Kelvin Way pedestrians

It’s a few years since Kelvin Way was made into a pedestrian priority zone.

I still can’t quite get used to it, and it still provides vehicle access to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (exit is by a different route), and other locations which lead to/from it.

The road also provides access to all the transport needed to facilitate various concerts and events held in Kelvingrove Bandstand – and that seems to be a lot. Not there’s free access for them at such times, as access points, such as that seen blocked below, are staffed, with personnel managing those on foot and in vehicles.

However, chances of finding vehicles there are low, and probably be as seen here, where the council’s gardeners are busy.

Something just a little bit different to tide you over waiting to hear Toccata on Kelvingrove’s organ

While the pandemic robs us of lunchtime recitals on Kelvingrove’s organ, I though this variation on the brilliant Toccata might help dull the withdrawal.

Always brought a smile whenever I got lucky on a visit, and Bach’s classic was on the sheet.

Hearing it performed live by a good performer was always a treat.

I’d even give him a mention, if my damned memory wasn’t full of boiled snow!

Have to confess I miss not moving in the right circles to be able to afford Tesla coils on this scale, and to run a project such as modulating them like this.

More like this here, if you are interested.

Franzoli Electronics

It does need the right original source to sound good.

Another I think works well is…

The view from the Uni

An old(ish) shot from the archives, taken around this time of year though, and intended to answer the question of how much of Kelvingrove could be seen from the hilltop of Glasgow University.

It was a shot I always forgot to take at the right time of year.

As can be seen, the trees are leaf free at this time- try taking the same view later in the year and all you get is a load of leaves and greenery, obscuring all in the lower half of the view.

In a way, it’s a shame the trees obscure the buildings below, but the only way to expose the view would be to cut down the trees – and that’s not acceptable, or ever going to happen.

It’s a weird pic, even the original didn’t show great detail for some reason, even though it wasn’t dull, just not sunny.

Kelvingrove is in the foreground, with the Glasgow Tower to the left, and one tower of the Kelvin Hall visible on the right.

Panorama From Glasgow University

Odd pics of Kelvingrove took a moment to figure out ‘Why?’

Although I can’t visit Kelvingrove at the moment (it’s either closed, or restricted due to the wonderful coronavirus – apparently Donald J Trump was somehow wrong, and it’s NOT ‘Just flu’), it seems I have quite a lot of pics collected/accumulated from the period I was offline. While quite a lot of them aren’t really much use since they relate to past organ recitals, that still leaves a few which can keep the theme alive.

I came across a pair which didn’t seem to have an immediate reason for being, with no obvious subject or anomaly in view, then I realised the subject was a slightly unusual view of the building itself.

I’ve edited the original wider views to make the purpose of the image a little more obvious.

You might try working out what aspect caught my eye on the day – before reading why.

Kelvingrove Interior Pair

Closer in to the subject(s).

Kelvingrove Interior Pair 2

It must have been a particularly overcast day, as the interior was unusually dull and gloomy. This meant the camera pushed the ISO high, so the cropped images, even though not particularly small parts of the original, didn’t have much detail. Normally, I’d have dived in far enough to show the two galleries as well, but that would have needed dSLR imagery.

The large semi-transparent rectangular areas aren’t faults or aberrations in the pics, but are translucent areas in glass dividers within the arches, and serve as screens to show images projected onto them.

While the views are nothing special, the chances of getting both can be a rarity since Kelvingrove started promoting itself as a performance venue.

The subject of this pair of pics – which is the extended view into the distance, along the east and west galleries – has become one which is not always on offer.

The space beneath the arches is often used for storage, holding things such as stacks of chairs and dismantled stages, meaning the direct view along these galleries is blocked. The museum also has some temporary dividers/barriers (decorated with large version of selected works from the gallery) which are stored under the arches when not in use and, while they may not be very high, are still tall enough to hide the view.

 

Kelvingrove Kelvin stitch revisited

Another in the revisited stitch pic series, this time the front of Kelvingrove, as it looks towards the River Kelvin.

First attempted with the old radial autostitching software, it came out surprisingly well, until I got fussy.

The main towers in the central are leaning outwards, and this could have been improved, but the sides would have been leaning in even more, so there was a compromise to be reached for this.

But the real issue with this attempt is the massive barrel or fisheye distortion from the centre – the only reason it doesn’t look too bad is because we are generally used to seeing this in wide pics (at least that’s what I think).

Kelvingrove Kelvin Stitch

Taking the same source images – in this case there were only two, which is partly the cause of those leaning central towers, as that’s how they were captured – the new stitch seems to have gone noticeably better than the first try.

That said, I’m clearly missing something in my understanding of how these images are perceived, as the central towers STILL seem to look as if they are leaning outwards.

However, placing a reference against them shows their sides are vertical – this may be a human eye perception effect I am not aware of, and they should be altered to lean in a little, as the eye/brain expects to see this when looking at an object pointing skyward. The cause may also be down to the originals images having those towers leaning outwards due to the way the camera was held, the geometry may still be sending signals to the brains saying “We are leaning!” even though I have corrected the lean.

I did have them leaning inwards at one point, but then straightened them as the extreme edges of the facade were showing a very distinct lean inwards, which I wanted to remove.

Even so, the building does look much better for having its bulging centre replaced by much straighter walls.

The only thing I didn’t pay proper attention to was levelling/rotating the final view, which is just a touch too much clockwise.

And, of course, NOT to hold the camera such that things like the towers are leaning outwards (OR inwards), but are as near vertical as possible.

Kelvingrove Front Facade

I’m fast growing to like this ability, and wish I’d had it years ago, as there were many occasions when I had to give up on pics simply because I couldn’t stand far enough back to capture the subject, even with a wide angle lens.

While this is less of a problem nowadays since most zooms go wider than what was considered ‘standard’ wide angle in 35 mm film days, it’s still quite easy to find items which are far outside the edges of even a wide zoom lens’s view thanks to narrow streets, and other obstacles that prevent getting far enough back.

I’ve also (accidentally) discovered it does amazing 360° views (provided the required amount of contributing pics have been taken of course), which explains why a number of the options on offer didn’t appear to do much when I fed a couple of images (such as used for the above) into them. It’s quite intriguing to be able to spin a 360° view and place the centre of interest anywhere at all. It’s like a still version of the extremely clever 360° video camera editing software, where the view can be swung to show anything that was being recorded by the camera.

The only problem with my stills is that I don’t know if these can be saved and shown outside the creating software – more work needed.

Unfortunately, the answer to that thought appears to be ‘NO!’.

Seems that while I can freely spin a 360° view I’ve created to show it from any viewpoint within, as soon as I pick a viewpoint and move on the next step in creating and editing a view, it becomes a snapshot of that view, and can no longer be moved or changed.

Pity.

That’s just about the incentive needed to start saving up for a 360° video action cam – but that’s not going to happen (unless maybe Chineseum ones appear for £25).

Step up your ‘Concert Flash’ OCD game to the video version

I used to think I was the only one that became irrational when subjected to the morons who take flash pics when A. They have been specifically prohibited by the venue and B. when they are nowhere near the subject.

The latter is doubly moronic since not only will an asthmatic amateur flash not illuminate a subject 50 metres away (it won’t even do 5 metres), the subject isn’t going to be visible (even if it was lit).

There was even a period when commentators were able to get a cheap laugh out of audiences at performance venues, making various disparaging comments whenever there was a volley of flashes, since it also ruined the view for those just trying to watch.

The only time I ever saw a ‘NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY’ announcement being religiously followed by the audience was many years ago, when I travelled down to England to see the other half of the Archaos circus troupe perform. Once a regular hit at the Edinburgh Festival (and once in Glasgow, after the council had quashed the exaggerated tales of sex and nudity the usual subjects made up in advance of the show’s arrival), most people up here were unaware that Archaos had two streams. The announcement at the show I saw In England was given very seriously – and nobody transgressed. In fact, I’d gone down with my camera loaded with high-speed, low-light film, and didn’t even feel like taking out, since I had to be able to drive back home afterwards!

Things were more light-hearted in Glasgow, where the show began with this piece of friendly advice (way back in 1990). Yes. I was there.

Things have become much more relaxed nowadays.

Even in places such as Kelvingrove.

It probably wasn’t that far from the same date as the video above that I found myself sneaking out of Kelvingrove, worried that I may have unwittingly transgressed.

I’d taken a tiny (for that time) Sony camcorder with me that day, just to shoot some tests, and see how it preformed.

Huge by today’s standards of course, but back then Sony had the idea of packaging only the parts of the tape transport/electronics needed for recording to keep the size down – for playback, a separate portable VCR was used.

The reason I felt the need to sneak out back then came after I spotted a notice which had appeared next to the information desk (and I had never seen before) with lots of rules regarding photography, most notable being that you were expected to inform staff before taking pics (I don’t even think video was thought of at that time), even just for personal use.

How things change – they’d be busy if that was rigorously enforced nowadays, with most people carrying a mobile phone taking pics and recording video – and tourist still festooned with cameras.

I think the notices are still there, and request that flash photography NOT be used due to the cumulative effect of the bright light on sensitive exhibits kept under subdued light to preserve colours and materials.

Some people with big cameras still don’t think that applies to them.

Thankfully, there’s still the fun side of this, and people who think the weedy single LED of a mobile phone is going to help them shoot a stunning video.

Kelvingrove Video Flashers

Kelvingrove STILL manages the odd surprise

Given how much time I’ve spent crawling around, over, and through Kelvingrove, I would have thought it unlikely there were any surprises left – at least none that were sitting in plain sight.

WRONG!

I was standing on the steps leading to the Argyle Street entrance when I happened to look up (remember, ‘Look up!’ is ALWAYS good advice) and saw something I had never seen before.

While it’s not really any great surprise that I’d never seen the plaque shown below before – I’m usually rushing to get in for the start of an organ recital, or rushing out to make sure I catch a bus – I have still wandered around the exterior often enough NOT to have missed seeing this before.

Glasgow Landmarks Kelvingrove

Where are they?

Sad to say, a quick (or long) search online seems to be unable to find any sort of official listing of these plaques.

While they can be found referred to on a Government web site which gives details on how to propose one, and the various rules and regulation about their approval, even that only shows a few typical examples of the various types.

Unfortunately, from other discussions in past years, this may be a deliberate policy intended to protect them.

It seems that a number have been stolen over the years, particularly if they were made of non-ferrous metal and sited in locations which were easy to reach.

Although perhaps not as grand, there has been a move to fabricate such plaques from materials which have little or no inherent value, and locate them more securely – perhaps to deter souvenir/trophy hunters.

If you really want to find them, I suggest the best way to find them is to carry out an image or photo search, using a suitable description of the subject and/or location.

The spoils of 2020 – a nice day out to mark the end of the year

There was a time (before I was priced off the road) when I discovered how nice it was to visit places formerly only visited as summer treats, on warm sunny days – something we do get, even in Scotland.

One of my favourites included the Isle of Bute and Rothesay where, even on the last day of the year (31 December) I’ve wandered around without a jacket, and a jumper was just fine. To be fair, I’ve also been there when the place was frozen stiff, and I was glad of being able to get back into a car with heat every couple of hours.

Just to make the outing a little more interesting, I’d tour the island, sufficiently far from the harbour that if I timed things wrong, I’d miss the last ferry.

That’s bearable if done during the year, but if you’re not familiar with the ferry schedule, then I should add that missing the last ferry on the last day of the year is a very bad idea if you haven’t arranged accommodation in advance – the ferries tie up for TWO days on their return to Rothesay harbour, and don’t sail again until 03 January!

No such excitement for me any more – this collection was gathered at the end of 2019.

(I’ve included a few larger than normal pics in this post, to see how they appear, after noticing WordPress seems to have quietly altered their image handling routines. Previously, if I included an image wider than the left column, it would maintain its size and lie OVER the right-hand columns. I had to manually modify the display options to show it at a reduced width to avoid this nasty. Visitors could click on the image for a full size version. WordPress now seems to handle image size dynamically, adjusting it to suit the column width as needed, and avoid the width overflow. The downside seems to be no obvious means of knowing the image may be larger than shown – other than right-clicking and selecting the browser’s ‘View image’ option.)

I had to start this day at Kelvingrove, as the last lunchtime organ recital of the year had fallen to Aaron Hawthorne, so I knew it was going to be good, and was not disappointed. There’s good reason he is an award winner.

Aaron Hawthorne Recital 30 December 2019

From there, things ran as expected as I caught the bus to the bus station, and settled down for the nice quiet hour of the coach run to Ayr. No nasty surprises this time.

As it was going to get dark quickly, I headed for the beach to catch a pic.

Not sure which worried me most, the spooky raven on top of the beach sign, or the creepy guy staring straight into my camera – he often appears if I look closer at my pics.

Ayr Beach And Esplanade 30 December 2019

While the first pic looked almost balmy, when I turned around and took a second in the opposite direction, towards the lighthouse, things looked much more wintery.

‘Creepy guy’ is in that one too, although you need the original resolution to see him properly – just to the right of the lighthouse.

Ayr Lighthouse 30 December 2019

Back to the town now, and some Christmas lights.

I forget where these seen. Again, too long since I took them, intending to file within a few days.

That said, I think they’re across the road from the town hall, on the corner of New Bridge Street and High Street, in the corner where there is a small planted area (the round base under the lights) and a notice board.

Unknown Christmas Lights Ayr 30 December 2019

The next three pics were the clues to the location of the one above.

This pic is one I find myself taking more often than I should (it’s hardly likely to change), probably out of some sort of disbelief, and is of the gap site left behind when they demolished the former Woolworth’s in High Street. Probably a shop I was in often, to the extent that although I didn’t see it for years before it closed, can still remember it had an odd interior layout with one large corner of the area not used as shop floor sales space.

Even today, when I came across that massive gap, it still comes as a bit of a surprise.

The Christmas lights would be in the corner on the extreme left of the pic, if the shot had been a bit wider.

Woolworth Gap High St Ayr 30 December 2019

The same location, but this time looking along the High Street, with the gap just visible on the left.

Again, those Christmas lights would have been seen had the pic been wider, as they’re in the area with the brick wall, seen on the left edge of the pic.

It never ceases to amaze me that the same pic can include some people wrapped up for winter (it wasn’t really all that cold), while others are walking around in thin, short sleeve T-shirts.

But, the ones I really have to fight back the laughter (or my last meal) for are the guys who apparently have to wear shorts regardless of the weather, even if wading through snow, just to make sure everyone can see the tramp stamps on their hairy legs.

Ayr High St 30 December 2019

And, finally, a view along New Bridge Street, this time to catch the ‘Auld Ayr’ Christmas lights suspended over the road.

The Christmas light group would NOT have been seen in this one, even if the pic had been wider – they’re in the corner hidden from view by the building on the left, in line with the chap on the pavement, and the traffic light.

Ayr New Bridge St 30 December 2019

Onward, pausing only at Ayr’s CEX shop to gaze longingly at a camera body I can’t afford (and curse the bargain price of the kit next to it).

Ayr CEX D7000 Body

Oops – second pause, this time for something I can afford.

I’ve been wondering what these Lucky Cats cost for a while, as the shop at the bus stop I always end up at in Dumbarton Road has a stack of these figures (including this cat) but has no prices on any of them. Guess he’s lost the sale, as I make a mental note to self to head back for one at a later date (obviously NOT anticipating lockdown and travel hassles to come).

I couldn’t make out the price from the street, but a bit of superzoom later, and I finally had a price.

Solar Powered Lucky Cat

Finally made it to Burns Statue Square, and they did have some Christmas Light on show.

I hope the bard approves.

Burns Statue Square Christmas Lights

Quite a few trees there, and some decorative figures too.

Unfortunately, A glance at the background will reveal some of the trees have failed lights.

Burns Statue Square Christmas Figures

Time to head for the bus station – but just one more catch in Ayr.

A Nativity scene – with a modern take.

Spot the special guests at the bottom of the scene.

Ayr Nativity Scene

Just to round this off, back in Glasgow, although it was only December 30th, the workers were already well underway with the dismantling and removal of 2019’s Christmas!

The hardware’s already in place to facilitiate moving stuff off site, and the fencing’s already in place to keep the public out.

While I can’t (within reason) do anything about things like lens flare and other annoyances that appear in a pic (and the lens may have been greasy – I’m still surprised at the number of times I find greasy smears on the front element, despite this camera having an automatic lens cover closes over it when not in use), I usually find that shadow and highlight enhancements can almost always improve a night or low light shot. Not so in this case, as all efforts to tweak this one, including automated, did nothing to improve it. It could maybe have used a touch of colour boost, but that’s one I seldom use.

George Square Christmas Teardown

Well, that took longer than expected, then again, there’s nothing else to do this year.

And, one thing’s for sure…

No way this trip was going to be repeated in 2020!

The spoils of 2020 – Kelvingrove

Another reminder of better times, and a pic collected on 23 December 2019, as I continue to  wander through my disorganised collection.

With the original timed at 13:36, this must have been taken just after the daily organ recital ended, also indicated by the placement of the seats, and the tourists taking pics of the organ on the gallery to the left.

2020 saw the end of those too, which I believe had been able to claim they’ve been the only free organ recitals of the time to have been held continuously since they began.

If you think I’m going to tell you the start date of those performances – you’ve obviously forgotten how wonderful my memory is!

Kelvingrove December 2019

I’d like to think I might be around long enough to repeat the shot.

Would you believe I was assaulted twice while cycling last week?

I’m slightly glad the weather deteriorated last week (unless you were a fish that like to go for a walk), since it meant I didn’t have to wonder if it was safe to go out cycling.

While my encounter with (yet another) angry old bike hating man of Glasgow didn’t constitute assault, two other incidents unfortunately did.

While the old geezer did shout at me, he didn’t make any sort of threat, or physical move towards me, so didn’t satisfy the general definition of assault, which does not actually require any contact to be made:

Assault is a relatively common charge in Scotland, arising from attack against another person with intent to cause harm or injury, or which puts the victim in a state of fear for their physical safety.

But the two others did.

The first was while waiting for the cycle path lights to change near Kelvingrove Park, when a male youth from a nearby school approached me and raised his hand towards the handle bars of my bike. When I stopped him, I was offered the option of being stabbed (by a schoolkid!).

As we exchanged words, he suddenly ran off – I was puzzled by this until I thought about what was happening when he took off.

I had reached down to adjust the bottom of my trousers while I was speaking and commenting on his stabbing offer, but it could have looked as if I was reaching into the edge of my boots (yes, I wear substantial boots when I cycle), and if we’ve watched enough TV, we all know what violent people carry stuck down the side of their boots.

The second was only a day later, as I headed home and had just entered Tollcross Park, as I’ve done on dozens, if not hundreds of times.

There was a group of youths on bikes coming the other way.

As I passed the group, the one at the front shouted “QUICK, SOMEBODY PUNCH HIM AFF THAT BIKE AN’ GRAB IT!”

I’ve no idea if this was a serious call or not, but I was past the group when it was made, and just carried on – and noted I wasn’t being chased or followed.

While there was another incident, it didn’t involve me, but did feature a piece of road/location I regularly use, AND at a time I’d be likely to be there.

Fortunately, the following happened on a day during which I wasn’t out and about.

Attempted murder in Shettleston – 33-year-old hit by car in broad daylight ‘targeted’ attack

Time for pic.

Lovely Pettigrew Street disappearing off to the left, with Amulree Street and the rear of Kingco (supermarket) on the right.

Even made the BBC: Car driven at man in Shettleston ‘attempted murder’

Pettigrew Street

Today is Museum Day

18 May is Museum Day.

Sad to say, it seems that there are millions of people with direct access to museums who have never even visited one. There are many possible reasons for this – they may think just looking at old things is boring, or perhaps they are unaware just how different the world was in the past and see no reason to take interest.

Regardless of any reasons not to take advantage of the incredible amount of tangible knowledge museums offer, and regardless of age, Museum Day is the time to invest in education in its most fascinating form.

And never forger that in Scotland, entry to (most) National Museums is FREE!

I don’t often offer advice, but in this case I have to say that FREE ENTRY to Scotland’s National Museum is something that should not be taken lightly, or not used to the full.

As someone who has done this for all of their life, from early childhood, and still does as often as possible, I can’t describe the sheer HORROR of visiting museums in England and Wales, where every visit is met by an outstretched hand demanding cash before you get in – every single time!

From the relaxed ramble around museums north of the border, a visit down south becomes a major exercise in navigation and planning, to make sure nothing is missed, or another admission fee has to be found.

Compare that to visits to – in my case – Glasgow’s museums, where I can drop in every day, or just go there for a seat if I have to wait for an appointment.

History of Museum Day

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) created International Museum Day in 1977. The organisation chooses a different theme for the day and coordinates every year. Some of the themes include globalisation, indigenous peoples, bridging culture gaps, and caring for the environment. Every year since 1977, all of the museums in the world are invited to participate in this day to promote the role of museums around in the world by organising enjoyable and free activities around the year’s theme. International Museum Day has become steadily more popular since its creation, with International Museum Day 2009 being participated in by 20,000 museums in over 90 countries. By 2012, the number of participating museums had jumped to 30,000 in 129 countries.

For more info see:

International Museum Day

We’ve got a pretty good museum for this day, here in Glasgow.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery And Museum