Giant Pandas Arrive at Edinburgh Zoo

Chinese Pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang, the eight-year-old pair of giant pandas, arrived at Edinburgh Zoo yesterday afternoon and will be the first to live in the UK for 17 years. Edinburgh Zoo are hopeful that the pandas will give birth to cubs during their 10 year stay in Scotland.

Hundreds of people lined the streets around the zoo to welcome the pandas to Scotland.

I was commissioned by Weber Shandwick in behalf of Edinburgh Zoo to cover the arrival and was the only photographer to capture the first photograph of the pandas inside their new enclosure.

A selection of UK press coverage can be found here.

Whisky Fit for a Prince

I was commissioned by The Glenmorangie Company to photograph the opening of their new bottling facility in Livingston which was opened by HRH The Duke of York yesterday.

HRH The Duke of York visited the Glenmorangie Distillery in Tain, Ross-shire, in 1997, when a special cask was laid down in his name.

Now, 14 years on, the cask was bottled as a ‘Special Reserve’ when The Duke of York performed the Royal Opening of The Company’s new production facility at the Alba Business Park in Livingston, West Lothian.

HRH was be presented with 270 bottles, which will go to his chosen charities for auction.

Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight

Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight is an annual celebration of Scottish produce which runs from 3-18 September. It champions the wide variety of homegrown quality food and drink available in Scotland and encourages more people to Eat Scottish.

To mark the Fortnight, eleven of Scotland’s top chefs are pledging a fortnight of their time to young chefs who are hoping to make their mark in the Scottish catering and hospitality sector. Chefs committed include Nick Nairn, Martin Wishart, Andrew Fairlie, Albert Roux, Dominic Jack, Tom Lewis, Kevin McGillivray, John Quigley and Joe Queen.

Chefs Roy Brett, Ondine, and John Paul, Macdonald Marine Hotel, will be joined by Fergus Ewing, minister for energy, enterprise and tourism to launch the scheme at Craigie’s Farm showing their support for young Scottish talent.

Things Are Looking Up

There aren't too many people I look up to in life, but yesterday was an exception when I photographed Scotland rugby star Richie Gray at Laing Jewellers in Edinbrugh.

The six foot -ten international rugby ace was in-store to receive his new handpicked Omega Speedmaster.

The 21-year-old, who is bound for the world’s third biggest sports event in New Zealand, also joins the Hollywood elite choosing Omega as his official timepiece. George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, James Bond and Daniel Craig are all fans of the Omega range and have become ambassadors for the exclusive brand in recent years.

Guiding the way at Edinburgh Castle

Children from Edinburgh's only school to teach Gaelic are using their bilingual skills to become tour guides.

Tollcross Primary pupils spent weeks training to become junior guides at Edinburgh Castle, culminating in a costumed performance on Monday evening.

The group performed a 16th century banquet scene in Gaelic for an audience at the castle’s Great Hall on Monday before the graduation ceremony hosted by Nick Finnigan, Executive Manager of Edinburgh Castle.

The images appeared the The Scotsman, Metro and STV Local.

NEW HEIGHTS FOR EAST LOTHIAN SCHOOLS

Minister for Public Health and Sport Shona Robison MSP visited Knox Academy in East Lothian recently to learn of the latest progress in the roll out of community sports hubs.

Top marks to Shona for getting on the trampoline!

Dennis The Menace comes to Edinburgh

This was a tricky PR shoot yesterday to promote the City of Dundee as the King of the Castles - in Edinburgh.

The picture had several elements needed to convey the message; Edinburgh Castle, Dennis The Menace and an advertising trailer with a giant poster of a castle in Dundee on it.

What made the shoot difficult was the position of the sun which was directly over Edinburgh Castle. I had to use quite a lot of off-camera flash to compensate for the strong sunlight.

You can read about the campaign on the Guardian site here.