§ September 20th, 2008
I have gone for a very soft looking photograph today, I dunno why, I suppose its the weekend and I feel great.
I am also pleased to announce that I have decided to take my copyrighting a bit more seriously now on mcawilliams.com, and as of tonight all images, past and future, will be watermarked. I have taken this step due to the fact that I have always said if someone wants an image, once its not for commercial use ie. a personal blog etc, you are more then welcome to it once you let me know and also dont do the silly thing of hotlinking to my images.
Well this has fallen on many a deaf ear and so things have to change, watermarking is step number one, behind the scenes myself and my hosts are going to work on the images that have been hotlinked already.
§ September 20th, 2008
The first Apple Store in Ireland opened today in Victoria Square shopping centre in Belfast. It rocks.
Read full blog entry for details and more pics.
§ September 20th, 2008
After months of anticipation a beautiful Apple Store opened this morning in Victoria Square, Belfast.
Although I’ve only been a mac-geek for 5 months, I tend to not do anything by halves, and so I was there bright and early to queue for my t-shirt, along with those who had been there for hours before me. 10 minutes before the doors opened, all the staff ran out cheering and high-fiving those waiting in line. This only helped build the excitement further. The cheers didn’t stop for long before the doors were opened and the first of those who had been waiting overnight ran towards the noising and very enthusiastic staff. Collect t-shirt and high-five as many as possible along the “tunnel of joy”.
Immediately those first in headed straight upstairs, past the array of alluring Macbooks, iMacs, iPods and the like to the kids section, books, software, accessories and the ‘Genius Bar’ complete with new logo, as per iTunes v8.
“Oh but its just a store! A shop. With stuff you buy!.”
Yes, all true indeed. But no, not just a store. A store filled with beautiful things that make our lives sweeter, and customer service to the highest degree. I kid you not, this is Belfast, and as such cynicism is almost required at a time like this, but for a change I am not cynical about the customer service received by Apple.
Everything here revolves around the customer. Few things are off limits and everything is on display; which is exactly where they win people over. I realise I’m being very clichéd right now… I will stop. It’s a pretty shop and I will be back many times.
I didn’t buy anything today, though I will be back soon to purchase a book I spotted on Aperture and too plea with them to allow me to change my current O2 contract to a sweet iPhone contract. And if anything goes wrong, I know just where to go.
More photos on Flickr.
§ September 20th, 2008
The Blizzards headlined the recent(ish) Indie-Pendence Festival in Mitchelstown on the last night of the festival. This festival just gets better each year, well done to Shane Dunne and all involved with putting a free festival together with such great acts. The Blizzards have truly come of age with a fine second album recently released although I’m not convinced by their choice of first single. There are many other stronger choices for singles on Domino Effect. Judging by the reaction the lads got from the crowd the album should be selling well. I just bought it yesterday, along with Mick Flannery’s White Lies which has been playing non-stop so I’m afraid I only listened to Domino Effect straigh through once. At the gig one of the photographers was certainly smitten by lead singer Niall Breslin, she just smiled her way around the front of the stage taking photographs and even proclaimed “I think I’m in love”. I don’t get it, sweaty hairy fecker that he is :).
Some more photos in the full set on Flickr. The Blizzards are back in Cork on October 2 when they play the Savoy.
Related Posts on www.donal.ie
§ September 20th, 2008
Sorting through my ever mounting collection of photographs I came across a folder called ‘Walks’. It was dated 2005 and became an exercise in stretching. Stretching my legs, my energy levels and stretching my eye behind the camera lense. At that stage a digital camera was still rather new to me and I enjoyed clicking away knowing that at the end of the day it was possible to hit delete if they were a total disaster.
This group of pictures were all taken in Crawfordsburn Country Park in Co Down. It was the month of March. I had decided that trees were to be my focus for the morning.
Taking the camera for a walk was a wonderful idea to get me moving. I would decide to go as far as a certain point in the distance before turning, yet when I reached it, there was always another carrot a little further on.
This last one is my favourite from that day.
Enjoy my walk!
§ September 20th, 2008
Taken from Christy Ring Bridge looking back down towards R&H Hall. I’ll be calling down there this morning as there are massive balloons up on these buildings as part of the Culture Night which happened last night.
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