Shadow Shot Sunday - The Beach

James running down the sand at Horgabost, Isle of Harris.  It was our first beach of the year - can you tell?

See the world's shadows this week with Tracey at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Tai-Chi at the market

There was a Taoist Tai Chi demonstration at the Farmers' Market today.  The sun was out too!  I think they've just carried the tiger to the mountain here.

I go to a Tai Chi class every Monday - very good for the body, mind and soul.  Every weekend, I visit Australia for Shadow Shot Sunday - almost the same thing.  Do drop by and play along.

Shadow Shot Sunday - City walls

Climbing the steep steps up the Vennel from Edinburgh's Grassmarket on Thursday, I had to stop for a breather.  It must have been fate that stopped me there, rather than being unfit, because right in front of me was this wonderful lamp post shadow, against the city walls.  I think this part is the Flodden wall, built in 1560 - how many shadows have passed by these stones, I wonder?
Check out lots of great shadows around the world with Tracy at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - A boy and his dog

James and Robbie the dog, enjoying some late winter (or early spring?) sunshine.  But - where has my grass gone?!

See more shadow play at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Homemade paper lanterns

It is the Chinese New Year  tomorrow, so we made paper lanterns to celebrate. 
It is also Sunday in Australia now - visit Tracy for Shadow Shot Sunday.  Happy New Year!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Ancestral shadows

I make no apologies for posting more images of the 5000 year old Callanish Stones.  They were so stunningly beautiful and special. 

 

The first day of our visit was bright, sunny and cold - perfect conditions for finding shadows.

 

Maybe they are the shadows of the people who built this sacred place.

Scroll down for more photographs of our trip to the Outer Hebrides last week. And visit Tracy, at the other side of the world to see more Shadow Shots.

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Shadow Shot Sunday - Some sunshine at last.

Great to see a bit of sunshine - and some clear dry ground to run around on.  It just makes you want to skip with joy.  See more dancing shadows around the world with Tracy at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Fire shadows

It's almost midwinter here in Scotland. Long dark nights by the fire - dancing shadows in the flames.

 What pictures do you see?

 

Visit Tracy for midsummer in Australia and Shadow Shot Sunday

Shadow Shot Sunday - Vegetarians look away now

Game birds hanging outside a butcher's shop. A sad little scene I photographed a couple of weeks ago in Oxford's covered market. Still, it is good to remind ourselves where our food actually comes from.
Lots and lots of shadows on display every weekend at Hey Harriet.  Do check them out.  

Shadow Shot Sunday - Ashmolean

On our recent trip to visit family we enjoyed a day out in Oxford.  Despite the fact that my sister-in law has lived in a nearby village for many years, we had never actually visited the town.  Amends have now been made, and I am very glad we did.  After wandering around looking at the skyscape and window shopping in the Covered Market and side streets we had a quick dash round the Ashmolean Museum.  What a fantasic place - recently refurbished - the way the collections are displayed is truly stunning.  Being the well trained subject that I am, I kept my camera lens cap on , but coming down stairs we came across this whole wall of busts by Sir Francis Chantrey , with nice little shadows attached..  I very politely asked a chap sporting a V neck jumper with the museum logo on if I could take a picture and he said  "Please do!"  - just like that! So I did - The Chantrey Wall.  I hope you like it as we had to run for our bus and there are no more. I'll be back!
Do visit Tracy and friends for Shadow Shot Sunday - you never know where you will end up.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Apple

A sliced apple in a bowl made a nice shadow in the morning light.  See more shadows from around the world with Tracy at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - another frosty morning

Frosty shadows on a savoy cabbage in my garden on Monday morning.  See more frosty pictures on my gardening blog, and check out sunnier shadows at Shadow Shot Sunday with Tracy and friends.

Shadow Shot Sunday. Frost

Swirly frosty shadows on my car windscreen this morning.


It's springtime in Australia - visit Hey Harriet there for more shadows.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Boy in a kilt

We were guests at a wedding last week, so James wore his kilt to the event. He had great fun parading up and down the sunny courtyard.
See more shadows at Hey Harriet every Sunday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Jupiter Artland

This week's shadow shots were taken during our day out at the magnificent Jupiter Artland
sculpture park. The previous two posts also feature works from this amazing collection. (Can you tell I liked it?)

These pieces are part of the series Weeping Girls amongst trees, by Laura Ford.

Just walking through the shady woodland, we happen upon five statues of little girls weeping. Quite a surreal experience and a wee bit disturbing; a real contrast to the other exhibits we had seen up until then. Great shadows though. I also liked the way the sunlight played on the tree above echoing the menacing ambiance.

If you scroll down to the previous post, you will see more of this work - Firmamanet, by Anthony Gormley. After looking upwards for those shots, I then looked down, and it was just as wonderful in shadow form. Sadly, the sun was only out for a minute, but it was enough.
The world is full of great shadows. See them at Shadow Shot Sunday on Hey Harriet.

Shadow Shot Sunday - UFO in Edinbugh?

No - it is Edinburgh Napier University's Business School campus - stunningly redeveloped a couple of years ago - or not - depending on your views on modern architecture. The original
Victorian building is still attached. This was built as a Hydropathic institute, but during WWI it became a psychiatric hospital; war poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon were both patients there. Later it became a teacher training college.
The egg shaped structure houses a lecture theatre. Interesting building and shadows. See more at Hey Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Gate between darkness and light

Walking along a shady wooded lane, this gate seemed to open up to the light.


See more light and dark partnerships from around the world at Shadow Shot Sunday

Shadow Shot Sunday - In the night kitchen

There has been a dearth of shadow opportunities this week, due to very rainy weather here I took these shots in the kitchen the other night. I had been in bed asleep, awoke in the early hours and decided to get up for a glass of water. The neighbours' outside lights were still on, shining through my kitchen window, and I was greeted with the shadows of my kitchen utensils hanging from their rack.
See what wonderful shadows are being cooked up at Hey Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday menu.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Clyde Coast

Yesterday we took a wee afternoon run down to the coast of Ayrshire. It was a gorgeous day, but later on a strong wind whipped up the sand on Girvan beach. The visibility was not great, so there was a bit of a shadow shortage. Ah well - here is a grainy image of Ailsa Craig - a volcanic plug that sits in the middle of the Firth of Clyde. For the next week, golfing fans will become very familiar with this sight as the TV crews of the world descend on Turnberry for the British Open Golf Championship. It tends to feature in panned out shots from the course. Personally I would rather sit and watch the light changing on Ailsa Craig than watch golf, but each to their own.


This is another misty view, this time of the beautiful island of Arran, taken from Girvan harbour. The profile allegedly resembles that of a sleeping warrior. I have spent countless childhood holidays studying this skyline and cannot quite see it - I am happy to keep trying though.

Boats in the harbour.

James on the beach before the sandstorm. Arran is just visible on the horizon.

Visit Hey Harriet for great shadow shots around the world every Sunday - wherever you are.

Shadow Shot Sunday - The old farm

Today we visited an old farm in the Scottish Borders, near a beautiful wee village called Moniaive. It was quite a dull and drizzly day so not too many shadow opportunities, but I did manage one or two shots.

The view out from the old byre (cow shed).

A forgotten trailer.

A close up of some dry stane dyke (traditional Scottish stone walling)

I loved this wonderful old tree.

Visit Hey Harriet in Australia for more Shadow Shots around the world.