Website down

My main website is currently down due to server problems and re-design so all traffic is being directed to here meantime. Hopefully all will return to normal soon.

That time of year again..

When you let your kids talk to a strange man (see below)

Kids find the adverts more interesting than the programmes

People will soon be stocking up with bread and milk like armagedeon is around the corner

Etc..etc..etc

Wait its only November..

So near yet so far..

Sometimes you almost make a good photo. The reasons you don't could be camera error, human error or just pure bad luck. On Saturday I was shooting Perthshire v Morgan in a Premier 3 rugby match. The match was pretty close until Perthshire scored a hatrick of tries in the closing minutes of the game. One of the shots I took was the one below. Almost a good image but for human error - the focus is not on the Pete Saunders with the ball as he ran in the last try but is a few inches behind. As I said almost a good shot.

This was the third of the tries so by the time it was shot most important images were taken. But imagine this was the try that decided the game, then a what should I have done. Send it to the newspaper despite it being out of focus? How many newspapers would publish an OOF image which was crucial to the outcome of the game? Quite a few I would imagine. A similar discussion took place over at the Sportsshooter website a while back http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=27164

Some other images from that game.

Website currently down

My main website is currently down due to server problems so all traffic is being directed to here meantime. Hopefully all will return to normal soon.

Hampden in the rain

On Saturday I made my way down to Hampden to shoot the Tartan Army fans as they made their way watch Scotland take on Italy in the crucial Euro qualifier. We all know how it ended but here are some images from before the game. More images can be seen at my Sportsshooter page http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=6385.

A little bit about the day. I took the train from Perth at 1pm and when we arrived in Glasgow not long after 2pm the rain started. It then rained and rained and rained. Because of the rain I made my way to Hampden as I knew there wasn't going to be much happening elsewhere. Went to Central Station to catch the train to Mount Florida the nearest station to Hampden. At Central a few fans were mulling around waiting for trains tried to take a few images of fans and was accosted by some to take their picture. Then the pipes started up and I noticed a lone piper leading some fans to the platform like a modern Pied Piper. I was disappointed not to get as good images as I could have from this mainly due to being held up getting through the crowd.


Onto the train and off at Mount Florida where I spent the rest of the time looking for images.


Left Hampden before the game started to get something to eat and hopefully catch more images in Glasgow. Unfortunetly all the bars were too packed so decided to call it a day regarding taking images.

A Scottish piper leads the Tartan Army through Central Train Station in Glasgow before their their crucial Euro qualifier against Italy played at Hampden Park on Saturday 17th Nov 2007.

The most famous Tartan Army member, Rod stewart, arrives at Hampden Park before the crucial Euro qualifier between Scotland and Italy on 17th November 2007.

Italian fan's grasp of the English language is almost perfect before the start of the crucial Euro qualifier against Scotland although one Tartan Army member may have noticied the mistake. 17th November 2007.



Scottish fans pictured on their way to their crucial Euro qualifier against Italy played at Hampden Park on Saturday 17th Nov 2007.

Some recent press images

Here are some images recently shot for press use. The first three are non - sports images. I try to cover some events from the Almondbank where I stay for the newspapers. I am trying to think more about the news pictures I produce. Whereas before I would take the easy option of a simple group shot I am aiming to get more interesting pictures. The first and third images used a layer technique which a lot of newspaper photographers use. I think it worked okay although I should have arranged the group at the back of the first one better. I have been watching with interest the progress of another photographer Andrew Smith http://www.meejahor.com/ as he has progressed with this technique. He has a lot more experience in shooting these types of images and it shows but as I am always telling students of the classes I teach making mistakes is part of the learning process, what is important is understanding the mistakes and finding a solution.

Dobbies Garden Centre store in Perth donated an apple tree to Pitcairn Primary School on Friday. The tree will be used as an addition to the school's eco projects and will be cared for by the pupils. Pictured are pupils Aiden Strung and Adam Campbell doing the spadework as Rosemary Nixon and Andrew Reid from Dobbies Perth look on with the rest of the primary 1&2 pupils. 9th Nov 2007.

Pitcairn Parent Council & Friends of Pitcairn School held their Halloween discos on Friday at Almondbank Bowling Club. Pictured are the children who attended the first disco for Primary 1 - Primary 3. 26th Oct 2007

The Pitcairngreen Arts and Craft Fair was held on Saturday at the village hall. 26 Craft workers displayed their goods which ranged from wood carving to stained glass. Pictured is Jean Edwards at her pottery stall. 27th Oct 2007.

Saturday's press images

Here are the images that I sent to local newspapers from Saturday. Both games kicked off at 2pm so it was a case of shooting enough from one game before moving on to the other. Luckily they weren't played too far from each other making my day easier.

Premier 3 rugby - Perthshire v Dunfermline

Junior Scottish Cup - Jeanfield Swifts v Aberdeen Sunnybank

Halloween 2