On A Break, Back Shortly

After the mayhem that is the Fringe I'm not quite finished yet. More stories more photos. More everything coming soon.

Edinburgh Fringe 2010 part 2

Aug 29th My Last Day

Weather report, I have no idea, but I wake up and see blue sky and sunshine. Yes my plan for today might just work. Arrive at the draw for 10am still blue skies "yes"!

Do some promo pictures on Carlton Hill, great idea nice backdrop, blue sky.

11.30am. Carlton Hill, howling gale, windchill factor -5 or more. Elena's dress was more likely to send her in to orbit, than give a Marilyn Monroe moment. Juggling clubs would probably take someone out on Princes Street. J-P Koala's axe would certainly take someone's head off on Princes Street. And the Goddess, stood there under the grey sky as if to summon the sun just one more time.

Hitting the High street after I was almost dead. Chilled to the bone, I wasn't going to survive the day. I took refuge in a hot chocolate and returned to the street. It was slow. Gloves scarves and winter jackets were in abundance.

Then the wind eased, the sun started to break through there was a glimmer of hope.

Warmth arrived and the crowds retook to the streets, showtime. for one last day for some; like myself, others would be there tomorrow to ease out everything right to the end.

I hit the pub, said a few goodbyes, then wandered around finding those people that matter to offer a final goodbye to. Friends new and old, another year over.

This blog may have run it's course, but part two has already sprung to life. More photos and stories yet to come. So keep checking in. Thank you to everyone involved.

Aug 28th Words Can't Be a Part of Today (Not Yet Anyway)

Aug 27th I Now Have Music

Last year I started messing around with slideshows and created one or two; they're not the best. But one of the problems I have had always been copyright. So this year I managed to get a Cd of music from Daniel and Danny, playing the amazing Hang. Check them out on their myspace page.

Another Slight Technical Hic-Up

I have to be honest here. The hic-up bit is the truth. Lack of sleep and meeting up with friends is the reason for the delay.
Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Just to blow my own trumpet. I made The Scotsman, with the help of the guys and girl from T.V.G, their piece, "I am The Real Stig", got me a place on the Festivals listing page on Thursday 26th; the image was picked from my blipfoto page.

And I find that my good friend James James had written up a piece about me on his blog, The Daily Adventure.

Thank you T.V.G for giving me my chance to get a great photo, and to James James for a beautiful piece of writing on my behalf.

Aug 26th The High Street has a Hangover

I think I used this as my title for my blog post last year. A few faces were certainly worse for wear on today when I arrived. I was a bit late, running around trying to get things sorted. Thankfully no hangover myself. A beautiful afternoon on the High street, my chance to thank in person some of those that made it down to the party.

A beautiful afternoon to soak up some more August sun and enjoy the last few days on the Mile. And when I got home a bit of a suprise; one of my photos had made the Scotsman.

Taken from my blipfoto journal

Aug 25th Was Party Night Yeah!

The place to be was Bannermans in the Cowgate on Wednesday the 25th. Why? well it was my annual end of the Fringe party. A tradition that started when I ran exhibitions of my work during the Fringe. Unlike normal photographic exhibitions mine were slightly different. It wasn't work you had a chance to prepare six months or more in advance it was work shot daily, it's what this blog is now my exhibition space.

From 7pm onwards until the last of us were thrown out of the door at 3am Bannermans played host to street performers, buskers, fringe staff and traders. Everyone had been invited. It was my chance to say thank you to everyone I had photographed and apologise to those I hadn't.

My annual speech was an emotional roller coaster of lots of things. Some good and others bad. It was about my year since last year, this Fringe and the hardships and sadness this Fringe has brought, as well as the joys of the Fringe.It was about strain on my mind, my body and my relationships. It was about everyone in the room and lots of people not. It was about the unity the Fringe brings as well as the divides I try to hold together. My Fringe family support me in everything without them I could not survive, I would not survive. I am an addict of the Fringe life. I could live it daily.

For those people that made it along thank you, for those people that missed it, there is always next year. If I survive till then.

To Stickman, thanks for letting me annoy you as my IT support. For J-P being my minder right up until we got chased at 3. To Andy and the High street staff thanks for coming down. To James James, thank you for your generous support on the days I nearly fell apart. To Harry Freddie and Anna. Your presence once again on the Mile if not the High street give me the energy I need to survive daily. To everyone who signed the card you all make me feel so much part of your family. To Bannermans to coming to my rescue at the last moment as a venue for my party. To the City Cafe "two finger's for not honouring your diary. To Calumet Photographic for the loan of a data projector. And to everyone not mentioned here thanks. To one person I am sad you missed it. The speech was written with you in mind.

Slight Technical "hic-up"

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Aug 24th Cold, Damp and Edinburgh

My final push today was more of a damp squib, than an almighty bang! Everything today on the High street was or felt a bit flat. It could just be that the weather again had changed the dynamics of what was happening.

The amazing thing about the Fringe is that even on the dullest or wettest days there is always something to see. Even if you have to take a few moments out from the High Street to see it.

I'd spent yesterday trying to write one text to a friend and always got distracted. Funny how things just fall by the wayside at times when you don't want them to.