Hair Today School Tomorrow

Amongst my most sacred duties is that of child care. My willingness to care for the next generation is also a scary duty. If the ones that I have the perilous pleasure of caring for are a measure of our future society then I am glad that I don't sleep well as waking up screaming is not my idea of a good night's rest. Despite being unable to fathom the logic of youth I do enjoy being confudled by childish perspectives.

The crux of this piece is that my child caring duties lead me into great situations that I would not be encountering without interaction with those whose perceptions have not been stifled by adult attitudes. My own inner child is very happy and likes nothing better than to be left alone to read in the quiet corner on sunny afternoons. When taking care of children I tend to allow them room and space to express themselves - within obvious limits.

Whilst looking after one delightful bundle of youthful joy recently I was treated to a coiffurist experience of excellence. Well they thought that their talents excelled and I agreed as the head torture progressed so as to bring the painful process to an end. On a more positive note I can state that I enjoyed practising my self portrait camera phone picture techniques and was pleasantly surprised with some of the results.

Furthermore I am now readying myself for bit beard parts, part beard bit parts as a walk on Viking or Celtic warrior type character. My acting roles are so far very amateur and my vocal and dramatic training is rarely called upon these days. So if bit part success does not call me back I shall have to wait until another home from school day before I get chance to see how the beard looks in pleats.

Please Note: that all child labour used in coiffure productions was safely within World regulations and guidelines and that the only slight damage done was to my follicles.

May Day Forget-Me-Not in Midlothian Scotland

The sun was shining brightly as stalked the small flowers with a 180mm lens and 1.4 converter. I came at them from the shadows and they never had a chance to hide their blooms before I had manually focussed and depressed the shutter release. Twin flash heads fired and the image was captured. That is how I got my May Day garland this year.

May Day is a time to celebrate the return of flowers and the warm vibrant months. There is supposed to be a link with Juniper and May Day rites in Scotland. The Juniper was burnt for purification, but I was only wanting to take pictures of flowers. My garland for May Day predominately featured Forget-Me-Not. There is a garland rhyme which is said to be traditional for the day;

The first of May is Garland Day
So please remember the garland.
We don't come here but once a year,
So please remember the garland.

Next year maybe I will light a fire or two in remembrance of times past and to light my way towards all of my tomorrows.

Yellow Poppy on May Day in Midlothian Scotland

The Yellow Poppy seems both strange and familiar altogether at the same time. These pictures were taken on a warm May Day eve. The brilliant glow of the petals hid the delicate details within. Just a touch of fill lighting was used to set the scene.

Some how the Yellow Poppy had me reaching for my lens cap. Capturing this bright yellow bloom had brought an end to flower shooting for May Day. The sun had featured in my exposures and it had lit my way to several several that were completely created by the warm lighting. With my camera stowed away there was plenty of time to enjoy the sunset.

Midlothian & Yorkshire Cherry Tree Blossom

When the Cherry Trees burst into full it is obvious that Spring is here. Warm winds filled with returning scents carry aloft the hopes for a vibrant Summer. Suddenly the memories of Winter are banished as the fresh blossoms fill rich blue skies. The ever changing seasons offer us a brief tableaux that capture the essence of the moment. In just a matter of days the fantastic full bloom of the tree begins to wan and the cycle of life moves ever onwards. It is a great point of perspective to be able to take in the transient fragile images that natural growth give us knowing there is no way to halt the moving images set by the action of seasons.

Early Esdi Easter Eggs

If you're in luck it might be duck. These early Easter eggs came my way from Esdi the duck keeper. Apart from rearing livestock Esdi Leanne creates fashions and fashion creations. Her dressmaking skills are a wonder to behold and her hand reared duck eggs are a delight to sample. My fresh supply came in a sealed Ziplock bag. This was my first ever egg delivery in a plastic bag. I can only hope for more of the same as these bagged deliveries were the finest eggs that I can remember having on my plate. It is often said that home reared produce is superlative and in this instance I can heartily agree. The only possible complaint that I could have is that I had to make my own breakfast and to clean up the crumbs too. 

Sylvan Tangles

The extraordinary transformations of plants are testament to the fantastic forms that come naturally into existence. Held within the shapes of growth are the many varied patterns of life. There is something spellbinding about the slowly formed images set in tree growths. The time it takes and the shaping forces of many seasons matures the Sylvan Tangles into wondrous forms. It often appears that the tree spirit will not give in to obstruction and that the force of turgor pressure will prevail against encumbrances.

From dormant buds a burr can bloom. This collection of small knots can blossom into a large outgrowth which is highly prized for the beauty of the natural grain formed in the making of the burr, bur or burl. Gnarls and burrs may look like terrible traumas but trees exist with them for many years and seem to grow past or through the knots. The slow growth of trees gives us an impression that they are a near constant presence in our view. A felled woodland looks like devastation and the memory of a single fallen tree can create the perception of a loss for those that still remember the absent tree. Yet the Sylvan Tangles of continued growth and fresh tendrils of new saplings keep on reaching out for soil and air. So there is hope of many more Sylvan Tangles for us all to follow if we choose to seek them out. If we wish to follow their example then there will always be worthy encumbrances for us to ignore as obstructions and instead for us to take on as fitting challenges.

Photos on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/sets/72157626287571767/

YouTube HD Film presentation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bofAn1Rzifg

PHH Sykes

©2011

www.phhsykes.co.uk

Newhaven Harbour Edinburgh Scotland

Newhaven close by Leith and Granton offers up a photographic opportunity at almost every angle. The old harbour has historic beauty and the natural attractions of the sea and sky make superb backdrops and foregrounds depending on how you frame the scenes. This is a wonderful place to visit and to take pictures.

Newhaven is only two miles north of Edinburgh city centre but the harbour is striking different to the metropolis of Scotland's capital city. The sea views obviously make a great deal of change but the whole calmer atmosphere of the old stone set waterfront has a different rhythm to bustling town just a couple of miles away. On the banks of the Firth of Forth you can let the motion of the tides carry you away and the historic settings can drift in out of sharp focus allowing a sense of time to alter in the perception of the viewer.

In 1977 the Newhaven Conservation Area was established and it is one of forty conservation areas in Edinburgh. The existence of so many conservation areas around Edinburgh is no surprise as the city poses many remarkable historic survivals. Newhaven is a site well worth meandering around as the tidal rhythms shift slowly they will carry you out into a sea of your own thoughts, so do take note of the lighthouse as a guide not just to this district but as a marker to steer by as you travel on the flows of the seas in the Firth of Forth and in your self.

Magical Pinhole Portraits

Pinhole apertures can be used to form stunning images of many subjects. When the pinhole is placed in front of a digital sensor it can create some startling records of light and motion. The digital sensor can record the subject in a plain and simple manner or the ability of the digital sensor can be used accurately to record minute differences in light which give a sense of texture and of movement. These tones and shades can be accentuated by photographic development techniques. The end results give a rendition of the moment that is often overlooked. Pinhole photography frequently delivers a less than sharp image which may have taken longer to create than most photographic images we see. The techniques that form the pinhole image may not be recognised by the viewer but the end results are unmistakably enamouring. The simple hole through which the image is created is the source of many aberrations which form a sense of alternative beauty. The smudged looks and universal focus form an image which requires the viewer to take more time and effort in their appreciation of the finished work.

PHH Sykes ©2011

Soundtrack

Pensive Piano

Jason Shaw @ audionautix.com

 

Pinhole pictures of Warriston Cemetery Edinburgh Scotland

The former final grandeur of Warriston Cemetery in Edinburgh has been allowed to decline. Once the well to do of the city were quite literally dying to get in here. It is still possible to see the formal layout through the wilderness that has been allowed to take over. The main paths are clear, but mature trees have now grown tall enough to shroud many of the still impressive monuments. Once upon a time Warriston Cemetery would have presented a prime location in which to feature your monumental mark for those that recorded your life in a few brief stone cut lines. This was at one time a premier place to lay your head to rest as you awaited the rousing call of the Last Trump. Unfortunately it now it looks like the dead have been too shallowly buried and that they have been staging an uprising throughout the cemetery.

Some stone monuments are said to have been altered whilst the cemetery was still in private hands, but many of the stones that have been laid low were toppled on council orders. The current trend for ensuring safety is maintained does not stretch to repairing the striking burial markers, but there is little hesitation in having them pushed over to form a fallen forlorn grave stone littered confusion. The social history shown by the fashion of the stones and documentary evidence delivered through the inscriptions is a vital part of the heritage of Edinburgh which seems currently to be undervalued, but this whole site may one day be seen as a rich resource worth investigating, recording and using.

There is something very pertinent about looking into the final rest which awaits us all. No matter how or where we come to be at the point at which we finish this life our final statements give eternal insights. There is almost nothing as enduring and as intriguing as the pyramids. Here at Warriston several grave stones take on Egyptian styles in homage of the history of earlier funerary monuments. Even today we follow earlier customs and in our way we continue traditions often more so in death than in life.

In an attempt to align these pictures with some of the traditions presented in the Warriston Cemetery pinhole photography was chosen to capture the contemporary scene. The simple pinhole lens seems to record historic sights very evocatively. The pictures presented here cover up a little of the dishevelment and mask some of the detritus now allowed to remain in the cemetery. Through the pinhole lens we are shown an image of how things might have looked, or at least of how a camera might have recorded them when the monuments here were proud statements set out in an organised formal garden of remembrance. By creating old style, or retro photos it is possible to look back at a time when these imposing granite stone seeds were planted on the manicured surface as lasting tributes to those that lay beneath.

PHH Sykes ©2011

Soundtrack

Before Dawn

Jason Shaw @ audionautix.com

Scottish Snowdrops

Spring is never far away from our hearts when we see Snowdrops. True there could be frost and much snow yet to fall but Snowdrops show us that the life within the ground is shooting forth and that there is much natural vibrance just waiting for the longer warmer days. Snowdrops appear quite delicate and yet they are robust enough to weather the harsh end of winter. They keep on flowering through snow and frost and year after year they resiliently return to show us all that Spring is on the way.

The brilliant white petals of Snowdrops present some problems for the photographer. Their natural sheen renders the flowers into a highly reflective bloom. The flowers often grow in the darker areas under trees where their stunning white appearance attracts the viewer. The only way to ensure good pictures involves the photographer discovering just how wet the winter has been. Good pictures of Snowdrops may well be brilliant white. In capturing the pure clean image of the Snowdrops the appearance of the photographer can become somewhat less than clean and far away from pure.

PHH Sykes ©2011

Soundtrack

Everything Begins Instrumental

http://www.danosongs.com

 

Amaryllis Hippeastrum The Belladonna Lily & The Horseman's Star

The Amaryllis flower is known as the Belladonna Lily or Naked Lady. The botanical name is said to derive from Virgil. In "Eclogues", a shepherdess is named Amaryllis.  This name is reminiscent of the Greek and Latin words meaning to sparkle. The Amaryllis does indeed sparkle and the flower is a beautiful bloom so the names it has have been bestowed upon it by merit. It belongs to the Hippeastrum group of flowers named in 1837 by the Honourable Reverend William Herbert, Dean of Manchester. Some think that the name is inspired by the Morning Star, a medieval weapon and a name for the planet Venus as the brightest star in the night sky. A version of the morning star weapon was called a "holy water sprinkler," which could have figured in the Dean's musings.

PHH Sykes ©2011

Yuck at Sneaky Pete's Cowgate Edinburgh 22 Feb 2011

It may have been raining last night in Edinburgh as I left Sneaky Pete's in the Cowagte but I was too full of Yuck to feel it.  There was great deal of bass and enough reverberation to shake my soul free from it's material mountings so as I phonically trembled on my journey home I was not hindered by the rain.  From the first blast to last subsonic echo I was enthralled by Yuck.  Three guitars and one drum set can overwhelm you with sound.

Yuck were front mounted to the stage from where they projected forth strong rhythms and gentle tones.  The sound system was stretched to captures the high pitched lyrics and the awesome range  of guitar effects.  In this bijou venue they seemed to stir the crowd and shake the room, being a part of the resulting cocktail was worth shaking, stirring and savouring.

Yuck were formed from behind the curtain that fell on Cajun Dance Party.  Guitarist Max Bloom and singer Daniel Blumberg have come long way since then.  They have toured with Yuck for one year releasing singles and accumulating praise.  Their guitar driven style is a new angle on Indie Sound and it echoes Grunge but reaches beyond both.  They could be described as a brighter The Jesus and Mary Chain with Sonic Youth attitude.  The grunge stylings of Yuck take their shoegazing roots to new heights with fruit blossoms and bitter/sweets fruit treats alternating along every bough.

The subtle nuisances of Suicide Policeman were lost in the mix but the band put on a great transformation giving their album sound a major shift to create a stunning live performance.  Coconut Bible was announced as a B-side and it is free to download from their website.  This might explain the Coconut explosion that covered the audience as as the front row sang the lyric back.

The album Yuck was on sale on the night in vinyl format.  A good sign that traditions can be kept and that retro is not redundant.  The band have well set roots but they are progressing forwards releasing new tracks aiming to find future classics.  Some bands are well worth braving the elements for.  Yuck gave me elemental emanations in their sonic soundscape that has left me inhabiting my own micro climate.  Their finale Rubber left me bouncing of the inside of myself long after the sun came through the curtains.

Writers’ Museum Lady Stair’s Close Edinburgh

The Writers’ Museum in Edinburgh is located in Lady Stair’s House just off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.  The house is said to be named after the 18^th Century owner Elizabeth, Dowager Countess of Stair.  The house was built in 1622 by Sir William Gray of Pittendrum.  In 1719 Elizabeth, Dowager Countess of Stair, bought Gray’s House and the surrounding close.  Throughout the 1800s the house was divided into apartments which were not well maintained.  The area now known as Lady Stair’s Close was being considered for demolition.  Then in 1893 Lord Rosebery a distant relative of Sir William Gray bought the house to restore it.  He commissioned the architect George Shaw Aitken to make it a fine town house once more.  This remodelling left the house in the shape that we find it today.  In 1907 Lady Stair’s House was gifted to the city for use as a museum and is now The Writers’ Museum.

Over the entrance to The Writers’ Museum is an ornamental carved stone lintel bearing the date 1622 and the initials of William Gray and Geida Smith they are the builders of the house.  The ornamentation is inscribed, “FEARE THE LORD & DEPART FROM EVIL.”  It would appear to be a quote from Proverbs Chapter 3 verses 7-8.  The King James Version would translate the original as “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”  It could be viewed as a self help guide suggesting that true spiritual fulfilment also brings physical health, or in reverse it could be viewed as a justification by the prosperous house builders that states that those who succeed are doing the Lord’s work.

The ornamentation above the door displays a flower and star which could indicate the rise from the ground of this tower house built upon the foundation of the union of William Gray and Geida Smith whose initials are carved separately either side of the coat of arms and also in conjunction on the left hand side of the lintel.  The left hand side of the lintel bears the star and William’s initials.  The new union will combine William’s high aspirations with Gieda’s fruitful nature.  The message detailed in the carving could be their hopes that their children will continue the family name and fortune.  This combining of the star and flower can be taken into several interpretations which should rely on accurate historic attributes. 

There is a much simpler stone to interpret which bears the dates 1622-1897.  The dates are figured on oval plaques each of which has a hand affixed.  The extended hands grasp one another in a handshake.  The dates are those of the building of the house and the completion of the repairs and remodelling by Lord Rosebery.  The two hands show that the works of man can span the ages to create a continued lineage homed in a family residence.  Lord Rosebery was a distant relation of Sir William Gray so this dated stone displays the pedigree and position of the men who built and cared for this house.

The Writers’ Museum focuses on Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.   The achievements of these three giants of Scottish Literature are shown through the collection of personal objects, portraits, manuscripts and first editions.  At the time of writing the Museum is open Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm and entry is free of charge.  The museum is sited next to Makars’ Court which is still in an evolving national literary monument.  The flagstones have been inscribed with quotes from great Scottish literary figures.  There are new stones being laid as a part of the continuing development.

PHH Sykes

www.phhsykes.co.uk

http://phhsykes.blogspot.com

Roslyn Chapel Valentine's Post Cards

This is the framed set of Valentines cards used to advertise the cards for sale at Rosslyn Chapel.  The photographs of them were taken in 2009.  Although the originals may have been strictly monochrome I have colour processed these images to better show their current state of preservation and to illustrate the beautiful shades that time has brought to these printed works.  I do not own the original postcards nor do I claim to own the copyright of them.  My copyright notice is issued here in relation to the images taken by me.  It is worth noting that the cards issue the name of the chapel as Roslyn, today it goes by the name Rosslyn and the village close by is Roslin.  Time and tradition can be generous in giving us place names to ponder over.

Valentine’s of Dundee produced Scottish topographical views from the 1860s. 

The Valentine business had been based on engraving and printing.  In 1851 James Valentine added portrait photography to the Dundee business.  Valentine used a converted barouche as a mobile darkroom.  Valentine’s views in the nineteenth century covered locations opened up to the middle and upper class tourist market.  It was possible to buy drawing room albums containing selections of photographs arranged geographically and also to have individual larger prints. The prints were available in a choice of sizes, Cabinet, Imperial and Card.  Stereoscopic views were also produced and sold in boxed editions to accompany the stereoscopic viewers.  Locations were chosen throughout Scotland and from 1882 English sites were included.  By 1900 Valentine’s images covered resorts beyond the United Kingdom including Norway, Jamaica, Tangiers, Morocco, Madeira and New Zealand.

©2009 PHH Sykes

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Fancies

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Midlothian Winter Panoramas

The landscape in Midlothian offers great scope for panorama format pictures.  The winter has offered up stunning scenes which stretch from end to end of the letter box frame which encapsulates these pictures.  The blend of textures and shades delivered by the hills and pastures of Midlothian are punctuated by the woodlands and waterways.  The combination of natural elements and farmed lands make beautiful reading for those that pause to enjoy the narrative of the landscape.  Wandering through Scotland can be a mind opening exercise.  Various mountain scenes seem to adapt your vision into a widescreen set up.  You begin to take long sweeping views that run along ridges and continue on across lochs and over tree tops.  Here in Midlothian there are continual vistas that stretch the mind and camera to find the best focus to fulfil your vision.  This is the beginning of a collection of winter landscapes that benefit from being seen as a panorama.

©2011 PHH Sykes

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Fancies

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For more photos click on the images below

Winter Flora Macro Temple Midlothian Scotland

Living in the midst of fields, woods and countryside it is quite easy to see the subtle changes brought about by the seasons.  In the temperate climate of Midlothian you can experience a four seasons day where you have icy white hail being melted by glorious summer sun shine and in between the cold and hot you could be experiencing spring and autumn.  The macro flower pictures that I took on 11 January 2010 were showing signs of spanning the seasons.  I could see dried autumnal stems and seeds as well spring like flowers despite there being snows on the ground and a glorious warm light from a bright blue sky.

The stark lighting I choose here was accentuated to illustrate the harsh conditions that these flowers are experiencing.  The main subjects I took to were Wild Chervil and Rosebay Willowherb.  The strong streams of sunlight gave me shadows and highlights to combine.  The setting sun gave me great colours in the sky.  The camera can fail to combine the natural conditions so I used reflected light and electronic lights to amalgamate the light sources at the levels that that I needed for these photographs.  It was a cold session lasting several hours and there are more pictures to load on another occasion but I am very happy to share these stark winter images with you.

©2011 PHH Sykes

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Fancies

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http://phhsykes.blogspot.com 

For more photos click on the images below

Midlothian Midwinter Daytime Donder

After enjoying a stimulating breakfast as documented below I was ready to take to the countryside in search of more snow.  http://phhsykes.blogspot.com/2011/01/rocket-fuel-samsung-galaxy-gt-i9000.html

The guarana and caffeine were driving me on to fill my lens with snow, sky and stunning scenery.

The earlier snows had provided me with subject matter just two days before.  http://phhsykes.blogspot.com/2011/01/scottish-snow-scenes-midlothian-meander.html

So I went back to the previous locations to record the changes made by the heavier snow fall.

This was a longer tour than the Midlothian Meander and the conditions were superb.  Even though the snow was heavy underfoot it was a pleasure to be surrounded by the winter landscape.  All around was covered in the sumptuous snow cape idly left by the passing winter weather spirits.  They had transformed every aspect of the views available with the bright white covering that extended in all directions.  The windswept sheets of snow gave unexpected textures making familiar sights seem startling and strange.  There were some superb scenes to enjoy and to photograph as I journeyed around in search of light, colour and perspective.  There was no disappointment as the winter weather had created beauty and majesty across the Pentland Hills and over the pastures to the edge of the frozen waters where I thought it was time to pack away my camera.  Then just as I was closing in on the warmth of our open hearth in Temple I saw a flock of sheep that caught my eye and had me opening up my camera bag once again.

©2011 PHH Sykes

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Fancies

http://www.phhsykes.co.uk

http://phhsykes.blogspot.com

For more photos click on the images below