Glasgow, Scotland

On Friday (May 2) we hopped on a flight (Ryan Air) to Glasgow, Scotland (UK). It was about an hour and forty minute flight. Too easy.

I meet a lot of people through my wet plate photography interests and this is how we ended up in Scotland. Carl Radford and his wife, Liz, (and their dog Lewis) welcomed us, put us up in their beautiful home, fed us, walked us around Glasgow and even picked us up and dropped us off at the airport! How kind is that?

We had never met Carl until last weekend. He is hosting a wet plate Collodion workshop that a Californian bloke named Kerik Kouklis is flying over to teach. Kerik and Carl have been friends for a couple of years.

It was great fun to be involved in the revival of wet plate Collodion in Scotland after 150 years of it being gone. Carl and I made the first plates in Scotland since (probably) the 19^th century. It was a blast.

After the wet plate Collodion events, we wandered the streets of Glasgow and went to a great Japanese restaurant (oddly enough) called Wagamama. It was really good. It seems to be very popular in the U.K. The Radfords also cooked us haggis and traditional Scottish meals. Scottish food is outstanding, very, very good. And yes, haggis tastes excellent.Enjoy the photos (click to make them larger) and video (below)!

Bagpipes, bagpises and more bagpipes.

A wee bit more - this guy was actually pretty good.
Carl wanders Glasgow.

Carl, Liz, Jeanne, Summer and Quinn in the Glasgow subway.
Downtown Glasgow, Scotland.

"Hey, there we are!" (3D Map of downtown Glasgow)

Scottish pounds. 1 pound = $2.05 (at this time) - OUCH!

These guys were good, too.
University of Glasgow

Flowing a Glass Plate With Collodion

Marigny le Châtel, France

Saturday July 14, 2007 - Marigny le Châtel, France!

We took off Friday after work and ended up in Marigny le Châtel, France! Me, Jean, Summer, Denise and Lucky loaded the camera gear and piled in the car and took off for the weekend. It was one of the best (if not the best) trip I've had.
Marigny le Châtel is about 1 hour southeast of Paris. It's a small village in the country. The people are nice and the wine and food is yummy!


Katrina brings more wine as Thierry and Jean wait patiently for another glass.



I really like this image - Jean, Denise, Lucky and I were out walking before breakfast Saturday morning and I saw this reflector disc - I love to shoot picture in them - this one made it so painterly!


A wet plate (5x7) Ambrotype of Dr. Thierry Queinnec. He is a retired medical doctor that worked with amputees and handicapped people in his village for 25 years. He wanted to learn (and see) the wet plate process. We met him last month at the Paris Foto Show. He told us that the "tripod" of France is bread, wine and cheese. Look at the relection in his glasses in this image. I like that connection!


Denise and Thierry having coffee after lunch.

A cool French butcher sign I saw.


Having coffee after a seven course French meal - it was unbelievable!

Denise and Summer checking out a plum worm - it came from a fresh plum from the tree.

Jean says, "Prost" enjoying a couple of different French wines.

 

"The French Table" wife Katrina (left) and daughter Judy. Wet plate 5x7 Ambrotype.

Talking shop with Thierry - I can't speak French but I can say - Oui, Oui - Merci!

The gang having coffee Saturday morning with croissants! Magnifique!

Driving into the village.

The hotel we stayed at - we will be back again!!!