Category Archives: Scotland

Duncansby Stacks

Hi all

and wow at last it’s great to be back blogging. I have had major issues lately with image sizing and it’s taken the boffins over in USA and Germany to figure it out between them, I was stuck well and truly in the middle with either party blaming each other, not a good position to be in. Anyway sorted for loads of images to go online for sale and some very exciting news coming soon too.

 

Anyway must dash, I’ll start uploading ASAP

 

Image is Duncansby Stacks, Scotland, I’ll be doing some more work up there soon on our trip to Shetland

Adrian

Duncansby Head Blue

The Italian Chapel – Lamb Holm

The-Italian-ChapelThe Italian Chapel – Lamb Holm

This small but very ornate Catholic Chapel was built on the small uninhabited island of Lamb Holm on Orkney during World War II by Italian prisoners. It was restored during the 60’s and received Listed building status A.

In my usual style of “must get the shot” I sneaked in and removed a table chairs and flowers to get as close a symmetrical shot as possible, much to the dismay of the American and Japanese tourists looking on, obviously never met a Yorkshire man before! I of course put everything back where I found it…I’m a good boy really, don’t believe what they tell you.

 

Adrian

 

 

 

Duncansby Stacks pt2

Duncansby-1Duncansby Stacks

great for birdwatchers with kittiewake, guiliemots and razorbills to name but a few, take your hat in May and June you may get pecked or pooped on…..we avoided it but saw a couple getting dive bombed as they were close to the nesting edges.

A prehistoric looking place thats a definite on your tick list if visiting John Groats, great walk along the cliff top and around the coast. Fabulous views topped off with a stunning vista of the Stacks.

Adrian

Duncansby Stacks

Duncansby2 Hi all

 

well we’re back from the Outer Hebrides, eventful is the keyword here, 7 absolute soaking sheeting down sideways torrential downpours of rain out of 9, you get the idea.

Anyway We managed to get as many shoots in as possible then turned tail for home driving 506miles on the last day, I’m still driving in my sleep, and I have ht the floor running with loads of customer work now for the next 2 weeks solid. Not complaining just not quite with it yet, I need a quiet weekend…….

Anyway this shot is from Duncansby Head near to John o’Groats , fabulous walk although it was that windy we didn’t dare go anywhere near the edges especially as there were nesting birds there too, didn’t want pecking to death.

Loads more images to come over the next few weeks as and when I get a break

Adrian

Knockbrex

Knockbrex-PillarNice to see the weekend is here and the sun is shining, great weekend planned with a lovely dog walk tomorrow and CFR training on Sunday, really looking forward to being qualified and out there helping my community.

Today’s image is from Knockbrex Priapic Pillars, a must on the photographers places to visit list.

It’s a fair walk carrying all your kit and the beach has long since seen its best with rubbish everywhere, shame really as its a beautiful place with cattle grazing right down to the shore edge and bird life adorning the skies, a real treat, midge season was in full swing and even with the sea breeze I got bitten to hell and back. STill it was well worth it and I’d certainly go back there.

Have a great weekend all

Adrian

Threave Castle

Threave-CastleThreave Castle is situated on an island in the River Dee, 2.5 km west of Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It was the home of ‘Black’ Douglas Earls of Douglas from the late 14th century until their fall in 1455.

Threave Castle’s rectangular keep is 21 m (69 ft), or 5 storeys high, and 18.4 by 12.1 m (60 by 40 ft) m by 12.1 m in plan. The keep was once accessed by a movable bridge from the gatehouse to the first floor. This level is vaulted, and was occupied by kitchens. Below is a basement with a well and prison pit. A spiral stair within the 2 m (6 ft 7 in) thick wall leads up to the great hall, which had a second bridge access to the upper gatehouse. Above this were two timber floors, now missing, with two rooms on the next storey, and servants quarters at the top. Holes in the external walls would have supported a timber defensive structure known as a bretache, which allowed the defenders to drop objects on attackers at the walls.

The keep is enclosed by the later curtain wall, which has round towers on its three corners, and a series of arrow loops and gun ports which were added when artillery began to play a significant role in warfare. Only one of these towers, the south east, remains, along with the gatehouse, which was formerly equipped with a drawbridge. The curtain walls are only 4.4m from the keep, and are surrounded by a once flooded ditch. To the west the river runs close to the keep. The remains of a wall survive along the river bank, curving back to the north west corner of the keep. A gated harbour was constructed here to provide secure alternative access to the castle. To the north, only an earth bank defends the keep, although the marshy approach to this side would have discouraged attackers.

The island itself covers 8 hectares (20 acres), although in the 15th century it is estimated to have been only a third of this size. However, the isle would have supported subsidiary buildings, such as stores and workshops, as well as the castle. Access was by boat or via a ford at the south of the island.

See who says I can’t do history, well wickithingy helps alot

 

Adrian

Elgol View

Elgol-6 Happy New Year everyone

a massive thank you to those who have supported my move away from social media, really was getting ridiculous, I had loads of images stolen and the daily supply of upsetting images displayed by certain people and groups was very disturbing, time and a place and I’m afraid it was just too much.

All marketing will be done through this site now,  I’m so pleased that trafic flow has quadrupled since the social media cut off and I haven’t even begun the campaign.

Today’s image is from Elgol,  Skye looking across to the Cuillins with a claw of sea overlapping the foreground rocks, really was a beautiful evening….more to follow.

 

Adrian

Fairy Pools Portrait

Fairy-Pools-PortraitFeel Free To Share Like and Especially Comment

Happy Monday morning all, it’s nearly time for Santa and I hope you’ve all been good little boys and girls, some very lucky special people will be receiving prints bought from my website this year by loved ones. I’d like to say a very special thanks you to those who have bought this year and especially this month for Christmas gifts.

Today sees me in two frames of mind, VAT day this time of year should be banned but it’s a necessary  evil that always make me feel ill before Christmas, on the other hand I’m setting up the new light and backdrop set up to do the doggies new Christmas pictures today or tomorrow so that will hopefully take my mind off the expenses going out, with any luck there will be enough to buy a small Turkey or Sparrow on Wednesday!.

In the meantime here’s another from the Skye trip, a bleak walk across the moors to the magical Fairy Pools  near Glenbrittle at the foot of the Black Cuillin Mountains. Thought I’d try an unorthodox portrait version which I think works pretty OK, what do you think?

It was certainly a breezy day with sleet like rain whipping at our faces and very boggy underfoot, made for an interesting walk any ways.

Right on with the days task, hope you all have a great week.

Adrian

 

Neist Point – The End

Neist-Point-Cropped

Feel Free To Share, Comments always welcome.

Friday at last and a busy weekend of shoots ahead.

Barnsley Youth choir tonight and tomorrow night followed by Jagged Edge gig later Sat night then an early shoot for the first Barnsley Junior Park Run at Locke Park, should be fun, the camera will be smoking!

One of the last shots at Neist Point Skye before we headed home some 500 miles and 9hrs away, when all the other photographer had gone there was just Chris and myself there , this is when you realise just how awesome a place this is. Not very often you get a place like this to yourself but when you do its best to enjoy it and breath it in as much as possible. you can hear the waves crashing and the sea birds calling to each other, at this point you realise just how insignificant you are to in the grand scheme of things and that this world is so beautiful with all its amazing places and creatures…one of those places you feel truly free and forget your everyday life. So well worth a trip.

Have a great weekend all

 

Adrian

Fairy Pool – Another View

Fairy-Pools-3Feel Free To Share, Tag and I’d love to see your comments……

Another from Skye this view from a different angle looking across the fall to the rock, we had to set up and wait between gale force winds and sleet like rain to get the shots so I’m very pleased with the outcome, would have been terrible to drive 500 miles and come back with nothing (there’s a song there somewhere).

We couldn’t believe having walked up the stream course in this horrendous weather and walking across boggy land that a couple of foreign lads followed us wearing jeans and trainers, they even stood in the stream to mimic my composition shots…..thinking to back to my Mountain Rescue days, these guys were bread and butter to create a necessity for a call out. They were however very concious of the fact that we were on a mission and moved every time we needed to get in position for a shot. Good lads.

Playing with the Profoto B1 500’s all day today, awesome kit, I can’t believe how clever they are, I mean TTL over 100m away….the mind boggles.

 

Adrian