Alex Boyd Photography

New Orleans: Trans- Atlantic Charity Photography

2006-09-21T13:54:00.000+01:00

Currently plans are afoot to hold a joint exhibition in New Orleans USA and in Glasgow UK which will contain images of child poverty and suffering in the hardest hit areas of these cities.

Whilst Katrina did destroy a great part of New Orleans with noticeable effects... it must be noted that 1 in 4 scottish kids is living in what we would deem poverty by western standards.. awareness needs to be raised, and charities helped.

This proposed exhibition looks likely for December with more information to come. Until then I must look for the most run down areas of Glasgow and take some pictures of kids looking sad and bored.

I feel for the first time I am doing something with my photography.

If you want to learn more about my collaborator, the lovely Ms. Sharp, visit her Myspace here

Helnwein

2006-09-21T13:47:00.000+01:00

Gottfried Helnwein, one of the major influences on me, had some kind words to say about my recent Dresden Dolls Art collaborative works which derive heavily from his work - it is this kind of thing which makes it seem worthwhile!

Update

2006-07-24T13:19:00.000+01:00

It has been a while since I last posted, I have been busy working for a company called The Research House, which provide images for books, and television stations such as The BBC etc, dealing mainly with military and aviation histories respectively. This has therefore left little time for photography, although I have still had the chance now and then to get around the area.

At the moment I am compiling images for an exhibition with local artist Hugh Loney, set hopefully for the end of the year. A selection of my photography can also be found on http://www.johnedmonds.net/ the site of an american avante garde jazz player, who I have been working with, based in New Mexico.

East Ayrshire council are also currently organising a touring Open Art Exhibition, to which foour of my works have been accepted for display - more information on that to come.

January of 2006 will also see a large solo exhibition of my pictures in Kilmarnock, and hopefully If things go to plan I will be joining a very large band on their tour as photographer... more to come.

Mike Garson - Album Cover

2006-05-11T13:22:00.000+01:00

If you have never heard the name Mike Garson, you have certainly heard his music. Having performed and recorded with David Bowie for the last 33 years, and playing on some of Bowie's seminal works such as 'Aladdin Sane' through to Bowie's last album 'Reality', Mike has also played with Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails and many other artists, and is an accomplished artist in his own right. Having produced several solo albums, Mike's newest piece 'part of the whole' required artwork, of which I was happy to oblige.

To download the ep (for free) visit Mike Garson's myspace here

The image was taken in January in Rannoch Mor, near Glencoe.

Interview II

2006-05-11T10:12:00.000+01:00

My First Cult gets another chance to chat to photographer Alex Boyd about his latest exhibition and his collaborations with the Dresden Dolls while getting slightly worried about the kind of props he has lying about his house.

My First Cult: So this is the second exhibition of yours this year - how does this one compare to your exhibition in Irvine?

Alex Boyd: The first exhibition in Irvine was pretty large, composed of some 30 images, and did not really have a unified theme as such. This time however things are a bit more developed out in thought, as I had some time to think about how I wanted to present myself, and what I wanted to achieve.

It is also in Glasgow in an incredibly busy venue, so has a potentially larger audience, which again changes my approach.

MFC: How did this one come about?

AB: I have always been a fan of what the 13th Note has shown, as it has always supported local artists, and has a pretty eclectic mixture of photography and painting exhibitions, and I always thought that I would like to get my own output up on the wall. After submitting a portfolio, they agreed to let me show for a few weeks in May.

MFC: What kind of photos can we expect to see this time round?

AB: With the Glasgow exhibition I decided that it would be interesting to limit myself purely to black and white photography, and to choose the theme of depicting the last year of my life. This ranges from my travels north; through to some of the bands I have photographed in the last year, to living in the West coast of Scotland with depictions of landscape and townscapes for example.

MFC: You're also working with the Dresden Dolls - can you tell us a bit about that and how that all came to be?

AB: The Dresden Dolls have always appealed to me with the way that they draw influence from Brecht, Cabaret and the early punk bands, mixing it with an aesthetic which recalls Weimar-era Germany and all its decadence.

Having spoken to the band on their last tour, I became aware of an international organisation known as 'The Brigade' which works under the bands direction at their various shows, composed of artists, musicians, photographers and performers ranging from living statues to flame breathing acrobats to burlesque.

Recently they brought out a new album 'Yes, Virginia' and as part of the promotional tour they required artists to work with them.

For the UK stretch of the tour I collaborated with them for a series of large images which would be shown around the venues as wall displays. Initially this was for the Scottish dates only, however they have also been taken south, and will be used for the rest of the tour which culminates with a show at the London Astoria.

I should also say that Kim Diamond, a talented local artist, also contributed to the tour with what could be called 'mobile art', which is painted on records to be hung around peoples necks, and will also follow the band on tour.

MFC: Can you explain some of the imagery used from your series of works for the Dresden dolls?

AB: Well, the imagery I employed plays with almost stereotypical German representations such as militaristic uniforms and aircraft, however I am parodying this in the 'Flugzeug' (aeroplane) series, as it is composed of some 40 toy aeroplanes, which are reminiscent of childhood, and lie in a confused mass, but yet still have an underlying threat, reminiscent of the work of Gerhard Richter and his paintings such as 'Stuka'.

Obviously the military uniforms are slightly more sinister and blatant, as they are of the design synonymous with the Wehrmacht, however this is a nod to Austrian artist Gottfried Heinwein, who often uses this imagery to explore the German identity, which I couple with traditional male and female attributes such as aggression and compassion respectively.

MFC: You've managed to acquire some interesting props - planes and uniforms - for this series of photos. Are these things you normally have lying about the house?

AB: Well the uniforms are my own, I seem to collect them and have a fascination with them, coming from a military family perhaps, as for the planes, well they are left over from some 400 I had to distribute as part of a job for the company I work for, which works with some major label acts. I believe it is easier to personalise the images when you use props from around the home.

MFC: Does the equipment you use limit what you can achieve?

AB: Very much so. I have been previously working with an old Canon film SLR. However, it is costly to develop films when digital can offer so much more. I have, in the last year, been working with Fuji and Sony compacts respectively which, although do not have large lenses, have given me a greater mobility so to speak.

The equipment is relatively cheap (a few hundred pounds) however has limits which make me push the cameras harder, which I feel many photographers with a wider range of equipment simply don't do. I also have no photography schooling and am self taught through experience, which I believe also has a strong influence on what I do, as I believe many colleges of photography are producing identikit photographers producing the same images ad-nauseum, with a teaching that eliminates a certain freedom in thought.

MFC: Of your exploits in the world of photography this year, what have been your favourite moments?

AB: Starting off, being shortlisted for the BBC was a good achievement for me. However, getting the opportunity to work with some of my favourite artists has been a great pleasure - the feedback from the exhibitions has also been gratefully received!

I never really have time to enjoy the moment however, as I am always looking towards the next thing..

My First Cult: So what's next on the horizon?

AB: I am currently working on some pieces for the David Bowie Art Show in New York in September, as well as preparing the next round of exhibitions. I may take some time out from showing to build up my catalogue, and concentrate on exploring new avenues in photography.

I am also trying to get a group of photographers together to do some collaborative shows in the near future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can catch Alex's exhibition at Glasgow's 13th Note Cafe until 14th May.

read the full article here

Dunure Castle & Ayr

2006-05-07T23:24:00.001+01:00

Saturday for the first time in forever, we received what felt like a heatwave on the west coast, so decided to drive to Ayr and Dunmore Castle, which is about 20 miles south from where we live. The castle itself, which is in a ruinous condition sits on a crag over the clyde, and makes for a pretty impressive site.
As usual we managed to access those parts of the site which are inaccessible to the public, and got onto the roof of the structure to take some impressive views of the coast.

Dunure falls

Dunure Castle & the Isle of Arran

Castle tower from roof (composite of 3)

View to Ailsa Craig from the ruins

The Castle Icehouse

The Azure Sea

After the visit to the castle, we headed down the coast to Alloway which in Ayrshire is synonymous with ‘Tam O Shanter’, one of the most famous of Robert Burn’s works. As well as the famous arched stone bridge of the story, we also managed to visit the large monument which gives excellent vistas of the area.

The Kirkyard

Ornament

Stairs up to the monument

The Burns monument

Dresden Dolls - Glasgow Show

2006-05-07T23:24:00.000+01:00

The Glasgow show of Boston Act Dresden Dolls featured an exciting set of original material from their first and sophomore album ‘Yes, Virginia’ and covers such as Jaques Brel’s ‘Amsterdam’ and a particularly aggressive version of Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ made for a great set. Just as the Edinburgh set featured my installations so did the Glasgow Cathouse, the only difference being that at the end of the night all pieces where intact, unlike Edinburgh in which someone stole ‘Messer 1’...It is strange to think that someone has an oversized picture of me in their home.

Amanda Palmer singing 'Amsterdam' by Brel

Brian Viglione on acoustic

Together on 'Cosmic Dancer'

Amanda palmer on Kurtweil keyboard

Dresden Dolls Collaboration

2006-05-07T23:22:00.000+01:00

May 4th and May 5th saw the Dresden Dolls play Edinburgh Exchange and Glasgow Cathouse. As part of the bands tour, an international organisation called ‘The Brigade’ which includes performers, artists and musicians, stages events at the shows before the band come on stage, as well as decorating the venues.

For the Scottish dates I provided the art installations, which where composed of a series of specially created images for the event. Influenced by the aesthetic of the band which itself draws from Weimar era 1930’s Germany, the series is composed of a total of 20 images, which feature various militaristic and musical themes.

Ranging from 1 metre to 2 metre high images, the images also draw heavily on Austrian artist Gottfried Heinwein’s series ‘modern sleep’, and the thematic content of Gerhard Richter to create the series, which will also follow the band throughout their Uk tour which terminates at London Astoria in the of May.

To view an article, with images on the installation click here

Triptych

'The Extra' Article

2006-05-02T17:08:00.000+01:00

This article was posted in 'The Extra' a paper with a readership of 66,000. If you have a few minutes spare, read on -

It’s picture perfect for Irvine’s Alex by Jennifer Brophy

-evocative images are winning Alex an army of celebrity fans-

A young photographer is to open his second solo exhibition this Monday despite only getting into photography by chance.

Alex Boyd (21) has also had his work shortlisted for a BBC competition and has been invited by David Boowie’s pianist to take part in a New York photography exhibition.

But Alex, who is a fourth year student at Glasgow University, claims he only got into photography after being encouraged by friends.

He told the Extra: “I only went in for it because my friends told me they quite liked my photography, and that I should enter, but now I would like to do it professionally when I graduate”.

His work was shown on BBC4 during the competition and he has since had photographs showcased by the BBC in it’s week in pictures programme.

Alex also had his first solo exhibition, Tide Reflects Sky, in Irvine’s Cunningham House in February. That exhibition is scheduled to tour North Ayrshire libraries later this year, and a second exhibition, ‘Into Silence’ begins in Glasgow’s 13th Note Café bar on May 1st. Alex added: “the latest exhibition is black and white photography and there are about 15 to 10 pictures altogether.”

Alex first got involved in photography because he works promoting local bands. HE has photographed unsigned Ayrshire talent including Colin Campbell, Airstrip Won and My Final Wish. He also works online promoting other artists, as a record company representative, when not studying.

Once celebrity fan is artist Mike Garson, David Bowie’s pianist of 33 years, who ownsseveral of Alex’s prints.

Another is Kerrang Magazine editor Paul Brannigan who has praised his work.

The former Irvine Royal Academy pupil has also collaborated with Mexican photographer Guillermo kahlo, nephew of acclaimed artist Frida Kahlo.

For details of the 13th Note exhibition call 0141 5531638.

Exhibition II - May 1st - 14th (Glasgow)

2006-03-12T20:57:00.000Z

After the success of 'Tide to Sky' I will be exhibiting in May at the 13th Note Venue in Glasgow. I am unsure as to what the theme of the show will be, however it will most likely be B & W orientated. Iam still giving it consideration. I will be showing between 10 - 20 images, and entrance will be free.

For more details of the 13th Note Click Here

In other news I have been working with the excellent English/Scandinavian band 'Fields' who have just gone on Tour and are on heavy rotation on MTV. Here is an image from there recent Glasgow show -

Finally, Ayrshire Record Label JzaJza (who are a favourite of mine for Lo-fi and experimental music) have used some of my images for promotional uses. Check them out here, and listen to a band called 'De Trop' if you have the time - Alex

44 Focke Wolf

2006-03-11T13:44:00.000Z

I am still busy with Uni, but also still working for Wild (a promotions company for some of the biggest signed Acts around such as Arcade Fire etc). Recently one of my jobs was to attend a gig for London band 'The Mystery Jets' and distribute 5-600 polystyrene aircraft. This is perhaps the most fun I have had working a gig, and at the end I managed to have some left over. Taking me back to being an 8 year old I had great fun assembling these and piling them together for some pictures. In total I constructed about 40 of these, and I must admit it was far more fun than a 21 year old should have with kids toys.

You can read the following image in several ways... is it a comment on German Militarism, Identity, the chaos or war? or loss of childhood innocence?...
It is infact a part tribute to one of my favourite german post war artworks, and also a temporary escape from studying! ...Enjoy

Glasgow at Night

2006-02-14T21:21:00.000Z

University has been pretty relentless of late, and it is getting increasingly harder to go out with a camera as honours exams loom. The following images were taken one night in Febraury 2006, and chart a walk I took from the West End through to the riverside in the city centre. This is my first attempts at night photography, so it was interesting to use slower shutter speeds, as well as working with lower light levels. I can't wait for the summer...

Sunset over Glasgow University- This was taken from level 11 of the University Library through a window that had not been cleaned in what looked like 30 years! It is a composite of 3.

The cloisters of Glasgow Uni just before sunset. This is a panorama composite of 5 images.

Bar Brel, Ashton Lane - a cosy and intimate gig venue.

Royal Exchange Square - In the heart of the City with the Gallery of Modern Art in the background.

Royal Exchange Square - Borders Bookstore

Borders Bookstore - Detail

Suspension Bridge I

Suspension Bridge II

Suspension Bridge III

Railway Bridge underpass - You can make out the dark figure of a homeless man sleeping under the bridge. This area of the riverside has the usual problems of big cities.

Blue Bridge I - One of a series of the road bridges across the clyde - in this image you can already see the fog obscuring the other side of the riverbank.

Thanks for reading! - Alex

Jenny Lewis & Jonathan Rice

2006-02-13T15:13:00.000Z

Last night I was guest listed at the Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley) gig at Mono in Glasgow, and had the oppurtunity to take these side stage pictures of the bands.

Check out the Jenny Lewis Myspace , its worth a listen. I managed to take about 100 pictures last night and have not had the chance yet to edit them. However here is a sample of what is to come.

Jenny, with Jonathan Rice to the right.

Full band picture, featuring 'the farmer' on keyboard..

Jonathan Rice as support.

Regina Spektor

2006-02-02T20:39:00.000Z

I haven't really had the time to take many pictures since the exhibition started, and with Uni commitments I have not really had the time unfortunately. However last night I went to see the wonderfully eccentric new york artist Regina Spektor. I have seen her a few times now, and each time she is just as brilliant. She has so much charm, energy, and her music is the kind which strikes you from the first listen, hear more of her at her official site or on her myspace.

Unfortunately I didn't have a photo pass last night for the venue (The Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh) and was in the audience with the rest of the plebs with my trusty compact. For anyone who hasn't been to the Cabaret Voltaire, abandon hope if you plan to take pictures... the lighting is awful, and the venue is badly thought out... ( no photo pit, everything on risers ) but anyway enough complaining and on to some pics... they should make a change from me standing akwardly infront of my own pictures. Note the quality has been reduced to help with loading times etc, these images are about 30KB, the originals are 4-5mb each. enjoy.

Tide Reflects Sky - On Tour!

2006-02-02T20:33:00.000Z

It appears that an interest has been taken in my photography by the local council, and it would seem that my exhibition will be going on a tour of Ayrshire, so look for it in such thriving towns as Dalry, Kilwinning, Beith and who knows..even Kilbirnie. Still, although these places aren't major cities, it is good to have my work shown to a new audience.

Hopefully in July I will be showing a selection of my photography in a Glasgow Venue, I am currently in the process of sorting it out with them just now. It will most likely be a two week showing, more news when I get it.

As for 'Tide Reflects Sky' it is doing well in Cunningham House, and I have had alot of good and supportive feedback, so thank you to anyone who has taken an interest in what I am doing.

Alex

Article in the Irvine Times

2006-01-25T18:38:00.000Z

Published on page 3 of the Irvine Times this morning:

Here is a transcription; view the article here

ALEX IS BACK IN THE FRAME

Talented Irvine photographer heads back home for stunning solo exhibition

by Charlie Rowney

A Talented Irvine photographer who has rubbed shoulders with some of the music industry elite is
set to launch his much anticipated solo exhibition - back in his home town.

Alex Boyd (21) has worked with the likes of Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame and rockers the
Dresden Dolls, not to mention being short-listed for the BBC prestiguous Digital Picture of Britain Competition.

After producing some original and striking artwork for promotional materials for some majot musicians, Alex of Dalrymple Drive, recieved critical acclaim from Paul Brannigan, editor of the Uk's biggest rock music magazine, Kerrang.

And fresh from his collaboration with the nephew of celebrated artist Frida Kahlo, established photographer Guillermo Kahlo, Alex is set to wow the local audience with his urban images.

The former Irvine Royal Academy Lad is bringing his work home with his first ever solo exhibition opening at the towns library next week.

The self-taught photographer, who is currently in his honours year at Glasgow University studying History of Art said: "I've been away for a while I guess and wanted to return to Irvine, i have an affinity with the local area"

Entitled "Tide Reflects Sky", the month long exhibition will run at Cunningham House from Monday January 23rd and will contain 20 of Alex's current works.

Tide Reflects Sky Opens

2006-01-23T19:51:00.000Z

Apparently breaking all ticket sales in the history of...just kidding. My first exhibition opened today. Click below for a picture of some of the display. Picture by the lovely Louise Brown.

Tide Reflects Sky Article - London

2006-01-22T10:21:00.000Z

London based Web design company Pap-L, led by artist/designer Patricia Futardo had these kind words to say about my upcoming exhibition;

"Meet Alex Boyd. He's a very talented young photographer, lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places in the UK (West Coast of Scotland) and to study in a city bubbling with musical events (Glasgow). The result is a brilliant combination of stunning landscape /urban photography and live music photography.

If you happen to be in the Ayrshire area, don't miss "Tide Reflects Sky", his first solo exhibition in Cunningham House - Irvine.

Keep an eye on this guy, he's only just starting!"

Interview for 'Tide Reflects Sky'

2006-01-22T09:21:00.000Z

You can read an Interview that online magazine 'My First Cult' had with me concerning my first exhibition Here or Alternatively, just keep reading...

Tide Reflects Sky - A Photography Exhibition by Alex Boyd
Interview by Kevin Wilson

My First Cult catches up with photographer Alex Boyd in the run-up to the opening of an exhibition of his work.

Alex Boyd is a German born, Scottish educated photographer based in Irvine on the West Coast of Scotland. His photographic interests are wide ranging, however landscape work and music photography can be considered his main concerns.

To date, his music photography has been used for promotional purposes by artists such as Billy Corgan, who has sold in excess of 28 million records, and the Dresden dolls, who he recently worked with on their Scottish tour-dates. He has also received critical acclaim for his photography from Paul Brannigan, editor of the Uk's best selling rock music publication, Kerrang Magazine. Alex has also covered many unsigned bands from the area, of whom he has taken a keen interest in promoting.

His Urban photography was also recently shortlisted for a BBC Award in the 2005 'Digital Picture of Britain' competition, which also saw his work being shown on BBC4. This interest in Urban photography is also expressed in his current project to document life in the West coast of Scotland, some of which has been showcased by the BBC in their 'week in pictures' feature.

Aside from his own work, his previous collaborations have seen him work with Guillermo Kahlo, an established Mexican photographer, and nephew of the celebrated artist Frida Kahlo.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My First Cult: So, how did all this come about then?

Alex Boyd: A few months ago I began to make enquiries as to exhibiting some samples of my photography in the area, and one of those venues was Cunningham House. Only a few days ago I received a call from them informing me that they would have a block free for me to exhibit some of my work, the only problem being that I had less than one week to prepare!

MFC: Have you ever been involved like something like this, or had an exhibition dedicated to yourself before?

AB: I have never had a solo exhibition before. 'Tide reflects Sky' will be the first time that it will solely be my photography on display.

MFC: What type of photos will you be exhibiting and how many are in the collection?

AB: I believe there will be roughly 20 to 30 images on display when "Tide Reflects Sky" opens. These will be a cross section of what I have been working on over the last two years, and are only a small fraction of my print collection. The images will include some of my recent landscape photography, some of my earliest music photography, and some local scenes as the surrounding area has some excellent locations. My abstract photography work will not be present in this exhibition, however I have plans to exhibit this work later in the year.

MFC: Did you pick the photos yourself or was there some input from the organisers?

AB: There was no input from the organisers themselves, or any impetus to display certain images. The organisers were happy for me to have free reign regarding what I would present. This actually proved to be the hardest aspect of putting the exhibition together, as I found the selection process quite difficult, luckily I had some friends to help me!

MFC: What are your hopes for the exhibition - who would you like to come and see it?

AB: My hope is that a wide range of people enjoy what they see, and perhaps will cause some to begin taking more photographs for themselves, and to appreciate whats around them.

MFC: Have you got much lined up for the near future?

AB: As well as photography, I am also currently studying History of Art Degree at Glasgow University which is taking up more and more of my resources, giving me less time to devote to photography. However I am also in the process of arranging for my images to be included in an upcoming Glasgow exhibition with the theme of 'Division'.

MFC: You started out in photography taking pictures of bands in concert - is this still your favourite subject to work in or do you enjoy everything equally?

AB: I still enjoy music photography very much, however my current interests have tried to incorporate a more widely themed subject matter. Currently my interests are in representing Architecture or Architectural settings. We have a rich heritage of buildings on the West Coast of Scotland and I am very happy to take advantage of that fact.

MFC: Taking photos of bands must be quite different from your landscape and portrait work as there isn't as much time to capture something special - if you miss it, it's gone. Do you have different approaches depending on your subject or do you work in the same way?

AB:When taking photographs of bands it is true that timing and speed are crucial factors, much different to say working with Landscapes. However each has its own set of difficulties to overcome, such as in Landscape photography. I discovered that the weather and light conditions can change constantly and very rapidly, especially here on the Atlantic coast of Scotland.

MFC: Finally, what do you think of current photography in the area?

AB: I think that there is a lot of talent in Ayrshire at the moment. One photographer in particular comes to mind, that of David Dickie who is a medical photographer. His profession brings a unique perspective to his photography, and he has created some interesting images in recent years, you should check out his site The F Stop. There are a lot of talented photographers in Ayrshire, I just feel they aren't getting enough exposure, but hopefully we can change that situation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Tide Reflects Sky" will be taking place from the 23rd of January until the 23rd of February at Cunningham House in Irvine, with a Glasgow exhibition planned for later on in the year.

For a direction to the area, please see this map (opens in a new window).

Copyright © My First Cult 2006 Powered by Tripsis

Solo Exhibition - "Tide Reflects Sky"

2006-01-22T09:05:00.000Z

Between the 27th of January and the 27th of February I will be having my very first Solo exhibition at Cunningham House, home of North Ayrshire Council. They have kindly given me an area to diplay roughly 30 of my images, however they have also only given me less than a week to prepare. Suffice to say this has been a busy week of selection, printing, mounting, running around and also worrying! However I think I have got there in the end!

The Images on display will be examples of my photography (and my life and travels) for the last two years, and will have images of music photography, landscapes, panoramas and a few images of the area I live in.

Iam aware that many of my readers cannot make it to the Area, so I will work out some kind of 'Virtual Gallery' for you to peruse if you feel so inclined!

Anyway, entrance is free, and there will also be prints for sale, if you have any questions just get in touch.

Alex

Glencoe

2006-01-09T19:04:00.000Z

Glencoe, near Fort William is less than a few hours drive north from Glasgow and offers the photographer countless locations, with its vast expanses and rising mountains. After leaving Ayrshire before daybreak, we arrived at Rannoch Mor for mid morning, with the weather and the light constantly changing whilst we moved between locations. I have never seen weather change as quickly as here, with black clouds engulfing what had previously been blue skies in only a matter of minutes, which when coupled with the terrain and often sub zero temperatures turn this area into something alltogether more dangerous which needs to be treated with utmost respect. Blackrock cottage which sits in the shadow of the vast pyramid mountain of Buachaille Etive Mor "the herdsman of glencoe", is one of the most photographed locations in the area, which once you are there is not suprising.

The cottage itself is a small structure compared to its surroundings, and as much as I resist this technique, i decided to use some soft focus as you can see for that 'postcard' effect. Our next stop on the way to Glencoe was the afore mentioned foot of Buachaille Etive Mor itself, which guards the mouth of Glencoe, and is perhaps one of the most foreboding mountains i have seen, mainly due to its steep ridges which rise high above the reltively flat expanse of Rannoch mor itself.

Here is a panorama of the area made from 6 shots using my tripod, this was my first attempt at a panorama and iam happy with the results;

The mountain itself, of which I have taken many images of:

The mountain reflected in a frozen river at its foot:

A similar view, one I am sure which shows off my appreciation of Ansel Adams

Entering the coe, the view from Rannoch mor with Buachaille Etive Mor on the left and Meall Bhalach on the left.

Once you have passed Buachaille Etive Mor, another great mountain looms by the roadside, that of Buchaille Etive. I have passed this mountain many times in my youth and its image has stayed with me, its sinister towering heights in the centre of the glen is not one that is easily forgotten. The following panorama is made of 5 images taken from the foot of the mountain, of whose scale i cannot describe. The eeriness and quiet of the image is added by the knowledge that from the location I took the picture nearby lay a funerary plaque with the words 'mums garden' written it, adding to the scenes solemnity.

Another view of Buchaille Etive which dominates the valley

Further up the Glen, the pap of Glencoe can be seen from a bend in the river, here the changing weather can be seen in full effect with dark clouds turning the sky black in the early afternoon.

This next image was taken at the same location as the last image, and shows a detail of the River Coe itself.

With the weather turning against us, we decided to head back home after I had taken 400 pictures and spent many hours in the Glen. Maybe I will post a Glencoe II post, as the simple amount of images taken would take me days to post here! This final image is of Ben Achallander, which stands at the southern edge of Rannoch Mor, reaching a height over 3350 feet. The scale of this mountain can be judged by the large 3 carriage train which navigates its lower heights which is barely visible in this image.

and finally... "At Work" - a picture of myself photographing Buachille Etive Mor, taken by David Henning at the Blackrock Hills.

Lochan na h Achlaise

2006-01-09T18:31:00.000Z

Lochan na h Achlaise lies on Rannoch Moor on the approaches to Glencoe. This loch is perhaps one of the most photographed natural locations in Scotland, due to its proximity to Glencoe, and it's proximity to the main road in the area which leads to Fort William. After seeing John Carrolls photography of this desolate area of the moor, i knew that i could not just pass this area up. Travelling up with friends a few days after new year (a 200 mile drive) we arrived at the loch which was deserted. This is perhaps in part due to the fact that the night before temperatures had hit minus 7, and the chill wind made the area absolutely freezing! However this was a good advantage for us, and whilst we were there we were undisturbed by tourists or the like. As you will see by the images, the loch was entirely frozen over, giving it the appearance of glass and the texture of concrete, thick in some areas by several inches. Being young and foolish we walked around on the loch, until the sounds of cracks disuaded us from carrying on any further...
We were all awe struck again by the beauty of the area, it is so open and expansive, and the dimensions are hard to comprehend. Another impresive thing about the area is the sheer amount of colours in not only the ice, the water, but in the mountains and the sky, sometimes it is too easy to forget about scenes like these in everyday life.

An 8 shot composite panorama shot of the loch:

Lone tree on the lochan

Clach Leathad and Meall a Bhuiridh beyond the wooded islands of Lochan na h-Achlaise

The Glass loch

I hope you enjoyed this small sample of the 100+ pictures I took of the Lochan, i hope to return soon, i would recommend its views to anyone visiting the area.

The Dragon & the Sea

2006-01-09T12:13:00.000Z

These images where taken yesterday at Sunset, at a freezing beach near Irvine. They are of a piece of local sculpture known only as "The dragon". Made of sandstone, the Dragon sits atop one of the hills in the beach park, and looks out to sea. I am not exactly sure of it's history, but i believe it was gifted to the area by the local chinese community. The following image is composed of 16 seperate shots from a camera mounted on tripod, editing it together was not an easy task, and it does require some more touching up, however I am quite happy with the result!

Here is a more detailed close up of the Dragons head from the same image.

The Dresden Dolls

2006-01-06T12:26:00.000Z

Whilst I sort through the 400 plus pictures i took in Glencoe yesterday, i thought i would have a short post featuring the beautiful Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls. I covered the Scottish TOur she embarked on last year, principally the Glasgow and Edinburgh shows, and here are a few of the images of the many i took. I would highly reccomend this act to anyone... think of an explosive mix between Weimar Cabaret and Punk, but with intelligent storytelling...

Happy 2006

2006-01-04T11:30:00.000Z

I have to be brief today, got alot of work to do..so i thought I would wish you all happy new year! Getting ready to go to Glencoe tommorow, so I hope the weather holds for good photography!

The image below was taken a few days ago at Auchrans Castle, near Dundonald in Ayrshire, more pictures of that day to come...

Hidden in the Valley

2005-12-28T16:38:00.000Z

On December 27th I decided to exercise off some of the festive seasons excess and go for a photography themed walk in the country. I decided to explore the Garnock Valley, with my trip taking me around the area of a small town called Kilbirnie. In this area I tried to focus on the areas great lochs, as well as Glengarnock Castle.

The castle has been on one of the hardest locations to find as it is not visible from any road, and is infact lying ruined deep in the countryside. It took the help of several farmers to locate the castle which is several miles from the nearest main roads, and was reached by treking up a large hill by following winding mud paths.

Once we reached the castle we almost passed it by, as it is obscured by thick trees which hide it from the approach road. However once we did view it, the site was one of the most startling I have seen in the West Coast. The ruins lie perched on a several hundred foot high cliff edge above the valley below and date back from the 15th century. Ruined by abandonment, and the rough weather of the West Coast the castle has been reclaimed by nature, with its thick fortified walls being interwoven with thick trees and branches which wind their way through the structure. With Its only inhabitants sheep, the lonely castle looks down over the garnock valley, and provided a beautiful setting at sunset.

Loch Haley near Kilbirnie

Glengarnock Castle apearing from the trees

Inside the Castles Keep

Rams Head inside the Castle Keep

Snow covered tree on the cliff edge

On the BBC!

2005-12-17T11:04:00.000Z

Ok, perhaps I have made this sound more exciting than it actually is... however the BBC Online "week in pictures" section is displaying one of my submissions.

Go to The BBC Week In Pictures page and click picture 7 to see my entry.

Or if you are feeling terribly lethargic, here it is:

Portencross Castle

Once one of my families ancestral homes, Portencross Castle sits ruined on the Ayrshire coast on a craggy peninsula surrounded on three sides by water. The day I took this image was particulary cold and windy and extremely wet!

Method & Influence

2005-12-16T13:01:00.000Z

With the rise of digital photography, the amount of photographers has increased tenfold, and iam part of that revolution.

I have taken pictures in many forms since a child, spurred on by the encouragement of my father and Grandfather, who i look up to as a great working class photographer... i have of course gone through as many cameras in as many years that it is almost impossible to list my progressions, however today i work mainly in Digital - using Sony & Fuji Cameras respectively, as well as an old Olympus and Canon SLR which I love very much.

My main interests in photography sprung from shooting bands at concerts, however in recent years i have extended into landscape, portraiture and am also trying my best to produce Abstracted Photography which does not rely on digital manipulation.

Although I shoot mainly (95%) using Digital camera, i still strongly believe that an eye is needed to capture a good image, and that a clear understanding of composition is crucial. Although i use photoshop to change the contrast levels of my images or to adjust clour balances, i do not strongly advocate the wholesale manipulation of images...

Another key criticism of many modern digital photographers is the impulse to desaturate images, or to make images B & W. While I acknowledge that a large amount of the work i produce is in this format it does not mean that I or any other photographers are afraid to dabble with colour... it is just that we are happiest working in this format, which often produces impressive results.

Current Work

Currently Iam working on producing a portfolio for my first exhibition which will take place in Spring 2006, and will include a small selection of my photography taken from my intersts in music, landscape and again portraiture... however i will go into more detail about the exhibition closer to the time.

Aside from the exhibition my current project is to document "The Forgotten City" of Victorian Glasgow, as well as my own experimentations into digital abstraction... I hope you will enjoy accompanying me on this journey. Coming soon - my official site.

Influences?

I like everyone have my personal heroes, and this extends to photography;

David Lachapelle the modern master of portraiture.

Henri Cartier-Bresson master of the portrait.

Man Ray A huge Surreal influence...

Mick Rock - his work with Bowie in the 70's has defined modern photography

Ansel Adams A personal hero, i love his photography, his ethic and his attitude.

I also love the darker warped mind of Gottfried Helnwein...worth checking out at for his 'Modern Sleep' series and his work with german musicians.

A more taboo influence is that of politically misguided German photographer Leni Riefenstahl whos work during the 1930's has created some of the most memorable imagery of the 20th century... her later work is also invaluable in the documentation of African tribes.

I recommend...

Many of my friends are also photographers, and i cannot recommend their work highly enough. Of these should visit;

The wonderful world of Patricia, a diverse and interesting photographer, or perhaps Dave Dickie, whos work in music photography and in macro i admire. At only 24, the work of Graham Smith is also to be admired... as is that of John Carroll, who produces some of scotlands most breathtaking panoramas...

Finally i will leave you with one of my last abstract photographs, which has only been digitally manipulated by changing the contrasts of the original image. Taken into a seawave from the beach, the image revealed a ghostly face when I arrived home which took me by suprise...

Abstract 6 - Drowning:

Winter in the City (BBC Shortlist)

2005-12-16T12:22:00.000Z

The city is cold, yet snow hasn't fallen yet, or not enough to make everything glow white and blue, drawing legions of children out to play in the parks...

Until then, here are some pictures taken in the Kelvingrove park, and of the University which sits perched on Gimlour hill overlooking the park from when the snow finally did fall... back in January of this year.

as always, click on the image for a larger view...

Glasgow University, Winter 2005

View across the Kelvin to Glasgow University
this is one of my favourite locations in the West End, it gives an impressive view of the University sitting high over the city.

Glasgow University Cloisters (Digital Picture of Britain Shortlisted 2005)

It is nice to be shortlisted for awards, espescially ones as prestigous as the BBC, and this entry which i submitted along with about 10 other pictures taken the same day made it onto the shortlist for best Urban Photography. However of all the pictures i submitted, this is probably my least favourite, however im not Tom Ang, so i will trust his judgement. See the rest of the shortlisted entries here:
BBC Digital Picture of Britain - Urban Shortlist

The Ampitheatre

2005-12-16T11:48:00.001Z

In my last post I shared some of my experiences of photographing the Necropolis, one of the Victorian era's greatest legacies to Glasgow. Yet this period also left another unmistakeable stamp across the city... you only have to wander around the heart of Glasgow to witness its influence.

Again working in B & W, todays post takes me to the cities west end in which I have spent the last few years of my life, studying at Glasgow University under the shadow of the great Neo Gothic building of the late 19th Century. This area of the city is cut by the Kelvingrove river, which contains a sprawling tree filled park of the same name, a product of Victorian city planning.

Still heavily used, the park contains one of my favourite places... a relic of the days of sunday walks and outdoor performances... the abandoned ampitheatre and bandstand.

Abandoned Bandstand

Locked behind fences, the bandstand is in a bad state of disrepair... which seems to be something Iam attracted to if you have been following my postings... i seem to have an obsession with ruins...guess at heart iam a romanticist!

The following picture was taken by my friend David Henning who often accompanies me on my jaunts, and shows another view of the eerily abandoned seatin areas with the addition of myself...

Alex Boyd (picture by David Henning)

City of the Dead

2005-12-14T09:36:00.000Z

The Necropolis

Glasgow like many prominent cities had a victorian fascination with death and funerary processions. Nowhere is this more evident than in the cities Necropolis, a sprawling cemetary full of large ornate tombs which stretches for miles in the cities east end. Standing near the cities cathedral, the most impressive section of the Necropolis is reached by a long bridge over a valley, known as the 'bridge of sighs'... what faces you is a large hill covered in trees, gravestones and small runined buildings built in classical styles.

I don't really think i can emphasise what an unsettling place the Necropolis is... I decided to visit it late on a wednesday afternoon last week towards dusk (ensuring low light levels would produce dramatic images) and save fo a few souls, there were times when i was the only person around... the place was deserted.

Trying not to let my mind play tricks on me, i tried to work as fast as I can to ensure i would leave the cemetary before sunset...

Here are a selection of the B & W images from that day:

Glasgow Necropolis Stairs

This is by far one of the larger structures in the Necropolis, built in a pseudo eastern style to reflect its patron.

Faith

Taken inside one of the larger tombs, this is an image of faith and her guardian angels.

Fallen Angel

As you can see from this image, there are row upon row of gravestones in all manner of styles. Unfortunately many of the stones have fallen into disrepair, such as this fallen angel statue.

George

This caged Tomb is inhabited by 'George'... many of these structures exist around the necropolis, and also feature at the cathedral gravesite, most in neglected states of disrepair.

Cathedral view from roof

A view to Glasgow Cathedral from the roof of one of the larger tombs.

Caged Tree

Many trees grown inside the abandned tombs of the necropolis, often obscuring what lies inside.

Thansk for reading! more to come soon.

Abstract Photography (in motion)

2005-12-14T09:28:00.000Z

ABSTRACT 4 - The sky/ the Sea in Motion

Recently I decided to create a serious of photographs taken at Sunset on the West Coast of Scotland. We get particularly spectacular sunsets in this part of the world, and over the years i must have taken countless pictures as they are indescribably beautiful. To turn this format on its head slighty, i have began to use different filters and shutter speeds whilst in motion to create these interesting luminous images. Abstract 4 is taken from a serious of 12, and is one of my favourites... it reminds me of a molten river of lava such is the intensity of light...

Alex

Welcome!

2005-12-13T23:09:00.000Z

This place will give me the chance to post a sort of photo diary of what i have been shooting recently, what I have been generally up to, and if i have any upcoming plans or announcements.

Soon I will have my website going live, built by the lovely Tricia, head of Pap-L Communications, so i can share my work with a wider audience... its pretty exciting!

Soon you will be able to read my full bio on my site... i deal mainly in concert & music photography, but recently branched out into other areas as well such as landscape and abstract photography... its all a learning process, but im sure I will get there in the end and have alot of fun doing it!

Alex

Ps: I also currently have a myspace website, where you can read some of my past news.