Stephan Whitlan

Musician Stephan Whitlan has released a new CD called Triangulation

In the CD sleeve insert he has used a photo I took of him in back in August.

William Neal

During the summer, I took a series of photos for William Neal, an artist based out in Wigtown, SW Scotland. For many years he’s painted landscapes of Galloway, but more recently he’s moved into creating large abstract artworks, full of light, texture and colour, but completely flat and smooth.

He was after some updated portraits and new images of his studio, so I was out there last week clicking away.

Part of his fascinating and varied background includes his association with prog-rock giants, Emerson Lake and Palmer, for whom he created the album covers for 'Tarkus' and 'Pictures at an Exhibition'

As we were coming towards the end of the session he mentioned an idea he’d had for a while about having a photo of him sitting outside at his easel, looking like a typical landscape artist, yet having one of his abstract works in front of him. That sounded like too much fun to miss, so we loaded bits and pieces into his car and went down to the harbour. We may have run well over time, but he did make me some rather nice sandwiches for lunch.

Following his direction with regard to colouring and the addition of a full moon he decided to use this image on the front page of his website:



However, to accompany his latest exhibition, Sylvan Droplet Variation, he also created a CD of music with musician Neil Williams. The Artist's photo he decided to use on the sleeve insert was one I took during the shoot of him holding his cat.



I have lot of fun taking photos, and I have just as much fun editing and playing with them in Photoshop. But the best aspect of this job is meeting people and finding out more about their lives, their passions and their world views.

Photos in DG Life Magazine

“Have you seen the photos yet?” asked Jools when we bumped into her on the street on the way back from collecting Meg’s new glasses from the optician.

“What photos?” Then I remembered. “Have they been published?”

“October’s edition of DG Life. They look good. Better go and get yourself a copy.”

Her voice faded into the distance as I grabbed Meg’s hand and charged off in the direction of the nearest newsagent.

DG Life… DG Life… DG life… “Found it!” said Meg.

And there they were, on page 66 of the October edition



Dumfries and Galloway Life did an article on The Orchard and Wild Harvest Project run by South West Community Woodlands Trust. The project itself is about planting wild fruit and nut trees wherever possible – along cycle and walking routes, school grounds and anywhere else that seems like a possibility (click on the image above for a full sized photo where you can actually read the article if you want).

South West Community Woodlands Trust is based in SW Scotland. Earlier in the year I helped design and build their website, and trained one of the members in how to maintain and update it – see swcwt.org

Jools Cox, who runs SWCWT asked if I would take some photos of children planting trees for the article she knew was being written, promising I would get full credit for any images used. I’d taken scores of images, then whittled them down to the best dozen or so, which I then edited and tidied up before putting them on a disc her. In the end they used 3 of them.

With all that’s been ongoing of late, I’d pretty much forgotten all about it. So it was wonderful to see the all-important, “Photography by Kim Ayres” sitting right there on the page.



They'd even spelled my name right.

Burns Light Festival in Dumfries

January 25th is celebrated in Scotland in honour of Robert Burns the national poet, and this year was the 250th anniversary of The Bard’s birth.

Dumfries, home of Rabbie for the last 5 years or so of his life, decided on a major celebration in the town and announced the Burns Light Festival, which would include thousands of people carrying lanterns through the town, live bands, an address from the First Minister and the burning of a giant willow figure of Tam O’Shanter (the man in the Burn’s tale, not the hat).

For several months, lantern making workshops have been going on across the region. In fact my wife, Maggie, has run about ½ a dozen of them.

Here are Maggie & Meg about to set off on the procession with the lanterns they made



Now for a candle-lit lantern procession, you need 2 things to make your lanterns light up – candles and darkness.

Yet someone, in fact many people, as there were countless committee meetings and, I guess, no decent leadership, decided in their infinite wisdom to have the lantern procession shortly after 3pm.

Even in Scotland at this time of year, the sun doesn’t set before 4.30pm.

Rumour has it they wanted the festivities over early because all the high heid yins had a fancy Burns Supper to go to later in the evening.

Also, about 10 days before the festival, someone (or several committees) decided candles in glass jars in the lanterns was a health and safety risk so thousands of glow-sticks were ordered and distributed. Unfortunately it required about 30 of these pathetic little things to equal the lighting power of one nightlight.

But hell, it was bright daylight so it made no difference anyway.

However, the burning of the willow sculpture on the River Nith, was spectacular, and at least the sun had gone down before it was set alight.

I’ve been following the progress of the sculpture, from the welding of the metal frame, through the layers being built up and the transporting it to the river, so I needed to try and find a decent spot to photograph the final burning.

I did find one, but had to stay there for a good 1½ hours to keep the spot.

For those unfamiliar with the tale of Tam O’Shanter, the sculpture depicts a moment when Tam, on his horse, Meg, is trying to escape the witch who has just grabbed hold of the horse’s tail.

Now, do thy speedy utmost, Meg,
And win the key-stane o' the brig;
There at them thou thy tail may toss,
A running stream they dare na cross.
But ere the key-stane she could make,
The fient a tail she had to shake!
For Nannie, far before the rest,
Hard upon noble Maggie prest,
And flew at Tam wi' furious ettle;
But little wist she Maggie's mettle -
Ae spring brought off her master hale,
But left behind her ain gray tail;
The carlin claught her by the rump,
And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.

For the full Burns' Tales, click here: http://www.robertburns.org.uk/Assets/Poems_Songs/tamoshanter.htm where there’s also a translation for you non-Scots speakers.

Below is the moment Trevor lit the sculpture, but a full set of images from the start of the build through to the final burning of the figure, are available in the gallery on Trevor's site here:

http://www.trevorleat.co.uk/Galleries/burnslight/album/index.htm


Flares go off as it starts