My picture gallery contains; photographs of the West End of Glasgow, photographs of Glasgow, and photographs of Scotland.

Click each pictures to get a larger image.

You can take any image from my diary for your own use as long as you follow these simple terms and conditions

28th February, 2001

Most of todays photographs are by request from Pat - who as usual is doing various features on shops and people around the West End. Don't be surprised when the same photographs pop up on other parts of the site. Above is a photo of Basia Polka who works in the Nancy Smillie shop down in Ashton Lane. Basia is a talented poet, a thoroughly nice person, and also a member of the West End's Polish community. Your can read some of Basia's poems here.

The above fancy goods are from the 'Gifted Gourmet' shop on Great Western Road: 'a retailer of fine foods bringing you the authentic taste of France'. I had a nice chat with the owner and he showed me the Gifted Gourmet Web site where you can purchase the authentic tase of France.

After leaving the Gifted Gourmet I visited Liz McKelvie in her shop The Studio which is located in Ashton Lane. Liz collects and sells all sorts of interesting stuff - mostly in the 'Glasgow style'.

I then popped in to see Nerea Aguirre from San Sebastian who runs Al-Andalus importing and selling Oriental and Tribal Carpets. Nerea told me about this red carpert which I took a photograph of - I can't remember the story at the moment but I'll get back to you about it.

Photographs of flowers from the Botanica Gardens. The first plant is growing in the Kibble Palace and the second can be found in the Main Range. Don't ask me what they are called.

And a few familiar West End scenes to finish off. The Sentry Box Toy shop on Great George street, just off Byres Road and Professors Square at Glasgow University in late evening light.

15th February 2001

Last week I was sent a photograph by Jess Fitzgerald of the dynasaur that stands outside Glasgow University, just off University Avenue, it is there to advertise the 'Walking With Dynasaurs' exhibition currently on at the Hunterian Museum. It made me think I should really go round and have a look at this new local attraction.

As well as checking out the dynasaur I also took a trip round the exhibition - it was worth the £3 to get in. It is well done - there certainly seemed to be a lot of kids enjoying themselves -so it must be good.

I took a few photographs before having a walk around the exhibition - the one above is me looking through the railings from University Avenue into the University grounds. Later on - once it had started to get dark - I went out and took a few more; I thought it would look more interesting lit up. The picture at the top of the page is the best shot I got. Unfortunately most of them were blurred because the film I had in the camera was too slow for night time photography.

On the way out of the University gates I took this photograph of the circular reading room that stands directly across the road.

Quite a few people got in touch after Pat mentioned in her diary about how upset she was after the death of our wee dog. Thanks for the kind thoughts.

February 3rd 2001

A real hotchpotch of photographss to start off this months diary. I have not had much time for taking photographs over the last couple of weeks - been 'running about like a blue arsed fly' as they say, trying to catch up with myself (I could go on with the cliches but you would soon tire of them).

Anyway talking of arse's that's how Pat described the photograph above. I thought it was a picture of a seventeenth century statue - interesting because it comes from the stairway that was part of the original Glasgow University. But apparently it's really a picture of a stone behind.

The Lion and Unicorn Stair is located in Professors' Square at Glasgow University. It was part of the stair and doorway that led up to the Fore Hall at the Old Glasgow College - created in 1690 by William Riddel. I'm not sure if the statues are by William Riddel. It is now part of the West Range whch was completed by J J Burnet in 1923-7 as a War memorial. It was re-erected back to front; the staircase now turns to the left half way up rather than the right as was originally intended. (Central Glasgow - An Illustrated Architectural Guide by Charles McKean, David Walker & Frank A Walker)

Ashton Lane is one of the most photographed parts of the West End, and here is yet another photograph. No excuse needed for taking it other than it looked nice and I had my camera handy at the time. If you click on the picture for the larger vesion you will see that the black blob caught in the shaft of light in the picture is in fact a pigeon - getting its fifteen minutes of fame as the sole living organism in the picture.

It may be cold and bleak outside but if you are looking for tropical conditions you need look no further than the Main Range of greenhouses in the Botanic Gardens. I like the idea that in the middle of winter in the West End of Glasgow there is a banana tree with a huge bunch of bananas hanging from it.

I have not been able to get out and about with my camera so I have taken a few photographs in the house. I took a photograph of this vase and plant this morning - one hour of processing later in Snappy Snaps and here it is on the Internet. Not cutting edge photography but hey you can't be 'challenging' all the time.

I have a selection of my photographs for sale in the Gallery Shop.