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The Horses of The Helix

By |2023-03-30T15:32:48+01:00March 30th, 2023|Categories: Blog, The Test Strip Photoblog|Tags: , , , , , |

The Kelpies

If you drive along the Mp heading towards Stirling then there is a good chance that you will see the magnificent sculptures that are the Kelpies. For many years the 30-metre-high sculptures were a visual treat as the car headed up to the Highlands. It was a location that you always wanted to visit but somehow never managed to set as a destination. That was until last year when an opportunity to visit finally meant I could visit those two magnificent horses.

The Kelpies are horse-head sculptures depicting kelpies, located between Falkirk and Grangemouth in a 350-hectare eco park known as the Helix, standing next to a new extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal. The Kelpies pay homage to the working horses of Scotland which used to pull barges along Scotland’s canals and worked in the fields in the area where they now stand. if that isn’t impressive enough then the Kelpies are also the world’s largest pair of equine sculptures.

Industrial heritage

Beyond celebrating the working horses of the canals the Kelpies also provide an excellent monument to Scotland’s industrial past. Unlike many other historically important sites and events, industrial heritage tends to be a poor relation in comparison. Former industrial sites are usually celebrated in a far less creative way or more often than not, not celebrated at all. We need more sculptures like The Kelpies to help celebrate the industrial past so that it isn’t forgotten.

The industrial landscape has rarely been a thing of beauty, though there are occasional exceptions. As a child, I would always love the home journey after visiting my grandparents as I’d get to see the mass illumination of lights across the chemical plants of Seal Sands on Teesside. It was no wonder that director Ridley Scott, who lived near Teesside as a child, used that landscape as an influence for his 1982 film Bladerunner.

Photography Prints

If you would like to purchase a print, the Richard Flint Photography RedBubble store has a wide range of images available.

Framed prints, canvas prints, artboards, metal prints, acrylic blocks plus lots more can be found on the RedBubble store HERE.

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Love Lock Locations

By |2023-01-27T15:33:02+00:00January 27th, 2023|Categories: Blog, The Test Strip Photoblog|Tags: , , , , , |

Lovelocks left on the bridge at Bakewell, Derbyshire, UK

With the start of the new year, it was time to appraise my work from 2022 and generally, I was pleased with the work produced. All except my personal work which seemed to ebb away during the second half of the year. 2022 turned out to be quite slow creatively speaking for my own self-initiated photography, but there were a few glimmers of creative light. The first six months did produce some interesting images and at least one idea to expand on in the future.

A potential project is about love locks locations. Love locks appear to have a history dating back to the start of the 20th century, though it is only since around 2000 that the popularity of lock locks has picked up quite considerably.

Love lock Locations

Derbyshire and Scotland were visited in the early part of the year. Both places had very different landscapes but I came across something in both locations that I find fascinating. Love locks. In Derbyshire, I found a mass of lovelocks on a bridge in Bakewell. Almost the entire length of the footbridge was covered on both sides by lovelocks attached to the railings of the bridge. The sheer weight of all these padlocks on the bridge must be significant, indeed, in the past, many local authorities have had to remove locks placed on bridges to remove extra stress placed on the structure. The bridge in Bakewell was apparently cleared in 2018 but four years later the structure is covered with padlocks.

The second location was up at Dundee Law, a huge hill in the heart of the Scottish city with magnificent views over the River Tay and the surrounding landscape. Although the number of lovelocks was much lower than at Bakewell, the numbers appeared to be growing. All of the locks were placed with a good view from the Law. I visited on a very rainy day so the visibility was not great but the Tay bridge could still be seen crossing the vast expanse of water that is the Tay river. It seemed the perfect place to put a memorial.

So This is Permanence

Do we have much permanence in the modern world? I’d argue we don’t. Even memorials for loved ones who have died seem to be on the decline with the headstone being replaced by a silent and private location where ashes are scattered. Most of us get cremated and the use of burial plots has dropped as a result. Most of us won’t get a headstone.

The lovelocks have gained in popularity over the last two decades or so. While it may be people just following a trend, lovelocks do appear to be important for a lot of people looking for a permanent reminder of a person, relationship, family, or event. In an increasingly digital world with virtual memorials on Facebook, the lovelocks could be seen as a response to that increasing lack of physical remembrance in our lives.

Will lovelocks locations keep appearing? I think they will. Lovelocks appear to be fulfilling a need for many people. Local authorities do face the problem of increased stress on structures such as bridges etc due to the weight of a mass of lovelocks so regular clearance may be needed. However, some authorities have started adding special areas where people can add lovelocks for free or with a donation to charity.

Photography Prints

If you would like to purchase a print, the Richard Flint Photography RedBubble store has a wide range of images available.

Framed prints, canvas prints, artboards, metal prints, acrylic blocks plus lots more can be found on the RedBubble store HERE.



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20% discount on photograph copying and repairs

By |2023-01-04T01:05:51+00:00January 3rd, 2023|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , |

January winter sale

It’s the winter sale! Throughout January any photograph repairs and copying will include a 20% discount. Now is the perfect time to get that favourite family photograph copied or that cherished old photograph digitally repaired.

More details about the copy and repair services can be found via the links below.

Photograph Copying
Photograph Repair
Photograph Retouching

Any Size of Photograph Copied

All sizes of photo print can be copied including large and unusual sizes such as wide panoramic. An estimate can be provided if required. A preview of the copied or repaired image is sent via email before the digital image file is uploaded for printing at the photo lab.

Return Tracked Postage Included

Royal Mail recorded postage is included in the price with the photograph copying or repair work completed within a week to ten days. All images are returned using a recorded or tracked method of postage.

Customer inquiries and questions are welcome. For more details please contact me at [email protected] or via the contact page.

What People say

Extremely pleased

I sent Richard a large panorama photograph of over 100+ police cadets , their instructors and teaching staff at the Hendon Police Training School in 1965. It was in a very poor condition, torn and cracked in a number of places. I had lost my original and this damaged copy had been loaned to me. Richard painstakingly worked on the damaged areas to be able to produce a digitalised copy that he could send to a laboratory for a photograph to be made. When I received this to say I was extremely pleased is an understatement. It was fantastic and I cannot thank Richard enough. I certainly would not have any hesitation in recommending to anyone about Richard and his photo restoration service.

Colin Day

Job well done !

Recently used Richard’s service for copying and reducing an old photo.Did the work very well and would recommend his services

Mark B

Excellent service and quality

Excellent service and quality would definitely use again thank you

Philip Morgan

I was impressed and reassured by the immediate response to my opening query to Richard Flint Photos – and the follow-up can-do approach. I was always kept informed on progress – and am more than satisfied with the old photograph restoration, brightening and enlarging. Thank you.

 

Martin Hiles

Very good service

I was given an amazing service, fast and reliable. The pictures I had were 40 years old and very dear to me. I was very happy I could have them enlarged and restored

Roberta, London

Excellent work

Richard enlarged some photos for me and I am delighted. Excellent quality. I was kept informed throughout. I highly recommend Richard. Thank you

Joanna, County Durham

Excellent work (construction of the Dudziński family history archive website) – really good and professional looking. Very upscale and that has been very much due to your hard work for which I thank you on behalf of every Dudzinski Mr, Ms, Master and Miss, whether they know it or not!!! 

Dudziński Family

Reliable service.

Delighted with the results of the photos that I required to be enhanced and enlarged.
Richard also came up with some great ideas, things that I would never have thought of.
I thoroughly recommend this service.

Mr Paul Hollands

Thanks.

Richard has been both helpful and resourceful in dealing with my request. A school photograph of 30 years ago could only be accessed in three parts, and by email transmission. Thanks to Richard’s skill he was able to produce a print for me, and I now have a splendid record, invisibly stitched together, of an important day in my Daughter’s life. It is soon to be suitably framed, and will hang on the wall of her home. An excellent job and for a fair price.

Many thanks Richard.

Paul Clifford Bradshaw

The photos arrived safe and I am very happy with them. Thank you for a great service.

John, Brighton

Richard Flint continues to be committed to providing the technical support and know-how the website needs to secure its future. I am extremely grateful for his continued commitment.

Jon, Slingsby Website Team

Thank you so much for your help.

 

James Evans (author of the Book 'Merchant Adventurers')

Richard has done a marvellous job looking after my website for the past couple of years, not least taking the whole, original site and transferring it to a different server where changes/additions can be easily made. He looks after anything that needs doing, most of which I haven’t a clue about, is always happy to help and is very prompt in doing any work. His fees are reasonable too.

Chris, North Yorkshire

I contacted Richard as I was looking for a high quality copy of a 20×16” photographic print. While scanning such a large print was not feasible, Richard was able to photograph the original and touch up in Photoshop to produce a high quality copy at the desired 20×16” size. He was able to photograph, touch up and have the photo printed in a week. I’m extremely pleased with the print and I’d highly recommend Richard’s work.

Jason, Yarm
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Squally Dog Walk at Ardrossan

By |2022-09-15T11:42:21+01:00September 15th, 2022|Categories: Blog, The Test Strip Photoblog|Tags: , , , , , |

man walking his border collie on a windy and wet beach at Ardrossan, Scotland

Squally Stop

This image is a favourite from last year’s trip to Scotland. It was taken during a very wild and wet stop at Ardrossan on the way back home. I’d just walked Luna and was quickly returning to the car (Luna does NOT like windy and wet weather) when I spotted this dog walker calmly exercising his Border Collie. Both seemed to be having fun regardless of the rain and wind battering the beach. Further down the beach, a resilient school trip had gathered to explore the beach for a school project. I’ve always liked the dramatic effect of bad weather on a landscape and how memorable days like this can be.

Isle of Arran

The support ship in the background really adds to the image. It remained anchored there (Troon anchorage) for some time, staying in the anchorage according to marine traffic for several weeks. In the background the Isle of Arran, obscured by the incoming rain, is described on the Visit Scotland website as ‘a place where you can find a little bit of everything you’d ever want from a Scottish island; an ever-changing coastline, dramatic mountain peaks, sheltered beaches, verdant forests, great cultural festivals and a wealth of tasty local produce.’ It’s definitely on the places to visit list with the landscape looking fantastic.

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