2nd September 2026
Today I had a couple of jobs on this morning, which have taken an age to process due to IT Issues continuing - I am having to learn new software to keep on top of things for the moment. Then it was off to the darkroom to process a couple of films out of the Bronica which came out okay. The lightmeter, I think, is slightly over-reading so I will add some compensation and see how the next lot come out. I think they will scan okay, but prints are a bit iffy as it stands.
This print, however, was one I made from a photograph taken earlier in the summer on the big GSW690, and it is the first hand print that I am feeling quite pleased with! The shift to some better quality paper seems to have paid off nicely!
4th September 2026
The end of a fairly quiet week, work wise, ahead of a busy weekend as I head off for a meeting of the Scottish Network of Analogue Photographers (SNAP) tomorrow. The weather is being fairly dramatic, switching between sunshine and downpours… and unfortunately the sun was being un-cooperative regarding it’s position for my planned shoot (which I then remembered I had spotted in the afternoon a couple of days back) so a return for that one is going to be needed.
I took the high road through back into Inverness to pick some stuff up from the darkroom which I had left there, and go for breakfast with Jen post gym, and spotted this lone tree by the roadside. The colours in the landscape are shifting now towards the autumnal hues so it seemed a worthy place to stop for a brief moment.
6th September 2026
I love old cameras, I love film photography - there is something more “real” about proper analogue photography. It is much, much harder to get the results, there is just another level of skill and artistry that are involved with it - and not spending hours in front of a screen is nice. Admitably it switches to hours in the darkroom instead, but it makes a nice change!
This Olympus came into my posession yesterday - and the OM is actually a really, really fundamental part of my journey as a photographer. It wasn’t one I used or owned, it was one I always wanted… but most importantly it was the camera used by my mentor. And now I have one of my own. I am not entirely sure that it is currently fully functioning mind! I am running a test roll through at the moment and may send it in for a CLA and meter adjustment once I see the result.
8th September 2026
I am on a bit of a mission to redefine what “landscape photography” actually is - looking more towards the work of the great classic landscape painters rather than following the crowd that is influenced mostly by clicks, likes and competition judges preferences.
Today has been a fairly relaxed affair though, especially as the weather led to the last of the jobs of the day being abandoned. It was a drone shoot which was just not going to happen as the stormy weather rolled back in after a reasonably bright morning. Still, two down and both were decent jobs so it made for an okay day all in all.
Tomorrow was supposed to be very hectic, but one of the larger properties has postponed until next week which gives me a little more breathing space! Still going to be a busy one… but managably so!
10th September 2026
I am on a bit of a go slow tonight - the work has not yet been edited and it is late… to be honest I have been somewhat distracted by the growing venom of certain sections of the population to the RNLI… to me… we have been told not to wear any crew kit with logos on now.
No.
I don’t agree with this, and I will continue to wear it.
Today I was in another coastal town, Nairn, where I took this photograph outside the property I was shooting! This one is not for the brochure though, this one is for me!
1st September 2026
The month has kicked off and the weather is determined to show me up for insisting that autumn doesn’t start until the equinox in around 3 weeks time. It was a miserable start to the day, I waited for a break in the rain to grab a few drone stills for my one and only job of the day before taking a drenching whilst landing the UAV once done.
On the way back out of Dingwall, however, I spotted a scene that I really liked - quickly pulled into a side road and got wet… again… in order to take this. Which I really like!
An upside of the day, though, was scoring a 150mm Zenza Bronica lens for the 645 film camera, leaving just a 50 and 75 to find.
I also caught up with the invoicing so I am entirely up to date for the moment!
This week, however, is not looking hugely promising work wise. I think the combination of schools back and a Bank Holiday weekend have taken their toll on orders. Next week we should start falling back into a normal routine and so I will see how things progress. On the plus side, I am freed up for a dark room session tomorrow!
3rd September 2026
Today I was over on the Black Isle catching up with a job that has evaded me for a while - it was a “no rush” situation as the property isn’t going on the market for some time yet, but the photographs needed the foliage and that will not be around for too much longer - particularly if we get the stormy autumn that is being forecast.
On the way back I attempted to stop at Channonry Point, but there was a queue for the carpark… so I gave up on that idea… and instead stopped off at Avoch. I love this scene with the old fishing cottages lining the foreshore. The colour was drab, but there was enough atmosphere in the light to lend itself to a black and white rendering. I took a few frames with the Bronica too, this time with some exposure compensation dialled in to see if I can inject some more contrast and depth to the film (currently it is running Formapan 200, an emulsion I haven’t tried yet!)
5th September 2026
Today it was off to Stirling for the SNAP meeting, its a twice a year meet up with other photographers working in analogue formats to chat, share ideas and generally network. It was good to be back in the city for a while too - I lived here for a few years quite some time ago now… and I have very happy and fond memories of the place.
It was a flying visit this time, I think next time we have a meeting which is out of area I may head down the night before and spend a bit of time exploring or re-aquainting (depending where it is) with the camera.
This was, quite literally, the only photograph I took today.
7th August 2026
It has been a day of travelling around again today - off to Portree on the Misty Isle to photograph a croft and, for the first time in an age, it was sunny.
At least, it was sunny for the job. I stopped off to shoot some landscapes and got an absolute soaking, the rain cleared briefly as I reached Eilean Donan (so a second stop was required) before finally making it home tonight.
One of the plus sides of a day like this, other than an impromtu mini adventure, is that it is only a single edit to run! A late return home, but a pretty early finish by my usual standards!
9th September 2026
Today has been a bit of an odd one - the pager went off late last night, which turned into a non-event, fortunately, but when that beeper starts it is all hands on deck.
So today started off on a tired note, then it was off up to Invergordon before heading back to Strathpeffer and Beauly… then home to rescue an unwell child from school which derailed my afternoon plans. Tomorrow I start playing catch up!
11th September 2026
Today I dropped Jen off at the airport in the morning, then home to get the heating system serviced ahead of winter. I need to put my prices up… that cost a lot! Anyway, it hasn’t been looked at since it went it so was probably wise to have it given the once over. They are coming back to fix the house battery too!
So my day has mostly been spent catching up with some bits and bobs and feeling very, very tired. I decided to pop the drone up over Achaidh, an old settlement that sits between my house and Meal Fuar-mhonaidh, the mountain in the background. It is a really special place and somewhere I really need to physically get back to at some stage!
But not today. Today I just want to sleep!