Or perhaps not...

March 30 2010

When I say "we've just emerged from winter", what I should have added was that the emergence was (extremely) temporary! The Highlands has been plunged back into the icy grip, with blizzards raging across northern Scotland.
I managed to battle my way up to a local deer site today - I'll post some images later - but it was tough going with horizontal snow and winds straight out of the north. OK, so I drove up...OK, so someone drove me up...but it was still cold!
Thanks to Graham - you should have taken your camera!

The buck-passing epidemic.

March 27 2010

Apparently we've just emerged from the worst/harshest/coldest winter for at least a billion years. And who was to blame? The council gritter drivers, the BBC weather forecasters, the Chinese industrial revolution, Ant & Dec. It's always someone's fault and do you know what? It's wearing.

Isn't it about time we stopped blaming whoever is the easy target and started taking some responsibility for the ills of society ourselves? Tonight is WWF EARTH HOUR. Switching off our lights for a short while might not change the world but it might just change a few perspectives. It might just change a few cultural mindsets and you never know, it might make us all feel good! It doesn't really matter who is responsible for climate change and the continuing loss of the earth's natural larder, what matters is that we all assume responsibility, stop complaining and take positive action. Go on, give it a go!
http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/about_earth_hour/

CALEDONIA!

March 24 2010

I've mentioned this project on the blog before and things are finally rolling forward. I've had a passion (some may call it an obsession) with native forest for as long as I can remember, so it's very gratifying to be commissioned to produce a book on the subject.
I've asked colleague Niall Benvie to assist with the text - he's far more literate than me for one thing, and restrictions on time mean the book is unlikely to happen any time soon without Niall's input.
We're not quite at the stage of advance orders just yet but of course, I'll let you know as and when!!

Phew...

March 22 2010

I have to be honest - I'm knackered!

Six weeks of almost back to back photo-tours, (very) deep snow, car collisions, heating and water failures...and trying to keep the rest of the business afloat...well let's just say the prospect of a night in front of the TV is appealing! Don't get me wrong, we've had fantastic groups in this year and the weather for the most part has been kind, but I've hardly spoken to my son for what seems like months!

Thank you so much to all 96 tour guests for your good company (and valued custom) in recent weeks. Spring is now officially here - onwards and upwards!

Unfashionable sea eagles.

March 19 2010

I've just left an interesting conversation with incoming workshop guests - good to see you all by the way - where I picked up on one remark. One guest had spent a week last summer in Norway photographing sea eagles. He enjoyed it immensely (as anyone who has been is bound to do) but he returned with shots that "everyone else has done before."

As some photographers increasingly question the worth of following the footsteps of others, a whole new generation of aspiring photographers want to do exactly that. Is there room for both? Of Course and all in between.

I have a constant appetite for originality but the day I get fed up of sea eagle images, is the day I should stop taking pictures.

Big thanks to Alladale!

March 16 2010

Sometimes life is too tough!

Subsequent to my blogpost of March 8, I spent the weekend in absolute luxury, thanks to the kind hospitality of the owner of Alladale Wilderness Reserve in Sutherland. Along with the two WWE competition winners, Janne and Marcus, plus my son Sam, I sunk into the sumptuous surroundings of Ghillies Rest, one of two recently built eco-lodges on Alladale. Top cuisine was shipped into us each day (although I had the onerous task of re-heating it) whilst we got cosy in front of the roaring fire. Oh...and we did a bit of photography too - up close with red deer and the reserve's most efficient habitat managers, the wild boar (which as you can see below, fully merit their status as Dangerous Wild Animals!)

A great weekend and if you're looking for a cosy Highland retreat, you couldn't do much better than Alladale.

Thanks to Paul and his team - I hope we weren't too much trouble!

http://www.alladale.com/staying-at-alladale/accommodation/new-cottages-for-2009.html.

Wild Wonders rolling!

March 15 2010

The first 25,000 copies of the flagship Wild Wonders of Europe book are rolling off the printing presses! The English version is due to be available in May so watch this space...in fact please do watch this space as there's so much going on right now, it'll be all go!

A report on the WWE winners visit to Scotland to follow...

Where to draw the line.

March 12 2010

Several years ago myself and friend Mark Hamblin prepared a photo-tour to Yellowstone which incorporated a visit to a game farm (a place where animals are bred and trained for film and photography modelling). I knew very little of the industry but very quickly discovered some unsavoury facts which lead us to cancel that part of the tour. My own line on wildlife photography has always been drawn very much this side of using game farms.

If you're undecided about the issue, this feature in Audobon Magazine might inform your decision.

http://www.audubonmagazine.org/incite/incite1003.html

A day to remember.

March 10 2010

Good company, weather to die for and just one or two obliging ptarmigan. Body battered, soul soothed.

Welcome to Scotland!

March 8 2010

I'm getting ready to welcome Janne Heimonen from Finland and Marcus Valeur from Norway for a week of wildlife photography in the Scottish Highlands. Janne and Marcus are the overall winners of the Wild Wonders of Europe photo-competition (see link below).

In addition to spending time in the Cairngorms National Park, the winning duo will be afforded the ultimate in hospitality with a visit to Alladale Wilderness Reserve in Sutherland. I'll be posting updates on their progress so watch this space!

http://www.wild-wonders.com/photo_competition_winners_overall.asp