New-look Redbeard Photos

For those of you who'd like to see more of my photos (or if you're getting a bit tired of Lisbon and want to see where I've been more recently), then be sure to click over to the other blog in my Redbeard empire, the all-new Redbeard Photos.

I've just returned from Rome with one very precious memory card. Even though I'm writing up last year's Lisbon vacation at the moment and still have trips to Barcelona and Andalucia to share as well, I couldn't wait to share the highlights from my Roman holiday.

Being a Wordpress blog, on Redbeard Photos you have the ability to share my images through Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Speaking of Facebook, I'm giving away a free print for every 50 fans, so 'like' my Facebook page to be in with a chance!

Treat yourself to a little luxury...

Quite a few of my photographs are featured on The Parlour, a website which I designed for some lovely ladies here in Lancashire who can't wait to knit you something!

 

Just published

And just in time for Halloween, here is my newest book: a collection of photos ranging from the scenic to the spooky during a visit to the English seaside resort of Whitby, the legendary landing place of Count Dracula.

Whitby (Day & Night) is printed on-demand by Blurb. That means each bookstore-quality copy is individually printed the same day you place your order and should be in your hands within 2 weeks.

Blurb accepts payment via PayPal or credit card in 5 currencies and can ship to over 70 countries all over the world.

My book is available in softcover or hardcover, measures 7x7 inches, runs to 40 pages and contains a mixture of black & white with full-colour photography.

Just published

It seems half of Britain has been glued to My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding these past few weeks.

My first publication for 2011 is a collection of photos from two recent trips to Appleby during its famous horse fair.

It's a fair without fairground rides, but a carnival atmosphere reigns. The Appleby Horse Fair is Britain's largest annual gathering of a group of people given the catch-all name 'Gypsies.'

I'm sure there is plenty of 'grabbing' going on and many a young romance blossoms, but horse trading is the main event. Each morning horses are washed in the river and prepared for a day of grooming, racing and bartering. Click below to thumb through a preview from the book and place your order.

Photos from a ...

By Robert MacRae

Book Preview

Photos From A Country Boy At The Appleby Horse Fair is printed on-demand by Blurb. That means each bookstore-quality copy is individually printed the same day you place your order and should be in your hands within 2 weeks.

Blurb accepts payment via PayPal or credit card in 5 currencies and can ship to over 70 countries all over the world.

My book is available in softcover only, measures 8x10 inches, runs to 78 pages and contains full-colour photography throughout.

As always, I've got a several photo-taking projects in mind, as well as more opportunites to pursue with regards to publishing, exhibiting and selling my work. Click back here for more news!

New exhibition coming soon

I'm one of many participants in the Capture Manchester 2009 competition at the CUBE Gallery on 133-115 Portland Street.

Dozens of people were allowed to enter and each of their images of Manchester (whether a drawing, photo, etc) will be reproduced postcard-sized and displayed in the gallery 28 March - 9 April.

Judges will pick their favourite 9 and a public vote will decide a 10th winner, with each of these being printed as real postcards available in shops.

For my own entry I assembled this montage from a series of photos I had taken of the shutters on an old wedding clothes shop around the corner from my flat.

An announcement

I went along a few nights ago to the closing of the Seen in Salford exhibition at the Lowry Gallery to mix, mingle and enjoy some free wine. But mainly to enjoy some free wine!

It was a chance to see the shortlist of finalists on display (out of the nearly 90 entries they received) and to claim our free copies of the 2009 Salford calendar before they went on sale.

Prizes were given for a number of categories, including Young Photographer and Online Favourite. I'm sorry to say my email campaign didn't work this year. Never mind, I'm sure most of you were getting repetitive strain injury from clicking so much.

However, at the end of night the overall grand prize was announced and I was amazed to hear one of my photos had been awarded best in show by a panel of judges!

Here I am reliving the moment. As well as the prize certificate I received a wodge of camera shop vouchers, a book of photos from Salford's history and a snazzy USB pen drive.

Thanks for clicking and all the encouragement!

A new direction

Now that the days are colder and the nights are longer, I have more time to brush up on my studio shots and have been putting together a food-related portfolio.

The high tech studio

Nothing is safe...


...not even the pumpkins.

Sacrifices have to be made!

It's amazing what you can do with a pastry cutter, a baking sheet and a handful of seeds. These are sunflower seeds, geddit??

Or how about a baking sheet, beans and spoon? No, I don't know what it means either.

I even raided the wine rack.

And I finally found something useful to do with all those corks I've been saving.

Once I have about a dozen top notch shots I will be sending them to a food photography agency. Till then I'll be continuing to raid the cupboards!

Seen in Salford 2008 - an update

Some good news today about my entries to the Seen in Salford photo competition.

Both my photos have been shortlisted and are being exhibited at the Lowry Centre for the next few days. On the evening of 30 October prizes will be awarded for the public favourite and judges' top picks.


Have a look at the shortlist and vote for your favourite (mine are here for illustrative purposes only!).

And more good news...two of my photos, the one to the left and my shortlisted entry from last year are going to be featured in the 2009 Salford calendar.

I will let you know when these go sale in case anyone is interested.

Seen in Salford 2008

Manchester's sister city of Salford sponsors an annual photography competition called As Seen in Salford. Last year this photo of mine (to the left) was a finalist and was exhibited in The Lowry Centre. With with the 2008 contest deadline approaching here at the end of September, I've made a couple special trips across the River Irwell.

On one of these excursions I ventured out to Salford Quays. These are the old docks of the Manchester Ship Canal, where oceangoing vessels could unload their cargo after travelling about 35 miles inland. Today the quayside is home to an art gallery, war museum, shopping centre, football ground and high rise apartments. It will soon be the home of the BBC's first major media hub outside of London.

The futuristic architecture, graceful bridges and huge expanses of water attract a steady stream of photographers. At least three-quarters of last year's Salford competition finalists were taken around the Quays and I'm sure the main reason my entry last year was shortlisted is because it was taken elsewhere in the city. However, Salford is a bit short of scenic spots and I decided to visit the Quays, challenging myself to find something new.

It was late afternoon and cloudy, so at first I focused on reflections in the water and the birds that live here.

It was a calm evening and there were interesting reflections in the water before some hungry swans cornered me.

Before long the clouds peeled back and the Quays were graced with some golden, raking light. This made some lovely shadows and shapes on this boat which was docked nearby.

But the light was shortlived so I only managed a few more shots before it became too dark. Here are some of the high-rises I mentioned.

I was only able to submit two entries to the competition. I submitted a version of the high-rise towers in a vertical format to accentuate the curves and one of a reflection in the windows of the Lowry Centre. Something like this...

Fingers crossed!

An introduction

Redbeardtravels.com R.I.P.

After nearly 3 years and over 105,000 hits, I have decided to wind down my redbeardtravels.com photography website and start blogging about my photos instead.

I see two benefits...1) blogging is free and 2) I won't have the same limits on the number of images I can display. I feel my website has become static and dull, with very few new additions over the past months.

I may be repeating things you already knew, but it's important that I transfer much of the site's content to this new blog, starting with the all-important 'About Me' blurb.

Don't worry. This Kansas farmboy with the airshield specs has come a long way since first snapping away in the lates 70s with an antique B&W Brownie! Although my specs are still a bit crooked, to date my work has featured in The Independent, The Guardian, Private Eye, Frommer's Online, Manchester Evening News and Kansas Magazine. I've had images shortlisted for the Seen In Salford 2007 competition and the 2008 Trafford Open Art Exhibition and have exhibited locally in The Lowry Centre and Waterside Arts Centre.

After years of fine-tuning my composition skills, I'm now expanding my technical expertise with professional quality equipment at my disposal and rarely step outside the door without my Olympus E-510.

After graduating from the University of Kansas I moved to Manchester, England in 1998. I'm lucky to live in a fast-changing city near many lovely villages and sublime open countryside.

The photographic opportunities in Lancashire alone will last a lifetime, but I’ve been to over a dozen countries on three continents with plans for many more photo safaris to come.

Professional quality prints with fast delivery are available for your personal use, or contact me to discuss commercial licensing. I am available for commercial photography, open to commissions and able to access a personal archive with thousands of images in 35mm and digital formats.

I am based in Manchester's Northern Quarter and specialise in architecture shots, landscapes and street scenes although I am continually expanding my expertise.

Maybe you are...

• Wanting photos to illustrate a magazine article?
• Opening a new restaurant, B&B or other business?
• Compiling a photographic record for insurance purposes?

Please get in touch with your ideas, I'd love to help!

Drop me a line and I will add you to my mailing list. Your details will not be shared with anyone else and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Thank you for visiting. I look forward to being of service to you soon!

All content is the copyright of the Robert MacRae and may not be used without permission. All images on this blog are compressed thumbnails of the original TIFF image, most of which measure 3200 pixels along the longest side.