Irish Harp Symbol, a photo from Dublin, South

Photographer's Note

ABOUT THE PHOTO
Several times already I have attempted to photograph this harp-shaped bridge in the Dublin City Centre. One of the previous attempts which did not satisfy me enough but which presents the whole bridge from a further distance is attached as a workshop photo. Although the bridge is relatively new, there are already several creative captures of this bridge on TE. I have tried to make a more postcard like presentation.

ABOUT THE BRIDGE
Samuel Beckett Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across River Liffey in Dublin City Centre. This is the second bridge in the area designed by Calatrava, the first being the James Joyce Bridge, which is further upstream.
The main span of the Samuel Beckett Bridge is supported by 31 cable stays from a doubly back-stayed single forward arc tubular tapered spar, with decking provided for four traffic and two pedestrian lanes. It is also capable of opening through an angle of 90 degrees allowing ships to pass through. This is achieved through a rotational mechanism housed in the base of the pylon.
The shape of the spar and its cables is said to evoke an image of a harp lying on its edge. (The harp is a secular icon for Ireland and things Irish.)
The steel structure of the bridge was constructed in Rotterdam by Hollandia, a Dutch company also responsible for the steel fabrication of the London Eye.
The bridge cost €60 million, and is named for Irish writer Samuel Beckett. It was officially opened to pedestrians on 10 December 2009 and to road traffic at 7 am the following day.

WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND THE BRIDGE
I have recently uploaded a kind of similar view photographed further upstream along the river without the Beckett Bridge. In the note to that photo you can find more details on the buildings which you see behind the bridge. (click here)

IRISH HARP SYMBOL
Irish harp, though not as well known internationally as the shamrock for being an Irish symbol, is the official emblem of Ireland. This status dates back several centuries. Today, a representation of an Irish harp is to be found on the Presidential Seal and on many official documents, on passports, on the flag of Leinster (but not the national flag), on Irish euro coins etc.
As one of the national symbols of Ireland the harp is also used extensively by businesses and other corporations wishing to convey 'Irish-ness'. Guinness bottle labels are perhaps its most famous gig while a heavily stylised harp puts in an appearance on the tail fins of budget carrier Ryanair.
The 'official' national emblem of Ireland is based on the oldest preserved Gealeic harp: the Trinity College Harp, also known as the Brian Boru or O'Neill harp. This 15th century Irish harp is on display in the Long Room of Trinity College, Dublin.
for the source website and more info on the Gaelic harp history click here

PUERTO MADERO, BUENOS AIRES
I had the pleasure to admire a very similar bridge in Buenos Aires. Obviously it did not have the meaning of the national symbol over there. Sadly I had a relatively bad weather while visiting the other bridge so I don’t have any good photos of it in my collection.

WHITE BALANCE
Last 8 of my uploaded photos were taken at the blue hour. They have respectively gray, purple-gray, light blue, violet, black, pink-violet, blue and finally here a green sky color. What is natural? Most of them I acquired as a RAW file which gave me the freedom to play around with the white balance processing. I do try to get as close as possible to the reality but at the same time I am a professional experimentalist. In the end: the world is sometimes more colorful than we are willing to admit.

bayno, holmertz, kordinator, timecapturer, ikeharel, Budapestman, maria-v1981, Sonata11, delpeoples, jlbrthnn, josepmarin, PaulVDV, vasilpro, nikkitta, siolaw, adores, adramad, i9l2y1m8a8t3, lgir, raszid62, Angshu, yeln, danos, kennyblack, SnapRJW, fritzi007 marcou esta nota como útil

Critiques | Translate

macjake (98262) 2012-02-07 0:58

Hi Mariusz
let me be the firest one to congradulate you on this masterpiece.
I would argue that THIS is your finest post yet!
seriously!
I would be proud to display this one on my wall at home...thats how much i like it.
excellent compo, i like that none of the 5 pillars along the bottom are overlapping eachother, each are in plain view - it annoys me SO much when people are not aware of such things.
same can be said for the tower on the left.
its neatly tucked inside the harps diagonal lines.
If i'm taking the shot, i'm always looking for those types of things - it makes all the difference for a clean/attractive composition.
just perfect!
cheers
craig

bayno (18348) 2012-02-07 2:12

Hi Mariusz,
a shot executed perfectly and meticulous attention to detail, beautiful architecture of this bridge, lovely reflection and very good blue hour, i like so much your framing, my compliment
best regards,
Valter

holmertz (102008) 2012-02-07 2:30

Hello Mariusz,
The details of the elegant bridge provide a lot of opportunities to look for triangles and other geometrical shapes. The many differently shaped and differently coloured lights have created fine reflections. This is a well composed picture with a fine city atmospehere.
Regards,
Gert

MJR (3360) 2012-02-07 3:21

Marlusz
A fine depiction of this now famous bridge. It has been a lot on TE as you say.

Cant say Middlesbrough has such delights on offer, more of a historical twist perhaps, though it is reinventing itself day by day.

I agree with Craig's comments, you have chosen your POV with care, to give us a lovely image. Your choice of timing and your exposures have given us some lovely light effects too.

Good work !

rgds
Martin

tedesse (25147) 2012-02-07 3:33

Witaj!
Fantastyczne nocne foto!
Ciekawy pylon mostu z wantami, przypominajacy harfe.
Super ostrosc i piekna kolorystyka.
Pozdrawiam
Tadeusz

npecanhuk (79329) 2012-02-07 3:53

Hello Mariusz!
It looks like "El Puente de la Mujer" in Buenos Aires!
Very beautiful, as it is this picture!
I love the chosen pov, colors, exposure and composition above all!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

jemaflor (146312) 2012-02-07 4:00

Hi M,
Well managed, great light capture, interesting result with this bridge and all these colourful reflections, tfs.

kordinator (8738) 2012-02-07 4:04

Hello Mariusz
This is fantastic composition.
Perfect night shot with lovely colors and perfect conduct light.
Impressive architecture of this bridge, lovely reflection and very good blue hour.
Fantastic presentation.
Best regards
Saša

timecapturer (49288) 2012-02-07 4:33

Hi Mariusz
a stunning image, so beautifully controlled and executed. The light and sharpness are exquisite. I love the play of colours on the water so compelling and attractive. I feel a Guinness moment coming on ;-).

Have a good day - Brian.

ikeharel (112467) 2012-02-07 4:53

Hello Mariusz,
A fabulous bridge scenery over the colorful illuminated river, superb dusk-time with light arise from town on background, collected well.
the "harp" is incredible, and there is an extraordinary sharpness to show every string on.
My cong.'s.
Ike

annjackman (23019) 2012-02-07 5:09

Hello Mariusz,
This is a beautiful picture of this bridge. The shapes makes a super FG for the cityscape. The colour of the sky and the reflections create a magical atmosphere. Excellent work.
Best wishes, Ann

Budapestman (82620) 2012-02-07 5:38

Hi Mariusz,
a fantastic blue hour atmosphere with beautiful composition, the architectural details are splendid, great lights and the POV is superb too, Tfs! Have a nice day! Kellemes napot kívánok!
György

Sergiom (117241) 2012-02-07 5:57

Bonjour Mariusz

C'est tout simplement magnifique cette photo de nuit qui pourrait certainement servir de carte postale pour Dublin.
Une très belle technique.

Amicalement

Serge

maria-v1981 (10966) 2012-02-07 9:47

Hello Mariusz,
Blue hour match perfect to this wonderfull postcard. The composition is just amazing, the colours and lights are splendid, beautiful atmosphere and excellent shot.
All the best,
Maria

SWEETFREEDOM (24623) 2012-02-07 10:08

Hi Mariusz,
interesting bridge i have never seen it. perfect exposure and colors
regards
Alessandro

Fis2 (169759) 2012-02-07 10:35

Witaj Mariusz!
Fascynuja mnie takie konstrukcje,
mechanika na talerzu ;)
Dobrze pokazany ten most (choc nie w calosci) robi wrazenie.
Piekne nocne foto.
Pozdrawiam
Krzysztof

Waylim (25436) 2012-02-07 11:58

Hello M,
Beautiful night shot, great colors and details and well managed city light. The tight crop works well here bring us closer to the bridge with good visual impact.

Way

TopGeo (38220) 2012-02-07 12:16

Hello Mariusz Beautiful photo with fantastic composition, night effect and water reflections and incredible colours. Perfect bridge details and city view A picture of high quality, well balanced and beautiful colors. The effect of reflections is simply fantastic A note combination of photo
Greetings
G..

brianmcc (6223) 2012-02-07 12:24

hi mariusz,
this is a superbly clear image, especially considering it is taken in such light. the colours in the sky are wonderful, incredibly atmospheric and appealing. the reflections in the water are equally fantastic. i think craig's comments about the various elements being visible and not overlapping are very observant, i woould not have noticed that, but they make sense.
excellent composition.
regards,
brian

chawax (20764) 2012-02-07 13:22

Hi Mariusz,
I found this bridge really beautiful, a very well designed one. A nice shot here with the blue hour light, the nice light on the bridge and the Custom House and The Spire in the background.
Regards,
Olivier

Sonata11 (34119) 2012-02-07 19:02

Witaj Mariusz,
bardzo ciekawy kadr. Miejsce jest tez ciekawe i interesujace. Konstrucja tego mostu jest imponujaca i piekna. Fragment togo mostu wyglada jak szyja ptaka. Pieknie wykonane, wspaniala kolorystyka, ostrosc jak i doskonala czystosc obrazu. Odbicie w tych swiatel tez jest sliczny. Caly ten obiekt wyglada jak harfa. Super zdjecie. Bardzo mi sie podoba. Moje gratulacje.
Dzieki oraz serdecznie pozdrawiam,
Barbara

Graal (103040) 2012-02-07 23:14

Czesc,
niezwykla ta harfa. Pomyslowa konstrukcja. Zdjecie podoba mi sie bardzo. Dobry kadr, ladne kolory i te odbicia. Piekne miejsce w Dublinie.
Milego dnia.
Aleksander

delpeoples (60342) 2012-02-08 2:10

Dear Mariusz

This is just magnificent, certainly one of your best. As I said on FB, you do Ireland proud. The bridge is superb, a photographic jewel and you;ve chosen the perfect time of evening to shoot it. The tones, the sharpness and exposition are flawless. Congratulations for this one, a beautiful parting gift to Ireland for sure.

Warm regards
Lisa

jlbrthnn (76043) 2012-02-08 7:15

Hello Mariusz,
The Celtic harp is beautiful, before a background no less beautiful. The quality of the exhibition is remarkable. The light, colors and sharpness are excellent. Bravo.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joël

josepmarin (59385) 2012-02-08 10:05

Hi Mariusz,
this harp-shaped bridge has a great graphical effect, which you have caught skillfully by means of a good framing in this composition.
The capture at the blue hour is very well executed, with a good exposure time and an aperture managed well, with that you have reached a high quality in the image and in the colors.
A beautiful photo, my friend.
Best regards,
Josep

PaulVDV (62804) 2012-02-08 13:22

Hello Mariusz,
WOW! This is a wonderful blue hour shot of Dublin!
Splendid architecture picture, excellent composition and very beautiful colours that also get reflected in the river.
So far I only knew the shamrock as the symbol of Ireland. Thanks for your note of the Irish harp. I do remember having seen it on their euro coins.
Best regards, Paul

mauro61 (53411) 2012-02-08 13:55

ciao Mariusz,
mi piace tutto di questa composizione.
Dalla bella inquadratura all'ottimo dosaggio della luce.
La città appare da dietro le corde di questa arpa con uno splendido effetto seta sull'acqua,
saluti
maurizio

vasilpro (41801) 2012-02-08 13:56

Hello Mariusz,
Wonderful composition, excellent light management, vivid colors, very nice POV, interesting modern architecture, very good contrast, clarity and sharpness, TfS!
Greetings, Vasilis.

nikkitta (17070) 2012-02-08 18:55

Hola Mariusz
At first view is a Calatava bridge, very similar, as you already said to the one in Buenos Aires which is said to be like a bird on the water

This capture of the blue hour is magnificent done, well composed ( as everybody said)
What I like the more?
The reflections on the water

Congrats TFS and all the best

Maria

siolaw (38294) 2012-02-08 23:20

Hi Mariusz
It would take a giant to play that harp! The blue hour and the electric colours combine well and the long exposure gave a pleasant and smooth texture to the water surface. Interesting reflections too!
Greetings
Laurent

adores (46979) 2012-02-09 15:02

Hi Mariusz!
I like the other one but this one is really unusual and well thought! The exposure is perfect! - you're showing the details so clear and I like the way you're showing the buildings behind the diagonal lines!
Another great night shot!

adramad (72564) 2012-02-09 16:04

Hello Mariusz.
Stunning capture of this wonderful work of modern architecture, the design of the bridge that actually resembles a harp, we can clearly see in the image of the WS, splendid work as well.
This is a wonderful image with nice graphics, a job perfectly executed in terms of sharpness and brightness, the colors blue hour wing enhance the beauty of the composition.
Best wishes.
Luis.

cavli (1876) 2012-02-10 4:31

Hello Mariusz,

Excelent work of night capture. very good colors you captured here. sharp and brillant image. I like the silk effects on the water very much. well done.
tfs
regards..

Silvio1953 (220637) 2012-02-10 10:59

Ciao Mariusz, great view of amazing bridge, fascinating composition with fantastic reflections, excellent exposure, splendid light and wonderful colors, very well done my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

mesutilgim (0) 2012-02-10 13:12

Hello Mariusz
Amazing capture with perfect pov and perfect technique.
Many interesting and usefull notes.
Looking at it intensively one can ever hear a harp music, vibrating the heart of the viewer !
TFS and have a nice weekend
Best regards
MESUT ILGIM

PS.By the way when I was surfing here I was listening to the music of Lorrena McKennet !!

emka (157280) 2012-02-10 14:06

cześć, Jakoś przegapiłam tę harfę. Wspaniałą masz końcówkę z Dublina, aż szkoda, ze opuszczasz zielona wyspę. Znakomity kadr, kolory, ostrośc rewelacyjne. Perfekcyj ne zdjecie.

Pozdrawiam M.

i9l2y1m8a8t3 (4814) 2012-02-10 17:13

Hi Mariusz! Superb! The subtle tones and the subtle blue hour colors are very nice, simply soothing and relaxing to the eyes. I liked the square format in here, turns out to work pretty well in the framing and the composition. The palette of colors present is very nice and blends out perfectly with the lights in the scene. This bridge really reminds me of Puerto Madero, Calatrava is really ingenious! Oh, and one more, the bridge in Valencia as well and the one in Bilbao if I'm not mistaken! Excellently captured! Great note as well.

warm regards,
Matt

lgir (7363) 2012-02-11 9:05

Hello Mariusz,

nice composition at night on the bridge of a beautiful aesthetic. The light is well managed for excellent color rendering.
Good work
Regards
Laurent

raszid62 (18457) 2012-02-12 8:39

Cze¶æ
Ten fragment mostu najpierw skojarzy³ mi siê ze smuk³ym galionem ¿aglowca, ale to przecie¿ faktycznie irlandzka harfa. Ten instrument kojarzy mi siê z zielonymi elfami i ba¶niami snutymi przy kominku. Piêkne nocne zdjêcie Dublina w piêknym o¶wietleniu. Bardzo dobra jako¶æ i kolorystyka.
Pozdrawiam
Józek

Angshu (56760) 2012-02-15 8:11

Hello Mariusz
A neat & fine work! The POV is such chosen that the 5 pillars are distinctly visible. The diagonals of the cables are well defined. The blue hour sky is fantastic as is the reflection in the water. One of your finest urban shots, if I may say!
Best Regards
Angshu

PS : Good luck with acco hunting :-)

sacavem (18620) 2012-02-23 9:35

Olá Mauriusz,

Very, very well photographed!Sharpness, exposure, colors, chosen pov, format and symmetrical composition are all excellent and really pleased me.

Cumprimentos,
Filipe

No_One (4) 2012-03-05 6:20

Hi Mariusz,
What a great capture of this bridge in my home city, I have rarely seen it look so nice :) You have even managed to make the eternally ugly Libery hall building in the background look good. Bravo!!
Regards
Noel

yeln (11516) 2012-03-06 14:46

hello M.
zelo mi je všeč POV in odsevi svetik na vodi, da o izjemni ostrini ne govorim. zelo lep strel!!! TFS!
lep večer, vojko

danos (110407) 2012-03-18 12:05

Hello Mariusz,
nice the view of this part of the bridge with its shape to looks like as an Irish harp.I like the time of the capture, during the blue hour,with the light on the falling bridge, to bring out the details of it.The outline of this part of the bridge against the moody sky,makes the image superb.

Have a good week,danos

ilDottore (5252) 2012-08-11 6:00

Hej Mariusz!
Wyczuwam wyzwanie! :)
Nigdy mi się nie udało tak ładnie zrobić zdjęcia tego mostu.
Jeśli mi się uda równie dobrze - niezwłocznie powiadomię! :)
Ale prędko to nie nastąpi bo ciężko dorównać takiemu mistrzostwu.
Plusy: bardzo fajna kompozycja, atrakcyjne kolory, niebo (zdjęcie zrobione o czasie). No i SZPILA! :) Na koniec (last but not least) - pefekcyjna ogólna jakość. Zdjęcie jest gładkie jak d*** niemowlaka: zero ziarna!
Oklaski i z szacunkiem chylę czoła!
Pozdrawiam serdecznie!
Krzysiek

kennyblack (4207) 2013-05-22 6:50

Hello Mariusz
Every your photo, a masterpiece for the quality of shooting and perfect settings. You have a rich gallery and a wide variety of photos. I like this it looks like a "Lira" gigantic and instead its function is hold up the bridge. Very beautiful detail, brightness and color. Great work, thank you for sharing.
The best greetings, have a nice day ... Marino

SnapRJW (31631) 2013-09-26 8:10

Hello Mariusz - It seems that we are never satisfied. I really wanted to do a blue hour or night shot of the bridge but time was against me and you tried for a daylight shot! I think this works really well. The sky and water with reflections have great appeal and the elegance of the bridge is very evident. Your WS is attractive too but I agree that the bridge needed a little more definition in order to stand out. Dublin is a great city and I hope to return one day, there are so many interesting things to see and photograph and I barely scratched the surface. TF your comments on my shot and pointing me in the direction of this one. Warm regards Rosemary

elenimavrandoni (0) 2014-03-20 14:33

Mariusz, what can I say? I have to hand it to you for this great picture,the immaculate composition, the perfect light and the extraordinary note!! a very complete and fantastic work!!
my compliments
Eleni

fritzi007 (14698) 2015-01-04 0:50

Hallo Mariusz,
very good presentation, excellent image sharpness and information, well done!
many greetings
Wolfgang

COSTANTINO (115563) 2019-01-29 22:12

Hello dear friend and have a nice time
and a happy new day
original version
impressive capture perfectly executed
with fantastic details very well composed
I like so much your framing
regards
Costantino

Photo Information

Copyright: Mariusz Kamionka (mkamionka) (73410)
Genre: Lugares
Medium: Cor
Date Taken: 2012-02-03
Categories: Vida Diária, Transportes, Arquitectura, Arte, Momento Decisivo
Camera: Canon EOS Kiss X4, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Exposição: f/11, 15 segundos
Details: Tripod: Yes
Map: view
Versão da Foto: Versão Original, Workshop
Tema(s): Riverside @ blue hour, The Best of Ireland [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2012-02-07 0:04
Favoritos: 1 [ver]

Viewed: 10911

Points: 100

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by mkamionka, last updated 2012-02-07 01:50

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