Shinty
A game with its roots deep in the heart of Highland Scotland. It invokes almost tribal instincts in those involved with it, from the players right through to the supporters. For the players this passion must be tempered with a degree of self discipline and skills honed from a young age must come before unbridled aggression
.As a spectator sport it is one that will arouse curiosity in those unfamiliar with it and for those who are aware of it's intricacies it can be as exhilarating as any ball sport can be. Certainly, for all spectators, there is a lot to take in and a lot of pitch to keep an eye on
My Shinty Photography
In order to get high quality shots from a shinty game a long, fast telephoto lens is a must, mixed with a medium tele for close in action. The pitch is just too large to cover with a medium lens and invariably there will be a lot of pitch-side distractions behind the chosen shot; this is where the wide aperture long tele comes into it's own, with it's ability to blur and background distractions and concentrate the eye on the action.
My photos can be easily split into two groups; tight action shots and journalistic shots.
I am always looking out for players with quirky face expressions, signature moves, intricate stick control and lastly, the ones that lose their cool Journalistic shots can include celebrating goals, celebrating cup wins, supporters expressions, managers' expressions and a lot more that can show the public what the day meant to one side or the other
Press work generally means for the "Oban Times" , "Press and Journal" "West Highland Free Press" or "Sunday Post" . The larger national dailies don't cover shinty as well as they should.
All the shots you see in the various galleries can be bought from as little as £7 for a 12x8 print. If you want to buy some get in touch with me via the email link at the base of the page