“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 I missed my frisbee throwing but it has been replaced by tennis and golf!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.

Time For Tea

I met Dr Lindsay Middleton, food historian and Knowledge Exchange Associate at the University of Glasgow  in the Salon du Luxe in the Mackintosh at the Willow tea rooms, which played host to this year’s Scottish Food Heritage Symposium that looks at tea and its relationship to Glasgow and Scotland. In Glasgow tea rooms were established in the late 19^th and early 20^th century as the city’s growing temperance movement took hold and offered an alternative to the pub drinking culture. This shift of focus offered women spaces to meet their friends and also transformed tea from a luxury for the rich to a pleasure accessible to ordinary people. 

Creative Hangouts

I love seeing youngsters enjoying painting. It’s such a creative thing. Creative Hangouts founder by Kayleigh McGuinness had four young artists demonstrating to me how their work is produced in the magnificent setting of The Briggait in Glasgow. Creative Hangouts ‘Our Big Show’ was on at The Briggait on the last weekend in March. Hundreds of unique artworks were on display created by her young people, including alive performance by the youngsters producing huge works of art. Kayleigh has worked with over 400 children across Glasgow and East Renfrewshire.

National Walking Day for Mary’s Meals

A trip to Pollok Park to meet TV star Jean Johansson was one of my favourite assignments this month. I have photographed Jean many times in the past .The last time was when she guested in Scots Squad TV show. This time Jean was encouraging people to put their best foot forward for Mary’s Meals ‘Move For Meals’ initiative. The Place in the Sun presenter teamed up with charity Mary’s Meals to get Scots to take on a sponsored walk and raise money to feed hungry children. Jean was saying her favourite walk was in Largs. When I was I lived in Johnstone it was a favourite of mine too.

Glasgow Taxi Cup Winners

March is always Glasgow Taxi Cup time. It is a fab event with over 700 students participating across 17+ different sporting disciplines including athletics, badminton, hockey and netball in a day of intense competition before coming to a conclusion at Scotstoun Sports Campus. University of Strathclyde were crowned winners with Anna Edvaldsson, Vice President Sport and Wellbeing with some of her team holding the trophy aloft. 

The fans were so delighted at the win. Their cheering was deafening

A Cool Dram

I started March with a cup  of tea and I will finish with a wee dram. I met Scottish Entrepreneurs Jason Haggerty and Anton Peters founders of Necropolis Spirits, the Scottish-based spirits company. They were launching their latest product, The Merchants’ Select whisky, marking a bold new chapter in the whisky industry. They have a commitment to inclusivity, education, and cutting-edge technology and aim to make whisky more approachable for everyone, regardless of experience or background. We did the photoshoot with the cool background of the Glasgow Necropolis. I am just glad we didn’t do it at night. I would have needed a couple of drams to steady my nerves. 

A Year in Pictures from 2024

2024 was another fabulous year taking photographs. Here are some of my highlights. There were more but I ran out of music. I feel so privileged to do something I love as a job. Here is to more fun, fab photographs in 2025.

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.

Glasgow Is Glowing

I am a fan of Halloween, although I was never one for going out ‘Trick or Treating’ or guising as we used to call it. I am also not a fan of horror or scary movies. However, I do like a light show. This years GlasGlow at the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow was certainly a magnificent sight for sore eyes. With all the dull grey weather around a bit of colour, light and sound was just the tonic. I can’t believe that is now seven years the event has been going for. Since its launch over 750,000 have visited.

I loved seeing the Kibble Palace, that I used to visit daily when I lived across the road, looking like something I have never seen before.  The scary clowns at Clowntown did make me look twice though.

Coffee Tequila Instead Of My Usual Latté

I like a dram but its usually a traditional whisky, perhaps going really out there with a gin. I have even, in my youth, had a tequila usually as a slammer at the Art School bar. However I got to try a more refined Coffee Tequila. 

I met Stewart Weir and Adam Alzadjally with their new Coffee Tequila Jalisgow at their Glasgow base. It has a lovely warming scent. I did learn a bit too. The coffee infused tequila crafted by the experts at The Hacienda, Casa Reyes D’Barjas, situated in the town of tequila in Mexico, which is the second oldest tequila distillery in the world.

Christmas In Space

I did love the Planetarium. Its fab if you like learning about the stars and seeing space like never before. It also does the amazing Pink Floyd Fulldome experiences for Dark Side of The Moon and Wish You were Here. I was in the planetarium to meet Santa with Éirinn, a Science Learning Coordinator, as the Glasgow Science Centre launched its magical programme of Winter events. Christmas can never come too early.

Music To My Ears

One of my favourite assignments to come up at this time of year is the BBC Young Traditional Musician semi finals. Hosted by Joy Dunlop, twelve super talented musicians perform at BBC Pacific Quay. My job is to take a studio portrait and then some performance pictures. My favourite part are the performances. It really  puts my guitar strumming firmly in its place. You can see the competition  on the BBC I Player.