What a wonderful time

I've just come back from a wonderful two days at the Highland Wildlife Park, Kincraig, where I was on a photographic workshop with Chris Weston.

As per normal with Chris' excellent tutorials I learnt something new and came away inspired - I really would recommend his courses to anyone.

I also want to thank the Park and to the two rangers who helped us, especially to Leanne, throughout both the days and in spite of us experiencing all four season in one day on the Friday.

The hotel I stayed in, The Suie, was great. Mike and Wendy couldn't have been more welcoming and I was really glad I had chosen to stay there. I have however now been officially "suie'd" and the lack of sleep (not to mention the hangover) did take a while to get over.

A special hello goes to the guys in the bar from Kincraig who made me welcome, which can be especially difficult for a women alone, and were friendly, conversational and a really great bunch. Especially to Arthur whose head must have hurt a ton more than mine on Friday!

But, the best bit for me of the whole trip was the great photos I have come back with. I have been able to update the website quite significantly and feel that my style is further developing. I have always tended at little towards portraits of animals but they have not conveyed the ethos I am trying to achieve but I feel like I have now made that jump. The picture I visualize is now being captured.

Scientists, biologists especially, say that we shouldn't put human emotions onto animals - we should strive to understand the animal and its behaviour. I agree with this BUT I have a counter to it as well. IF we feel and empathy with an animal, and we do this easiest by transferring what is really a human emotion or feeling onto the animal, then we are more likely to take an interest and to care for it.

It is public interest that moves political interest - we keep the buggers in work afterall. If the public can be made to care about a species then they will push the people that can actually do something about it.

The public, largely, do not have the interest or the time or the scientific kn0w-how to study an animal. This we leave to others - but show them an animal that stirs in them any emotion and you have them. They will then care about that animal, or bird, or frog, or whatever. When they care they cause others to. It spreads. It finds its way via the public voice to the people who grant the mining licences, who grant the logging rights - the people with the real power.

Then, my friends, we can change the world.

I want my photos to make you react. Be it with humour, or sadness, or just think that something it kind of cute. It doesn't matter - so long as my photos make you care.

On that note I am reminding everyone again - the government are going to look at the licence applications for exploratory gas and oil drilling in the Moray Firth by the 12th of March. That three weeks away. The public - that's you and me - have until then to let the polititions know we won't stand for it. The lives of the Dolphins of the Moray Firth are at stake here. Extinction is forever.

PLEASE HELP - go to www.wdcs.org or google "save the moray dolphins" for more information on how you can help in just 2 minutes. Yes, 2 minutes of your time and a lifetime to 130+ dolphins.

Now its your turn to make a difference.

The bitter sweat taste of rejection....

It's February. It's cold, its wet and the phone has stopped ringing. It always does in the early part of the year but it never gets any easier.

Everybody is paying off Christmas and the doom and gloom of economic recession rears its ugly head once again.

Everyone is struggling with their budgets - have they got enough? Of course, come March they will all realise they actually have a surplus and have to spend it and quick or they'll get their budget cut for next year. It's the same every Feb and March.

Those of us at the sharp end wonder quite how we will make it through to Spring and then we'll run around like headless chickens in late March in the final spending dash. Not that we'll see the money for another 30 days at least of course - frequently longer than that!

It's a hard balance. You have to get used to rejection. You get a lot of it. Even the best and most famous photographers get it. Those of us towards the bottom of the great ladder feel it greatest.

As I sit here with no less than 6 rejection emails today and very little in the diary for February I do what I always do. I wonder - should I get a proper job?

Perhaps I should turn my hand to weddings? At least they start in the spring but then everyone getting married this year is probably already got booked with someone. And do I want to do weddings? Could I do weddings? I have no idea. I've only done two and they were for friends.

Editorial photography is certainly the hardest nut to crack.

I don't mind working alone (in fact I often prefer it). I don't mind spending hours in the cold and damp (rather that than hot if I'm honest). I don't even mind the irregularity of the workload - although right now in the season of drought I would like to see some evidence of an oasis on the horizon..

Oh and of course, having spent today (not raining, cold but sunny) indoors "taking care of business" I can guarantee its going to rain sideways and even upwards with gale force winds on Thursday - I have a little project I'm going to get started on.....

Perhaps I need another cup of tea...