Yew branch, Dundas
February 2025 - Ice, storms and articles
January delivered the full range of winter weather - sun, snow, frost and storms. I sat at home during Storm Eowyn watching a photography presentation by Joe Cornish as the bins were blown over, wooden cold-frames were tossed across the lawn and one of our garden fences was torn down. Yet through the gusts, garden birds still visited the feeders in search of food and energy. One wonders how they are able to fly through the winds when all regional air traffic was suspended; I guess nature has perfected their design over millennia to cope with all challenges laid before them.
The snow was very short-lived in south east Scotland but four consecutive days of frost produced some lovely icicles on the Water of Leith. It is always worth seizing the opportunity whenever such weather occurs as prolonged cold fronts that allow for the build up of ice are not that common. I managed a couple of hours with the camera one morning photographing the ice and the river with satisfying results. Neoprene boots are essential on days like this to keep my feet warm while standing in freezing water to find the best angle. Nothing erodes motivation so fast as cold feet!
I looked to further a mini-project called ‘Winter’s Toll’ with another foray along the Water of Leith. This involves photographing dead foliage against the river. I have found the results surprisingly interesting and very different but I never imagined I’d invest so much time in photographing withered vegetation! Elsewhere, after a few fallow photography days, I searched for a quick image on Dundas estate and was happy enough playing with the branches of yew trees in the woods (see photo above).
I was delighted to have featured in the current edition of Outdoor Photography magazine’s ‘In the spotlight’ feature. I had a wonderful chat with Nick Smith just before Christmas who then put the article together. Nick also writes a monthly piece for the magazine which I am a great fan of; his columns are always filled with wit, humour and, I feel, an underlying message never to take yourself too seriously!
I would also like to thank Edinburgh Photographic Society for giving me such a kind welcome when I gave them a lecture on ‘Wildlife Photography and the Law’ last month. The talk covered aspects such as disturbance, land access, licensing and ethics in order to keep photographers on the right side of the law when in the field; something we should all be cognisant of.
February 2025 - Ice, storms and articles
January delivered the full range of winter weather - sun, snow, frost and storms. I sat at home during Storm Eowyn watching a photography presentation by Joe Cornish as the bins were blown over, wooden cold-frames were tossed across the lawn and one of our garden fences was torn down. Yet through the gusts, garden birds still visited the feeders in search of food and energy. One wonders how they are able to fly through the winds when all regional air traffic was suspended; I guess nature has perfected their design over millennia to cope with all challenges laid before them.
The snow was very short-lived in south east Scotland but four consecutive days of frost produced some lovely icicles on the Water of Leith. It is always worth seizing the opportunity whenever such weather occurs as prolonged cold fronts that allow for the build up of ice are not that common. I managed a couple of hours with the camera one morning photographing the ice and the river with satisfying results. Neoprene boots are essential on days like this to keep my feet warm while standing in freezing water to find the best angle. Nothing erodes motivation so fast as cold feet!
I looked to further a mini-project called ‘Winter’s Toll’ with another foray along the Water of Leith. This involves photographing dead foliage against the river. I have found the results surprisingly interesting and very different but I never imagined I’d invest so much time in photographing withered vegetation! Elsewhere, after a few fallow photography days, I searched for a quick image on Dundas estate and was happy enough playing with the branches of yew trees in the woods (see photo above).
I was delighted to have featured in the current edition of Outdoor Photography magazine’s ‘In the spotlight’ feature. I had a wonderful chat with Nick Smith just before Christmas who then put the article together. Nick also writes a monthly piece for the magazine which I am a great fan of; his columns are always filled with wit, humour and, I feel, an underlying message never to take yourself too seriously!
I would also like to thank Edinburgh Photographic Society for giving me such a kind welcome when I gave them a lecture on ‘Wildlife Photography and the Law’ last month. The talk covered aspects such as disturbance, land access, licensing and ethics in order to keep photographers on the right side of the law when in the field; something we should all be cognisant of.
