Saturday 27 March 2010

Sea the Light

Just spent the morning sorting out the Shetland photos. Set now complete and on Flickr
Highland set from last weekend also complete and can be found at Highland
Been a bit of a shit week. This cheered me up on Thursday though http://www.inglebygallery.com/ Good to here  Peter Liversidge talking and being asked about his practice. One of the pieces I felt was particularly appropriate following the weeks nonsense is  "Fear not for the future, weep not for the past". Couldn't have said it better myself Mr Shelley.

Monday 22 March 2010

Eden Court, Inverness


Long meeting today in the new building at the Botanical Gardens. Easy to get distracted with all that glass and the gardens. Don't think much of the building itself, not sure why! Above, photo of the natural ventilation stacks at EC. One of the integrated artworks (in and around the building) is the cladding to the stacks which via passive convection ventilate the studio theatre and the two cinemas. Forgotten who the artist is (may be Donald Urquart!)

Sunday 21 March 2010

Glengarry

Home at last after my travels of the last week (Shetland, Inverness, Dornie). Tired and in need of a cup of tea and some Desperate Housewives.
Lots and lots of photos, some of which will be appearing here over the coming week. The majority will appear on Flickr Set


Reason for being in Dornie - http://www.bodycurrents.co.uk/

Wednesday 17 March 2010

Red Dinghy

Lower Voe, Shetland. A red fibreglass dinghy filled with water with some fish boxes floating in it. The sun came out just long enough to illuminate the subject and to cast some soft shadows.
Today was the only day this week that I will be working in the office. On the train to Inverness first thing in the morning. Meetings, overnight stay, then Ambition Roadshow all day Thursday before returning to Edinburgh late. Photo opportunities? - probably some nice ones of Eden Court!

Monday 15 March 2010

Shetland #2

Just uploaded more images from Shetland to Flickr. Intend to get round to writing some explanation/background to each at some point. This is an interesting one of the Floating Tin Shed at Lower Voe which was part of the Mirrie Dancers Project. The inspiration for Simon Starling's 'Shed Boat Shed' perhaps?! (though his was made out of wood).
Went to the Diane Arbus exhibition at the Dean Gallery today. Brilliant, one not to be missed. Disappointingly no catalogue so had to make do with her biography by Patricia Bosworth. Tempted to jump straight to page 155  and the Chapter titled 'The dark World'.

Sunday 14 March 2010

Shetland #1



The first of many from the weekend. Experienced every kind of weather imaginable. The one constant was the wind, though depending where you were it varied from a gentle breeze to something a lot more. Certainly I got about a bit from the sea cliffs in the wild North West right down to Sumburgh Head at the tip of the mainland in the South. Yell, Fetlar and Unst will have to wait for another time. The new lens is really the business. I got up very close and personal with some of the wildlife which wouldn't have been possible otherwise. IS really made a difference.
A good selection and range of images (I took over 500 shots!) will be uploaded to Flickr over the coming week, so tune in and let me know what you think.


The Shetland Chronicles on Flickr
Why I was in Shetland Mirrie Dancers and Mareel 

Thursday 11 March 2010

A nice tree pic before heading for Shetland tomorrow where there are very few. New lens arrived today, so looking forward to trying it out over the weekend. Weather can be a bit harsh in that part of the world, so hoping it's not too windy or camera shake could be a problem. Last time I was there the wind was so strong that I could hardly open the car door when I went to have a look at the sea cliffs up in the North West. When I eventually did get out the car the wind was so strong that breathing proved difficult (convinced to this day that the rain near the edge of the cliffs was falling upwards). 

Wednesday 10 March 2010

Lobster creels on the pier

Another old one. Taken in April 2009 in Tobermory, Isle of Mull. Business/pleasure, Mull Theatre & An Tobar. Tobermory has (according to Lonely Planet) one of the top 5 recommended restaurants in Scotland. Have to agree this place is something special - Cafe Fish. Would happily eat my way through the entire menu (only partly achieved to date!)


Usual day at the coalface. Pleasant lunchtime with chums - A Play, A Pie, and a Pint (not in that order) at the Traverse . The Shattered Head - Bite sized theatre in an easily digestable form.


More Mull images on my Flickr feed if your interested.

Tuesday 9 March 2010

Just another day in the city

Another old one. Taken in November of last year. Not much of a building, but photographs well.
Uneventful day at the coalface.

Monday 8 March 2010

Why so serious?

Another use-up-holidays day. Trip to the Dean  to see the new Diane Arbus Exhibition. Didn't as it was closed because of CS strike (also closed tomorrow). SNGMA ground floor open only, therefore had to force myself to go to the cafe for coffee and a bun. Some more shots on Flickr
Just realised - even if the Dean had been open the exhibition doesn't start until 13 March (idiot!)


Anybody see this in The Sunday Times yesterday - I'm a photographer not a terrorist! If you feel strongly about this you can have your say on The Sunday Times website or the official site - photographernotaterrorist.org

Friday night at the Queenshall

In the bar sampling some of the micro-brewery delights before the gig.
Anticipation!
The players. John Scofield with SNJO directed by Tommy Smith. I felt it took time (after time!) for the guest player to get into his groove. Competent rather than electrifying, that is until we hit Jean-Pierre at the end of the first half. Felt my Mojo rising, but was forced (reluctantly) to go to the bar for more refreshments.
Part two non-stop brilliance with the highlight for me Tutu. The spirit and influence of Miles will never die. A lot of 'pure' Jazzers still have problems with the long Coda of electric Miles. Not this listener!

Thursday 4 March 2010

Bags of Sticks ...


... are what you get when you chop down Trees.


This is an old one that I took last November with my trusty Finepix F50fd (she's a wee gem).
Not likely to be much in the way of photo taking during the week until the days get a bit longer, apart from the Iphone stuff that is, but I won't be posting that here (link to the ongoing Iphone Project at the top of the page).


Average day at the coalface. Highlight, one of Liggy's cakes (thanks Sarah my turn next week)

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Untitled 030310#1



Now this one may be of special interest to dogenzenji. 100% digital image. No photograph here though cameras were involved in the production. An area of image making that I need to make some time to get back too.


Something cool from Central Station you may like: analogue camera animation


Happy birthday sis (in Melbourne where it's already tomorrow)

Tuesday 2 March 2010

Farmers Market


Taken at the Edinburgh farmer's market on 20 February 2010. One of a series that is something of a departure for me in terms of subject matter. I have been aware that I have been a little reluctant to point the camera at people. Why you may ask.
I have given that some thought and come to the following conclusion.
When my kids were small I took lots and lots of photos of them (another project at the moment is digitising this huge archive). The best of these for me were unposed and very natural. However at some point they became very aware of the camera and the performing in front of it began. Beyond the performing was the hand in front of the face stage i.e. don't take my picture. So I just seemed to stop.
The market last week was a revelation. I openly walked about with the camera snapping away. No one appeared to object. No one covered their face or turned away. I just got on with what I wanted to do and everyone got on with what they were doing.
The above image is my favourite. Obvious that I'm poring over and trying to emulate the work of Bresson at the moment!

Monday 1 March 2010

Portobello Beach - Cold & windy (rain on it's way)


On AL today, using up a number of days before the end of the leave year. Long ride up past Balerno (on road) on a beautiful morning (no camera).  Just had lunch and now feeling a bit knackered. Catching up with uploads to Flickr and Central Station. 
Image from Portobello Beach yesterday morning before the rain came (more on Flickr). Cold, windy and my battery ran out. One of the few I took that was in colour. Realising already that I need more lens to get up close on some subjects. (see birdy shots)