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Urban and street photography news and essays

DMC Live Showcase | Dumfries Music Conference 2016

DMC Live Showcase | Dumfries Music Conference 2016

DMC Live Showcase at the Stove was the final event of the packed Dumfries Music Conference 2016 programme. Zoe Bestel appeared singing her spell-binding poignant melodies. Indigo Velvet treated Dumfries and Galloway music lovers with their indie mix of Africal inspired “tropical pop”. The local band Brat and the Bonemen…

Radio DMC | Dumfries Music Conference 2016

Radio DMC | Dumfries Music Conference 2016

Dumfries Music Conference has turned into one of the main music industry events for young Dumfries and Galloway performers, with workshops, live music opportunities, an exhibition, special invited guests and of course Radio DMC. This is the second time Radio DMC live broadcast showcasing young local music talent was run…

Intentional camera movement experiments at the Stove Light Room

Intentional camera movement experiments at the Stove Light Room

Light Room  was a week-long installation, workshop and sharing space that was created on the second floor of the Stove building in response to the UK 2016 Mental Health Awareness week. Light Room aimed to promote mindfulness, exchange and open expression. Windows were almost blacked out and the black ceiling…

Dumfries urban location recce

Dumfries urban location recce

Most of my street photography in Dumfries is an urban location recce in some form or another. I collect these places patiently through my camera viewfinder and let them fill up the virtual memory cells of my brain. Then I wander back at various times of the day checking on…

Carlisle Fringe 2016

Carlisle Fringe 2016

Carlisle Fringe 2016 was an impressive new urban performance and street theatre platform presented and run by the talented (and extremely hardworking) team of Electric Theatre Workshop. Carlisle city centre was taken over for three days by actors, comedians, dancers and musicians offering quality street entertainment to children and grown ups. As an…

Road repairs – Dumfries street photography

Road repairs – Dumfries street photography

John had a dental appointment in town and I tagged along for some deliberate practice in Dumfries street photography (and to check the lens after repairs). I had about 20 minutes and needed to pick one location, one subject and one story. I found my unsuspecting subjects of the day…

Elven ears and hobbit feet for Sophie’s Lord of the Rings birthday party

Elven ears and hobbit feet for Sophie’s Lord of the Rings birthday party

I honestly think that Julie and Mark must be the coolest parents ever to throw a spectacular Lord of the Rings costumed party for their daughter Sophie’s 21st birthday! Some 120 guests who were invited to the party shire donned their pointy ears, put on their furry hobbit feet and…

The Stove’s Norwegian market at Guid Nychburris 2016 celebrations

The Stove’s Norwegian market at Guid Nychburris 2016 celebrations

Being in the middle of a photo editing marathon I couldn’t enjoy Dumfries’ spectacular Guid Nychburris 2016 pageant and parade this year. However, I made it to Norwegian Market in the Square event organised by the Stove art network. The market, complete with its own cute pedal-driven travelling food stall,…

HND students art exhibition | Moat Brae, Dumfries

HND students art exhibition | Moat Brae, Dumfries

When I photographed Spring Fling open studios in Crichton William Spurway of Solway House Arts invited me to attend the opening of the Dumfries and Galloway college end of the year student art exhibition at Moat Brae. It’s the second year that HND Art and Design students presented their end…

Spring Fling 2016 at Solway House

Spring Fling 2016 at Solway House

Spring Fling 2016, Dumfries and Galloway annual open artist and makers studios event, entered its 14th season with 94 participants across the region. Every year Spring Fling offers art lovers an opportunity to peek into the local artists’ creative practices, follows a progress from a simple sketch to the finished…

Bollywood in Edinburgh – an urban photographer’s sketch of Tum Bin 2 film set

Bollywood in Edinburgh – an urban photographer’s sketch of Tum Bin 2 film set

First I heard the sounds of Indian music, which is unusual for Edinburgh Old Town. Then I saw busy people equipped with radios and some tourists peering down over the railings on Victoria Terrace. In the corner of the terrace a huge net with multicoloured balloons was tucked in. In…

Off the beaten track – backstreet urban portraits with Nikki and Lewis

Off the beaten track – backstreet urban portraits with Nikki and Lewis

I invited Nikki and her son Lewis to take part in my Urban Portraits Dumfries project after meeting (and photographing them) aboard the tall ship La Malouine when it first arrived to dock at Kingholm Quay harbour. Natural and laid back in front of the camera, this mother and son…