Aerial photography showing the damage that rabbits are causing to wildlife and habitat in Derrynane National Historic Park has been released by the OPW.

The Office of Public Works, which is responsible for the park, says there will be a rabbit cull to deal with overpopulation.

The OPW says the rabbit population has exploded in recent years at Derrynane causing extensive damage to dune grasslands which fall within two EU protected habitat designations – the Kenmare River Special Area of Conservation and the Iveragh Peninsula Special Protection Area.

This has resulted in large areas of bare sand that are subject to erosion.

Rabbit overgrazing also poses a threat to protected whorl snails, natterjack toads and choughs, according to the OPW.

The OPW has commissioned a dune grassland survey, following the completion of a biodiversity audit of Derryane.

Survey fieldwork has been completed and the OPW is awaiting the final report.

Ecologists have indicated that rabbit control will be one of their main recommendations.

The Office of Public Works says it’s intended that the control of the population will take place during the winter, and that control methods will include the use of humane traps.

The OPW has released a photo showing the damage caused by rabbits at Derrynane and says up until recent years, bare sand was not visible at these locations.

Damage to dunes in Derrynane caused by rabbits. Image supplied to Radio Kerry from OPW.
photograph indicating an example of damage being caused at Derrynane by the Rabbits. Up until recent years, bare sand was not visible in these locations. The extent of damage is also evident in online aerial photography such as on Google Earth, which can be easily compared with earlier dated aerial photography available from OSi.

https://earth.google.com/web/search/Derrynane+Beach,+Darrynane+More,+County+Kerry/@51.75962623,-10.12241658,-0.00992148a,677.34383248d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=CigiJgokCXNT479VSENAEcIatsWVHUNAGWBi-2i35jRAIb7CblNZWDRA

In August 1944, Operation Overlord was in full swing. The Allies were fighting to break out across France, but standing in their way was the old fortress town of Saint-Malo. The town’s 12,000 Nazi defenders had been dug in since 1943 as part of the Atlantic Wall, expecting to hold out for 90 days or more.

An American force of 20,000 soldiers from the 83rd Infantry Division, with at least 2,000 French Resistance fighters, would lay siege to the city for nearly a month. By Aug. 13, the Germans were still holding out in the ancient citadel that overlooked the bay. That was the day Lee Miller, a young war photographer covering the war for the magazine British Vogue, arrived in Saint-Malo.

Miller, then 37 years old, had begun her photography career on the other side of the lens as a model but had been something of an expert in photography her entire life. The American-born Miller found herself in Europe pursuing that career when World War II broke out. Instead of fleeing, she stayed in Britain, picked up a camera and began a new phase of her photographic legacy: combat.

Now, Kate Winslet (“Titanic”) stars as Lee Miller in “Lee,” a new film that depicts Miller’s shift from artistic fashion photographer to combat photographer. This flashback-driven biopic follows Miller as she lands in Normandy to advance across Europe with the Allied forces for the destruction of the Nazi Reich.

Lee Miller grew up around cameras in Poughkeepsie, New York. Her father was an amateur but loved the art form, and he would use her as a model as he taught her everything about photography.

After a brief acting stint in Paris, she moved to Manhattan, where she was literally discovered by accident. Miller was nearly hit by a car in 1927, but the man who pulled her to safety was Condé Nast, publisher of Vogue Magazine; later that month, she appeared on the cover of the magazine.

For the next two years, Miller was one of the most in-demand models in New York City. But modeling didn’t fulfill her, so she picked up her camera and spent the next decade taking photos in New York, Paris and Cairo.

When war broke out in Europe in 1939, Miller was living in London and became an accredited photographer so she could cover The Blitz for Vogue. When the United States entered the war, she worked to get accreditation from the U.S. Army, too. She spent much of the war documenting the lives of nurses in England, but in July 1944, the Army began allowing female journalists to follow troops as the Allies pushed into greater France, if they had the backing of a major news outlet. Since Lee Miller was a photographer for British Vogue, the magazine made a case to send her to France to report on the work of nurses near the front lines.

Miller arrived in Normandy less than a month after the D-Day invasions of June 6, 1944, documenting evacuation hospitals on Omaha Beach. She slowly moved closer to the front lines. In August, the Allies were breaking out into neighboring Brittany, and Miller was sent to document the recently secured town of Saint-Malo.

But Saint-Malo was anything but secure, and Miller was the only photographer present to document the final days of the battle. She was able to get to the most forward observation posts as the two sides exchanged fire, followed some of the American GIs as they made the climb to the citadel, and even documented the first use of napalm in combat (though her photos were confiscated by the Army).

Frontline soldiers were amazed to find a female photographer among them, as were the Germans who surrendered at Saint-Malo. Even more amazed was the U.S. Army, who “exiled her to Rennes” after finding out Miller had been in a combat zone. Her exile didn’t last long, however; she would rejoin advancing elements of the Army as it liberated Paris and advanced on Alsace.

Miller also documented the liberation of the Buchenwald and Dachau Concentration Camps. Her most famous photograph was one where she was actually the subject. On April 30, 1945, the same day Adolf Hitler died by suicide, Miller and fellow photographer David E. Scherman entered the Munich apartment where Hitler once lived, intentionally dirtying the bathroom with her combat boots. Scherman photographed Miller bathing in Hitler’s tub.

After the war, she returned to Britain, where she continued her photography career. This phase of her life was marked by alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder. Her images, as legendary as they were, haunted her. She died of cancer in 1977.

“Lee” debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival this year and also stars Alexander Skarsgård (“Generation Kill”), Marion Cotillard (“The Dark Knight Rises”) and Andy Samberg (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) as David E. Scherman.

— Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, or on LinkedIn.

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Conceived by the Photoklatsch collective, Le Centre Le Lierre and its festival Le Réel en vue as part of their ongoing commitment to image education, this year’s Rencontres de la photographie documentaire will take place over five days in Thionville.

For this second edition, the theme of rurality and its representations will be tackled through two exhibitions to be discovered in the Youth and Multimedia Space of the Centre Le Lierre from September 20 to October 28, 2023.

PROGRAM

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

EXHIBITIONS from September 20 to October 28 2023 / Opening at 6:30 pm
Sol. Agricole
Alexandre Parant
Alexandre Parant invites us to rethink our relationship with the land and the world of agriculture, with a series of images taken on several farms in Moselle.

A Tout Bout de Champs
Photoklatsch, Centre Le Lierre, Centre Saint Michel and LAM (Loisirs Accueil MAnomois)
This collective exhibition brings together a range of photographic works produced over the course of 2023, all of which explore representations of rural life in the villages of Thionville and the surrounding area.

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Meeting with Marie Fantozzi (Photo editor), 8pm free admission, subject to availability
Marie Fantozzi worked for a time in the photo departments of Vice, Le Monde and Libération, and writes about photography. She’ll be talking to us about her behind-the-scenes job as an iconographer for the press.

Friday, September 22, 2023

Screening/meeting with Sébastien Cuvelier, 8pm free admission, subject to availability > Followed by workshop weekend, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am, registration required
Sébastien Cuvelier is a Belgian photographer, born in 1975 and based in Luxembourg. His research focuses on the exploration of a self-projection tending towards a certain ideal. His latest monograph, Paradise City, a utopian quest for a lost paradise in Iran, was published by GOST Books. He is a member of the emerging artist platforms .tiff and Futures. His work has been exhibited across Europe, including at Rencontres d’Arles, Musée de la Photographie in Charleroi and FOMU in Antwerp.

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Atelier Photographie Argentique with Alice Petit, from 2 pm to 6 pm by registration only, all levels, recommended for ages 10 and up.
Artist photographer Alice Petit invites you to immerse yourself in the world of argentic photography. Join us for a photographic stroll through the streets of Thionville, and immerse yourself in the art of black-and-white argentic development, where each image comes to life thanks to your hands.

Ouverture du regard with Luc Dufrene and Julian Pierre, 8pm, free admission, subject to availability.
2nd session in the “Documentary Photography and Landscape” series, hosted by Arnaud Pagnier

workshops are free (subject to association membership) info and registration: [email protected]
Center Le Lierre

Youth and multimedia center
5 Rue du Four Banal
57100 Thionville

03.72.60.60.99

http://www.lelierre.org/

Matt Bailey

Project TREE is a collection of images that were all taken with the help of a spotlight attached to a DJI drone and won third place in the SONY World Photography Awards 2022 Landscape category.

DJI sat down with creator Gareth Iwan Jones to find out more…

Who is Gareth Iwan Jones?

I am a UK based freelance photographer specialising in portraiture and documentary photography. My personal work focuses on quirky British subcultures and long term documentary projects. Commercially I produce advertising and editorial content for a diverse range of clients, including international publications, advertising agencies, charities and start-ups.
 
When did photography first come into your life/how did your interest develop? 
I’ve never formally studied photography, but had a keen interest in the visual arts from a young age. Whilst at university studying Politics, I often found myself neglecting my studies, instead drawn to the world of digital photography, often immersing myself in experimenting with inexpensive cameras and photo editing software. Career wise my first big break was the Times Young Photographer Of The Year in 2006. That set me off along this path. From there I assisted a few photographers in London before landing my first paid photography job at a family photography studio in Essex. I worked there for a year before moving to a large news/media agency in Bristol and then went freelance four years later in 2011. 

Tell us more about your project TREE?

This photographic project was born out of the UK Covid 19 lockdowns and the ensuing impact upon my work as a freelance portrait photographer. I was inspired in part by my home county of Wiltshire, where the distinctive landscape features many knolls with lone or small groves of trees raised above the horizon line. Unable to photograph human subjects, I turned my attention to my love of trees. I wondered if it was possible to photograph these quiet giants in a unique way. I chose to photograph against dawn or dusk skies and lit the trees with the assistance of drones to create an otherworldly impression of my grand subjects. As the pandemic took hold, so did this project. I started looking into every field and up every hill I passed with a view for potential aesthetically interesting scenes. Reading more about trees further connected me to my subjects as I learned about the mycelium network and the abundance of life each tree supports. I felt humbled to spend time with these elder beings and wonder what adventures and escapades they have witnessed during their lives. 

Where did the idea of using a drone to provide the light come from?
Lighting the trees with a drone was really a practical solution to the problem of making the trees stand out against their environment. If you’ve ever tried to photograph a nice looking tree in broad daylight you’ll know that they can get a bit lost to the background. I had considered giant canvas backgrounds to put behind the trees but that was not going to be practical. Lighting the individual trees seemed like the obvious solution. Taking the shots at dawn or dusk just allowed me to use less light to overpower the ambient light. 

What did the drone enable you to do that you couldn’t before?
The first time I flew a drone with a spotlight attached to it I could see immediately that the aesthetic effect on the tree was pronounced and enchanting. Tilting the light source just a fraction one way or another gave each tree a completely different atmosphere and personality. This was something I had never achieved in my photographs of trees before. 

What did it mean to you with your fantastic achievement of coming third in the World Photography Awards 2022 Landscape category?
It came as a complete surprise and I was thoroughly chuffed. Especially in light of the pandemic and the devastating effect that it had on my usual portrait workload. The award was a positive note to what had been a tricky time.

Have you used drones in any of your projects before?No. I own a Mavic Pro which I’d used for fun little personal bits like holiday snaps but that was about it.

Your commercial work is predominantly ground based, have you considered aerial photography?
I hold a Powered Paraglider Licence and I use to take cameras up on my flights to take photos. I had considered that it might be a professional photography opportunity, but this was about the time drones with cameras came on the market and that quickly put paid to that idea! Much easier to fly a UAV than a manned aircraft. These days my ground based work takes up all my time.

Will you be experimenting with drones in future?I should think so. I have another idea that I think could work well and again would involve photographing inanimate objects using a drone mounted with spotlights.

How do you feel about aerial photography? 
I love it. I think it offers a fantastic sense of perspective that can help tell stories in single images that might not have otherwise been possible from the ground level. I also love how accessible it has become, it is a fantastic technology. 

Take a look at the full collection of award-winning images here.

Additional award-winning photos from the competition:

Imagine – a word that evokes imagination, creativity, and limitless possibilities. Rotterdam Photo 2024 edition focuses on the theme ‘Imagine’ and invites photographers and artists to question and transform our world’s perception with their imagination.

This theme raises the following questions: How does our imagination influence our reality? What possibilities do we find when we open ourselves up to new ideas? What is the role of photography in shaping our understanding of the world around us?

In today’s complex society, we need the imagination more than ever. It can serve as a tool of hope and positivity. Whether that entails the creation of innovative solutions or the stimulation of dialogue on cultural and social issues. It is the creative expressions that often act as a catalyst for change. In moments of uncertainty, turmoil, and chaos, art reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit and the ability to transform the current situation.

As we make our way through the complex dynamics of today’s world, Rotterdam Photo makes space for a platform where imagination, innovation, and critical thinking come together. This year’s edition offers a unique opportunity to dive into the boundless world of imagination. The festival promises to be an absolutely unforgettable experience for photography enthusiasts and anyone looking for new perspectives.

The theme ‘Imagine’ challenges photographers to go beyond reality and let their imagination run wild – beyond the known boundaries and limitations. Several modern photographers have already embraced this concept. They explore diverse angles such as surrealism, portrait and landscape photography, and the romanticization of the everyday.

About Rotterdam Photo

Rotterdam Photo is an annual photo fair with a festival flair. The event celebrates the spectrum of contemporary photography in all its diversity.

Being part of the Rotterdam Art Week, the event attracts around 10.000 visitors, among whom art lovers, collectors, gallerists, and international art press professionals from different parts of the globe.

We will transform a Willemsplein location in the center of Rotterdam into a street-wise photography village and hub for photography fans, populated by 60+ shipping containers repurposed into exhibition spaces.

In addition to the exhibitions, Rotterdam Photo organizes talks, workshops, and a fringe program with music and digital installations throughout the city. The festival feeling is created thanks to various exhibitions and leisure activities around for all participants. Street vendors, cafes, and restaurants on the festival’s location offer great food and delicious drinks – the public and participants can enjoy the events’ atmosphere, celebrating photography together with us.

More information here.

Second edition of the Ostend International Photography Biennial with Mous Lamrabat, Joel-Peter Witkin, Julia Fullerton-Batten and Marie Wynants

At the end of summer 2023, Ostend will host the second edition of the International Photography Biennial. Several locations in the city will be the playground and backdrop for a host of Belgian and foreign talents to exhibit their work. Together, more than 30 renowned photographers will help transform the city into a gigantic photo exhibition, each with their own personal touch. At the heart of this Photography Biennial is the link with other art forms. Sculpture, cinema, religion and painting are all sources of inspiration for the magnificent contemporary and conceptual works of the art photographers. Each of the photographic works at the Ostend International Photography Biennial will reflect this theme in a unique, contemporary and personal way.

With this second edition of the Ostend International Photography Biennial, Stéphane Verheye, curator of the biennial, intends to highlight this interweaving of photography with other forms of visual art, by offering a group of art photographers an exceptional stage on which to exhibit their work.

One of today’s most celebrated and acclaimed living photographers, the American Joel-Peter Witkin, will be exhibiting his work at Fort Napoléon as part of the Biennial of Photography. A truly unique work! Fascinated by ugliness, Witkin tries to sublimate its beauty in his works, which makes for an interesting, sometimes shocking, spectacle. Many of his works have a link with the art of the past, and are therefore perfectly in tune with the theme of this year’s show.

Rising Belgian star Marie Wynants will be exhibiting at the James Ensor Museum. Her catalogue includes record sleeves by artists such as Angèle, Charlotte De Witte, Tamino and Oscar & The Wolf. His lens also features iconic brands such as Delvaux, Ann Demeulemeester, Chanel and Fujifilm. The link with elegance is never far away, an absolute must for the photographer. Athos Burez’s work will also be on show at the James Ensor Museum. In his own words, the camera gives the young photographer a greater sense of freedom than the paintbrush, yet the influence of painting is never far away.

The refreshingly humorous work of talented Belgian-Moroccan artist Mous Lamrabat, on show in the Parc Léopold, is another example of Belgian photography at the highest level. With his multicultural surrealism, he weaves together elements of his two cultural identities. In doing so, Mous carefully chooses universally recognisable symbols to create a fluid visual narrative that can be understood by all.

Fort Napoléon will also be hosting a double exhibition by Belgian photographers Tony Le Duc and Diane Hendrikx. Their visions of photography converge to form a whole. Tony Le Duc is a pioneer of international culinary photography who, like a painter, composes his dishes like a carefully considered painting. The second is a sought-after expert in lifestyle photography.

At Mu.ZEE, you can admire the work of Austrian photographer Aglaia Konrad. Fascinated by the effects of globalisation and homogenisation on urban (and metropolitan) space, she approaches her work like an archaeologist. For the Mu.ZEE spaces, inherent to her practice, she is developing a new spatial installation based on the architecture of the exhibition space. In addition to the objects, the installation includes a new series of photographs.

Other (inter)national artists on show include: Jenny Boot (NL), Julia Fullerton-Batten (GB), Bara Prasilova (HU), Athos Burez (BE), Aglaia Konrad (AUT), Jenny Ymker (NL), Luca Izzo (IT), Soo Burnell (UK), Olivier Valsecchi (FR) and Stefano Bonazzi (IT). The wide variety of styles, both distinct and personal, offers visitors a fantastic experience. Expect a journey mixing surrealism, realism, chiaroscuro, comics, art installation, colour, still life, detail and, above all, leaving room for personal interpretation.

For more information