I've had a few enquiries regarding the different vouchers I offer so here is a rundown of both portrait photo shoot vouchers & photography workshop vouchers:
Option 1: Lifestyle Photo Shoots - On Location
A relaxed informal photo-shoot at a location of your choice, ideal for families of all ages, you will receive a comprehensive gallery of beautiful natural images.
Includes:
- 90 minute photo-shoot on location
- £75 voucher towards professional quality prints
- A minimum of 50 digital files, suitable for your own printing and sharing via digital download
- Online proofing gallery for sharing with friends and family
- Includes travel within a 25 mile radius of Pitlochry (additional travel costs may apply for shoot locations further afield (£0.45 per mile)
Cost: £300
Option 2: Portrait Photo Shoot at Logierait
Includes:
- 45 minute photo-shoot on our farm at Logierait (or within 5 miles of Logierait)
- £40 voucher to put towards professional quality prints
- Online proofing gallery of 30 images which will be online for two weeks, where further prints and the digital files can be purchased
Cost: £95
Option 3: Photography Workshops
Ideal for the amateur photographer - learn how to capture beautiful images of family, friends and pets using natural light.
Who is it for?
Anyone who owns a DSLR camera (a camera you can change the lens on) and is interested in learning how to capture beautiful images of friends, family and pets using natural light and getting their camera off AUTO.
What should I expect?
A fun, hands on, interactive and inspiring day.
You will be set challenges, encouraged to take photographs and ask questions. Examples will be shown at every opportunity, we will have fun and you will leave feeling inspired and full of enthusiasm.
I will not confuse you with techy jargon, but I will give you assistance and advice to help improve your photography.
Where is it held?
This is NOT a classroom course, we will head out to a beautiful rural location near Logierait in Perthshire, with a real family and real pets and you will be encouraged to use your camera with ongoing support and guidance.
When?
Full day photography workshops will be held in April, May & September 2016.
Cost?
£95 per person, including lunch, refreshments and a few other perks!
What other attendees thought….
“It is so nice for someone creative willing to share not only their passion but also their skills with other people. It is so refreshing that Eilidh is so willing to help people enjoy photography as much as she does. There are no secrets and no question is too silly. I came away feeling not only inspired about photography but to get my own creative juices flowing!” Katrine Pedersen Knowland
"I am very grateful to have the opportunity to attend one of Eilidh's photography courses. I loved how we were introduced to the aspects of what makes up a good photo and also thrown in at the deep end out in the field (literally!) to get snapping with Eilidh on hand for advice and to put us through our paces to try out what we had learned. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and look forward to attending more workshops in the future. Eilidh's creativity, passion, enthusiasm and knowledge is outstanding. Thank you. x"
Sammy Stewart, March 2015 Workshop
"Eilidh's photography workshop was a fantastic day packed with new tips and opportunity to put them into practice. It was also great to meet the others on the course too and have a chance to share advice and ask questions....topped with some of the cutest families as our models!"
Susanna Thomson, March 2015 Workshop
Please contact me to purchase a voucher, these will be sent first class, can be collected from Logierait or sent via email.
]]>Limited edition framed prints, aluminium prints, fine art mounted prints and cards will be for sale, starting from £2.
Opening Hours
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Wednesday 9th September 5pm - 7pm
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Thursday 10th September 12 noon - 7pm
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Friday 11th September 12 noon - 7pm
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Saturday 12th September 12 noon 5 pm (Laura will be on duty as I will be away photographing a beautiful wedding!)
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Sunday 13th September 12 noon - 5pm
*If you can't make it within these hours, then please let me know as I am prepared to open early/late on a couple of days, please contact me in advance to ensure I will be around*
Directions
Turn off the A9 at Ballinluig and head towards Aberfeldy, once you are through the village of Logierait, continue for half a mile and you will see the farm on your right hand side, the farmhouse sits in front of green sheds and a red brick steading.
Going to the Europeans at Blair?
If you are going to the European Championships at Blair Castle, the farm is situated just 10 miles south of Blair Atholl and only 1 mile from the A9 - which will likely be your route to and from the event, so feel free to call in on your way/way back.
Other Local Artists
There are plenty of other local artists who are taking part in Perthshire Open Studios, take a look at the map and the grid on the Perthshire Open Studios [Red Route] page here http://www.perthshireopenstudios.com/routes/red-route/
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Who is it for?
Anyone with the DSLR camera (a camera you can change the lens on) who is interested in learning how to capture beautiful images of friends, family and pets using natural light and getting their camera off AUTO.
Where is it held?
On a farm in rural Perthshire, near Pitlochry
What should I expect?
A fun, interactive, exciting and inspiring day! You will be set challenges, encouraged to take photographs and ask questions. Example images will be shown at every opportunity, we will have fun and you will leave feeling inspired and full of enthusiasm.
This is NOT a classroom course, we will head out to a beautiful rural location with a real family and real pets, and you will be encouraged to use your cameras as much as possible with ongoing support and guidance.
Will you confuse me with techy jargon?
NO! I promise I won't use techy jargon but I will give you hands on assistance and advice to help you improve your photography.
How much does it cost?
£95 including refreshments and lunch. Limited numbers, spaces are filled on a first come first served basis. To book or for further information please email [email protected]
What other attendees have said....
"I am very grateful to have the opportunity to attend one of Eilidh's photography courses. I loved how we were introduced to the aspects of what makes up a good photo and also thrown in at the deep end out in the field (literally!) to get snapping with Eilidh on hand for advice and to put us through our paces to try out what we had learned. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and look forward to attending more workshops in the future. Eilidh's creativity, passion, enthusiasm and knowledge is outstanding. Thank you. x"
Sammy Stewart, March 2015 Workshop
"It is so nice for someone creative willing to share not only their passion but also their skills with other people. It is so refreshing that Eilidh is so willing to help people enjoy photography as much as she does. There are no secrets and no question is too silly. I came away feeling not only inspired about photography but to get my own creative juices flowing!"
Katrine Pedersen-Knowland, March 2015 Workshop
"Eilidh has a lovely friendly personality and made me feel welcome from the very start. Explained things in novice terms and was always there to help when asked. I really enjoyed the informality of the whole day and did not feel out of my depth among the other girls as I felt we were all roughly at the same stage. Would definitely come back to another course with a different topic. Will recommend Eilidh Robertson Photography when I get the chance. x"
"Eilidh's photography workshop was a fantastic day packed with new tips and opportunity to put them into practice. It was also great to meet the others on the course too and have a chance to share advice and ask questions....topped with some of the cutest families as our models!"
Susanna Thomson, March 2015 Workshop
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Taking "country girl at heart" Eilidh and "city boy" Alan into a barley field and Eilidh not caring about her dress but Alan stressing about the barley seeds on his shoes - although she did replace her Christian Louboutin's with (my) Ugg boots before she ventured into the field! When Jonny was completely overcome with emotion during the ceremony at Sally & Jonny's super relaxed wedding on the farm on a beautiful summers day. When the Minister (and good friend) admitted she thought Robin & Morag were already married before carrying out their wedding ceremony. Lending my boots to Sarah so she wouldn't wreck her shoes on a showery August day, the tourists who gatecrashed our Bride and Groom photo session and hearing some of the best speeches I have ever heard, Jamie was even given the gift of a rolling pin! The moment Lynsey kicked her shoes off and Ali said "YYYYYYeeesssssss" to the chance offer of a trip in a rubber dingy out into Linlithgow Palace Boating Pond during their Bride & Groom photos - what an fab sense of adventure! Kate and Sandy's beautiful wedding at Taymouth Marina with the beautiful personalised details and real party atmosphere. When stags started roaring while Juliane and Christian were saying their vows on a heather clad hill at 2000ft and how their outfits tied in amazingly with the awesome autumnal colours up on the hill. Guests becoming totally overwhelmed with emotion at Jillian and Graeme's intimate ceremony at Fortingall Hotel - the tears were streaming down a few faces especially when Jillian's niece sung Make You Feel My Love as a surprise. When Robert and Gemma's young nephew started hiding under the table directly opposite the Gemma and Robert at Gleneagles Hotel, this may have been due to the fact I was playing hide and seek with him from behind my camera...! The incredible weather for Dave and Angela's elopement in the Mountain Bothy near Aberfeldy, one minute it was a complete snowstorm the next it was brilliant sunshine, and poor Ghillie trying to play the pipes in a force nine gale! The squeals and giggles of Jo and her Bridesmaids as all three of them climbed aboard a horse at Jo and Dicky's beautiful autumnal wedding at the Dunkeld Hilton. The proud look on Sarah's parents faces as she was putting her veil on ready to leave the house and taking Sarah and Allan on an adventure in the pitch dark to get a cool night-time shot with the glow from Dundee city lights. When one of the Ushers realised the ring was missing literally 1 minute before Leigh arrived at the church and I almost had to give my own wedding ring as a substitute. To the funniest Best Man speech I have ever heard at Leigh and Pete's wedding - I have no idea what he said, it was just the way he said it! I also discovered at this wedding that a guest who has been drinking champagne all day is still miles better than me at light painting / drawing - Thanks Ally! When Kat told me all about her Sex and the City Manolo Blahnik shoes then arrived at the church in her Ugg boots... before roping her Dad and the Minister into helping her change footwear/carry the umbrella, when one of Kat & Ryan's friends told us he got attacked by Swans after I sent him off into the darkness with a flash! When Kirsten and her Bridesmaid got locked in the Bridal Suite during the meal and had to shout out the window to attract the attention of the Ushers who eventually rescued them - the look of relief on their faces v the hilarity on the faces of the rescuers makes me laugh every time I look at the photo! And finally, Clare and Stuart's beautiful winter wedding where all the guests were amazing and agreed to my crazy request of standing in the snow for a group shot, and Lexy, the Jack Russell, kept appearing in various different shots and when the Best Man managed to attach his buttonhole to the back of his kilt when he stood up for his speech!
2014 was an absolutely incredible year, I can't actually put into words how grateful I am to all the couples who have trusted me to capture such their awesome Wedding days. I have loved every single wedding and I just want to say the hugest THANK YOU to all the couples who's weddings I have photographed and to all those who recommend me to their friends and family, I really really genuinely appreciate your support xx
2014 was an incredible year, I achieved things I never even thought would be possible and got to share and capture so many precious, emotional moments with so many lovely people. Each wedding was unique and I have taken away my own memories from every single wedding:
Debbie & Johnny with their own version of Dirty Dancing for their first dance, Jaime and Ben's awesome rustic wedding in New Zealand where the special guest was a 20 tonne Steam Engine, James & Jamie braving the ridiculous winds on an Ayrshire beach in February and Jamie's veil blowing off, Katie & Robbie's beautiful fun filled Orkney wedding where there were 400 (yes FOUR HUNDRED) evening guests, it was packed and some guests were even overflowing into the kitchens! Peter & Aisling's Spring wedding in Fife where we squished the whole bridal party into Aisling's old mini and Peter had hopping races with his cousins. Feeling truly like part of the family at Pauline and Gary's wedding, where everyone went completely wild on the dance floor after the Grand March, Helle & Andy's wedding at Strathallan Castle which combined Scottish and German traditions, including guests banging cutlery on the tables which meant the Bride & Groom had to kiss, Bruce & Anna's wedding up in the Cairngorms where Bruce and his Best Man CYCLED from Aviemore up to the Cairngorm Ski Centre an hour before the ceremony, and Bruce's reaction when he first saw Anna, he was literally blown away. Laura & Cameron's amazing wedding held in an old disused Quarry - definitely one of the most unique wedding ceremony locations, and Cameron couldn't hold back the tears when Laura walked up the aisle, the tears were streaming down his face. Nick & Nikki's wedding which was held at 1600ft, with the ceremony outside and the meal in an army type marquee, Nick and Nikki were also real troopers and braved torrential rain late at night for the shot at the end of this blog post. Katie & Jack's wedding near Heriot, when Katie was so excited to get into her dress she forgot to brush her teeth first and ended up hanging over the sink with the Bridesmaids wrapping her in towels, when Jack was determined that I should drink Jagerbombs, Philly & Graeme Merry's wedding at Guthrie Castle on the hottest day of the year, where it was obvious to see just how hard Philly had worked on all the details, which were amazing and all in the very apt theme of "Eat, Drink & Be Merry!" Lisa & Ben getting married at Huntingtower Hotel, Lisa saying she was desperate for it to rain as she wanted me to take one of my "magical" rain shots - she got her wish with rain at 9pm!
I completely underestimated putting my favourite photographs from 2014 into a blog post, so this is only part one - January to July 2014, part two will follow shortly! I have photographed so many truly beautiful and amazing wedding days throughout the last year, from New Zealand to Orkney and all over Scotland... here are some of my favourite images...
We went for a walk around the farm, through a field of Oil Seed Rape where the yellow flowers were just starting to appear, then into the shed for some photos with the super friendly calves who insisted on grabbing my boots and jacket as I was trying to take photos, before heading down to the beach.
Aisling & Peter - it was great to see you both yesterday and I can't wait to photograph your wedding next month at Craigsanquhar :)
Eilidh x
Before the first dance we managed to sneak out into the amazing golden barley field in the evening for a few more portraits, all wedding venues should have barley fields close by!
The night finished off with a bang, as Rob & Jane's friends band took to the stage and were also joined by Rob himself on the drums for a couple of songs. It was a truly fantastic wedding, everyone really let their hair down and took to the dancefloor with gusto!
Suppliers:
Bouquets: Enid Reid
Venue Flowers: Coach House Flowers
Wedding Dress: Elspeth Ker, Kerfuffle
Venue: Castle Menzies, Aberfeldy
Carberry Tower was such an amazing location for a wedding, with plenty of well kept grounds ideal for photographs. The sun shone throughout the day It was a real family affair and both families had been so heavily involved in the planning process, with Alasdair's Mum and Granny making the favours of tablet and personalised boxes from scratch, Anna (Alasdair's sister) had spray painted real horse shoes (which used were worn by her horse, Chance) to use as weights for balloons, Michelle had put together all the table names and the table plan. Michelle was an absolutely stunning Bride and I just loved the way her dress flowed in the wind, Alasdair didn't look too bad either!
It was such a truly beautiful wedding and I hope these photographs give an insight into what a wonderful day it was.
Above: The moment Alasdair broke down during his speech when thanking his parents for all their support...
Jenny & Ian were married on a roasting hot day in July at Abernyte Parish Church and held their reception on Jenny's family farm just down the road from the church. Their marquee was absolutely stunning, definitely one of the most beautiful marquees I have ever seen.
Thank you so much to Jenny, Ian, your families and the Bridal party who welcomed me with open arms, I had such an amazing time photographing your wedding :)
Love this ^, definitely one of my favourite first dance photographs!
Jenny & Ian's wedding slideshow.... make sure your speakers are on...
Suppliers:
Wedding & Bridesmaid Dresses: Alison Kirk Bridal, Perth
Florist: Jean Pedgrift
Wedding Cake: Bridesmaid, Fiona Turnbull
Favours: Lee McKay Doe ([email protected])
Make Up: Paula Fleming
Hair: Kirsty MacPherson
]]>I don't want to turn this into a super wordy post so here are a few highlights from this year, followed by some images to try and sum up what has definitely been an incredible journey.
Fifteen beautiful weddings, amazing venues from Ayrshire to Aberdeenshire, lovely couples many of whom have become friends, hundreds and hundreds (if not thousands) of friendly wedding guests, taking photographs at some wild parties and 21st's, Marzi and Barry's anniversary photo shoot in the freezing snow, several cover photographs on different newspapers and magazines, meeting fantastic couples and many of their four legged friends on engagement shoots, creating a hilarious Gangnam Style video for Highland Safaris in aid of Comic Relief (which raised over £1,000 in donations), creating beautiful images for families to cherish, the overwhelming experience of photographing the birth of baby Ivy, organising my very first styled shoot in conjunction with Hannah Love, having one of my images chosen as the Image of the Week by One Vision, my first maternity photography session, holding two training days and being able to share my knowledge with budding photographers, investing heavily in equipment and learning how to use Off Camera Flash, taking photographs for Castleton Farm Shop, Kersmains Farm Cottages, CSS, Scottish Association of Young Farmers and a particularly funny photoshoot at the Hideaway Experience with Sally and Simon (scroll down to see the feet in the bed photo!), being the Official Photographer at Scotsburn BE Event on a scorching hot day, when Iona got a ducking in the water jump at Auchlishie (Iona was not hurt, she remounted and very bravely completed the course)one of my photographs being chosen for the front cover of Classic Tractor magazine and it turned out to be one of their best selling issues for years! And who could forget the Groom's who were completely overcome with emotion on their wedding days, the Bride who did a handstand in her wedding dress and the Best Man who had a fascination with flashing!
2013 has been an amazing year and 2014 is shaping up to be incredible, starting with Debbie and Johnny's wedding at Huntingtower before heading over to New Zealand to photograph Jaime and Ben's wedding.... Bring it on!
Enjoy what is left of 2013 and I hope you all have a happy and healthy 2014.
THIS IS NOT A CLASSROOM BASED COURSE! We will be outdoors and photographing real subjects. If you have any questions or would like to book please email [email protected]
*** UPDATE: NOW FULLY BOOKED - further dates will be announced shortly ***
I arrived at Tigh Na Sith, the Fearn's family home, and was greeted by the dogs running around before Mo came bouncing to the door - "COME AND SEE MY SHOOOOES".....
The jewellery worn by Mo and her Bridesmaids, sisters Alison, Eilidh and Katie, had been purchased from the world famous Tiffany & Co in New York. Rather than write out a huge spiel about the wedding day, I will leave the photographs to tell the story. If you would like to find out how Mo & Mark met and also how Mark proposed, please visit their pre wedding shoot blog post.
As the girls were getting their make up done, there was a delivery of one of the most unique Wedding presents I have seen... top marks to Ali Edwards (can anyone guess she is a Dentist?!!)
You can ALWAYS rely on a good reaction from the Bride's father - thankfully he was only fooling around and we have another photograph with his genuine reaction, so proud :)
Someone did their best to stop Mo from getting to the church on time!
The Bride & Bridesmaids: Alison, Mo, Eilidh and Katie
Love the reactions of all the well wishers outside the Church
Beautiful Bride
Attack of the confetti!
"THE HANDSTAND!!!" Crazy Bride, love the reactions of the onlookers!
I could not believe the height of the shoes the Bridesmaids were wearing, although Eilidh was later spotted sporting some not quite so glamorous shoes!
The end of a fantastic day...
Thank you so much Mo & Mark for allowing me to capture your day on camera, I had such an amazing time and it was such a happy occasion. I know you will have many fantastic years ahead of you and wish you both all the best :)
To view more photographs from Mo & Mark's wedding, watch the slideshow below:
Have a great week :)
Eilidh x
PS This was my very first wedding as a photographer, it was an absolutely amazing experience and I cannot wait for my next wedding (thankfully I don't have to wait too long as Alison & Gavin are getting married on SUNDAY!!), I cannot thank Mo and Mark enough for putting their trust in me to capture their fantastic wedding day :)
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To sponsor Highland Safaris (100% of funds raised are going to Comic Relief), please click here.
To help out friends at Highland Safaris, yesterday I made the trip to their base at Dull (yes, that is really the name of the village) to film and shout instructions from behind the camera for their Safari Style Comic Relief video. We had such a laugh and the team at Highland Safaris were so game and happy to undertake all the weird tasks I asked of them, even the Red Deer managed to co-operate!
We weren't the first and we won't be the last to make a new version of this video, but hopefully this will raise loads of money to help Comic Relief make a difference to hundreds of peoples lives in the UK and Africa. Also, photography is my thing, NOT videography, I will leave filming to the professionals but this was just for fun!
And here is the result, Highland Safaris as you have never seen them before... definitely proving they are far from Dull!
Donate online here and please share this video, it will definitely make someone smile!
For further information on Highland Safaris, please click here
Have a great day!
Eilidh
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Anyway, one of my pet hates is being let down, when someone says they will do something and then they don't... and I am ashamed to admit this is what has happened with my blog. February was such a busy month and everything was a little bit crazy between my own business and also helping Craig at the farm. Thankfully the Royal Northern Spring Show is now over (I will blog about it later in the week) and normality (as normal as our house ever gets!) has resumed. I have so much I want to share with you but for the moment I am going to have to restrict my Blogging to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This will be more manageable for me and I promise I will not let you down.
One of the many highlights in February was getting a phone call from the popular equestrian magazine, Equi-Ads, who asked if they could use one of my images on the front cover of their March edition. The magazine has just been redesigned and it is the first time they have used an image on the front so I am delighted my image of Louisa Milne Home and Porthill Rusty Nail was chosen. When I first posted this image on Facebook, Rusty's owner, Grace Moran said "Think this pic proves horses do it cause they love it! Thanks Eilidh"!
I couldn't agree more with Grace, and fingers crossed for Louisa and Rusty at Badminton!
So here is the image on the front cover... check back on Wednesday when I will be sharing some images of the re-birth of a Perth Legend!
Have a great week.
Eilidh x
Anyway, since it's Valentines Day and I never tell Craig how much I appreciate him I thought I would write it all down so he has a written record - plus he is about to take me out for dinner so I thought I better say some nice things about him!
I am a pretty rubbish wife... I spend hours and hours at my laptop, I am far from a domestic goddess and I hardly ever cook for him. He does his own washing, visits Tesco a LOT more than me and even washes the dishes... am I spoilt or what?! He is ALWAYS the dedicated driver and not just for me, he ends up taxi-ing my family after they have had a couple of drinks too and has put up with driving my sister when she was a little "worse for wear" on at least one occasion.
I don't want to go all soppy as its not really what I am like but I just wanted to say THANK YOU Craig, I appreciate all you do for me more than you could ever know, I promise to try and be a better wife and I definitely couldn't live without you... :) xxxx
Here are some photographs from our Wedding Day taken by Chamonix Thurston Rattue, it was definitely the BEST day in our entire lives and the only complaint we have is that it went faaaaar to quickly.
I remember the moment in the above photograph so clearly, Craig whispered to me "you look AMAAAAAZING" :)
Love!
And he can jump like Superman!!!!
With my family :)
This reading, which we chose for our Wedding Day kind of sums up our relationship:
He never leaves the seat up
Or wet towels upon the floor
The toothpaste has the lid on
And he always shuts the door!
She’s very clean and tidy
Though she may sometimes delude
Leave your things out at your peril
In a second they’ll have moved!
He’s a very active person
As are all his next of kin
Where as she likes lazy days
He’ll still drag her to the gym!
He romances her and dines her
Home cooked dinners and the like
He even knows her favourite food
And spoils her day and night!
She’s thoughtful when he looks at her
A smile upon his face
Will he look that good in 50 years
When his dentures aren’t in place?!
He says he loves her figure
And her mental prowess too
But when gravity takes her over
Will she charm with her IQ?
She says she loves his kindness
And his patience is a must
And of course she thinks he’s handsome
Which in her eyes is a plus!
They’re both not wholly perfect
But who are we to judge
He can be pig headed
Where as she won’t even budge!
All that said and done
They love the time they spent together
And I hope as I’m sure you do
That this fine day will last forever.
He’ll be more than just her husband
He’ll also be her friend
And she’ll be more than just his wife
She’s be his soul mate ‘till the end.
Have a great Valentines evening, I am now shutting down the laptop and going to spend some quality time with Craig :)
]]>We had a great day and were delighted to be awarded the Champion pen of four calves and Champion Calf and were presented with the new Donald Patullo Memorial Trophy which was presented by the Patullo family. All the calves sold well with a vast number heading South to Cheshire. Thanks so much to all those who purchased calves and all those who bid, your support is much appreciated.
Here is the day in photographs:
Craig's box of tricks for combing up and "dressing" his calves - you can't see it here but he even used glitter on the Champion calf, maybe that was what caught the Judges eye!!
"Soaping up" - Craig getting the calves ready for the show. He uses clear soap on the red calves to help the hair stand up.
LOOK AT THE COLOUR OF THOSE HANDS!!! Someone has been at the black soap!
Love taking photographs of calves/cows/bulls noses.
Wilson Peters, Monzie Farms, combing up his calves for the show.
Judge Craig Malone had a difficult task judging the best pen of four calves.
Craig Malone judging the individual calf class with some of the exhibitors looking on.
Success :)
It's a serious business - buyers at the ringside.
There was a great crowd and a real buzz in the sale ring today.
The Patullo family presenting Craig and his Dad with the Donald Patullo Memorial Trophy, with John Roberts (United Auctions) and Roy Nicol from show sponsors, Starlyne, looking on.
I hope you have enjoyed this insight into a day at the market, and yes, Craig honestly does use glitter on his calves!!!
Hope you are having a great week!
Eilidh x
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I checked the forecast in advance and Windy Wilson (the weather messiah!) said Wednesday was going to be the best day of the week, we trusted him and rescheduled. The weather was fantastic and the (non-photoshopped!) blue skies really add to the photographs, especially those out on the farm.
Thankfully Anna kindly drove me around the farm and I hopped in and out taking photographs of the various fruits all in their early stages. Strange to think that in a couple of months those tiny twigs and plants will be producing some of the best Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries.
We continued around the farm before going back to the Farm Shop in time for the lunch time rush. The dishes which were disappearing out of the kitchen looked amazing and they were really making my tummy rumble! After photographing a selection of dishes including the famous Castleton Peppered Steak Baguette (Craig's favourite), I had some of the delicious Macaroni Cheese and Chips, even the chips tasted great!
Then it was on to take photographs of the new Castleton Farm Berrylicious Jam, I took a couple of photographs of the jams inside the shop but I knew I needed to think outside the box. Product photography with a white background doesn't hugely appeal to me so I knew I needed to mix things up - I placed a batch of jam jars into a shopping basket and headed outside, I get so much inspiration from the great outdoors and love incorporating this into my photographs. I turned left as I came out of the front doors and there it was...
Thanks so much to Anna and the team at Castleton for making me feel so welcome, and thanks for the Macaroni and Chips - to die for! If you are heading up the A90, call in to Castleton for some great home baking, freshly prepared meals and lots of local produce.
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This resonates with something my sister said after taking a couple of portrait photographs of her with my Canon late in 2012... "it's really nice to have photographs like this to keep, as lets face it, none of us are getting any younger!" Which, although quite straight to the point, it is really true.
Photographs are one of the few things which can capture a moment, a person or animal, exactly as it is, to cherish, laugh or cry over for decades. I love looking at photographs of my ancestors, it is the only way I can see what they looked like and how they lived. The thought that someone could be looking at photographs I have taken in years to come, finding out what their ancestors looked like is just one of the reasons why I love photography.
Here are some of the photographs of Mia, I had to share them as they are so CUTE but please remember, these definitely do not reflect the quality of my photographs now. Hopefully Mia will have puppies later in the year and I will take HUNDREDS of good quality photographs of them!
Hope you have had a happy Wednesday!
Eilidh x
The aforementioned sister decided it would be a good idea to "girliefy" Mia by adding some blusher!
The photograph above is Mia on her first full day at the farm, aged 12 weeks. Since then her and Craig have been completely inseparable!Last week I was approached by Philly Stephen from the Courier, our regional paper, who was seeking a photograph for the front cover of the Courier's new farming supplement. She made a special request for one of my favourite photographs, it was the very first photo I had published, back in May 2012.
The story behind the photo - last May Craig suggested we go for a walk up Kincraigie Hill, we didn't have a huge amount of daylight so took the pick up half way. Mia, our Collie who was 11 months at the time, was not best pleased as she had been demoted to the back seat (her and Craig are INSEPARABLE!). It was a beautiful sunny evening and as we climbed up the Hill towards Loch Skiach, I looked in the mirror and Mia was hanging out the back window (she often travels like this!). I had taken my camera with me and positioned the mirror so I could fully see Mia in the reflection, Craig refused to stop so as the pick up bounced around and I was bumped from side to side I took 4 photographs in quick succession and here is the end result....
And here it is on the front of today's Farming supplement. Craig showed the paper to Mia at lunch and said "Who's that" and she responded with several loud barks! Not sure if she recognised herself or not but I am so pleased to have my photograph featured on the front cover - Thanks Philly :) and I hope everyone else enjoyed the photo!
Eilidh x
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We both definitely fall into the "Country Bumpkin" category so the thought of travelling across the world was quite daunting, but we had an agreement - if I looked after Craig and got him to New Zealand, he would look after me when we were there! I took control of all the paperwork and held on to the passports tightly. We boarded the plane at 8.30pm in Glasgow for an 8hr 30min flight to Dubai. We reached Dubai safely, although I nearly broke Craig's hand on landing - I HATE landing and squeezed a little too tight!
The airport in Dubai was certainly an experience, there was a real buzz in the air but we didn't have much time for exploring as our connecting flight would soon be departing for Auckland. (Top Tip: Toilets were horrendous - just go on the plane before you land or wait until you get back on the plane!) We found our departure gate and were soon boarding the Airbus A380 which is a Double Decker and definitely the largest plane I have ever seen. It started to reverse out... it was time for take off, I gripped Craig's hand (I am not a fan of take off either!), turned to speak to him and he was SOUND ASLEEP! He slept right through take off and the first 30 minutes of the flight, he also managed to sleep through very bad turbulence when I was on the verge of a panic attack and squeezing his hand VERY tightly again - MEN!
That is enough chat about travelling, lets just say I arrived in New Zealand and told Craig I was getting a boat home! Then he took me out on a tiny little boat (for someone who has only ever been on the Stena HSS!) in very rough seas... that soon changed my mind!
We arrived in Auckland and had completely forgotten my Dad telling us about the strict bio-security, Craig had to be truthful when asked "Have you been on a farm in the last 28 days?", when you write your Occupation as "Farmer" it kind of gives it away! After blasting my Dubarry's and Craig's trainers, they finally let us through Biosecurity.
After picking up our hire car and getting a decent meal (if you are flying to Auckland - Szimpla is highly recommended, less than 5 mins from Airport), we drove the three and a half hours to Paihia in the Bay of Islands. We eventually arrived at the Dolphin Motel at 10.30pm after a verrrrrry long journey. The room was perfect and we met our host, Paul, the next morning and he couldn't have been more helpful.
Paihia was definitely one of our favourite places, we originally booked for two nights but then booked another two, I think we would have both happily stayed there for another two weeks! We went to the Hole in the Rock, Cape Reinga, 90 Mile Beach and Craig swam with Dolphins and managed to persuade me to do the Highest Parasail in New Zealand - I do have a hilarious video which I have shared below... (cringing with embarrassment already!!! If you listen carefully you can hear my Piglet-like squeals!)
To be continued...
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- To ensure my website was kept up to date - nothing worse than going onto someone's website and it is completely out of date
- To help increase traffic to my website
- To allow current and potential clients to get to know me, therefore when we meet they may even feel like they have already met me
- To share some images and stories behind photo-shoots
- To share the highs and lows and provide an honest insight into what has been one of the best decisions of my life - pursuing photography
Is it too early to see any results? Definitely not!
So far, I have blogged every weekday so my website is as up to date as possible, by signing in to the back office of my website to write my blog it encourages (and reminds) me to make some general changes to the site to keep it updated and fresh - this week I have updated the paragraph and slideshow on my homepage.
The traffic to my website has trebled, my page views have increased dramatically and even my Facebook followers have increased.
I had three different people say to me last week, when I met them for the first time, "I read on your blog..." and another lady who reminded me of my New Year Resolution when I was messaging her about photographs at 12.30am this morning!
I have shared the story of my very first family photo shoot, complete with the story behind it and the lessons learned (BREAKING NEWS: the Ritchies have agreed to another photo-shoot in August 2013!) and I have also shared Mo's story with you including her before and after photographs.
So stay tuned, there is so much more to come and please feel free to leave a comment below or if there is anything in particular that you would like me to Blog about, just send me a message.
Here is a photograph to make you laugh - nobody realised Cally made a face like this when she was running until I went to take her photograph, and although she looks like Jaws here she is actually a lovely friendly dog :)
Have a great day!
Eilidh x
- Complete my Photography Business Plan by the end of January - this will help me to focus and define where I am going with my business and how best to get there (and would have helped me to write this Blog post - doh!)
- Write up a full marketing plan and implement by the end of January - I love marketing so can't wait to get all my ideas down on paper and start implementing. To date I haven't spent a penny on advertising and I don't regret it at all. One of the best lessons I learned in 2012 is that social media is VERY powerful.
- Increase my Wedding bookings for 2013, I am SO excited about Morag & Mark's wedding in April, my very first as a Wedding Photographer, before attending Alison's wedding in May, Becky's wedding in June, Joy's Wedding in July and Arleen's Wedding in August! However I would love five more couples to invite me to their special day as their Photographer in 2013 :)
- Stop working until midnight and start earlier in the morning. My parents dubbed me "Eilidh Owl" when I was younger and unfortunately 25 years later the nickname still applies, I am not a great morning person but often work right through until very late at night, then when I finally shut my laptop down and head to bed, my head is still buzzing with work details which means I don't get to sleep until the early hours = extreme tiredness in the morning - a vicious circle I am determined to break this year.
- Take a photograph every day - this may seem like a crazy objective for a Photographer, but when you are a one woman band it means you have to be the Photographer, Editor, Marketer, Accountant, Website Designer/Updater, Orderer, Receptionist etc etc so I am on a mission to take a photograph every day and give myself a personal photography project which I will share with you at the end of each month.
The above is just a small snippet from my huge list of objectives for this year, I'll probably end up revealing the rest in due course but will keep you in suspense for the moment!
Finally, here is a photograph I took on a recent photo-shoot at The Hideaway Experience, definitely a thought to keep at the back of your mind...
Have a great Wednesday :)
Eilidh x
]]>2012 - The Year That Was....
- Getting Married! The definite highlight of last year was getting married to Craig in October, we had the most amazing day and it was so lovely to share with all our family and friends :) Wedding photograph on the right is by Chamonix Thurston Rattue
- Becoming Self Employed - although very scary at first, this has been one of the best decisions I have ever made, I will cover the highs and lows of being Self Employed in a later post
- Starting up as a Photographer - This was by far the biggest surprise of 2012 and it has taken me on the most amazing journey, with several Wedding's booked for next year and my photography skills developing constantly I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store
- Becoming an Auntie - Euan Robertson surprised us all by arriving 3 weeks early on Craig's birthday, he is the first child for my brother in law, Scott, and his wife Caroline (photographs from his 1st Birthday Party coming soon!)
- Gaining my new identity of Eilidh Robertson, thankfully I am finally getting the hang of writing Robertson instead of Grieve - it took a while and the "Backspace" button has taken quite a bashing! This also gave me a push to get a new logo organised and work on developing a brand. New logo can be seen below...
Thanks for taking the time to read my very first Blog post of 2013 and I hope you have a fantastic year!
Eilidh x
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