Photographer of Food In Dublin

The winter feeling is almost gone, so it is time to show some of the food comforts that took place as part of such long period. I have been carrying diverse food photography around some of Dublin's different drink and dinning spaces. I have also been carrying a lot more self directed shoots in food photography and styling. Both quite a creative experience to say the least but of complete different journeys.

The creative aspect and the unknown is a great deal to enjoy in photography and I have many opportunities to practice in such terms, there are improvisation aspects you must always bring along as part of your skill set as a photographer. But in this case food elements have to come together into an empty canvas.

The food photos taken in different restaurants were directed to a point that they were meant to promote the food, the space, the produce, some branding, storytelling but also a human element of the making. Some of the shoots were fast paced, always very productive. To live in fast lifestyles and to approach photography in such way can be challenging and intense and therefore photography more and more is becoming a reflection of such intensity. On the other hand some of my photos that require more time to style and think off when arranging different compositions can take more time to produce therefore the pace and journey even though intense is different. There is planning, styling, direction, experimentation, enjoyment, composition, reflection and execution. Every aspect is looked at in detail and tastefully.

Do I like going fast or do I like flowing in a pace of mine? I am not sure, the answer is a bit of both probably. Fast seems to be the element we need to add onto the way we live in today more and more, there is no way out from it. A moment is fast and goes fast. It definitely makes those slower moments feel more beautiful. So here they are some still images of some great comforting foods taken around Dublin. Some were taken in a fast delivery environment, others were styled and taken in an own directed self reflective environment and some were in between both type of journeys. Guess which was taken in what way. And if you enjoy please Spread the Food Photography word around. Thank you ;)
 

How was your Culture NIght 2017?

Culture Night 2017 is a country wide event on September that promotes culture and the enjoyment of it in Ireland. This year I stayed put close to home in Stoneybatter by covering the museum quarters near Heuston, Smithfields Square and Stoneybatter. First thing I visited was the law society and got guided around the building and its architecture history. As a result I got a lovely portrait of our tour guide on the date with a balloon I had purposely plan to bring along with me as a prop. The life of the ballon was sort but it filled the purpose as I handed it to a crying kid soon after. Unfortunately this flew from his hands as I began with portraying of his family.

I spent most of my time wondering around all the music, crafts, circus games, fencing workshops and activities on offer in Smithfields Square and had the chance of staying for the beautiful storytelling by Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company talking about some Irish female heroines. I also paid a visit to the Lilliput Press and the Irish Railway Record Society. Finally I put my remaining energy in shooting Those Fire Guys performers of the night.

This is the way my culture night looked like this year. How did yours look?

https://www.facebook.com/pg/CultureNight/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1477198535702180

https://culturenight.ie/media/culture-night-dublin-2017-itziar-telletxea/

 

Great Week 2017 Bilbao Dressed up to Party

Once again this August I went to Bilbao to enjoy my hometown's popular "Aste Nagusia" celebration. Such an amazing and diverse cultural offer never disappoints.
This year I experienced unaccountable happy moments, traditional sport and "cuadrilla's" popular game "Soka tira", really nice souls, carried some Basque traditional singing in the streets along massive crowds with "Bilbo Kantari", got close up but run away quickly to the "fire bull", danced with the "giants", got hit by the "bigheaded" characters, tried lovely food and encountered the "OxTail" making contest but also got wet under some generous rainy skies. 
Most importantly got to see the last an emotional moments of our party symbols "Txupinera", "Pregonera" goodbye ceremony for "MariJaia" by the river Nerbioi.
These three girls do really know how to party. 
Until next year Bilboko Aste Nagusia.

50 mm photography

Piglet Wine Bar in the heart of Temple Bar Dublin

Piglet Wine Bar (Osteria) is in the heart of Temple Bar in the quiet Cow's lane.
It has a rustic food offer of meats, cheese, tapas, gambas, cakes and a great selection of Italian, Spanish and French wines. You can either chose to sit inside or outdoors raining or not. 
Piglet gave me the opportunity to view their space and food through my lens as a photohrapher. And all I saw was really delightful. I did try the gambas al pil pil on top of a delicious sourdough bread. It was quite a delish experience. I ate in the bar talking to the chef and staff who worried greatly over making all the food and space look and taste great and looked very well after me.
I do admire all the passion put, all the help and all those intense moments we all went through, it was perfect within all its rustic style.
Piglet is a really warm space which offers a great combination of lovely wines, food and wonderful vibes. Go visit if you can.
http://www.itziartelletxearocha.com/#/piglet-wine-bar/

El barrio Stoneybatter Festival closed its main road to traffic for a day 2017

Stoneybatter in Dublin is where I have been living for the last 3 years almost.
A place that I call home but is so far from home at the same time. It is a very strange feeling to overcome sometimes but it makes one look at things a different way which is not necessarily bad.
This time it was great to observe how the Stoneybatter Festival blossomed thanks to a committed and welcoming community along everyone that wanted to participate and make this festival and neighbourhood proud. There was a woofstock showcasing, a showcasing of the best dog in the neighbourhood, adorable pets al around so hard to pick one alone and also the great batter bake off run by Father Ted sitcom's Ms Doyle which was lovely to see. There were plentiful of activities to entertain anyone, music, storytelling for kids, half pipers, historical walks and visits, yoga, zumba, bumblebees, food, photographic screenings, creative talks, fruit, popcorn and the list goes on. Oh and no rain!
Once again Manor street was closed to the traffic for one day, the last time it closed was back in 1976, can you imagine that? no room for people to gather at all and you know what it looked fantastic, imagine if this sort of feeling remained this way all the time, a road in which people met to talk and share away from the traffic.
Anyway What is more community building than that?
 

Some Postcard Photography, South of Portugal

Last few days and nights spent in the South/West of Portugal were if anything a gift to myself.
Visited Faro's Ria Formosa, Lagos and Sagres. This time I had the great pleasure to reconnect with myself and take different direction every day. Whatever I fancied, whatever my head felt, whatever my camera focused on and whatever path I wanted to follow. Plenty of adventure in a land that allows so. The holiday was packed with walks, boat trips, gorgeous souls, happy people on holidays, sharing moments, lovely food, abandon hotels, Atlantic seaside, tourists, surfers, amazing wild landscapes, grills, songs, cliffs, pottery and plenty of self discovery and overall great experiences.
Thanks to everyone that I met and made every experience so so great.
Oh there was a little bit of sunburn too...nothing can be ever perfect.

 

Words on the International Literature Festival Dublin 2017

How many characters are waiting for the time when curious eyes will find them?

The International Literature Festival Dublin, ILFD, founded in 1998, is Ireland’s premier literary event and gathers the finest writers in the world to debate, provoke, delight and enthral.
This year I am having the pleasure to attend the festival as a photographer and explore the different array of talent. The opening day at the ILFD was definitely entertaining.
Talent there is a plenty and as I went through my exploration, the festival let me discover a children's book maker, a spoken word master, a comedy improviser, British, Irish, Chinese and Palestinian Literature writers and many more which were surely there to impress. Ruby Wax did leave us a wee bit Frazzled but was very entertaining to discover her persona. The inspiration that current writers were thrown at was also immense with many book agents and panellists willing to entertain.
Today it will be all over so if not this try make it there next year. I greatly enjoyed some of the talent showcasing their written and spoken word but most importantly their genius minds.

Featuring in this are Date with an Agent Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin, Ed Vere, Chibundu Onuzo, Noo Saro Wiwa, Garrett Carr, Patrick McCabe, Susie Orbach, Inua Ellams, Neil + 1, Buile Suibhne, Madeleime Thien, Xiaolu Guo, Raja Shehadeh, Ruby Wax and many more.
#ILFDublin

SPIt Wine Fair 2016

Spit is a wine fair for wine industry professionals and private consumers also.
It is held at the Smock Alley Theater in a beautiful naturally lit space through stained glass windows.

This year's event was specially creative in which I had to carry both photography and video.
The video project entailed idea generation, song selection and story boarding prior to the production stage of the documentary. The music was a product of collaboration carried with the musician keith Burke.

It was a fast and one very challenging event and a very enjoyable and challenging process from idea generations to delivery.
I am glad that they allowed for some human interaction inside the video and that everyone was supportive in participating. They are some great crew and their wines are amazing. 
Thank you for the experience Grapecircus, Nomad Wines, Le Caveau, Vinostito and WineMason.
Why not try to Spit it next year!

Spit Wine Fair 2016

Culture Night Dublin 2016

Culture Night is a free, country wide event on September that promotes culture and the enjoyment of it in Ireland. This is the way my culture night looked like this year. Fun and frolics everywhere I went.
Happy Culture NIght 2016. See you all next year.
 

What happened in Vienna will stay in Vienna

Vienna is a vibrant destination full on art, architecture and garden display. It is home to the classic type with plenty of classical music concerts on offer, food markets such as Naschmarkt, museums and galleries. Last week I spent a few days exploring through the different districts of Vienna and I discovered plenty of history and many more stories everywhere I went. On my landing which happened to be on international kiss day first thing I was prompted with was Klimt's Kiss. The next few days quickly went by and consisted on mixing up in the different districts, learning about the past and the present of a capital which holds quite a dark time, visiting public buildings and landmarks, taking the lovely subway, trying the most typical food/beverages and staying surrounded by the 19th century lettering display and architecture. It felt great to learn that in such a traditional and conservative society graffiti is allowed in certain public spaces such as the ones near by the Danube canal.
Willkommen in Wien

Basque Folklore at the Cobblestone Dublin

Last week we had a chance to enjoy Basque Folklore at the Cobblestone in Dublin.
It all happened on Tuesday evening after the Easter Rising weekend. The streets were quiet as they usually are except for that this time a group of 37 people were walking up Smithfield Square towards the Cobblestone Pub playing loud a mix of accordions & hand drums.
Oh what a spectacle to my surprised ears & big eyes!
I have never seen such a big group fit at the small Cobblestone back room, even to take photographs was a challenge, trying to do good photography it is always challenging to me, the faster the happenings the more challenging it becomes. Unplanned and poor lighting add on to the bag you need to problem solve. But this was fun. So they came, they danced, they played and they certainly left leaving us with a lovely taste of all the energy they brought with them. Enjoy the moments ;)

A view on An Easter Rising almost a 100 years later in Dublin

Over the passed weekend I had the chance to attend and participate as one more expectator of the 100th year celebrations of the Easter Rising in the streets of Dublin. I had no problem with that, one more is good. My parade began in Bolton Street and pretty much ended up near by. I also attended some of the activities taking place in Smithfields and O’Connell Street on Easter Monday. As a photographer the journey was almost fine but I had to be told that I was doing all the right things to get into trouble in some small part in an area where I thought I was allowed to act freely. I kindly disobeyed and it was all fine again. Over the Easter Weekend I saw a part of Ireland proud of belonging and learning about their nation's construction. But only a part. The nation may not had been constructed very well for everyone after all? Is this a reality that probably the majority of the Irish society has come to accept? Another take it or leave it?
A new improved version must be on its way.
Enjoy the shots ;)

One calmed St Patrick's Day

Today I adventured towards the streets of Dublin looking for some action inside St Patricks day.
I did not see the parade, I never really take full view on it. My purpose was to spot the green colored dressed up people and compose with this. Nothing mayor really happened today, I walked, I watched, I talked, I shot…but not necessarily in that order. Today I observed kissing and a long one came my way this time surrounded by a nice green, orange and white themed background. It has possibly been the most entertaining moment of the day. I should have had that whiskey, oh it is never too late.

Happy St Patrick's Day Everyone!!!

Coffee or tea anyone?

This photo shoot took place at the "Dublin to Bike store". The idea behind the shooting was to attract a caffeine/tea loving audience. Behind the counter they have 2 nice baristas, Rick and Wagner who try offering you with an attractive looking coffee as well as some treats. They were my stylists too. You can hardly imagine the amount of coffee we had on that day. So tea or coffee anyone?