Kitesurfers on Barassie Beach
On a windy, but sunny February morning, a few of us from Ayr Photographic Society, met on Barassie Beach to enjoy the acrobatic activities of the local kitesurfing training school, run by Grant Clayton
Below are some of my action-packed images, captured with the new Sony zoom lens
What an amazing performance. Superb !!!!!







Good old Santa – Sony FE 200-600mm

I must have been a good boy, as I’m now the proud owner of this great lens. Here’s a few more local wildlife/bird images, shot with my new lens.
I hope you like them.
Happy New Year to all my fellow bloggers






Sony FE200-600mm f5.6/f6.3 Trial
I had the opportunity to trial this lens at the end of last week, at Rozelle Park, in Ayr, where I manage to shoot some “active “dog images and a few images of some local birds
Although a little heavier than my Canon FE70-200mm f2.8 IS USM, with metabones e-mount adapter, I found it easier to handle than expected.
The reach and quality of this Sony lens was superb, and the continuous autofocus, on the subjects was extremely accurate. I hope Santa will be good to me, this Xmas so that I can add it to my photography kit bag
Here are a few sample images which I hope you will like
Dumfries House Estate – Another Day Out
Earlier this year, we visited Dumfries House Estate, located near Cumnock, in East Ayrshire. The first visit was towards the end of summer and then again later in the Autumn.
A great place to “chill out”, wandering in the well maintained woodland and garden areas, giving you a real sense of peace and tranquility
Below are a few images taken during our visits
Fireworks Near Burns Monument
The annual fireworks display, to commemorate Guy Fawkes’ attempt to blow-up The Houses of Parliament in 1605, was held recently at the grounds of Ayr Rugby Club.
Here are a few images, of the local firework display, shot near Burns Monument, overlooking “Brig O’ Doon” Hotel.
Scottish Airshow 2014
The Scottish Airshow, was held in Ayr, this year, during early September.
It was an incredible performance that was enjoyed by around 50,000 spectators soaking up the atmosphere and the great weather.
Many thanks to all involved for a superb day.
A small sample of my images are shown below.
Beamish Museum – Co. Durham
You can’t visit Durham and not visit the nearby Beamish Museum. This “living museum” is a superb example of urban and rural life that existed in the early 20th century in N.E England.
We had previously visited some 15 – 20 years ago, when our children were young and it was great to return, a few weeks ago, and remind ourselves how amazing the Beamish is. We were only there for a day and really did not get a chance to see all of the exhibits, but we will most definitely return in the near future.
Below are a few images, including some of the interiors of the houses in the old Victorian town.
Detailed information about The Beamish Museum can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beamish_Museum
Rome – Additional Images
With so much activity in Rome at the moment, I felt compelled to add some additional images to my Rome webpage. Please click on this link to my Rome webpage http://wp.me/P1WKsc-jl
I would love to be there at present to sense and enjoy the atmosphere of anticipation and excitement as the Catholic Church seek to elect a new leader.
Alas, I will neeed to content myself with watching history unfold on the television and think of our holiday visit a few years ago, seeing the places we visited and dreaming of our return, hopefully in the near future.
Roman Holiday – Inside The Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums, located inside Vatican City, contain some of the greatest sculptures and classical art in the world. I was utterly amazed at the vibrance and detail in the paintings and sculpture, considering their age.
Below are a few images that are my personal favourites, but they in no way do justice to seeing the “real thing”
Roman Holiday – Inside The Vatican
Continuing on the theme “Roman Holiday”; we went into the Vatican during our visit to Rome. Here are a few images.
The first image is Michelangelo’s La Pieta, which is the only sculpture that he ever signed. It depicts the body of Christ in Mary’s lap after the crucifixion.
The second image is the Main Dome inside the Vatican. Michelangelo designed the dome in 1547 and it was completed in 1590 by Giacomo della Porta and Fontana.
The third image, the Cathedra Petri or ” the Throne of St Peter” is surrounded by an enormous statue of bronze produced by Bernini.
More information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter’s_Basilica
Loch Shiel – Glenfinnan Monument
The Glenfinnan Monument was erected in 1815. It is a memorial tower marking the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) raised his standard at the start of the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.
Today the monument is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
This image was captured on a hill above the National Trust Visitor’s Centre.
Blackrock Cottage – Glencoe
One of the most beautiful and most photographed scenes in the Scottish Highlands.
Because of the wide variation in weather conditions, in this region, the “character” of this peaceful tranquil scene can quickly be transformed, into one of the bleakest, stormy, landscapes in Scotland.