He’s Behind You.

The King’s Theatre, Glasgow pantomime photo call is always an event I look forward to. I was delighted to be asked along to photograph panto legends, Elaine C Smith and Johnny Mac for the launch on the Tall Ship Glenlee of the pantomime adventure, Peter Pan. They were joined by the rest of the cast Darren Brownlie ,Blythe Jandoo ,Hannah Jarrett-Scott and Matt Kennedy. It was such a great spot, perfect for the show.

A New Bridge for Glasgow

I was covering the opening of the new £29.5million Glasgow foot bridge linking communities in the West End and Southside across the River Clyde. The crossing is at the heart of the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District, a partnership with the city involving the University of Glasgow ,Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise. I was covering the event for the University of Glasgow. It was a super day and I loved the folks crossing from the Govan side all high fiving the folks from the Partick side as the crossed for the first time. Also running at the same time was the Govan Footbridge Festival starring amongst many others was Horse McDonald. What a voice she has.

The other stand out bit for me was the ceilidh on Govan Road. It was a sight to behold. What a good time everyone was having.

Anyone For Tennis

I am a huge tennis fan. I play a couple of times a week, it is such a good game. I was especially please to get asked along to cover the opening of Robertson Park, Renfrew tennis courts for the official  reopening following a £343,000 renovation, managed by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and funded by Renfrewshire Council. The kids’ coach, Luke Quigley, and local councillors Lisa Marie Hughes and Michelle Cambell had such a good time. What a laugh we all had.

The renovations were part of the LTA’s Parks Tennis Project – the biggest ever transformation of park facilities across Britain, which has transformed 14 courts across the local area including the old courts from my home town of Johnstone.

May The Force Be With You

I love Start Wars the original movie. I went to see it in 1977 with a broken leg. I have seen them all but the original three with Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill are my favourites. I was asked along to photograph the Royal Scottish National Orchestra performance of the film score of Star Wars a New Hope (or Star Wars 1 as I call it) The sound is amazing, to hear that introduction music with the film showing on the big screen. All I can say is wow!!! The Force was with them.

Opening Night for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

I was asked along to the Opening Night of the BBC SSO’s new season at the Glasgow City Halls.  It was Mahler’s epic, Fifth Symphony and the premiere of a big new piece for soprano Clare Booth conducted by Ryan Wigglesworth. My favourite shot was at the end when Conductor Ryan and Soprano Claire turned to each other. The joy in their faces. The sound was amazing. 

900th Anniversary , That’s a lot of candles on cake

It really has been a musical time. The High School of Glasgow has been celebrating its 900th year. I was photographing the 900th Anniversary Commemoration and Thanksgiving Service at Glasgow Cathedral. The Glasgow Cathedral is where the school originally began all those years ago. The sound of the school orchestra and the choir rising up to the roof was such a magnificent sound.  It was a quite a spectacle too with all the coloured gowns and blue uniforms.

Kami Bear’s Teddy Trail

Some assignments are real feel good events. I was asked to cover the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity Sponsored Walk of Kami’s Bear’s Teddy Trail. Hundreds of walkers all in purple came along to the Riverside Museum for the big starting line up. There was music and dancing too. The big warm up was one by DJ Steve McKenna. Everyone had big smiles on their faces, including me.

Some assignments are real feel good events. I was asked to cover the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity Sponsored Walk of Kami’s Bear’s Teddy Trail. Hundreds of walkers all in purple came along to the Riverside Museum for the big starting line up. There was music and dancing too. The big warm up was one by DJ Steve McKenna. Everyone had big smiles on their faces, including me.

Happy 60th Woolfson Halls

I was doing a feature for the University of Glasgow Avenue alumni magazine, for one of the series of “In conversation” features to celebrate the The Wolfson Hall’s of Residence 60 years. I met Dr Barry Evans, a Chemistry alumni who lived at Wolfson from 1964 ( the year I was born) and Reese Kirkpatrick, a recent graduate who’s also the current resident warden at the hall. The magazine had got the two residents together to chat and record their thoughts of now and then. Funnily enough, there were a lot of similar stories. Barry loved being back in the building. He had some good stories about concerts in the main hall where there are both pictured.

The Science of Halloween

Readers of this blog will know how much I love a visit to the Glasgow Science Centre. I was there to photograph the launch of the programme of events for Autumn 2024.  Tickets are now available for special events, including themed Science Lates, Pink Floyd and Queen music experiences in the Planetarium and Glasgow Science Centre’s popular annual family Halloween Party. We has spaceman, a vampire , Batman and lots of pumpkins. I think the Science Centre staff enjoyed dressing up as much as I enjoyed taking the pictures.

Glasgow Times Primary 1’s

This time of year I always have a week or so helping photograph the Glagow Times photograph this year’s new intake of primary one pupils. It is a fun, if fraught job. Making sure everyone is in a line, all smiling at the one time and looking to the front. It’s such a mammoth task. All the schools and nearly all with two classes. I should ask Nicola the organiser exactly how many schools there are.