2nd April 2025
Absolutely done in today - yesterday was a long day featuring a LOT of driving (pretty as it may have been) followed by a concert at the boy’s High School (Lachlan on guitar, Hamish on drums and both doing great!) then today has been a small job, shopping, catching up with editing and generally running on fumes.
Just for fun… tomorrow I am back up past Ullapool again!
Anyway… these cows were doing a great impression of a Rock Group lined up for an album cover shoot! So I went with that for today!
Now I just need to try and fix the front page of this website again, get the “best of March” photos up and have a cup of tea.
4th April 2025
The end of term is here - Angus did a storming job on his sponsored walk for school today, but it has left him absolutely finished! He is curled up on the sofa watching movies and has been since we got home at lunch time!
Pretty much sorted out now for my new venture into high end videos - going to do a few practice runs over the next couple of weeks just to iron out any problems... and probably buy the full fat version of Reason Studio whilst I am at it. There may be one more bit of kit still to get as a few potentially interested parties have mentioned it.
Now I just need to pull off some awesome demos and a marketing miracle and we are set to go! In the meantime - a photo from tonight’s test flight out the back of the house!
6th April 2025
The wood anemone (Anemonoides nemorosa) is one of the earliest woodlands flowers to appear in spring, and unfortunately this wee patch is likely to be wiped out tomorrow as it is right by a track that is getting upgraded to improve our access situation until the actual road can be repaired.
Interestingly this is one of the key species to look for when identifying ancient woodlands, something I hadn't known until now!
Anyway, it’s a good photo from the perspective that the change of seasons is a good time to reinvent oneself and push new things forward, which is exactly what I am working towards doing - which has involved a fair investment in new kit, although not quite everything I want yet… mainly as the next stages aren’t currently on the market! But 2 new lenses, 1 new gimbal system and 1 new drone so far… once all is assembled next week there will be some software upgrades to go through and moving from free to paid video editing suites before getting down to some practice shoots and creation of some showreals over the next wee while ready to launch fully hopefully at the end of the month!
Change is good… it’s healthy… and for the first time in ages I feel inspired and motivated to do something awesome!
8th April 2025
The final glimpse of sunset after another stunning spring day in the Highlands.
Been thinking of my big brother today - had some good stuff happen this week and I was reflecting on how "up" he was when such runs of fortune occurred for him.
Happy Birthday Neil, wherever you are. You have been missed lately - so much I would love to tell you about.
10th April 2025
It's not often that I pop a "work" photo up as my "photo a day" project picture... but this one from today I am particularly pleased with... this steel shed is set up with a log burner and large windows looking right out over the firth - the waters edge being about 10 meters from the hut.
I love this whole house, but this shed in particular speaks to me!
12th April 2025
Angus has been enjoying his movie nights with his Mum recently - most nights he comes up and wants to watch something with her, sometimes me… sometimes both of us! I was amazed he managed tonight having spent all day on the beach out near Plockton!
14th April 2025
It has come out rather nice this evening after a bit of a mixed day.
Just a couple of small jobs on today, both renovation projects - Alness and Inverness. Tomorrow is looking like a day off... which means I can perhaps start the office spring clean... and start thinking about how I am going to change how everything is set up whilst I am at it (although this is a longer term project as it will involve storage furniture, taking the sofa bed out and relocating it downstairs (possibly) and probably way more than that!)
Anyway - a birds eye view from Clunemore this evening.
16th April 2025
Today it was a return visit to a property that I shot almost a year ago. It, much to my surprise, hasn't sold... I say to my surprise because it is absolutely stunning... but I did think the agent choice was a little odd for this kind of a place (it includes an area of woodland and a paddock as well as a really quite lovely house.
The owner is recycling my interior shots from last time so today I was just out to fly the drone and add some aerial work into the mix, and whilst it hasn't been the best weather today (cold and grey) the photos managed to come out quite respectable I think.
18th April 2025
Cromarty Lighthouse was built in 1842 to guide ships in to the Cromarty Firth, it is a remarkably squat lighthouse compared to most that we are used to seeing around the coast with the tower topping out at 43 feet high.
The Lighthouse is now automated and the keepers accomodation has been converted into a field centre for the University of Aberdeen.
We may have been doing a wee bit of future fantasty house shopping too.... I do like Cromarty!
In other news… the lurgy seems to be taking hold and I am feeling more rough today than yesterday… and man am I exhausted. Hopefully it will break soon as I have plans! Plus tomorrow is a big Spring Cleaning day!
20th April 2025
Last light of the day over Drumnadrochit.
22nd April 2025
Craig Castle on the Black Isle today - a 16th Century tower house overlooking the Cromarty Firth.
24th April 2025
Busy old day today - things got a bit tight for getting the boys out to Scout’s unfortunately, although on the plus side that did mean I could get down to the Lifeboat station to put in a full training session for a change.
28th April 2025
The lambs are coming thick and fast now and the trees are almost all vivid green again. Spring is certainly well under way in the Highlands now!
Bit of a strange day today - I am not feeling myself… I think I know why, because tomorrow I should be down in the Lakes seeing my Mum for her birthday and because at the weekend we met a lovely old lady who reminded me a lot of her.
Life is cruel sometimes and those who should still be with us are taken too soon.
30th April 2025
That’s the month out with the sika coming to see me this evening.
April last year was a pretty slow month work wise, this year has been a lot busier - this time last year I was still in the finding my way phase with my first direct client though, whilst now I have two regulars onboard and a third just starting up, plus AirBnB coming on stream imminently too. I am hoping I haven’t taken on too much and think I will stick with where I am up to for a little while to see how it rolls through the busy season - if it is all too much then it may be time to jettison the agency work! We shall see though, but certainly looks like exciting times ahead!
Have I achieved what I set out to do yet? Not quite… at least not for me. I wanted to prove to myself, my family and my detractors that I could succeed at a career change to full time photography despite having changed career a few times in the past. To most people this year is probably going to prove the point. To me… not so much. I still have goals to achieve first, but it’s not a bad start!
1st April 2025
What better way to start April than by the sea on a warm, sunny spring day!
3rd April 2025
It’s been a pretty quiet week, other than two trips out beyond Ullapool, and next week is looking bereft of bookings at the moment. I have attempted to shake some out and looks like I have a couple of small jobs and perhaps one bigger one up near Thruso if everything falls right.
Which is a shame as the weather is stunning at the moment!
Today I was sat on Ardmair beach and flew the drone over to Isle Martin for a quick look about. I think an actual trip there may have to be on the cards now!
5th April 2025
A slow start to the Easter Break for us - Angus was a bit under the weather so needed a day just to pause!
That said - I am utterly worn out just now so enjoying a quiet weekend before another busy week of work!
7th April 2025
You asked… and I responded.
Well… some of my clients did anyway. I have had a few ask for drone shoots that fly through the building in a seemless shoot - which is a pretty specialist field, but with more than one asking about it I decided that this is probably something that needs adding to my services as I try and build the videography side of things more. There have been a few boxes of things arrive towards this goal, this was the latest today. Last week there were a couple of lenses and a very fancy gimbal to provide that steadycam type footage.
Onwards and upwards!
26th April 2025
Another day… and another trip to the Black Isle! I suspect that there is a reasonable chance that this is where we will move to eventually, although probably around the corner a little way in Cromarty - but Rosemarkie is rather lovely too. Shame the weather wasn’t on board this time!
Still - we had a nice wander and mess about on the beach with Gordon. Angus built moats and chased the sea whilst Roki chased balls until it was stolen by some seagulls. To finish off the excursion we managed to squeeze in to The Crofters for some frankly stupendous fish and chips.
All in all a grand way to spend a Saturday.
9th April 2025
It is rapidly dawning on me that this is becoming more of a blog than the blog is! To be fair my Photo a Day project has always had that vibe, it becomes a place where I ramble on about what has happened today in life… or in my mind… or something else that crops up along the way along with a photo that may, or may not, bear any relationship to what I am talking about. As is a case in point today!
And what a day today has been - 4 video projects, all short and sweet, three of them are more involved in terms of the shoot and the edit (particularly the edit) so those will probably be rumbling on in the background for a couple more days yet… so all in all it has been a pretty lucrative day! Even with the youngest in tow (paid in cake) we managed to get everything shot (I think) but without much time for anything else, hence the Cockerel for today’s photo!
11th April 2025
It's amazing how little water is heading down the River Coiltie now, considering on Hogmanay it had enough water and enough force to be so destructive.
The first flush of spring green is starting to make it's way up the glen now, it's nice having a bit of colour around again!
It has been a crazy week - the absolute polar opposite of this week last year where the two weeks of the Easter Break were an almost complete wash out in terms of work. This week has been non-stop and next looks quiet, but not too quiet - I think I am out every day up until Friday, even if just for one job a day… and most of them are direct clients rather than agency jobs too.
This month has already been pretty good… and after next week there are still almost 2 weeks left and a new client coming on board on Monday too!
13th April 2025
Today I have been catching up with some outstanding work, as I did yesterday... mainly because I seem to have tweaked my back and walking about the place is "uncomfortable" at best! Next week is going to be a bit of a struggle I think as a result, but I am sure I will muddle on by!
This happens occasionally, it usually starts to improve after a couple of days or so, hopefully tomorrow morning won't be quite so traumatic when I get out of bed and find my legs don't work!
Here is Haggis Cat because he happened to be sunning himself in the window when I went to look!
15th April 2025
I have spent most the morning on calls and sorting out some emails... the afternoon has been tidying the office space so that we have room for visitors... but at lunchtime I had a little time to practice with the FPV drone!
17th April 2025
Loch Ness under a misty mizzle in early Spring looking every bit as mysterious as it's reputation.
I may or may not have a bit of a lurgy going at the moment... there is something going around and I am feeling absolutely exhausted! Managed one property shoot today, one "me" photo and then way too much time editing or falling asleep at my desk whilst editing! Hopefully normal service will resume very, very quickly as I am bored of not firing on all cylinders!
Just glad we have the long Easter weekend now to get some down time!
(Perhaps!)
19th April 2025
Just the chooks today. The lurgy decided to ramp up over night so little sleep and feel terrible today. Tomorrow is another day though so hopefully get stuck into it then.
21st April 2025
Late night in Clunemore.
23rd April 2025
The landscape's transformation is well under way now as green is returning to the glen. It's nice to see the fresh green leaves of spring, winter seems to have been dragging on for the last 5 years....
Today I have been filming - a third bite at getting something that works for a client. Generally this kind of work has been reserved for the massive, very exclusive, properties... but with the way that the world is progressing I am determined to bring it to a wider market... small, unfurnished, flats though seem to be my nemesis! They are tricky to photograph and make look enticing, but with video I have fewer tricks in my bag (or at least.... I currently have fewer tricks in my bag.... but I am working on it!). Fortunately these are ideal properties to actually develop the techniques on as they are empty and available to make return visits to.
Although I don't think I have much more I can film on them now.... I must have about an hours worth of footage for each of them!
25th April 2025
Kilcroy Castle has been on my list for quite some time… today I found myself at a loose end for half an hour right next to it so popped the drone over to finally get a photograph!
All done, along with a couple of jobs, and then home to prepare for the arrival of Gordon and Lilly for a weekend in the Highlands.
27th April 2025
We managed (just!) to get Lilly and Gord back to Inverness and on a train for Edinburgh then spent most of the rest of the day chilling. Roki was most upset that his new goth friends had gone away and sulked for the rest of the day.
Until next time!
29th April 2025
I am feeling a little out of sorts today... probably because it is Mum's birthday to be honest, but also exhaustion and yet no time to stop! I shouldn't complain as I am much happier busy than idle but life just feels relentless at the moment.
Anyway - Bluebells were one of Mum's favourites so I went to find one to photograph (badly) today. I need to go on a mission to find a really good patch to do it properly if and when I get a little time!
