Friday 5 March 2010

A Collection. My Favourite Photographs.

Hi. Thought I`d post a gallery of some of my favourite snaps.They don't really fit into our days out scenario but I like them anyway.Most of them have been taken over the last few years on mainly solo wanderings.Some have been obviously altered from their original state.Hope you like them,or at the very least find them interesting.You may have to enlarge them full screen to get the effect I was aiming for.

Was in the right place at the right time to capture this.Sadly the Renfrew ferry will soon be no more.I enjoyed taking this ferry,usually with my bike.Its replacement (if there is one) will never have the same magic and it looks like taking bikes across here may be a thing of the past.Not so keen on cycling under the Clyde tunnel so much. That can be a creepy place at times depending who is in it along with you.

Anybody know where this is?The detail in this figure is superb.Most people walk right by this without even noticing it at all which is a real shame.

Shortly after taking this I thought my time was up as I was suddenly approached at speed by about 20 young guys racing towards me over Bells bridge.Luckily for me it was just the start of the crowd at Ibrox for the Rangers game coming out.Was I relieved? You bet I was.

The moon looking tiny on a cloudless spring day at the Necropolis.

An arty one here as I was returning an overdue library book.Anniesland Tower.

Took this from the Renfrew walkway which leads along the River Clyde and up the Black Cart water.This is an interesting walk or cycle part industrial beside a huge scrap metal yard then wild and beautiful along both riverbanks.It can be rough at times depending who you meet which is a real shame.
The Gorbals in winter at dusk.Another magic day in a surprisingly photo friendly area.

An all time favourite this.I`ve always loved the artwork of Gage Taylor,Bill Martin and the other California based visionary painters popular in the 1970s.This is one of the best sunsets I`ve had the pleasure to witness.An altered image obviously.

Taken on the same evening.

Taken from the Erskine Bridge in winter.Never fail to be impressed cycling over here for a tour of Renfrewshire.The vast network of minor road between here and Greenock make it a paradise for quiet cycling routes.

Liked the contrast here between the pristine snow cornice on the summit of Cockleroy and the smokepits and fires of Grangemouth below.

Ain`t he cute.My wee buddy!

Some more obliging animals I always say hello to in passing on summer bike tours in the hills above Glasgow.

Always get a wee lump in my throat when I visit this place on Bute.Not Forgotten.

A day of heavy downpours and sunny intervals on the Clyde near Braehead.Good place for a walk.There is an excellent small park next to Xscape here with fountains and a manmade stream system that runs through it.An fine example of creative landscaping in a small area.Like the earlier festival park in Govan only with more chance of it staying decent this time.

A muted sunset looking over towards Renfrewshire.

Couldn`t resist this one.The girl was trying to make a "Glory"with her image projected onto the clouds below.Captures the joy of a perfect day on the Ochills.

Right place at the right time again.I was wishing it was me in the kayak though I had a good day myself on the bike Going up onto the Gleniffer plateau after this.

Ok.I admit it.I,m obsessed with taking photos of wilderness combined with a city landscape.Not an easy thing to do but I keep trying anyway inspired by pictures of other cities around the world where urban sprawl and wilderness rub shoulders with each other.

Taken from the car waiting for the lights to change.

People used to think mayflies and craneflies were fairy folk.Innocent times back then between the witch burnings and the sinners stoned to death.

Luckily for humanity there is a god in heaven.A fallen angel perhaps?

7 comments:

Robert Craig said...

Like the Grangemouth and secret Glasgow mountain one! Where's the Glasgow one taken from?

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Robert.Its on a zoom from the cliffs at Slackdhu above Strathblane in the Campsies.Tom Weir started climbing here as a boy but said they were steep,loose and hard to protect with any gear.They havent changed much since then. Bob.

The Glebe Blog said...

Hi Bob,great pictures,but I'm sure I've seen the horses before.
Isn't this them on this page here.

http://www.dankatie.com/funstuff/horses/

andamento said...

I enjoyed the little tour through your photos, thanks for sharing. It's hard to pick a favourite - they were all very interesting.

blueskyscotland said...

Cute cartoon jim.Reminds me of the singing fish I always see in houses.Here,s one in return though its not a funny I,m afraid."Dead can dance-The host of Seraphim."One of the most haunting videos I,ve ever seen on you tube.Its the one with the donkey pulling a cart right at the start.To me this 3 minutes is way better than slumdog millionaire which was ok but overrated somewhat.
Cheers everyone.This video is worth the effort.Its stunning.

Unknown said...

Great photos, you've captured a lot of places familiar to me from when I lived in Glasgow that bring back happy memories. I share your reservations about the Clyde bike tunnel - I only used it once. It's also interesting to see my old place of work (Grangemouth) from an unusual angle.

Despite having grown up on Bute I don't recall the story behind the orphanage gravestone, care to remind me?

blueskyscotland said...

As far as I know Gavin(I,m not a local from Bute)I was told it relates to Lady Bute,s orphanage formally called Bellevue on Barone road nearby.It opened as a Convent/orphanage run by nuns (the servants of the sacred heart) in 1881 and closed in 1930.Its a smashing place for a wander round with some great headstones.Got another picture taken nearby of a young girl angel thats a work of art in itself.Never seen an angel like it since.Most are depicted as adults. Used to spend a lot of holidays on Bute as a Youngster.