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David over on Strobist has posted a few items this week about people using flashes under water. The latest item about a DIY PVC housing (also see this page) has got me thinking about the local gala that's coming up next month, which takes place at Balintore harbour and features a lot of water events. (Last year's pics.)

For the last two years I've considered trying to get down to water level somehow, either in a boat or at the bottom of the stone steps that the competitors use to climb out. But the problem is that a boat would bob around all over the place and move out of position, and if I was on the steps then I'd get soaked and I'd be in people's way all the time. (Not too bothered about getting soaked from splashes but you can bet there would be one wise guy that would try to pull me in, oh how amusing.)

So maybe this is another opportunity for a remote camera? One idea I've had so far is to get the camera down under water while the diving competitions are going on, put a flash down somewhere else for some nice off-axis lighting, and fire off a billion shots in the hope that I'll get a good one. Or I could attach a camera to the front of a raft, looking back at the people on board, so long as one of them agrees to grab it if the raft sinks. Another option, and I love the sound of this one but it might be a bit too risky, is to ask one of the divers to hold a camera while he dives, with it turned back towards him so we get a cool close-up of him with all the spectators in the background. Sounds good, yeah? Let's see how it goes…

Ross-shire Journal editor Hector Mackenzie is now running a blog. He's only about a month into it but updates have been fairly regular and informative so hopefully he'll keep it up! I don't know what the title "Cat's Back" is a reference to, unless it's the tongue-in-cheek perpetual motion theory, but if I find out then I'll let you know.

Click here to read Hector's blog 

Update: It's the name of the hill in Dingwall that Hector's office looks out on.

Over on Strobist I clicked through to an article on the Digital Photography School site, How to Take Great Group Photos. I scrolled down to look at the photos before reading the article and did a double-take when I saw one of mine there! It's one of my favourites too, taken at last year's Tain Royal Academy seniors dance.

I saw over on the Strobist group on Flickr that Jason Lane has set-up a web site selling packs of lighing gels in the UK. The packs are insanely good value (I don't know how it's even worth his while doing them at only a tenner per pack) so if you're looking to get hold of some ready-cut gels for your flash, including velcro strips, then head over to Jason's site and grab yourself a bargain.

www.FlashGels.co.uk

No pictures (yet!) but I wanted to post a link to a page about Barry Grove's new project, creating a sculpture for the Auchinstarry canal basin at Croy near Kilsyth.

If you've been following this site for a while then you'll be familiar with the reproduction of the Pictish Stone at Hilton, which Barry created.

For the canal project there are three designs to choose from and Barry will create the one with the most votes. You've got until next Thursday to cast your vote.

New sculpture for Auchinstarry Basin