College results were released on Tuesday and I’m very proud to announce that I now hold a BA Honours Degree in Communications and Public Relations, receiving 1st Class Honours.

Over the course of the last four years (I also have a Diploma in Print Journalism) I’ve studied a very broad range of subjects; Journalistic Research & Writing, Public Relations, Media Analysis, I.T, Shorthand, Publishing, Law, Marketing, Social Psychology, Management, Politics, Communications, Cultural Sociology, Visual Communications, Contemporary Irish Literature, T.V studio practice, radio studio practice and of course my thesis; “An investigation into the use of MySpace as a P.R tool for independent musicians in the Irish music industry”.

During that time I’ve also gained extensive experience working with countless musicians, theatre companies and film-makers. Along with podcasting, blogging and of course photography. So please, somebody, GIVE ME A JOB!!!!!!!!!!

I’m currently working with several bands and musicians at various levels, everything from gig & promo shoots to E.P launches, management and national tours (I do believe you’ll find one of our press releases in the latest edition of HotPress). If your want to hire me to work with your band then just get in touch, either here or send me an email or send me a message on MySpace or Bebo.

I’ve worked with tattoo artists, body-painters, models, makeup/special FX artists and event managers. In the next few weeks you’ll be seeing a whole new batch of my work appearing from local to national levels. If you want to work with me on a project or just step in front of my lens then please just let me know. Finally, to once again repeat the point of this blog, please, somebody, GIVE ME A JOB!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, Oss237.com - Ross Costigan Photography celebrates it’s second birthday today. Looking back on the last couple of years I’m amazed by how quickly it has flown by and how far my adventures behind the lens have taken me.

Three years ago, I started getting really into photography, with a background in film-making I got frustrated by the long process of creating things and photography meant I didn’t have to wait. Around about the same time, KenMc was setting up KilkennyMusic.com and asked me to come on board as the Resident Photographer. Combining my passion for music and my growing passion for photography, I’d never shot a gig before but how could I say no!? And in return he set up Oss237.com. He later went on to give me a loan of his Nikon D70 (for over a year) and continues to give me technical support and listen to my stupid questions on a daily basis!?

After countless hours; thinking, day-dreaming, cursing to myself, thousands of shots, hours of practicing, trying to figure things out, learning rules and trying to break them, I’ve slowly but surely developed as a photographer. I now have over 1000 live shots on display in the KilkennyMusic Galleries. My shots have been used by hundreds of bands and musicians on websites, myspace & bebo profiles, albums, E.P’s and posters. I was short-listed for an Irish Blog Award. I’ve gotten regional, national and international publications. My work with KKM has expanded into PR work, podcasting, blogging and generally being surrounded by awesome music and musicians every day.

Today Oss237.com reached 62,000 hits. Over the last two years I’ve posted just over 200 of my favourite shots, capturing not only my adventures and work, but my progress as a photographer. I’ve received hundreds of comments and feedback from people all over the world. I’ve worked with bands, musicians, other photographers, models, tattoo artists, makeup artists, fire-dancers, teachers, students, film-makers, artists, bloggers and generally got to meet the most awesome people from all over the country.

All the time just doing something that I love doing!? And whilst I’m well aware that I still have an awful lot to learn, I’m just looking forward to it and wondering where it will take me next.

Two years in, I have to say a huge thanks to KenMc for everything basically. I also have to thank my long suffering housemates Sla and Daw (Happy Birthday dude!), they complete my technical support and also answer my stupid questions on a daily basis. Finally, thanks to all the people who have visited the site, checked out my work, continue to do so and the people who have commented and shared their opinions or thoughts. Your feedback is always welcome and provides me with a constant encouragement to learn more.

I’ve been waiting three weeks to be able to announce this, as Devious Theatre release individual character posters for our third production; Irvine Welsh’s ‘Trainspotting‘, my poster came out this week.

I’ll be playing greedy, self loathing, nihilistic anti-hero Mark ‘Rentboy’ Renton in the WaterGate Theatre the 24th - 28th of June. In the Devious tradition, a truly awesome series of posters are being created for the show, once again due to the skilled hands of Paddy ‘that was from Jaws!’ Dunne. The man behind the posters for ‘Heart Shaped Vinyl‘ and ‘Cannibal! the musical‘. His work continues to amaze me.

Tickets are now on sale for the show and booking is starting to pick up so make sure and book your tickets early through the WaterGate Theatre: 056 77 61674.

I’ve spent the last few weeks getting to grips with my character; reading the script, reading the book, listening to the audiobook, watching the film, working on my Scottish accent, reading about how to do Scottish accents, talking to myself out loud in Scottish, reading about heroin use and generally transforming myself into a Scottish junkie. It’s easily the most challenging role I’ve ever played, but I love a good challenge.

Over the coming weeks I’ll be posting updates on rehearsals and P.R work we’re doing for the show, and make sure to keep an eye on the Devious Theatre website for more updates, news and of course more character posters.

Book tickets for Devious Theatre’s ‘TrainSpotting’ on 056 77 61674.

Ross Costigan as ‘Jack Street’. Photograph by Shane Hatton

Vultures Episode 2: ‘The Scarlet Lady Vanishes‘ went online last Sunday, following the Cast & Crew premiere in Cleeres Theatre on Saturday Night.

For anybody not in the know, ‘Vultures’ is the flagship production by Mycrofilms, it’s a web-based sitcom, that’s FREE TO WATCH on www.vulturespi.com. It follows the adventures of the three hapless detectives of Vultures Private Investigators.

The pilot episode, ‘The Kris Kringle Konundrum‘ premiered Christmas Eve and now Vultour, McGrain, Tennyson and the gang are back, with a few new characters in tow as they ‘get up in the guts’ of an Agatha Christie style murder-mystery, once again written by John Morton and Paddy Dunne.

Aside from providing behind-the-scenes shots for the show, I’m also the 1st A.D and play urban preacher ‘Jack Street’. As shooting for episode 2 took place just before my exams, it meant I wasn’t around for a lot of shooting but I did manage to get some behind-the-scenes snaps, with plenty more to be added to Vulturespi.com very soon. I don’t want to give away any of the plot until people have seen the show.

Mycrofilms have just received funding from the Arts Office, meaning we’ll be able to shoot four more episodes to complete the 1st series. Pre-production has already begun on episode three and it’s looking like we’ll be shooting it in July (more on that later) after Devious Theatre’s production of TrainSpotting (more on that later).

But for now check out check out ‘Vultures : The Scarlet Lady Vanishes‘; it’s got action, it’s got suspense, it’s got love, it’s got hookers. “And it’s still better than that film, the one with the bugs in space!”

So college is officially over… it still hasn’t really sunk in. I’ve tried several times to write this blog post, but it’s hard to capture how I feel right now. I’m overwhelmed with thoughts, memories and mixed emotions.

Four years ago, if somebody told me that I would have completed a Diploma in Print Journalism and then a BA Hons Degree in Communications & Public Relations, I would have thought they were crazy. I wasn’t the academic type. Going back into education as a mature student, I was worried I wouldn’t fit in, hell I have trouble fitting in most places, let alone because of age.

On my first day in I.T Carlow, I hesitantly walked into a room with 60 complete strangers, people from all over the country and different walks of life. I nearly died when we all had to stand up and introduce ourselves. I didn’t want to go back the next day… but I’m so glad I did.

Aside from studying a broad range of subjects and finally getting an idea of what I want to do in life, I’ve spent the last three years with the most amazing people you could ever wish to meet. I have so many different stories and memories of time with them, that I could probably set up a new blog with daily posts (maybe I will!?).

Although we were all completely different, I was accepted by them for who I was and formed friendships that I know will last my entire life. I doubt any of them actually know how much of an impact they made on me. It’s hard to pick a favourite memory from the past three years, but I can safely say I have at least one fond memory of every single person in my class, and so many people I met through them. Days spent in the TV studio or in the canteen, endless days in the library studying or trying to avoid study. Insane nights out, pub crawls and parties. The laughter. The tears. The stress. The relief. The sessions. The moments. The whole thing!

This year was easily our most stressful, as we went from projects to essays, PR Campaigns to design projects, presentations to speeches, radio adverts to video documentaries, interviews, a thesis and then finally exams. 13 hour days in the library, reading novels, plays, poetry and endless amounts of notes. By the end, we spent a lot of time wishing it would all be over, in hindsight, I can see myself spending alot more time wishing it had never ended.

I can safely say the reason I got out of bed every morning, spent hours commuting and stuck in traffic, spent days hungry because of the lack of vegetarian options, or the reason I even managed to complete the course at all is because I was doing it with these people.

Now that it’s all over and we finished it off with the expectedly awesome celebrations, I’m kind of lost. We’ve said our goodbyes, we’re all heading off in different directions. Only the 2nd class to complete the course, we’re a new breed. My class was packed full of people with different interests, talents and skills. I have no doubt I’ll see my classmates changing the ways things are done in every area of life from politics to sports, music and entertainment, you name it and somebody was good at it. I feel privileged to have spent time with them.

The above class photo was taken at the Portal statue outside I.T Carlow, just after we finished our first exam, the beginning of the end. Although not any type of artistic shot I’m posting it on the site because I want to share it with people. Firstly for anybody who wasn’t in my class, I want you to see the faces of all the people who changed my life and where I’m going in life.

Secondly, for my classmates to have (thanks for all the memories). I have a list of contacts but not all of you are on it, so if you want a large version of the shot for printing or want to meet up in the real world, then just let me know. I also have thousands of photos from the last three years and now I have time to go back and sort them out, so make sure and add my bebo or myspace profile. Finally if any of you do read this then leave a comment, I’d love to know you favourite memory or thoughts.

I’m already looking forward to the class reunion…

First off, welcome to my brand new blog! For the past few months I’ve been using my KilkennyMusic Staff Blog to give details and information behind photo-shoots and projects I was working on.

But I was growing increasingly aware that as my work progressed and I branched out into different styles of photography, it was becoming less relevant to KKM. And so thanks to Ken McGuire, I now have this separate blog for Oss237.com. It’s in the early stages now, but over the course of the next few weeks I’m also hoping to incorporate a gallery.

The homepage will still display recent shots, my favourite shots from whatever series I’m working on. This blog will give all the details behind the shoots and then the gallery will contain the full series and behind the scenes shots.

At the moment I’m scattered all over the place and it’s getting very difficult to maintain everything, between a photography account on MySpace and Bebo, plus over 1000 live shots in the KilkennyMusic Galleries. I’ll still be using those accounts to display some new shots but some of my upcoming series contain nudity which isn’t allowed so they’ll be displayed in my new gallery instead.

At the start of this week Oss237.com reached a total of 50,000 hits, I was delighted but already in just a week it’s over 51,000 hits!? In less than two years I’ve had visitors from all over the world commenting on my work. The comments and feedback I’ve received have been a constant encouragement, and given me enough confidence to continue experimenting and learning. And so I have to say a huge thank you to all who visit and comment on my work, and I ask that people continue to tell me what they think, be it good or bad, feedback is always welcome, especially as I continue to expand.

So it begins, a new blog and plenty of new shots coming soon.