Held Over

Ascension, originally uploaded by sasseymills.

As previously mentioned I had my first ever photography exhibition and the most fabulous Biblio Cafe in Glasgow (the corner of Woodlands Road and Woodlands Drive).

I was showing for the entire month of March. But then as fate would have it the April artist cancelled so I got an extra month out of the deal. Now I find the May artist can't set up until May 7th.

So for those that were meaning to get down and check it out, you've still got time :)

Christmas is only 238 days away after all. Support an artist, buy a print.

Ok enough grovelling, back to your regular schedule program.

Discovering the city - Edinburgh

This is a Saturday Walkabout from a few weeks ago. The main difference with my move to Edinburgh compared to my move to Glasgow is I've not had as much time & opportunity to get to know the city. When I moved to Glasgow in 2006 I was unemployed for 2 months waiting form my work contract to get sorted out. So that gave me lots of time to set foot out the door each day and decide if I would go left or right and just wander.

Moving to Edinburgh was the complete opposite experience as I dumped my stuff in my newly rented flat, headed back to Glasgow, hosted my parents for Christmas, took a holiday to Portugal (in which we missed our return flight home) and then when I did get back I started work right away. Oh ya, and it was winter.

Now the days are longer, the weather not quite as miserable and I've got the weekends to get out there and explore. On this particular wander I set out to discover Stockbridge.

Today (Saturday) is brought to you by the colour red

It was a very grey day when I was getting ready to head out the door. So grey that I almost didn't take my camera. I find Edinburgh extremely hard to take photos of when the clouds roll in. The buildings are grey stone and black so not much going on in terms of a colour palate.

Went to the National Gallery of Scotland to check out the big Turner Exhibit. They'd laid new lawn in Princes Street Gardens and with the trees sprouting new leaves it had a very green vibe going on.

However, there seemed to be an awful lot of red in the area. Something was afoot...











A little pre drumming pep talk and warm up. There was lots of wiggling going on too but that doesn't really translate well in this shot.



Just after I took that shot a guy (also with a camera) walked over to me and we had a bit of a chat. He wasn't an observer like me, he was with the group and handed me a flyer on an upcoming event they were going to be participating in up on Calton Hill . In checking out the website I'm thinking these are the Red Beastie Drummers.

And so it begins

Wasn't expecting the dancers.

About that wedding

I mentioned a while back that I had shot my first wedding. Something I swore I would never do. I'm not trying to be one of 'those' photographers. I'm not into doing portraits. I prefer to photograph strange things like abandoned chairs, elevetor shafts in art gallerys and my sneakers.

But they asked so nicely.

The challenge for me was going to be shooting what I want vs what I think they will want. But then the whole point of asking me to do this was because they liked the way I see things through my camera.

I tossed and turned the week leading up to this. I was really worried that the day was going to be a disaster, that something would go horribly wrong.

However, I think things went pretty well. These are some of my favorite shots from the day.

Portobello

Last Sunday afternoon I was out and about with the Edinburgh Flickr gang in Portobello. I'd never been there before and any excuse to hang out with some fellow camera geeks is always a fun way to spend a day.

There is a lovely long beach with a promenade the length of it. It wasn't exactly sunbathing weather that day. In fact it was BLOODY COLD and the ever present wind was blowing as it always does.

Fun was had by all.















Nice kitty.

The Wedding

This past Saturday I photographed a wedding. I've never done anything like that before and to be honest I tried to talk the couple out of getting me to do it. I mean I don't take people pictures. But they weren't having any of it and insisted. So I gave it the old college try.

I can't show you any of the shots just yet as the couple gets to see them first and they are currently on their honeymoon. I'm mostly happy with the outcome and am down right proud of a few shots. But as expected there were a few clunkers as well. I've only had my DSLR since Christmas so I'm still figuring it all out.

It was a spectacular day though, blue sky, daffodils everywhere and the location was on the shore of Loch Lomand.

Nice

So I'm busy at the moment sorting through the 241 shots I took trying to figure out what stays what goes and what needs editing. As of this evening I've only got 145 more shots to do and 4 days to do them.

My brain hurts.

Saturday Walkabout

ya ya ya I know, I know...

Life just kind of got in the way. But I'll be home this weekend. Nothing planned, no where to go, nothing to do. I'll get around to updating you on my life then k?

Until then, say cheese :)



Oh right and if you find yourself in Glasgow at any point this month (i.e. March) head on down to the Biblio Cafe, grab yourself a steamin' coffee and go upstairs to see my exhibition.



That wasn't too obvious a plug was it?

A Penny Dreadful

Sitting on my sofa just reading my emails not even thinking of dinner yet as I'm just not hungry. My mobile goes off and it's L from work.

You said you weren't doing anything tonight right?

Yup - that's the plan, a whole lotta nothin'

We've got a spare theatre ticket tonight, it's only a fiver, no idea what it is, want to join us?

Sure

Be there in about 10 minutes (she just lives around the corner from me).

The show was 'The Mystery of Irma Vemp' and was at the Royal Lyceum Theatre. It was a nice bit of fun.. A very camp show consisting of two men playing all the parts so of course there was some cross dressing involved. The cheap tickets were part of the First Fridays deal, kind of like a dress rehearsal I guess. No assigned seating so you need to arrive early. But this is the theatre, no stampedes as everyone queued as they tend to do here in the UK.

At intermission the ushers come down to the audience to sell mini-tubs of Haagen Daz ice-cream which I found really strange, but it seemed immensely popular. Why ice-cream at the theatre?

Speaking of the theatre, it's very nice.

After the show we walked home going around the back part of the castle and up into the old town. I found it funny that as we crossed onto the street at the foot of the castle there was a big sign pointing towards it that said...

<-Castle

I must go back during the daylight and take a picture. Makes me wonder how many tourists have stood with their back to the sign, underneath this massive looming presence and said to their spouse 'I wonder where the castle is'.

Took this shot as we walked up the hill just before connecting up with the Royal Mile.

It was a good night.

Dare I speak the word that is... spring?

If I jinx it by doing this then so be it, but gosh it feels like spring :)

I wake up in the morning and the sun is starting to poke its head in the sky as I make my breakfast. I'm no longer walking home in the pitch black. No more do my pajamas consist of flannel layered over a t-shirt, socks and topped with a hooded sweatshirt, and I am no longer sleeping curled up in a tight little ball shivering. I even reduced the number of hours the boiler is on for.

I can hear the birds twittering out my bedroom window as I type this.

Yes I think spring is just around the corner.