Kelpie Magik

I've been photographing these since last August when their construction began, and every time I do I think; "That's it, there's no other way to photograph them now. It's all been done, time to move on."

Then they announced 'Home' back in February, a pre-launch event over two nights, to showcase the finished site and sculptures. Tickets were bought and we headed along to wait in line with the throng at Falkirk Stadium for the first 'show', cynicism and agitation building at the apparent lack of urgency and organisation to have us all walk en masse from there to the sculptures around a mile away. It was fits and starts as we made our way through the Helix Park with the usual British sensibility of politely waiting in line and not wandering from the prescribed path, whilst at the same time quietly whingeing about the whole having to wait in line thing.

Needn't have worried though. Once we were set free to make our way down the canal path to the sculptures, the crowds dissipated and there was loads of opportunity to stop and set up the camera and tripod and snap away happily. The show itself consisted of a fifteen minute loop of light projections on the huge metallic horses, accompanied by sound and some spectacular synchronised pyrotechnics. Despite thousands of people behind and around it was a mesmerising effect and showed me that there's still new angles to photograph these beasts from. Probably this was in part due to the fact this was the first time the public had been given access to the other side of the sculptures, the side this shot is from, partly due to how incredibly different the kelpies looked with the ever changing light being projected on to their skins. It was an inspired idea and in combination with the sounds, the flames, and the other theatrics taking place it turned out to be a magical couple of hours.

I've spent three hours going through the images, editing and trying to decide what one to post here. This one edged out the other candidates, the intensity of colour against the night sky seemingly bringing the sculptures to life as one of them howls at the moons of Jupiter. I also liked that it doesn't look like there are a thousand other eyes focused on the same.

The others I'll post elsewhere. Maybe set up a gallery over in my blipfolio too.

I'm still not sure how many more of these I'll blip anyhow as I'm pretty sure they're soon going to become one of the most viewed and photographed objects in the country. Judging by the amount of cameras on the go tonight, you'll be seeing a surge in Kelpie pics over the next few days, here and elsewhere, all dressed in their finest.

It's not going to be the same going back to photographing them in the buff. Tonight though, they put on a jaw-dropping show that's going to be talked about for a long time to come. Not bad for six hundred tons of stationary fabricated metal.

Giddy up boys.

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