Dead Good Chocolate Cake

Now, lest you think I'm trying to create a parody on 'death by chocolate', let me educate you.

The use of the word 'dead' in Scotland may be a little different than you are used to. It's not a verb, it's an adjective. You can be dead right, or dead wrong, or something can be dead on, or dead awful, or dead good. When they completely re-did the Glasgow Prestwick airport, the phrase they splashed all over the front of the buildings was 'Pure Dead Brilliant'. (We still think they should have left off the 'brilliant' bit and that would have been about right, but that's another blog post.)

So when I say this chocolate cake is dead good, I mean it in the best sense of the word.

Yes, you will probably add to your daily calorie limit simply by starting the cooking process - as I found, you don't want to leave a mess at the edge of the cooking bowl.

...But don't worry, you'll practically complete a workout stirring everything up...

...checking the chocolate again (you've added a few items at this stage, so you will want to confirm that the dead goodness has not become a dead disaster)...

...and for a few moments you will have no temptation at all, as you'll be dead busy layering the cakes,

....pouring the chocolate onto the cakes...

...and surveying your finished work.

Then there's the difficult task of serving up a piece...

...but from this point on I can't help you.

Because as this shot will show you, it was dead hard to make sure I had a clear picture - this little bite kept moving towards my mouth.

But I can assure you, it lived up to its name. For the dead good recipe, click here.

What A Difference A Minute Makes

We all know what a difference a day can make...but what about a minute? Or even thirty seconds?

Recently I drove up to the Outer Hebrides, the Isles of Lewis and Harris. These places are truly a photographer's dream. I learned quickly that if the weather and lighting didn't suit the picture I wanted, I simply had to wait a few minutes - or in some cases, a few seconds - and I'd get the one I wanted. Here's a compilation of the difference that a few minutes made in my photography.

On my drive up through the Highlands, before I got to the islands, I stopped at the side of the road to take a picture. Before I could do so, it started raining so hard I couldn't even leave my car. I took this from inside the car...

...and within less than five minutes, the exact same scene looked like this:

In the meantime I looked quickly around, sure that this combination of pouring rain and streaming sunshine had to mean...yes! There it was!

There were rainbows everywhere in the highlands and islands. I think it will have to do for a separate blog post, but the speed at which the rain and sun traded places made for beauty everywhere.

My next stop was near Loch Tulla. The rain was pouring down in sheets...

...but by this time I knew enough to just sit tight for a few minutes, and was quickly rewarded with the sun.


On the Isle of Harris, this one was my absolute favourite. I stopped because of the marvelous play of blues across the water...

...only to see them become reds and pinks within a matter of seconds.

Same thing at a nearby beach. Lovely sandy beaches lit up by the sun, with white clouds in a blue sky above...

...suddenly becoming dark and fearsome with the advent of some evil-looking clouds (which subsequently poured out such a quantity of rain that I had to flee to my car!).


Finally, on my way back from Harris to Lewis, with pounding rain and darkened skies, the sun suddenly burst out in a blaze of glory - for about a second.

In real time, I think I lowered my camera, changed a few settings, and looked up to find that the shaft of light had already moved from the middle of mountains to the far left:


..and in another moment was gone altogether.

Truly, "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork." (Psalm 19.1) And what a beautiful, varied, changing handiwork it is!




To see more photos of the Outer Hebrides, visit our Facebook page here.

Water Water Everywhere

Recently I was driving back home through South Ayrshire and was just captivated by light on water. Within the space of about two hours, I saw such a variety of colours and changing patterns that I had to stop and capture some of them.

First there was the view of Ailsa Craig. (This involved pulling over at the side of the road and clambering down a scree of stones, then climbing up on a huge rock for just the right angle.)

Even while I was standing there, the light changed every moment. The sun went behind the clouds, and then came out again, turning this...

...to this:I turned to the left and got this...

...and then to the right for this one.

The sun continued to streak across the sky as I drove, and as I neared Ayr I realised that I would be driving just past the beach at sunset. After six wrong turns (no lie), and almost going the wrong way on a one-way street, I raced across the sands to capture these:


...and then the sun started to fade completely, so I took a last shot and walked back to the car.

And then realised I'd lost my car keys in the sand.

Do you think the shots were worth it, though?



(I did find them. A good bit of searching and a ton of prayer.)

It's All About The Numbers

If you've been following me on Facebook, you will be aware that I have a new lens for my Canon camera.

For you non-photographers, that's one of those 'oh, that's nice' statements, that doesn't really mean a whole lot to you. Especially if I add that it's a Canon 50mm f1.4 prime lens - now you're really bored.

But let me educate you, not using numbers, but using pictures. My new camera (EOS 40D, in case you wanted the numbers there) has nine focus points. 'So what?' you say. Well, watch this. I focus on the book...

...or the green shirt.

The smiling face in front of me...


...or the one just behind. (It's just the one eye that does that.)

Many of you know I used to be an accountant (still am a CPA, come to think of it), so I guess it makes a little sense that the numbers mean something. But the important thing is that when you put the right lens numbers with the right camera number, you can capture beauty.

Which is what I love to do.

Reyburn Photography website launched

Reyburn Photography's new website is up! Have a look (and a listen):

http://www.reyburnphotography.co.uk/

C'est Fantastique!

Part of the beauty of living in Europe is the ease with which you can drop in to another country. My sister and I took a day trip to Paris, leaving at 7 in the morning and returning at midnight.

I find that Paris is a city in which almost everything you see is photogenic - even traffic...

.,..Rain...

...and shopping.

No matter how many times I go, I find myself fascinated with La Tour Eiffel...

...no matter where I see it...

...or from what angle.

Greetings from Paris!