Sun Sets on the First Day of the Year

Happy New Year and all the best for 2026. Here we are at the beginning of February and all the Christmas festivities seem such a long time ago. With a rainy December it was so nice to see a change on New Years day. I was down at Loch Lomond for the annual News Years Day fancy dress waterski. On my way home  it was such a nice day I went for a drive round the loch to Balmaha.  There was such an amazing sunset over Loch Lomond and islands of Clannish and Inchcailloch. It made a lovely start to the year and also got a great show in the Daily Mail Plus pages.

Lifting The Tall Ship Masts

I had a super week with the Tall Ship Glenlee this month. Two of the ship’s masts were being removed  for the first time in 30 years, for essential conservation work. Two of the three masts travelled south of the border bound for a specialist workshop of TS Rigging who have years of experience working with historic vessels such as RRS Discovery, HMS Gannet and the Cutty Sark, at Greenwich in London. They will give a detailed analysis of the strength and condition of the metal. It was a massive operation with huge cranes.  I was mostly stood on the new Govan bridge watching the progress. It made for amazing photographs of the ship with the riggers working up in the masts. I was still cold with all my layers of clothing on, imagine the thought of doing that a couple of hundred years ago. 

After the masts came out I managed to get on board to have a look at the spaces where the masts came from, as the ship now had two big holes where the mast were. Beneath the main mast, a small wooden box was found. It was ceremonially placed there in July 1998. Inside were a 1998 gold sovereign and a silver dollar, along with a scroll acknowledging the members of the Trust and Ship Committee who contributed to the restoration process. Also in the dirt and stoor below the mast a 10p coin was also found. It seems as the main ceremony solemn ceremony took place back then a ten-year-old Tom Gibson who stood proudly beside his grandad, Murray Scrimgeour, watching the mast being stepped. Suddenly realising he too had a shiny coin in his pocket, Tom threw in a 10p coin into the mast step, next to the official box. The whole week made for some amazing pictures and stories. 

We had a great show in newspapers and websites and on BBC & STV too. I made a montage of as many clipping as I could find.

Happy Birthday University of Glasgow – 575 years-old

On the 7th January 2026 the University of Glasgow celebrated its 575th birthday and I was in the University archives with the new University’s Principal & Vice Chancellor, Professor Andy Schofield  and archivist Michael Gallagher. They were looking at a copy of the Papal Bull dated 1490. The papal bull explains that The University of Glasgow was founded by Pope Nicholas V in a letter dated 7th January 1451 with an authenticated with a lead seal or `bull’. It was pretty impressive as was a newer 2001 copy of the Papal Bull created for the 550th anniversary of the University. I do find these things so interesting. It makes you think what Glasgow would have been like 575 years ago.

Love a Timewarp

I visited another of my favourite spots, the Glasgow Science Centre. It was turning back the clock for a night of retro fun to celebrate its 25th anniversary. I met time travelling scientists Sebastian and Nicola partying out side the centre. The adult-only event, Science Lates: Timewarp, takes place on Friday, March 13th.

It is part of the year-long anniversary celebration and will blend together nostalgia, hands-on science, gaming, expert talks, and interactive adventures. The scientists were certainly grooving on down to the sound of 1980’s music with a bit of a time travelling film theme. It was the first time I have used my 15mm fish eye lens. It really gives that psychedelic look.

Congratulations Dr John Watson CBE

It was so to nice to see my old pal Dr John Watson after getting his CBE last week at the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh. John, a veteran printing industry entrepreneur, received his CBE from The Princess Royal. He was looking great as he went up to shake hands with the princess. I have known John for many years, first meeting him in his printing base at Dobbies Loan in Glasgow. 

My 2025 Year in Pictures

I thought I would finish my first blog of 2026 with my slide show with some of my favourite photographs of 2025. Please enjoy, it’s me on guitar. I should have recorded it for longer and I could have go more pictures in.

Sound of Christmas

This is the best time of year with lots of festive assignments coming in. One of my favourites is the RSNO performing the music to The Snowman. This years reading was done by comic Josie Long. She was fab. Its such a Christmas story. Although it was mentioned that in Glasgow the words are changed to Irn Bru. The orchestra come in for the second half in all their Christmas outfits. This year my favourite was Associate Leader Shlomy Dobrinsky with his red nose and antlers on stage with Orchestra leader Maya Iwabuchi  and Second Violin Anna Bunemann (with a banana on her snowman’s outfit.

Jock & The Beanstalk

I was photographing the Pavilion Theatre’s Panto Jock & The Beanstalk. It was hilarious as always. I saw the production again days later as a guest. I can’t believe how many jokes I missed when I was photographing it. I loved this scene with Grado, Stephen Purdon , Craig Glover as the magnificent dame and Liam Dolan. It was hilarious. You kind of know what’s coming and it’s still funny. I think it’s the anticipation.

90 Years Young

I had a lovely evening at a very special concert. It was the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s 90th anniversary concert at The City Halls in Glasgow. Conductor Ryan Wigglesworth was on great form as were the orchestra. A great performance from soloists Beth Taylor, Pumeza Matshikiza , Ashley Riches and John Findon added to the evening. The high point was Sir Stephen Hough. The audience loved him. He had to have a change of one of his musical pieces as it seems a string was broken in the grand piano, so he had to find a one that did not have that note.

A Virtual View From Space

Imagine visiting a museum and being transported to go anywhere and virtually examine artefacts at astonishing proximity and from every possible angle. I was so pleased to be asked along to see The University of Glasgow’s [un]box Virtual Reality kiosk, a self-contained gateway to worlds that were once out of reach. Being a Star Trek fan the thought my picture should be from outer space would get my creative juices flowing. I wanted to take the picture beside the model of the viewing platform on the space station. I  was with Dr Lynn Verschuren of The University of Glasgow Museums in The Metaverse Team and Derek Shirlaw of Glasgow Science Centre. They laughed when I said I had a fear of fear of heights.

225th Burns Supper Anniversary

I am a big fan of haggis and a good Burns Supper cannot be beaten. I was in one of the oldest rooms in the University of Glasgow, the Humanity Lecture Theatre to photograph ‘Your Burns Supper matters’, which is a project to help shape the future of the global and living tradition photo call. The Centre for Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow were launching a new campaign, The Burns Supper at 225 Years: Scottish Tradition, Global Reinvention. Building on nearly six years of pioneering research, the Centre are calling on people worldwide to help create a crowdsourced archive of Burns Suppers events, viewable through an interactive global map to be launched in July next year on the 225th anniversary of the first Burns Supper. It is hoped the archives will feature poems and songs performed at Burns Supper around the world as well as videos, photographs, recipes and dress. I was with Professor Pauline Mackay and Dr Cleo O’Callaghan Yeoman of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies with Burns’ books and a lovely haggis with a rather magnificent whisky sauce.

A Festive City

Buchanan Street is looking very festive at the moment. I always used to do my Christmas shopping pictures for The Herald & Times when I was on shift. There is  always a good telephoto shot looking down towards St Enoch Square, especially now with the Big Wheel. 

There was the usual scattering of buskers singing festive hits but by far my favourite was the Salvation Army brass band. It is an emotional sound, so festive. They were playing outside TGI Friday’s. I did like the picture of the horn player in the window with the cocktails sign in the window. 

Cool Jazz

I love photographing musicians. They always give you ideas of how they want to be photographed. They have a style. One was saxophone player Gerard O’Neil who was one of the finalists in this years BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year. We took some pictures and were trying different ways of holding the sax. Sitting standing, playing we tried lots of different ideas. He was early you see so we had some extra time. When we were looking at the pictures he suggested the over the shoulder look. I thought it looked even cooler in black and white. It goes to show you should always listen to your subject.

Magical Music

Another super musical event  I photographed this month was the BBC’s Scottish Symphony Orchestra with pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason. It also marked the debut of SSO’s new Principal Guest Conductor, Delyana Lazarova. It was a lovey concert. What made it for me picture wise was the fabulous magenta dress Isata wore. She looked super cool at the City Halls in Glasgow that night.

Big Is Better

We used two have discussions in college about how the same picture could be better just by increasing its size. Then in the newspapers the same discussion would come up again. How the exact same picture could just look better by being bigger. I was definitely in the bigger is better camp when The High School of Glasgow used one of my pictures in a giant billboard on Crow Road in Glasgow. The detail scale of the picture just looked brilliant. The new Canon R cameras have so much detail in the sensor it is really impressive how big they can go.

Get You In Panto Town

I have not been on the Glasgow Underground since they upgraded the subway cars. So it was nice to get a look first hand with the great company of this years Panto stars Johnny Mac  from The Little Mermaid at The King’s Theatre , Stephen Purdon from Jock and the Beanstalk at The Pavilion Theatre and Catriona Faint from Gallus in Weegieland at The Tron Theatre. It was part of photocall as Glaswegians are being urged to embrace the unique spirit of the city’s pantomime with the launch of Get You in Panto Town, a celebration of the city’s beloved cultural phenomenon, marking a festive finale to the year-long Glasgow 850 programme. We did get a lot of looks from the commuters. I think it cheered them up and made their day.

Getting a Lift to Sport

At this time of the year I usually do a picture of a crowd of university sports students for the launch of this year Glasgow Taxi Cup which happens on the 25th of March.  The Cup has more than 700 student athletes from Glasgow Caledonian, Strathclyde, and Glasgow universities competing across over 17 sports in over 21 events, in the biggest one-day student inter-varsity competition across Scotland. My picture has last years winning sports president Anna Edvaldsson from theUniversity  of Strathclyde in the iconic Glasgow Taxi with some of the sports students. It was extra special this Tim as  The Glasgow Taxi Cup is in its 21st year.

Christmas Is Coming

I always like seeing the Christmas season coming closer. This was my first Santa picture this year. I was at The Glasgow Science Centre to promote their programme of merry-making events, festive films and special Starlight Screenings certain to get the whole family in the mood for the big day. The I Max always makes a good spot for a picture.

Stars on the Stairway

When I saw the production of Hamilton in London. It was under duress, I went thinking it was a rap musical and wouldn’t like it. How wrong I was. It was an amazing show with a fantastic music score and stage production. The lead character, Alexander Hamilton, must have some memory to learn all the words for the show. His libretto must be five volumes of War & Peace in size. I was asked to come along to the press night for the production run at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. There was to be a cast picture on the grand staircase before the start of the show. What a nice bunch. They even thanked me after the pictures. Now that doesn’t happen very often

Jack Lowden Looking Good In A Kilt

It’s great going along to graduations. Seeing all the hope and enthusiasm of the students as they get to the end of their studies. One of my favourite assignments is at the Honorary doctorates Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where this year actor Jack Lowden received an honorary doctorate in Drama at its autumn graduation ceremony. He looked fantastic in his kilt. Some of the other graduates were delighted to be in his press photographs for the newspapers. My picture ended up on the front page in The Herald and a huge picture in The Scotsman too.

Tasty Treats at The Pavilion

I have never tried Wagamama. It always seemed to me it would be something I would not like. More sushi type thing. How wrong I was. I visited the St Enoch restaurant with the cast of the Pavilion Theatre’s Jock and the Beanstalk. What a laugh we had. I thought we would get a small dish to pose with for the pictures. They cooked nearly everything on the menu and the cast got to try everything. So did I. It was delicious. I can’t believe I have never been before. We all sampled everything. Things I would never have looked at I tried. Amazing. The pictures turned out well. Liam Dolan even got a chance to do some of the cooking.

Who You Gonna Call

I remember seeing Ghostbusters years ago. It was good and the sequel was good too. I always wanted to get a back pack on and go ghost hunting. I was delighted to be asked along with RSNO violinist Liam Lynch at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall with the members of Ghostbusters Alba with full ghost busting equipment. The RSNO were bringing the original 1984 blockbuster Ghostbusters back to life for Halloween, performing the soundtrack live to the film in Glasgow and Edinburgh. It was another fab picture which ended up on the front page.

Books and Coffee

I met authors Graeme Macrae Burnet and Chitra Ramaswamy at Argonaut Books at Leith Walk in  Edinburgh to launch Scottish Book Week 2025. They were given copies of Scottish Book Trust’s free book, Scotland’s Stories: Friendship across Scotland. It is a lovely read. The Trust also have given 70,000 copies of the book across Scotland. I loved the shop. It is a super independent bookshop with a lovely cafe. I loved the skeleton in the window reading as it was coming up to Halloween. Its always nice to find a new place. It is a part of Edinburgh I don’t know at all.

Hunterian Repatriation Project

I was asked to photograph a ceremony at the University of Glasgow. It was a repatriation ceremony at The University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel. I had no idea of the power and emotion the day was going to hold. The Hunterian Museum together  with the South African Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture,  Iziko Museums of South Africa and the South African Heritage Resources Agency and Northern Cape Reburial Task Team, jointly announced the repatriation of ancestral human remains from The Hunterian collection in Glasgow, Scotland, to South Africa. 

I had no idea of the emotion that I would be experiencing at first hand. Leaders of the Khoi and San communities from South Africa were paying respects to their ancestors during the repatriation ceremony. It was such a powerful service. One of the tribes people, Mr Petrus Vaalbooi who spoke in his native tongue which I did not understand but you know I knew exactly what he was saying. It made for some really strong images and the South African colours really stood out.

Father & Son Storytellers

I met  Montel Gordon, of the PhD Scholarship programme with his father, Paul on the balcony of the James McCune Smith building on campus at The University of Glasgow. The father and son students are hoping to build a legacy of black scholarship and storytelling. They are working in The James McCune Smith PhD Scholarship programme at the University as it continues to shape student’s futures and now families. Montel, is one of the programme’s inaugural 2022 scholars joined by his father, Paul, in a family journey of academic exploration. He had his dad were amazing to speak to, so interesting. They enjoyed the trip to the top of one of the universities newest buildings too.

Books In History

It’s been a very literary October. I met Professor Adrian Streete, the University of Glasgow’s Professor of Early Modern English Literature and Religion. He was  looking at books from the personal library of Zachary Boyd which are held in the University’s Archives & Special Collections. The personal library owned by a 17th century Scottish minister, academic and administrator has been brought together for the first time in more than 370 years. These books, many of which have notes in the margins and will allow scholars to better understand this tumultuous time in Scottish and European history. It is quite a feeling being so close to history. 

It’s That Time of the Year Already

I have not been to the Barras for ages and how trendy it is now, with the new food courts and arts stuff going on. My visit was for a picture of the Kings Theatre Glasgow pantomime cast for their production of The Little Mermaid. It is starring Darren Brownlie , Hannah Janet Scott, Elaine C Smith, Johnny Mac, Jasmine Jules Andrews , Benjamin Lockhart. It was a great laugh as we got them walking across the road to get the iconic The Barras sign in the background.

Kami Bear’s Teddy Trail

Once again I was at the starting line for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital’s annual Kami Bear’s Teddy Trail. Hundreds of paw-ticipants ( I loved that line) took a walk in sunshine for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity . Over 700 fundraisers walked either the 5k or10k route through Glasgow. It was marvellous. However the heavens opened as the first paw-ticipants ( I still love that phrase) came back over the line. The rain did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the day.

Shaping Up Maths Week with JoJo Gnome 

I was with my better half Jo with her popular character Jo Jo Gnome on a visit to St Roch’s Primary and Deaf School to make shape films as part of Maths Week Scotland. Its great seeing the youngsters engaging with the project. I loved this picture of the pupils with all the maths shapes from the workshops during a break in the day.

BBC SSO Sounding Good

I love my music work. Hearing a full orchestra is something else.I was at the Glasgow City Halls for the BBC SSO 90th Anniversary Opening Concert with Chief Conductor Ryan Wigglesworth and violin virtuoso Daniel Lozakovich. What a talented young guy. He had the audience in the palm of his hand. I had the opportunity of photographing him backstage and during the concert rehearsals. 

A Fright Night at The Museum

Another musical event I love to do is the Children’s Classic Concerts with the RSNO. This year’s children’s concert , A Fright at the Museum was held at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. Presenter percussionist Owen Gunnell (centre) was with RSNO musicians Veronica Marziano & William Knight. It was such a good idea to use the gallery as a location. I loved all the heads floating in the air as Owen looked the scull with a giant magnifying glass. We did get a few looks.

“There’s been a murder”

The words “There’s been a murder”, have echoed through my TV life since I was a youngster. I loved Taggart. I am watching the re runs now on cable. Any detective investigations like Quincy or Silent Witness I am happy to revisit. My work with the forensic service, not on live cases, but their process is fascinating, although they always say to me it is nothing like Quincy or Silent Witness. I now have crossover,  as I was asked by The Glasgow Science Centre to come along and do the photography for a murder mystery crime solving evening, as part of their Halloween season. I  often do pictures at the Science Centre but this is the first time I have done something like this. The event taking place on Saturday 25^th October, adult-only ‘Whodunnit’ includes a scavenger hunt for evidence, fingerprinting, murder weapon analysis and other forensic fun – complete with cocktails and snacks for much-needed brain fuel. The principles of science will be much the same as for the real forensic scientists I’m sure.

Red Telephone Box

I had another interesting visit to the University of Glasgow to photograph student Orla Sonvico. She and  her three colleagues from Scottish tech firm Skyscanner are studying at Glasgow University as part of a new project to bolster the dwindling ranks of computing teachers. Orla is part of a “braided” career project, thought to be a first for Scotland, which is aiming to help reverse that decline. Usually I love the cloisters, but for a change I thought I would use the striking red telephone boxes at the front gate. 

Rugby Memories

I had a great trip to Bishopton Rugby Club this month to photograph Scottish rugby legend Donna Kennedy with the members of Bishopton RFC, to celebrate Scotland at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. The visit was to celebrate over £6 billion of National Lottery investment into grassroots clubs and organisations, changing the game for women and girls’ sport. It was a fantastic day. I had a great time telling the women how my rugby career ended in first year at high school, when I got the ball for the first time and about 10 others landed on me – I left the field nose bleeding, never to return.

4 Nations Ultimate Frisbee Competition 

I love frisbee, it was one of the sports I did quite well in at school. Sadly it wasn’t part of the curriculum. For many years it was a great thing to pass the time and was great fun on beach holidays. I missed my frisbee throwing but it has been replaced by tennis and golf! I was delighted to be asked along to watch the 4 Nations Ultimate Frisbee Competition that was taking place in Glasgow this month.  I thought it was just seeing how far you could send the frisbee but I found out it’s like rugby. Glasgow was to host the first-ever showdown between the national teams of Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales in this unique sport. Played with mixed gender teams and under fast, high-pressure rules, the game is at its most intense, unlike my lazy frisbee games of days gone by.

Ride 4 Rita

I met a lovely couple, Liz and Fadi Ghazala who, along with friends and family, were cycling to Glasgow from Aberdeen in memory of their baby daughter. The team traveled 210 miles across Scotland, connecting the neonatal units in Aberdeen and Edinburgh before finishing in Glasgow, at the NICU where Rita was treated for the rare genetic condition Edwards Syndrome, or Trisomy-18. The brave couple with their team are pictured at Crossbasket House on campus at The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. The event was called Ride 4 Rita. It is events like these that make me very humble indeed.

Hon Docs

One of my favourite events of the year is the honorary doctorates at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, theinternationally acclaimed trumpeter, composer, bandleader and one of the most influential figures in jazz was receiving his honorary doctorate at from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He is a very cool dude indeed.

Also getting an award was Bunny Christie OBE , a multi-award-winning set and costume designer whose creative vision has transformed the world’s most celebrated theatre productions.

She has two Tony Awards and four Olivier Awards and made history as the first woman to win the Olivier Award for Best Design and was also the first woman to receive the Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Designer.

It was a treat to accompany her as she toured around the Royal Conservatoire’s  Wallace Studios.

A Walk In The Woods

I had a walk in the tall trees near the University of Glasgow to publicise a new filmed theatre play, which will help explore climate crisis impact on UK forests. Three Words for Forest: Exploring Uncertainty in a Time of Climate Crisis had been developed by the University of Glasgow’s Dr Rachel Clive and Prof Dee Heddon. The theatre production had secured additional funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council to expand its reach and spark discussions about the complex challenges facing UK forests. I have always had a love of trees.

London Sail

I do love a trip to London. I have been working with the Tall Ship Glenlee and it really inspired me to check out some other Tall ships. This trip I thought it would be good to take an Uber Boat along the River Thames up to Greenwich to visit the Cutty Sark. It looked great with the rigger working on the ropes with Canary Wharf in the background. It was an interesting visit but The Glenlee is still my favourite.

‘Lochie’ the Big Scottie 

I was at the amazing Trades Hall in Glasgow for the launch of ‘Scotties in the City’ from Maggie’s Centres. It the unveiling of the plans for Glasgow’s most exciting new art trail and to photograph the giant-sized Scottie, ‘Lochie’ with  Glasgow artist, Douglas Roulston. The vibrant trail will take place for eight weeks over the summer of 2026, when a pack of 50 beautifully designed, giant Scottie dogs will take over Glasgow and  its suburbs. The colours and details in the sculpture are amazing and artist Douglas was pleasure to photograph with Hayley Smith, Project Manager for ‘Scotties in the City’ at Maggie’s. I loved this shot with Maggie’s Project Manager, Hayley with artist Douglas and Charlie Langhorne, MD and Co founder of Wild in Art. There was a real feel good mood at the event. Who doesn’t like s Scottie Dog?

Young Classical Winner

I had another great evening at the Glasgow City Halls watching the final of the BBC Young Classical musician. I personally could not choose between them, they’re all so talented. The winner Sofía Ros was sublime. She is an accordion player and this is the second year that an accordion player has won of the Young Classical Musician. I got a good picture of her with last years winner Mélia Simonot. They are both best pals.

Big Chorus

I love a chorus with all the different voices all coming together. The only thing that would spoil it would be me added in to the singing. Nearly 500 massed voices all sang together  at  the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall at the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s Chorus Jamboree.  My favourite part was Stephen Doughty, Director of the RSNO Chorus, leading the finale with all singers on the stage. It made quite a picture.

River City Cliffhanger

I have love my time on the River City set in Dumbarton. It really gives you a buzz seeing the pictures on the iPlayer. The shoot I was on was the big cliffhanger where character Lenny Murdoch jumps off the roof. It was an amazing day with the stunt actors doing the leaping. I was up high on the scaffolding photographing Lenny Murdoch actor Frank Gallagher and wife Lydia played by Jacqueline Leonard. They were really nice with me, as it was me feeling scared not liking heights on top of the roof. It was a really big production day and amazing watching everyone doing their thing.

Picture In George Square

Sometimes you get a wee surprise walking through town I was walking past George Square, which is getting done up just now moving the statues and changing it all around. I was delighted to see my picture from the University of Glasgow’s Hungarian Museum. It was a picture I did for the Museums in the Metaverse project. It looked fab and was in pride of place outside the City Chambers.

Art Meets Music

I love going to concerts also art and photography exhibitions. So I was delighted to be asked to cover the opening of an exhibition of artworks by illustrator Katie Smith in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s Clyde Foyer.  The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) have installed nine original artworks by the Scottish illustrator. Music Director Thomas Søndergård and the RSNO musicians featured in the illustrations came along to see their images. They all looked fantastic. They had with their supporters who had all given generously via the Orchestra’s Chair Patron scheme. The RSNO Chair Patron programme supports the vital and extensive work of the whole organisation and enables individuals, trusts and corporate organisations to build meaningful and impactful relationships with RSNO musicians.

To illustrate the RSNO’s musicians in her signature colourful style, Glasgow-born Katie was given open access to a range of rehearsals and concerts. Using the individual characteristics of the eight selected musicians and Music Director Thomas Søndergård, she aimed to bring a sense of movement into the portraits. My favourite was the picture of Principal Cello Pei-Jee Ng, who I got to replicate his picture position in the photograph. He ended up on the front page of The Scotsman and in The Herald too.   

There was a lovely picture of Katie in The National too.

High Kicking Picture back in Style

I met a fab group of Glasgow 850 volunteers outside The Savings Bank, one of the amazing Clyde Chorus Venues. As Glasgow was getting ready to host the Glasgow 850th celebration at the weekend, the volunteers were all sporting their new bright pink T shirts. One of them asked if I could do a picture of them all doing a high kick. I said that was one of our standard pictures of a big group back in the day on the Evening Times picture desk. It worked out brilliantly. They loved the laugh it produced … all the news outlets that used an image chose the high kicking picture. I think it is time to bring ‘the high kick’ back into fashion. It was suggested by Corrie Campbell who I was working with at the photocall.

Summer Time is BBQ Time

I usually burn anything I put near a BBQ. Its actually best to put it in the oven with a timer and an alarm clock so I do not burn anything in fact. So it was an education to watch Gary Maclean, a former MasterChef champion from Glasgow,  team up with Mary’s Meals to encourage people to support the charity during National BBQ Week. He was asking people to made a small donation to the charity when they have the BBQ during National BBQ week. He put everything on at one and let it all cook with minimal turning and it all came out perfectly. His fav suggestion was peppers stuffed with haggis. He gave some of his top tips too including marinating meat overnight, bringing meat or fish to room temperature before cooking, using two heat zones on the barbecue, adding a bit of smoke, and letting meat rest before carving. It really was an education. 

Young Filmmakers

I was working with writer and producer Jo Hall at St Roch’s Primary and Deaf school for the start of Deaf Awareness Week 2025. The pupils were making their to make their own animation. The project, funded by Creative Scotland, had the youngsters create their own characters and films in a series of creative workshops. It was fantastic to see the young people interacting and loving the whole filming process. St Roch’s Primary and Deaf School and also Isobel Mair School were working with Jo to create their own characters and films in a series of creative workshops held in May and June. The finished animations are available to watch on the JoJo Gnome website at www.jojognome.com 

More Music for May

I had another lovely visit into the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to photograph the hugely talented Internationally renowned violinist and RSNO’s Artist in Residence Randall Goosby  as he performed Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto alongside the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He played so well and his playing style was magnificent for someone so young. After the concert had finished, I was at our local Bowling Club playing guitar in a gig to raise funds for the club. I am afraid my performance could not be said in the same breath but with all my off notes and wrong chords it was still fun.

Walking On Sunshine

We had a lovely sunny day for supporters of the National Autistic Society Scotland, who walked a 5km route around Glasgow Green to celebrate World Autism Acceptance Month. I did this event with them last year when it was chucking it down. Even as the rain came in sideways the smiles kept going.  What a difference a year makes. We had a chilly start, but as the sun burst through it was lovely. The numbers were up because of the good weather. The picture was all the smiling faces as they came into the finish line on the home stretch with the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Big G in the background.

Ship Ahoy

HRH Princess Anne was visiting the TS Queen Mary berthed beside the Glasgow Science Centre. We had a lovely day for the visit and the Princess looked great in her Team GB sunglasses. She was on great form chatting to the sponsors and volunteers. I loved this picture of HRH Princess Royal with Iain Sim, chairman of the Friends of TS Queen Mary on deck as part of her visit as Royal patron. We had fantastic coverage of the visit, it even made the front page of The Herald.

Old Scots Denim

I love history. I was delighted to have my first visit to the Scottish Crannog Centre where I met experimental archaeologist Isobelle Hanby with the piece of woven fabric, which lay buried in the bottom of Loch Tay in Perthshire for nearly 2500 years, naturally preserved by the silty bed. Believed to be the oldest of its kind in Britain and dating back to the early to middle part of the Iron Age, it was found in 1979 when an Iron Age loch dwelling house, known as the Oakbank Crannog, was excavated on Loch Tay. It was thought to be the ancient equivalent of a denim type of material.

Isobelle and her co – experimental archaeologist Maureen Kerr  are pictured  the roundhouse using a warp-weighted loom to recreate the 2/1 twill weave found during the excavation of Oakbank Crannog in 1979 in Loch Tay in Perthshire. 

River City

I do enjoy the Unit Still part of my job. I don’t do a huge amount but I really enjoy what I do. Over the years I have photographed on set with Scots Squad, Princess Mirror Belle, Richard Osmond’s House of Games to name a few. I always fancied getting a go on River City. I have been on set many times working for the Herald & Times on features but never as a unit stills photographer. I was asked along this month to photograph some scenes being filmed. They were all so nice from the guy who signed me in, to the stars of the show. It was pleasure and I was made feel so welcome. As with all  TV studios its all brilliantly lit. My pictures have gone on to be used on the BBC I Player.

Ghost Stories

I am not a fan of being scared. Horror movies are not for me but ghost stories …I don’t mind so much. I met the cast of ‘Ghost Stories’ on the old Victorian stairwell of The Theatre Royal in Glasgow. What a nice friendly bunch they were. I could not imagine anyone of being scared of them until I saw a few clips of the audience reactions on YouTube.

Lets Hear it for the Girls

While not being a natural athlete I am always delighted to meet sports people. I met lots of them at Glasgow Caledonian University Sports Awards Ball at The Hilton Hotel in Glasgow. I got chatting to the tennis team , tennis is a sport I play. The golf team, which I also play but the one sport I started and finished my career at in the space of 20 minutes at school was rugby. I was therefore, so impressed with GCU Women’s Rugby Club, who were winners of the GCU Team of the Year shield. They were a great bunch. The GCU Club of the Year trophy was GCU Men’s Rugby Club and GCU Most Improved Club trophy was GCU Equestrian Club. They were all good fun, although not for the first time I was feeling my age.

BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium at The University of Glasgow

I visit The University of Glasgow many times throughout the year and in my younger years frequented the Queen Margaret Union. I even saw Slade there back in the day but I have never been in the Glasgow University Union. It was called The Men’s Union, probably my College of Building and Printing matriculation card wouldn’t let me in there. Anyway, what a lovely old building. I was in to photograph a the BCS Women Lovelace Colloquium, an annual one day conference for women and non-binary students of Computing and related subjects.  The event started in 2008, and moves around the country. This time it was the University of Glasgow’s turn to host it. What a nice bunch. Lots of scientists and folks who make me wish I had stuck in more at school. It was great to get everyone in for the big group picture in the main hall, which wasn’t the easiest space to light.