Merry Christmas

Its always nice to to have a festive picture for the December blog. This is one I take most years out of the window of the Satinwood Suite in The Glasgow City Chambers. I was helping fellow photographer John Young photographing ‘Babies First Christmas’ with the Lord Provost. It’s a fab feel good event with 250 babies all getting a picture with the provost in front of the City Chambers Christmas Tree. It’s an easy gig for me, as I am really on stand by when the printer needs reloaded with paper or the ink needing topped up. It’s a lot of fun and we all get to wear our Santa hats.

Elementary Dr Watson

I had the pleasure of photographing my old pal John Watson, who was getting an Honorary Degree from The University of Glasgow. He is one of Scotland’s foremost business voices and leading philanthropists and it was a thoroughly merited award. We always end up talking about the old days of printing. Now I will be quoting the Arthur Conan Doyle line to him “Elementary my Dear Watson”.

A Night to Remember

I love a good background. I was in Cottiers Theatre in Glasgow’s west end where I met Dr Anastacia Ryan,  founder of SISU Charity. The evening was to  celebrate the  official launch of the charity.  SISU is a new Scottish based social enterprise that connects and supports women who have experienced inequality, and aims to amplify their voices to foster change and provide services for those in need across the country. I loved the atmosphere that the former church has with some very clever lighting.

60 Years Young at Kings Panto

I was covering the press night for the Kings pantomime Peter Pan.  This year is the pantomime is in its 60th year. At the end of the performance there was a special 60th birthday cake brought on stage and Elaine C Smith led of the singing of Happy Birthday with the audience.  Also as part of the celebrations is a small exhibition of pantomime artists from the last 60 years. There was a dame dress worn by Johnny Beattie, a dame hat worn by Stanley Baxter, the brass models of Gerrard Kellys boots and posters of pantos gone by. I took a picture of Gavin Mitchell or “Boaby”  from Still Game, with the poster of the Kings panto he was in.

Afterwards all the invited guests of actors , writers and all are invited to the crush bar for a fish supper, it’s a Kings tradition. I lost count of the amount of fish suppers that were given out. I was so pleased when I was offered some chips by Elaine C Smith. It made my day. I did get a fish supper at the end though, which tasted fab.

Looking Good On Stage at the Pavilion Panto

The Beauty & The Beastie was another favourite of mine.  At this time of year I enjoy doing the production photography for the Pavilion Theatre Glasgow. It’s amazing when you get the show to yourself. I have been doing it for years. I remember doing it during the years of Covid when there was nothing and you could not go anywhere. The day doing the show for a video recording was my only night out of 2020. So I love going In and photographing the show. The cast are always fab. They are like old friends now. The show is getting some fantastic reviews.

First Time To Graduate

I met the first students graduate from pioneering Reparatory Justice Masters Programme at the University of Glasgow. A historic milestone has been reached as the first cohort of students graduates from the world’s first Masters in Reparatory Justice. The double-degree programme, a collaboration between the University of Glasgow and The University of the West Indies. I worked on the exhibition ‘Call and Response’, which was in the University Chapel so it seemed fitting to do the photographs there.

Happy 200th Lord Kelvin Looking into the Future

I was in the University of Glasgow’s Huntarian museum for another birthday. Lord Kelvin the renowned 19th-century scientist who made significant contributions to physics, engineering, and mathematics was born 200 years ago this year. The university has unveiled a virtual reality exhibition to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lord Kelvin’s birth. The exhibition by the University of Glasgow is part of the £5.6 million Museums in the Metaverse project, which aims to digitise assets from cultural collections worldwide for online virtual reality access. I loved seeing how the headsets work and take you into another world.

A Festive Night to Remember

Its been a really festive December. I was at the High School of Glasgow’s Nine Lessons & Carols concert at the Glasgow Cathedral where the school began 900 years ago. This being their 900th year, it was lovely Finnish to the year. The sound of the voices and the musicianship of the pupils was fantastic.

Still Game for the Snowman

My last assignment of the year of the year was The Snowman movie with that lovely soundtrack performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. My favourite bit was the RSNO junior chorus singing Walking In The Air.  Still Game star,  Sanjeev Kohli, was brilliant narrating the story. After the first half of the concert the orchestra come back on stage all in tinsel and Santa hats for the second half. This time Sanjeev Kohli got dressed as  a penguin for The Penguin Song. The audience were all doing the penguin Dance along with him. Great fun! It got a super show in The Herald on Sunday as well as The Sun & Scotland on Sunday.

Always Time For Cake at the Pavilion

Being a fan of a cake or two I was excited to be asked along to the Pavilion Theatre press call for Beauty & The Beastie, at Auld’s Bakers in the St Enoch Centre. We had the whole cast there, all eating cakes it was fantastic. The stars all attracted second looks as they paraded through St Enoch’s led by Dame Dolly Drumchapel. It was quite a sight to see.

No Mean City

Glasgow always had the name of No Mean City after the book by Herbert Kingsley Long and Alexander McArthur. A lot has changed over the years and Glasgow is a very different place now. With vibe of the past and a Peaky Blinders feel, I was working with Flat White Communications to come up with some images of the brand with its founder Mixologist and Whisky connoisseur T Yildirim. I love adding  real creative freedom to a shoot. 

Alan Wylie A Life in Pictures

One of my old pals from college days had an exhibition at The Glasgow Photographers Gallery. Alan was in my class at college in first year when I was a young 17 year old and we have been pals ever since. Alan being a bit older got to the heady heights of arts photography way before me. He was the official photographer for 1990 City of Culture, Mayfest Arts Festival and was the official photographer for Nelson Mandela, when he came to Glasgow. I arranged to do some pictures of Alan prior to the exhibition opening as a favour.  Alan gave me his negative scanner that he used to copy all his negatives,  so that I can now start doing all my old negatives from the 1980’s & 90’s. I plan to start posting those pictures soon.

History in a Picture

I found myself back at the amazing Barnbougle Castle, South Queensferry with Professor Gerard Carruthers from The University of Glasgow. It was for the news story about Robert Burns and the 18th-century portrait of Robert Fergusson discovered at ‘a Scottish Castle, which has ignited excitement among literary scholars. It makes the hairs stand up in the back of your neck being so close to that kind of history. The painting at Barnbougle Castle, near Edinburgh, is part of the prestigious collection of the 5th Earl of Rosebery.

Young Jazz Talent

I was asked to come along to the finals of BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Jazz Musician. It is an event I really look forward to . The talents of these young musicians is out of this world. I liked this year’s winner Timmy Allan as he was a guitar player and I am a bit biased as I love guitars.

Glasgow Taxi up for the Cup

November brings around the Glasgow Taxi Cup photo call. With over 700 students from Caledonia University, Strathclyde University and The University of Glasgow its a huge event. I always remember the star is always the taxi cab. It’s always fun to feature the taxi. Usually its trying to cram as many sports students in as possible. This time we were more sedate gathering everyone around it instead.

A Night of Music

I had another amazing concert with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Sibelius Seven & Nordic Music Days was at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. I loved my shot at the end of the concert with violinist Isabell Faust performance with conductor Thomas Søndergård. It got a great show in The Times and The Herald.