PushPixels

Tiger Tiger stock

2011-09-09T15:14:00.002+01:00

New images on stock site Alamy from a recent editorial shoot for Country Life. The white stately home is Blair Castle and the village Blair Atholl, Perthshire, Scotland.

Sea and Rock

2011-08-18T10:58:00.003+01:00

2 shots recently added to my website.

Updated landing page

2011-08-15T14:33:00.000+01:00

If you happen to head to my website you'll find the landing page has this collage image with each image leading to the relavent web page within the site.
Hopefully this will give a better insight into what I do.

Acoustic Panels by FriendsOfWilson

2011-08-11T22:36:00.003+01:00

FriendsofWilson from Brendan MacNeill on Vimeo.

A short elevator pitch from client FriendsOfWilson. All put together in FCE.

Stills and moving coming closer together as the technology rolls into one.

Tiger Tiger

2011-08-08T19:35:00.003+01:00

An image from a recent shoot here. Shot from a 4 seater Cessna parallel flying to this 1938 Tiger Moth. Originally a trainer at a Perth RAF base this model has never left Scotland.
And remember when cameras were simple devices? Well this aeroplane has a spring loaded wind resistance gauge that measures speed. Altitude is measured by 2 simple pipes mounted on the wing. The simplicity just keeps going on making it very easy to maintain.
Just the kind of brief that makes me realise photography is a great job.

Animals and Children

2011-06-09T12:53:00.022+01:00

W.C. Fields had something to say on the subject along the lines of "don't work with them". Not being the type to take advice I accepted some commissions recently from Country Life to do just that. I wonder what he was on about.

Colour images from WW2 era USA

2011-05-25T10:49:00.072+01:00

One of my fellow members of Pro Imaging posted a link to these fantastic colour, sorry color, shots from WW2 era United States. Shot by Farm Security Administration or Office of War Information photographers on 35mm and larger transparancy film they exhibit not only a great eye for detail but a fantastic understanding of what was then still a very difficult medium to master. See and read more at the International Business Times.

And if you're interested in seeing more of this and other work then head to The Library of Congress where you'll find a vast collection that documents the country from the early days of photography to the modern era. And most is public domain and available for download.

Ola nice attitude!

2010-10-01T19:21:00.001+01:00

Religious Procession. from Brendan MacNeill on Vimeo.
It's not often that I get grabbed by the police. In fact it hasn't happened since the late 70's when I used to shoot demos in London. Those were turbulent days. But recently it happened again. This time in Spain. I was on holidays but taking time off from our R&R to photograph a religious procession with my crappy point and shoot. Stretching and attempting to photograph from the sidelines I was grabbed and dragged into the (now static) procession itself by a policeman. "Do it properly" or some such was uttered in Spanish and I was left to roam and shoot.
And then there was an unfamiliar reaction from all involved. I was actually made to feel welcome. Welcome despite the fact that I was shooting teenagers and even very young children. In fact parents encouraged their children to turn to my camera. What I wouldn't have imagined doing in the UK I was free to do unhindered in Spain.
Ola nice attitude!

Coffee is the new Black?

2010-09-18T12:10:00.000+01:00

They say baking your own bread is the new black. I'd suggest it might actually be networking. In Edinburgh Friday morning at Centotre is where it's all happening with the Edinburgh Coffee Morning. This is informal networking where the only two requirements are that you turn up and buy a coffee. There are no speeches or presentations. And no having to bring in new members. You just come and chat and learn and share.
I've just finished a series of portraits of some of the attendees. Social media and internet geeks, marketing and design professionals, business start ups they're all here. And if you're a Twitterer the hashtag is #EdCM.

Wrap or Run?

2010-07-23T23:18:00.007+01:00

You wrap up or run for it. Either way you're hot!

The PackshotUK side of my work has two new clients on board. Top is a shot for Edinburgh's MarchBrae who have commissioned me to shoot their merchandise for their revamped website.

And running close behind is work for the new NewBalance brochure.

Red not dead.

Food glorious food.

2010-07-22T23:16:00.003+01:00

If you've been to my website today you might be wondering what the added splash item on my homepage is all about.
HospitalityMedia explain that "We provide a digital visual media service specifically to the Hospitality Industry. We offer Stills Photography, Video and Web Design which the client may choose one or a combination of services. We work alongside the client assisting them to fulfill their marketing and business strategy in terms of visual media. We aim for imagery to work in harmony with strategy, enhancing their product or service."
And I'm now shooting for them allowing them to market to the entire UK and Worldwide. Of added interest to them are my interactive panoramas allowing rooms and environments to be explored by viewers online.
Diet. What diet?

Charity starts in the studio.

2010-07-02T22:08:00.000+01:00

- Fancy a portrait or print for your wall? All for charity too? Get one and sponsor me to cycle for charity http://bit.ly/bz6PMP-

That's the tweet I'm posting like mad right now. I've been invited by a client or more accurately a mutual client to join their team and cycle a huge number of miles in the Artemis Highland100 this coming September.

It's all for charity or actually two charities in particular - CHAS and Cancer Research UK.

And to add a little spice to my fund raising I'm including some professional
services where all the fees go directly to the charities.
So I'm offering these prints for sale or if you'd prefer you can come to my studio
for a portrait session.

For details use the link above and head to my sponsorship page.

Gobsmacked 2

2010-06-28T17:05:00.000+01:00

Following up on my earlier blog piece about a magazine wanting an image for nothing......

As I said 'I went about my business..' Well I headed out to the nearby Water of Leith and re-introduced myself to the delights of shooting some personal work. As usual it was a mixed bag as regards results with only two cutting the grade for me, one of which is here (bottom). The other two are from a previous trip to Ardnamurchan.

These 3 and others are to be offered for sale as part of the Artemis Highland 100, a charity fund raising effort in which I'm going to cycle 80 odd kilometres on and off road for CHAS and Cancer Research UK in September. I'll also be offering portrait sessions.
Details soon.

Gobsmacked!

2010-06-25T11:26:00.001+01:00

I've had a short email conservation with an editorial designer whose identity, for obvious reasons, I'll keep as 'ANON'.

ANON:
Hi
Would it be possible for you to supply us with the image attached at
hi-res, we are working on an interiors article for Du¢¢¢¢¢¢ and G••••••••
L∞¢# magazine and [Interior Designer] is mentioned. Obviously we will credit the photograph to yourself.

Thanks

I replied, presuming that no budget was being offered.

ANON:
Yes, sorry no budget, it is a dps by one of our freelance writers and we
source images from various places but would have liked to use that pic
credited to you if possible.

I ignored the email and went about my business.

Anon:
Hi Brendan,

In light of us having no budget for this piece, was your final answer
no?

We would only use it as a one off, with your credit on it and not back
it up to our archive system if that helps towards my case at all......

plus I personally would be eternally grateful as I could stop ploughing
through numerous stock images to find something that comes up to the
same standard!

I replied:
Hi ANON,

Where on my website or anywhere else does it say "FREE"?
This is my business and income. Can I ask if you or any of your colleagues work for nothing? Do you get your gas and electricity for free?

Sorry but in the light of you wanting an easier option than "ploughing
through numerous stock images to find something that comes up to the
same standard" you might just need to pay!

Regards
Brendan MacNeill

ANON:
Ok, thanks anyway..... was a bit cheeky and by no means was I
downgrading anything you do by suggesting you allow us to use your image
but it was only because our writer had directed us to the interior
designer who's images were taken by yourself. I thank you for your time
and will continue with my ploughing.

Have a good weekend.
ANON

Yes you said it - 'CHEEKY'. And being pedantic they're not his images. He has low res versions that I've licensed to him. The images remain mine at all times.

Panoramas

2010-06-11T20:45:00.000+01:00

Just a very quick entry to shout about a new page on my website for panoramas. Each image links to an interactive full screen panorama.(Apologies to iPhone and iPad users but it's Flash based - working on a workround).
Top image is from Jupiter Artland, just west of Edinburgh. Middle is Elm Park in Dublin, a very underoccupied new business park. Bottom is Edinburgh's Conference Square at twilight.

All were shot on a rig that allows the camera body to rotate around the len
nodal point thus avoiding parallax misregistration.
And if you're wondering why the cross projection well it's simply that it's one graphic interpretation of a 180 degree by 360 degree view. Think of folding each of the square portions to form a cube.
To learn more on Interactive panoramas start at Panoramas.dk.

Ta but No to AllMediaScotland.

2010-03-25T14:42:00.000Z

There's something bugging me about AllMediaScotland's new website and their offerings. I've been checking into the site on a regular basis since it's re-launch and have been itching to place an entry in the Talent directory. Itching isn't doing though. The directory now has 8 photographers listed, each paying £20 per year to get there. This compares to a much fuller list in the original iteration of AllMediaScotland where we paid £10 for a years listing.

But the increased charge isn't what's giving me the rash. It's the fact that AllMedia seem to be playing gamekeeper and poacher at the same time. Looking deeper into their site you'll see that they offer the services of an 'award winning team of photographers' to suit all potential clients media needs. Unfortunately there are no photographs on display to illustrate the talent on offer so we must take them on their word. They also offer various design services but again without showing a portfolio from the award winning designers or 'celebrated' magazine designer .

But here's where my rash is coming from. They price this service. For £299+VAT you get 'A photography shoot of up to two hours on location, with all expenses, including travel, included' plus either burning to disk on location (sometimes call Dump and Run) or same day post production. Now I charge a bit more than that. But not too much more, in fact per half day or day my hourly rate is lower. But I'd never offer my day or half day rate to include all travel and expenses included in that figure. Nor to commit to post production for free without first seeing a brief and knowing the nature of what's required. So if the AllMedia photographers were to run up £100 of expenses/travel their initial fee would be the ridiculously low mount of £199 in reality.

Hurrah my itch has gone. Gone because of course AllMediaScotland isn't where I should be listing my services. If someone wants to work for these rates with these offerings then fine. If someone wants to commission them then fine. (Photographers looking for a fees calculator can download one here). No it's not for me because why should I spend money to list myself on a website that's promoting competitors offering what can only be a much reduced service at what seems to be hugely reduced fees? Given today's budget led rather than creative led commissioning will anyone on the list offering an upmarket service stand any chance of getting calls?

In fact all you get for your £20 is a link to your website. That's an expensive bit of SEO. Time to rethink it?

Twitter works? Fancy that!

2010-03-24T10:45:00.002Z

I suspect that if you're reading this 'blog' you might be aware and accepting of the phenomenon of blogging and of Twitter in particular. But in case you're the Thomas in the room here's a little, a very little, story that might illustrate how it can work positively.

In January I was intent on getting to grips with producing interactive panoramas. I'd been dipping my toe in over the previous years but never got to produce a complete virtual tour. So one Saturday I headed to Edinburgh's QuarterMile to shoot a tour around this new 'village'.
During the following week I spent several hours putting two alternate format versions together and happy with the results so far I Tweeted it a couple of times including the QuarterMile hashtag.

The rest of the story is about QuarterMile discovering my Tweets, liking what they saw and seeing it's potential for their marketing, then getting in touch and both of us agreeing a licensing deal and it going online on their website.

Which brings me back to last summer when I asked an online list of photographers if they were using Twitter. Three or four answered instantly in the negative citing how effective face to face networking is. Which of course it is if you can get the appointment .... when you haven't got work on... if they like the look of your website ....... as opposed to the complementary and not mutually exclusive dead quick Tweet that can lead to the face to face.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T11:30:00.001Z

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Poetry on the Rocks?

2010-02-17T13:33:00.001Z

Well yes and no.
Yes poetry was projected onto

the Castle Rock here in Edinburgh. It's all part of 'Carry-A-Poem', a joint venture between Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust, the Scottish Poetry Library and City of Edinburgh public libraries which is happening for the month of February at four locations plus the Castle Rock for St.Valentine's night only.

Poets include Douglas Dunn at Edinburgh Castle where I shot one of three 360º panoramas, Robert Burns on the City Chambers on Cockburn Street, Gael Turnbull on the High Street, Lord Byron and Robert Louis Stevenson.
No poetry isn't dead. Tweets have been whizzing back and forth on Twitter on just this aspect of the poetry. Elsewhere there must be scores if not hundreds more talking about all aspects of the project. Scotland and beyond is clearly in love with poetry.

PS 18th Feb : CarryAPoem have now blogged me. First time I've ever been the subject of a blog at that. Check it out here and leave a comment if you fancy. I'll try to get another couple in the bag over the weekend and add them to my amalgamated page here.

A walk around Edinburgh's QuarterMile

2010-02-05T16:25:00.002Z

Old hospitals never die, they just move away. Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary closed it's doors a few years ago and moved to the idyllic sounding Little France on the outskirts of the city. There it continues it's proud role in the city's health care. Founded by charter in 1736 this is in fact it's second major move with the recently vacated site at Laureston Place being occupied since 1879. See Wikipedia for a fuller history.
Recession or not the site is now being developed as a 'village within Edinburgh' with a mix of residental, recreational and office use. Situated just north of The Meadows and south of the city centre the site will no doubt prove very popular when it's completed over the coming years.
And as the development isn't finished so my 360º Virtual Tour also includes corners that haven't been touched. There are two formats available; Flash or Quicktime. Flash has a slightly lower filesize while Quicktime is higher quality but doesn't seem to like the Firefox Browser. And with Quicktime you should enable 'hotspots' for each scene to see where to click through for the next POV, while it's obvious with Flash.

Sean goes Dutch.

2010-01-24T20:18:00.001Z

I suspect I've blogged this image before but as it's just been sold by Trevillion Images to the Netherlands as a book cover I thought it worthy of another spin.
Shot as a favour for friends visiting from Australia it's been a constant cause of "ahs" and "oohs". At the time of shooting Sean was very concious of his freckles but as soon as I included it on my website and he could show it to his friends he became at ease with his appearance. So some good there.
And once again I'm reminded of the need to think of your images as business assets that over time will realise income for you.
Boring as it may sound and unfashionable as it might be you've got to raise your voice and shout out "long live copyright".

Buzzing

2010-01-15T10:10:00.000Z

Another new addition to my website is this perfect crowd scene. I'll say no more.

Buzzing1 from Brendan MacNeill on Vimeo.

'You'll have had your tea'

2010-01-13T19:17:00.002Z

There's a gag told of the parsimonious nature of Edinburgh's residents.... interrupted unexpectedly one evening a houeholder berates their visitor with 'you'll have your tea then' (tea being any meal taken late in the day).

No such lack of generosity with our hosts on a recent 'Scottish Gems' trip for Delicious magazine. These shots come from our visit to Monachyle Mhor and the Kilberry Inn and have just gone live on the food and hospitality section of my website.
Crisscrossing Scotland from Glasgow via the Trossocks, Argyll and Fife we also visited Glasgow's super-deli Heart Buchanan and The Pot Still with over 500 whiskies, award winning Anstruther Fish Bar and quirky 21212 in Edinburgh which has deservedly just won a Michelin Star.
Rolling home after 3 days and nights of fantastic food and hospitality I had to reflect that perhaps photography ain't too bad a job. When there's work that is.

PackShotUK

2010-01-08T12:59:00.003Z

My friends at Bohemia occasionally get me to shoot some of their products for their online retail business. After one such recent session I was left looking at my studio space wondering when I'd next get to use the still life table. So instead of packing it away I thought I'd leave it up and create a website specifically for this type of work. After all they say diversification is the name of the game.
And today I've launched PackShotUK offering online retailers a competitive, if simple, service that will enhance their websites. But it's not a no frills service as I still provide great level of service and years of experience.
And the projects land on clients desks on time every time.

Happy New Year and burrr!

2010-01-05T14:55:00.001Z

Since we're having a real winter here in Edinburgh for the first time in many many years there seems to be a rush to post a snow scene image. Even the news media are calling for unpaid submissions for their pages and screens. How sad when the once mighty have to put their hand out.

And so I don't come across as the complete curmudgeon I thought I'd post this image of an Edinburgh bus on it's route. Those of you with a penchant for "what camera/exposure/iso" will be pleased to know that it was shot on my iPhone. And I must say it's a first for me as I've never been impressed with it's picture taking qualities. I particularly love the distortion of the buildings. Or is that the 100 year old bendy glass in my window? Bendy glass! Now there's an idea for a Photoshop filter.

Thanks also to my friends at Bohemia and Bohemia Life for reposting my Christmas image.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-20T17:24:00.000Z

Oi Olay! You've got Twiggy banned.

2009-12-16T12:29:00.009Z

It's been on the news and is now doing the rounds of the virtual chatterers and I suspect Olay are lapping it up. One of their print ads has had to be scrapped as they used a little too much photoshop and youthified 60's icon Twiggy. In fact when you see the image at Guardian online you'll wonder how she could have been around in the 60s in the first place!
And YouTube will be happy too as everyone is viewing the various parody movies showing photoshop being used to age people. And if you want to see a beauty re-toucher in action then head to Christy Schuler for a tutorial. I particularly like the enlarged eyes effect. In fact I think it's time I went up to the attic and did some aging on my portrait.

The State of the Photographic Nation.

2009-12-13T12:14:00.003Z

Many years ago, so many in fact it was well before my time, Noel Coward implored a Mrs Worthington to 'Don't put your daughter on the stage'. For him it was a profession full of pitfalls, dangers and vices. He sang the lines ' The profession is overcrowded, And the struggle's pretty tough, And admitting the fact, She's burning to act, That isn't quite enough'. Some, me included, would say the same about photography in the early 21st century.

If I see a blog post I really like I'll tweet a line or two about it on Twitter. I've never before reproduced someone's blog posting directly but today I'm making an exception (with his permission I hasten to add) as I've been touched by Glyn Davies' latest posing as The Anglesey Photo Artist.
One or two circumstances aside, what Glyn has written could have been written by me or maybe any established photographer. Photography is being hit by the double whammy of the global recession and the effects of the rush to become a photographer now that digital technology has opened the door for all. So we have an over-supply of photographers and vanishing markets. Having watched other industries implode I never thought it would happen to photography. Is digital technology is turning out to be a poisoned chalice?
I could go on but he says it so much better. Please read Glyn's posting and then head to his pages and explore his beautiful work and soak up a bit of his passion. A 'bit' I say because there's so much there and with his talent there is certainly more than 'quiet enough'.

Start:

'Is this the last of the light? A sad post.'

Latest seascape image from last weekend. It seems that escaping to see the light for an hour or so each weekend is the only real joy from all of this game at the moment. The gallery is too quiet, loads of compliments but people are really not putting their hands in their pockets these days unless their fingers are cold. The forecast for next year is just as dull and stormy and they promise more people will be out in the cold :-(

The general view of my career running a gallery, is that I am so lucky - taking landscapes, doing photography, surrounding myself with pictures, getting involved with large format printing and seeing my images nicely framed on walls. What they don't see is the damned hard work it all is, the endless hours of image manipulation, archiving, editing, preparing, printing, framing, ordering, sourcing, administrating, dealing with taxation, Custom's & Excise, accounts, PAYE, balancing books, juggling finance, switching suppliers, energy bills, rates, rent, insurances, overheads, renewing and repairing kit, updating software, learning new techniques and applications, troubleshooting, networking and finally getting that time for friends, family and ME time.

In the meantime, photographers are being accused of being terrorists or paedophiles, they are being stopped and questioned under Section 44 of the terrorism act, they dare not photograph many public places, landscapes or street scenes, they are the only ones stopped when photographing performances, even though everyone else will be using mobile phones and videos - and every family in the UK has at least one person who thinks they are as good as the pros and sets up their own website trying to flog A3 prints or play at weddings.

I have less time than ever to get out to do my own thing. I am getting more and more unfit as the business demands it's attention, and more and more mentally wiped by the sheer survival techniques that so many full-time professionals now have to adopt. I compound my problems because I want to stay true to myself and my art. I could easily knock out cheap canvas sunsets and flog off postcard snaps of iconic landmarks using grossly over saturated colours and cheap HDR techniques, but I refuse. There are too many of those sorts of snappers out there and I don't want to join their ranks.

I went into this nearly 30 years ago simply because I loved landscape and sharing my experiences through my photographic eye. My love is as strong as ever, but the public is presented with a bewildering array of over-cooked photographic nonsense. Prices are being constantly devalued by non professionals seeking vanity publication, and the professional image libraries have managed to create a commodity mentality whereby photography is equated with tins of beans, 'pile em high sell em cheap'.

For those of us still working in this profession full time, trying to put food on our kids tables, times have NEVER been so hard for us, nor has the competition from every man and his dog been so great. For those of us who also have integrity about what we do as artists, those who won't prostitute their art, it is even harder. Many of us never saw this profession as a way of making big money, it was an outlet for our creativity whilst living and breathing our subject, totally connected, intrinsic.

As I sit in my gallery on another quiet day, with stunningly beautiful light teasing me outside, I have to reflect on what is happening to me, to the profession, and what has been a way of life for many of us. I look forward to seeing another beautiful sunset but hope that the light of our profession doesn't go out too soon because more and more pros ARE going to the wall.

So if you've always wanted one of my prints or books, and want to beat the VAT increases in January, and help me out in the meantime, now is a very good time to give me a call :-))

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2009
The Anglesey Photo Artist.

End.

St Andrew's Day - step aside Mr Salmond.

2009-11-29T11:16:00.014Z

Well it's traditional to wish everyone all the very best for St Andrew's Day. And may I do so now?
And no doubt by the end of the day we will have had no end of reports of the success of the Homecoming campaign. I'll take the experts' opinion on its monetary and cultural value as I suspect I'll have little access to any data with which to argue one way or the other. But no doubt it's the SNP's White Paper on a proposed independence referendum that will steal all the headlines. Good or bad we'll be chewing it over for the coming months.
And to kick it off can I cheekily offer an outlandish thought? That the Chairman of Harrods, Mr al Fayed, might become the President of a Scottish Republic. He's even got the gear and the throne ready .. so why not?
Shot a few years ago for Scotland on Sunday this portrait is a consistent seller for me and proves the argument that even small creators should retain their copyright and control their IP.

Professional Landscape Photography on Flickr

2009-11-27T15:07:00.013Z

Well I've gone and done it. Yes I've joined that great photo sharing site that lends it's name to so many comic interpretations of male on female lovemaking. And it's Flickr without the 'e'. And why join? To share? Well yes of course (fingers crossed and nose slightly longer). No it's another part of social networking and it's aim of driving people to my website.
And yesterday Glyn Davies set up a Professional Landscape Photography group and invited members of the Association of Photographers, Pro-Imaging and ProDig to join and add to the group.
My contribution is here. Yes it's meagre to say the least so I'll have to get back into shooting outdoors. But if you want to see more or even join then just head here.
PS Glyn also keeps a busy blog, Musings from the Anglesey Photo Artist, here on Blogger. It's well worth a visit.

Art? No sir, Blackpool.

2009-11-23T10:29:00.010Z

Ever wondered what photographers do to amuse ourselves? Personally I like to take to a fast car at Knockhill but unfortunately the holder of the purse strings won't allow that right now. Instead, when I recently had a few quiet days, I took myself off to the fab and famous Blackpool during the Illuminations.
How fab is the place? Well very, if you're into the English seaside experience. Otherwise it's best to let the sun go down to hide the cracks and have the 'luminations' come up to distract.
And if you want to see a bigger choice you could hop to Alamy where I've just posted a small set.

It never rains but it shines.

2009-10-16T22:23:00.008+01:00

Here's a sneak preview of my latest emailer to clients and would be clients due out on Monday... are you on my mailing list?
The rainbow shot came from a 'right place right time' moment. Actually I'd passed by here a day previously to a Turneresque scene of a clearing storm. A good enough image came from that stop but this one capped it by a mile.
But what to place with it? More landscapes or some food? Scallops or venison? None of that was doing it for me until I remembered this portrait of a far north crofter. Yes it's a couple of years old but now works perfectly with the castle and rainbow.
And where is the castle? What am I ... a location service?

Summer song or Going for a song?

2009-09-25T15:43:00.008+01:00

I've haven't been giving this blog much attention of late so to get things rolling again I thought I'd offer you these frames from an editorial job for Conde Nast Traveller for their Room with a View pages. Just simple natural photography. Really? Well yes if you allow for 3 visits to one of the venues and computer time to blend exposures and then lots of time to touch out the builders muck caked on one of the glass windows.
Which brings up an issue I'm having with new clients (not this one)....... make images look natural, simple and easy and carefree and they perceive them as being low budget. Experience counts for nothing. Nor track record.
So when the accounts department next says they have a trainee with a camera I'll reply that I have a stethoscope/calculator/football boots but that doesn't make me a doctor/accountant/David Beckham.
Thanks to the Balmoral, Caledonian and Messoni Hotels.

Rain, rain but not a drop to be had.

2009-07-23T16:54:00.007+01:00

We've had a fair amount of rain in the past few days but like buses and policemen when I was shooting this there just wasn't any.
So what to do? Well shoot the scene in broad daylight, push and pull it in HDR and add the figure from a studio shot.
It's a book cover for Cainnt na Caileige Caillte by Alison Lang, published by The Gaelic Book Council, design by James Hutcheson.
Now if they want bright sunny weather can I do it via the Mac or do I have to go to Spain yet again?

Make mine a ....

2009-07-13T12:15:00.007+01:00

......... Bowmore. And I won't thank you for a small one.
Just hitting the bookshops is this tome on Scotland's other great export that I shot the cover for. Whiskypedia by Charles MacLean is an essential handbook for an up-to-date grasp of the Scotch Whisky industry and it's regional variations. Design by James Hutcheson at Birlinn.
Slainte.

How Long for a Photograph?

2009-06-10T17:04:00.006+01:00

Well 3.07 times 2 for 9 minutes of shutter action. I was on the road once again for RBS Business Sense magazine. This time it was to HJS Helicopters just west of Aberdeen, which is 3 hours and 7 minutes from Edinburgh according to the AA Route Planner. And half an hour after arriving my subject, Sidney Simpson, presented himself. And exactly 9 minutes later (I checked on the metadata) he announced that was enough. No second shot. All over in a flash I suppose.
Still before our second 3 hour and 7 minute leg to Edinburgh we got to see a little of how these helicopters are built. They are basic to say the least and based on a 1950's concept but so meticulously maintained and rebuilt that it would shame even a nearly new car.

Pulling the Shutters down......

2009-06-09T19:04:00.005+01:00

....on an Edinburgh landmark. Well many, me included, feel it's more an eye-sore than landmark and are happy that it'll be rubble soon. Luckily I got 2 hours in there recently and some of the resulting images are now on my website.

June

2009-06-08T13:51:00.009+01:00

On the first of the month I usually post the relevant page from a calendar that I produced at the beginning of the year. Well for this month I was away and didn't have access to that particular file.
Better late than never as they used to say .... but as I'm about to do a bulk email I thought I'd post that image instead as it includes the June calendar image.
So it's a BOGTF rather than a BOGOF.
The portrait is from a series I shot for NHS Grampian through Leith, the healthy fish dish was shot for UrbanAngel and the road shot is from a reccie and is available at Alamy if you're looking to license something "just like that".

Client Vendor relationship

2009-05-28T10:36:00.004+01:00

This video was pointed out to me by Simon Stanmore a fellow member of the AOP. Great stuff. Pity not to pass it on. Thanks Simon.

NHS portraits

2009-05-26T16:51:00.009+01:00

Just gone online on my website are portraits for NHS Grampian through Leith. Shots over 2 days at 6 different locations, including my studio, they illustrate different ways to access the NHS. Run as a door drop and 6 sheet posters.
Production by Angela Moffat, Hair and Make Up by Julie Maguire.

Selling Yourself .....

2009-05-15T12:54:00.002+01:00

.....too cheaply.

Great Rant.....

2009-05-15T11:07:00.004+01:00

.....that I totally agree with. Now imagine that photographers didn't just give it away.

MAY and it's Salad Days

2009-05-01T13:23:00.005+01:00

Well here in Scotland it's not exactly high summer or even spring for that matter. But we live in hope. And don't we need to boost that immune system?

"If you sell yourself cheap......

2009-04-03T17:05:00.005+01:00

....you will never get out of that hole".
Great American Society of Media Photographers interview video with several members on negotiating with clients. And there's tons of other information and advice there too.
Also don't forget Copyright for Clients from the AOP.
Oh how I love laying it out upfront.

Photoshoot at the Chancellor's Highland Retreat.

2009-04-01T00:01:00.006+01:00

Coming soon to a magazine near you is my photoshoot at Chancellor Alistair Darling's Highland retreat. Please email me if you'd like to see an extended preview.

Lens Production.

2009-03-23T09:15:00.003Z

Ever wondered how that lens was made? Well then take a look at this YouTube video and understand why they cost so much. Thanks to Philip Chudy on the AOP list for pointing it out.

Shorpy Photo Archive

2009-03-11T21:04:00.002Z

Another website, or blog to be precise, that I really like is Shorpy. It is as they say 'a vintage photography blog featuring thousands of high-definition images from the 1850s to 1950s. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago.' Take a tour through it. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Blog Feed.

2009-03-07T10:53:00.012Z

Those who have visited PushPixels before will already know that I have a sidebar with a small list of blogs that I follow. With two or three exceptions they are photography related.
But I've never known if any of my visitors ever go there and click through to any of them. So in an effort to push you that way I thought I'd start an irregular summery of the past week's content in some of them.
This was all prompted bescause Conscientious covered Joel Sternfeld's new landscape book Oxbow Archive (pictured). Also mentioned is Adam Bartos on his Yard Sale photographs, Lisa Wiseman who was selected for 'PDN's 30 for 2009' and who has a great page on the iPhone as the New Polaroid, there's a pointer to an article in Frieze on the Art World in the Credit Crunch and another to the work of Finnish photographer Ismo Holtto. And there's also reference to a building collapse in Cologne where there's a subway tunnel being built by the very same people building out tram line here in Edinburgh. Which explains a lot.

Glyn Davies at Musings from the Anglesey Photo Artist tells of his interview for a Welsh Language Arts tv programme, individual prints selling and news of a print sale with lots of great photography including this shot.

Mrs Deane has a review of the work of Prix HSBC pour la Photographie winner Matthieu Guafso, muses on change, moving on and ruins and a piece on 2 found postcards one of which has very sinister overtones. Or does it?

Meanwhile LensCulture has a review of Look Me in the Eyes:Russian Photographic Portraits happening in Paris, the World Press Photo 2009 awards and a story on how the residents of a Kenyan slum are mounting photographs on their roofs big enough for Google Earth to see. And this site has a vast archive of photography to view and buy too.
And The Strobist has.... well tutorials and kit stories and .... well go there if you're after a How To? or 2.
And what of the non photographic blogs? Well my friends at Bohemia Life have kids clothes from Phister and Philine (which is a slightly odd name to choose if I may say so), The Little Experience Craft kits for Kids and lots and lots more for body and home including my nudes. Tom Morton at Beetcroft moans about ITV's Red Riding. I agreed with some of what he says about set design but I've sympathy with the designers who can't find all the necessary 60's tat as its all been chucked save for the really high end stuff. And that wasn't required in that film was it? But I thoroughly enjoyed the episode with the exception of the sound quality. Or is it my tv set? Or even my hearing? And finally my friend Mike Coulter at DigitalAgency relates a story on crap iPhone customer service from O2. How much longer will Apple allow this monopoly to exist? Great device. Pity about O2's grasp of our nuts.

Ahoy there! New Website!

2009-03-04T17:13:00.003Z

ALL or At Long Last I've finished my promised re-building of my website. I've expanded it into a simplified format with 4 "Books" and "Info" and "T&Cs" pages. And rather than talk too much about it here I'd like you to go visit it HERE.

Hope you like it (and do please report any errors).

MARCH

2009-03-01T14:17:00.002Z

March is here and it's time for some DIY. Also look out for my updated website later in the week.

Twitter Part 3.

2009-02-25T17:12:00.004Z

One Phil Adams (of Blonde) and family are now proud owners of one of my Shadow Nudes. Phil won the print in the raffle run as part of the recent Twestival here in Edinburgh which raised £3500 for CHARITY:WATER. Enjoy it Phil.
The total raised from the Global Twestival stands at $250,000 USD on 18 February 2009 - confirmation from over 80 cities is still pending. Not bad for something conceived and delivered in just one month.
And what's this? A photographers blog page without a photo? That's a first.

Twitter or Twestival part 1

2009-02-06T10:29:00.001Z

You'll have been stuck in a jungle somewhere or you'll have heard of TWITTER. It's one of the simplest and greatest of the Social Networking devices currently available. And at less than 3 years old it is having it's first global festival or TWESTIVAL next Thursday, 12th Feb, 2009. Moving from the virtual to the real, faces behind the avatars will meet and greet in person at over 175 different venues throughout the world and all in aid of CHARITY:WATER.
In Edinburgh it's happening at 19:00 at Hawke and Hunter, 12 Picardy Place, Edinburgh EH1 3JT.
And one part of the evening is an auction that I've been persuaded to contribute to. So if you want a print from my Shadow series (normally £150 at Bohemia, Dundas Street, Edinburgh) get on down there.
(Further images and info on next post).

Twitter or Twestival part 2

2009-02-06T10:13:00.005Z

Here's what Bohemia Design have to say about me and the images:
This series of archival quality limited edition prints are made on a heavyweight watercolour paper with natural pigment inks.
An elegant play of light, form & shadow in gorgeous rich tones describe the enduring mystery of the female figure.

Brendan MacNeill is a graduate of London Central Polytechnic & now works from his studio based in Leith, Edinburgh.
With a portfolio of portraits which include David Bailey, Terence Conran, Mohammed al Fayed, Jimmy Boyle, Hugh Collins, Carol Smillie & Murial Gray, MacNeill's photographic skills are in constant demand. He shoots for a wide range of clients across the editorial & design industries.

Limited Edition of 25 copies

Image size: 53cm x38cm
Paper size: 61cm x 43cm

Supplied unframed

Printer's darkrooms

2009-02-04T09:00:00.007Z

The digital revolution has certainly given us all a huge degree of added freedom along with a bigger and more complex workload. And just as the hot metal boys disappeared from Fleet Street (and Albion Street if you're going all Weegee) in favour of digital type setting, so too the darkroom giants are fast disappearing.
And to document these usually unseen working spaces Richard Nicholson has managed to gain access to many of the unique and personal spaces of top London printers to produce 'Last One Out, Please Turn On The Light'. Worth a look if you've too young to have been in one or you want to invoke the smell of hypo again. Featured here is Debbie Sears enlarger at Metro in Clerkenwell. And no that's not an early AppleMac.
And talking of another Weegee... he worked in 30's and 40's New York shooting crime scenes and victims and the dead. Frequently arriving before even the police (he had permission to listen in on their frequency) he shot fast with a handheld 5x4 inch camera and processed the film in his car as he drove back to the paper. Who needs digital?
Thanks again to JM Colberg at Conscientious - always available on the sidebar.

Remembering summer

2009-02-03T17:23:00.004Z

Sitting in a drafty studio I started to dream of summer. And to remind myself of what I'd shot when I last wore a pair of shorts I hit Apple+F and found these timelapse movies. All a little over crunched by Bloggers processing they nevertheless make me yearn for a bit of heat. And the forecast? More snow!

FEBRUARY

2009-02-01T00:01:00.001Z

That's January gone then!

Test

2009-01-27T15:58:00.002Z

Tomas from the Stolen Agency. Sometimes simplicity counts.

Working for the Company Store

2009-01-19T22:43:00.007Z

Well RBS actually. This was shot for a customer profile for RBS Business Sense magazine. The location was the Hub at Glentress near Peebles where Tracy and Emma run an amazing set up of forest trails, bike shop, cafe and bike wash. Well worth a visit if you're thinking of getting into off-road cycling.
Wonder if I can get a discount on my banking charges?

Interactive Panoramas

2009-01-12T17:47:00.005Z

Early days yet..... Over the break I was shooting and putting some QTVRs together. See them here (will open in a full screen browser) GlenCoe, Cramond and Leamington Lift Bridge. As you see I've still one or two issues to work through. Look out for linked tours in the future. Quicktime required..... download it here.

Polaroid SX-70

2009-01-04T22:17:00.006Z

Changed days according to the Lens Culture blog as apparently Polaroid cease production of instant film products this month. And thanks to them for unearthing this wonderful promotional film on the legendary SX-70 camera.. think Bowie's Camera in The Man Who Fell To Earth. Having viewed the corporate promo Lens Culture asked what's missing with current advertising. Admittedly it's from a bygone era but I'm left wondering how such a relentingly optimistic piece could ever be made these days.
The still is my take on the system.

It's 2009!

2009-01-01T11:57:00.004Z

Happy New Year. Enlarge image.

Turkeys

2008-12-22T09:49:00.004Z

Christmas in the UK churns up all sorts of music industry oddities. And this year is no exception with the talent contest winner's version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Thankfully the song is strong enough to survive this attempt on it's destruction. And what of all the other versions? Well my favourite was the live version as seen and heard and performed by himself at Edinburgh Castle in June.
But the alltime great Christmas song has to be The Pogues Fairytale of New York. I found this version on YouTube. Shot in Black and White it's got a gritty noirish feel that compliments the near dereliction of the characters and their situation. One can't help but feel that someone from eastern Europe could be writing a modern version set in London. And who's that playing the copper in the opening scene?
And if you're fed up of writing cards and stuffing your face you could shoot a few turkeys here. Or if you're a vegetarian or guns ain't your thing you could hurl the fat red man here. Beat my 330 meters anyone?
Have a good yule.

New Year

2008-12-19T17:47:00.004Z

With the year fast drawing to a close one of my last tasks was the creation of a 2009 calendar. I've included my favourite shots from the year plus one or two with lasting appeal. It's a CD case format and alas a very short run. Please let me know if you'd like one.

Christmas Ba Hum Bug

2008-12-15T15:25:00.005Z

According to yesterday's Observer we are very much in 'thrift' mode. And how appropriate that Douglas at z360.com sent me this little ditty by Paddy Roberts from 1962. More 'post rationing' than Ba HumBug perhaps it never the less hits a spot.
(Opens in a new window. And if any one can tell me how Blogspot accepts .mp3 and .mov files I'd be very appreciative).

Carol Coulter Framing

2008-12-14T12:39:00.009Z

Thursday, 11th December, saw the hanging of my 'Shadow' series of nude images at Bohemia, 31 Dundas Street, Edinburgh. It was also the occasion for their shop warming and Christmas shopping evening. And a grand time was had by all.
Picture framing was by Carol Coulter Framing. She wins my (and others) praise for her beautiful work which so wonderfully enhanced the images and brought them to life. Thanks Carol.
The prints are available online or instore, framed or unframed, A2 in size. Editioned at 25 each.
Thanks to Mike Coulter for the pixs.

Your Party Invite

2008-12-06T14:04:00.001Z

Enlarge

New Town Nudes

2008-11-28T15:59:00.014Z

Edinburgh's New Town that is.
My friends at Bohemia are about to add to their stock lines by selling original art. And they've asked me to kick it off by reinterpreting a series of 8 nudes (6 shown here) that I shot a little while ago. Sized at A2 and editioned at 25 each these are on sale at their Dundas Street, Edinburgh shop and also online. Printed on heavyweight archival art paper and framed by Carol Coulter Framing.

Smoked Salmon

2008-11-28T15:41:00.006Z

I don't get to Aberdeen that often so when I was asked to head there for Waitrose Food Illustrated I jumped at the chance. And what a welcome we got at John Ross Jr. Their smokehouse is a listed building and the fish sides are smoked for a minimum of two days depending on the weather, temperature and humidity producing what I can only describe as the best smoked salmon that I've tasted in a long time.
It's all in Food Illustrated this December with words by Sue Lawrence.

Freud on Titian

2008-11-26T09:58:00.004Z

Interesting report here from C4 on a Lucian Freud visit to view Titian's 'Diana and Actaeon'. Much in contrast to recent opinion pieces wondering if the appeal to save these masterpieces isn't at the expense of support for our contemporary grass roots arts scene. Now what's that rhyme about Titian up a ladder? Thanks to Conscientious.

It Support

2008-11-20T20:52:00.006Z

I was shown this by another photographer on the Pro Imaging list and immediately thought of the gap between my perception of technology and that of my kids. And do you know YouTube used to be a derogatory remark here in Scotland?

Urban Angel

2008-11-20T15:06:00.003Z

There's some new food photography coming soon to the Urban Angel website shot by yours truly. According to their mission statement 'urbanangel was created in 2004 to provide hungry city dwellers with the freshest, tastiest food possible. we love food and believe this means sourcing the best natural ingredients and paying a fair price to all of our suppliers. our customers can have confidence that we only use best local, organic, free-range and fairly traded produce available.' Branches at Hanover Street and Forth Street, Edinburgh.
And yes I did get to taste it all. For research purposes of course.
Still not hungry?

Evernote

2008-11-14T10:32:00.006Z

Friday Coffee Morning and .... Ever wish you could just point your iPhone and capture a scene and it would be waiting for you when you next sat at your computer? Or an idea comes to you when you're on the top deck of the No10 and you want to save it to all the computers you access? You can now with Evernote. Shoot and save and your Text Note or Snapshot Note or Voice Note or Saved Photo Note will be stored on the Evernote server which you can access via a web browser. And it will even store the GPS details of where the note was created. Clever and free up to 40MB per month. And thanks to Mike Coulter at DigitalAgency for that.

Shot Up North

2008-11-08T13:55:00.005Z

Shot Up North champions the non-London photographic industries here in the UK. Their annual competition was won by Robert Pogson from Scotland (correct me if I'm wrong here). The top 50 images can be seen here.
Nice one Rob.

Woman's nightmare wins prize

2008-11-08T13:38:00.003Z

Lottie Davis has won this year's National Portrait Gallery Taylor Wessing Photo portrait Prize with a portrait illustrating a woman's nightmare about having quints. See the prize winning shots here and the finalists here.

DIY

2008-11-06T08:55:00.004Z

I shot another story in Homes and Interiors Scotland, issue 62. Well 2 stories in fact. First off was a Sampler set (selected by Caroline Phipps-Urch) on wallpapers which we shot in an Edinburgh property that's very much in need of TLC. In fact the property is for sale through Rettie&Co so once you've created your perfect New Town home you could turn to the second Sampler story (selected by Gillian Welsh) and buy some cutlery.

LOOK AT ME

2008-11-05T17:04:00.004Z

I came across this great site today and was struck by how much photography and particularly personal/family record shots have changed since the demise of film.

Duddingston House

2008-11-05T09:14:00.000Z

Oh if only I was a young medallion clad dashing fashion snapper! (Notice please I didn't mention 'good looks' as these are still with me). Why? Because I've been and photographed what must be one of Scotland's most cutting edge but sexy re-inventions of a neo-classic Grecian mansion. Described in Homes and Interiors, Scotland (writer Emma Leask) as having an 'Alice in Wonderland' feel this is where the late Helmut Newton would have shot nudes if he were still with us. And indeed there are nudes by Vanessa Beecroft installed there within the fabric of the restored columns and plasterwork.

Again contact me to see the full set and buy Homes and Interiors, Scotland, issue 62 for the full story.

West Coast retreat

2008-11-04T09:17:00.007Z

Published in Homes and Interiors, Scotland (writer Jan Patience) is this story on a West Coast retreat that I shot in September. I was flown out to LA....... (I wish). Actually it's in Roshven, near Fort William, here in Scotland. Built by Helen Lucas Architects in collaboration with Malcolm Fraser Architects as a family retreat. It's caused lots of excitement and Helen is now working on several similar projects in the area.

Contact me to see the full set of images and buy the magazine for the story.

Great Panorama maker

2008-11-03T10:42:00.000Z

Having just viewed Douglas Cape's pano for Seizure again I realize it may seem slightly esoteric to some of you. It certainly does for me. That's the featured art I mean. Douglas's work is much more accessible. See it here.

New Show Cards

2008-11-03T09:38:00.000Z

Some of you may have already received one of these. If not and you fancy one or all please email me and I'll get them to you.

'Fish and Chips' was shot for Waitrose Food Illustrated, 'Dinner Lady' for East Lothian Council through MortonWard Design and 'Freemasons Hall' for Homes and Interiors Scotland. 'Old Boiler' is from a short series shot in a one hour period in a disused factory. More of that shoot later.

Interactive panos

2008-11-02T15:05:00.000Z

Here's an email sent by my friend Douglas:

Hi Y'all

Latest Panoramic Tour!
"In SEIZURE, Roger Hiorns' most ambitious work to date, the artist precipitates an unexpected sculptural form within the fabric of a housing estate near London Bridge. SEIZURE continues Artangel's long tradition of transforming urban housing into large-scale immersive works of art."

Flash version (requires Flash 9, Broadband and a recent computer) on the front page of z360.com or directly at this URL:

http://www.z360.com/full/flashfull/seizure.htm

Hope you enjoy the blue show,
Yours Douglas