duplicate images and single tags now included.

Christmas 2008 (Stornoway) - [02] ( - Ghost Town Stornoway BW - )

2009-01-17T18:15:00.001Z

Christmas 2008 (Stornoway) - [02] ( - Ghost Town Stornoway BW - ), originally uploaded by MacIomhair.

Cordoba - Steps - BW

2009-01-08T19:35:00.001Z

Cordoba - Steps - BW, originally uploaded by MacIomhair.