Rick Ranger: The New Kid on the (Vintage) Block

Well, it finally happened. The postie arrived with a package that felt a bit more substantial than the usual Amazon fluff. Inside, wrapped in enough bubble wrap to survive a fall from the top of the Buachaille, was the latest recruit to the Fellowes Photography squad: Rick Ranger.

The "Surgical Strike" at 3 AM: A Man of 2 Worlds collaboration resurrecting the editing rig

Well, it’s officially happened. After a ten-year hiatus from the world of PC building, I’ve finally emerged from a cloud of anti-static bags and thermal paste with a working machine. But this wasn't a solo mission. In the true spirit of Man of 2 Worlds, this build was a full-blown collaboration between yours truly and my AI collaborator, Gemini.

The "Surgical Strike": Giving My Digital Darkroom a Heart Transplant

There’s a certain stillness you get when you’re out with a camera, be it the Canon M100, 60D or the Agfa Isolette, waiting for the light to hit a Scottish glen just right. It’s patient, it’s quiet, and it’s intentional. My PC, on the other hand, had recently decided to be none of those things.

The Grand Waterfalls and Mountains of Glencoe Adventure March 2026 - Part Three: The Long Way Home and the Magnet Marathon

If Day Two was about "The Drift," Day Three was the "Grand Side-Track."

I woke up at the Clachaig Inn after another night of deep, mountain-air-fuelled sleep. One final, hearty Full Scottish breakfast later (the fuel tank was full, even if the wallet was about to take a hit), I pointed Dezzy Bee East. I was supposed to be heading home to Galston, but Glencoe wasn't quite finished with me yet.

The Grand Waterfalls and Mountains of Glencoe Adventure March 2026 - Part Two: The Art of Getting Side-Tracked and a Conversation with Frogs

If Day One was about the "Quest," Day Two was about the "Drift."

After a night of sleep so deep I think I may have actually become part of the mattress at the Clachaig Inn, I fuelled up on a legendary Full Scottish Breakfast, and had enough energy to power Dezzy Bee halfway to Fort William. The plan? More water, more light, and absolutely no rush.

The Grand Waterfalls and Mountains of Glencoe Adventure March 2026 - Part One: The Waterfall Quest

Chasing the Glencoe Five (Well, Four): A Masterclass in Mud, Magic, and Mental Healing

They say the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and in my case, "men" includes a red Suzuki Swift named Dezzy Bee and a fleet of drones with a mind of their own.

I’d planned for the Isle of Skye, but the weather gods had other ideas. Instead, I took a leaf out of Karl Griffin’s book (from the Glencoe Photography YouTube channel) and decided to tackle his "Top 5 Waterfalls in Glencoe." I ended up with four, a pair of very wet "Welly Bootuns," and a mental massage that I didn't realise I desperately needed.

The Glencoe Five: Chasing Waterfalls and Tactical Patience

There is a specific kind of madness that takes over a photographer when the Scottish weather turns sour for forty-eight hours. You sit, you stare at the rain lashing the window, and you start plotting. Yesterday and today were washouts in the fair county of Ayrshire (and pretty much all of Scotland actually!!!), but there was a very definite case of the silver lining? It gave me enough time to sit down with my digital collaborators and map out a proper Highland escape.

The Evolution of My Video Rig: Welcome to the Ozzie Pop Era

If you're a regular reader, you'll know that I've been on a bit of a journey lately. A "creative pivot," if you like. I've been deeply immersed in the world of photography for years, focusing on capturing the still, silent beauty of places like the Southern Lowlands and the Ayrshire coast. But recently, a niggling thought became a roaring idea: I want to capture the movement. I want to capture the wind in the heather, the flow of the Allt na Reidh, and the feeling of that 7 am drive into the Mennock Pass.

The New View From Above: My DJI Mini 3 has landed (and boy, is it a cracker!!!)

It’s been a little while.

The day job has been positively buzzing and so busy, and frankly, my mind has been a bit consumed with all it entails being a professional embalmer. But something rather exciting landed on my doorstep recently, something that’s pulled my gaze away from the virtual modular rack and firmly towards the skies (and the bogs, it seems!!!).

Dusting Off a Digital Dinosaur: Why my old Fujifilm FinePix S2950 is still a star in 2026

If you’ve been following my antics, you’ll know I’ve been well and truly in "butterfly mode" lately. What does that mean? It means I've been rummaging through old gear, rediscovering forgotten passions, and generally letting my curiosity lead the way. And today, that journey led me straight back to an old friend: my trusty Fujifilm FinePix S2950.

The Great Digital Consolidation of 2025

There comes a point in every tech-lover's life where you have to stop playing "storage Tetris." You know the game - moving a folder of RAW photography files to an old thumb drive just so you can squeeze in a new sample pack, all while your system drive screams for mercy. Well, I finally decided enough was enough.

The Annual Digital Exorcism: Why I’m wiping the slate clean

There is a specific kind of quiet satisfaction that comes with a blank progress bar.

New Horizons: My 52-week focus for 2026

I’ll be the first to admit that I'm a bit of a butterfly - constantly flitting from one obsession to the next. Lately, my world has been very much full of soundscapes and synthesizers, but life has a funny way of forcing a change of pace. After a bit of a tumble at work , I’ve ended up with some minor nerve and tendon damage in my left hand, which means no heavy lifting or dexterous keyboarding for a short while.

My New Digital Sidekick: How Gemini AI became my must-have assistant

Crikey, if you'd told me a year ago that I'd be raving about an Artificial Intelligence platform, I'd have probably given you a bit of a cynical look. I've always been one for tangible tools, but lately, something has genuinely changed the game for me, both in my daily routine and, crucially, in my creative projects. That 'something' is Gemini.

The Great Escape: How I ditched Adobe and built my dream photo workflow (for free!!!)

For years, like many of you, I was firmly entrenched in the Adobe ecosystem, specifically the Photography Plan with Lightroom and Photoshop. And, for years, I begrudgingly paid that monthly subscription, telling myself it was "just the cost of doing business" or "the price of professional tools."

But I'm here today to tell you: the shackles are off, and I've found true liberation!!!

The Alchemy is back: Why I upgraded to Nik Collection 8

If you’ve followed my posts for a while, you’ll know I’ve been on a bit of a journey lately. Not only did I successfully ditch the Adobe subscription package - taking a giant leap over to the superb world of Skylum Luminar Neo - but I’ve also found new respect for DxO, having recently sung the praises of their excellent noise-reduction wizard, PureRAW 5.

Upgrading to DxO PureRAW 5: My journey to even cleaner photos (and why you should join me!!!)

Welcome back to the blog!!!

Today, I’m absolutely buzzing to talk about something that’s been a real game-changer in my photography workflow: DxO PureRAW. If you've been following my journey, you'll know I'm always on the hunt for tools that make a genuine difference, especially since I waved goodbye to Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop and settled into the wonderful world of Skylum Luminar Neo.

A Wee Tribute to Pat Van: Our little campervan with the massive heart

Well, it’s high time I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, as it were) and shared a proper look back at the little chap who consumed a good six months of our lives: Pat Van.

My Little Nev: Conquering the Scottish skies (one gust at a time!!!)

It’s been a few days since I’ve put fingers to keyboard, but I wanted to share some thoughts about a rather exciting (and occasionally bewildering) addition I made to my kit a few months ago: my DJI Neo, affectionately known as Nev Drone (or just Nev for short).

Convergence of Analogue and Digital: To the limits of a £20 film scanner and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The analogue photography revival is not just a trend; it’s a commitment to a deliberate, slower workflow and the unique aesthetic of film. My own journey has been happily centred around the glorious 6x6 medium format negative courtesy of my Agfa Isolette I, a scale-focus folding camera with a superb, classic feel.