Wanting to be close.

This was an interesting one and a first for me…

.. as they were wanting an image to show that they offered a Pull-Out Sofa too, in their Liffey Deluxe Rooms.

So having seen what the camera would record, if I where to shoot the room with a wide angle lens – it was agreed that a tighter shot may look more appealing.
And so this was our suggestion:

“Mum with her daughter – possibly about 3 or 4 years of age – reading a story in bed.
Lots of Teddies including a K Club one !!
Dressing robes for both.
Flowers for table.”

Having got a ‘yes’ to that idea – that meant it was now time to take a picture…

.. to see if we could create the type of image that they would actually want to use.

Which started out looking like so…

.. before the pillows were straighten…

.. and the curtains were fixed by Ivan here…

.. who’s talent for climbing and fixing things, I know far exceed something as simple as this – as he recently showed us all some pictures of him on top of some of the highest mountains in the world, which totally blew me away.

And so while Dianne sat in for a quick test shot…

.. Ivan was climbing out the window…

.. setting up this…

.. which then created this…

.. which both he and Claudio here…

.. were clearly very pleased about

And rightly so – because there is no way I could have done that, especially if I’d been on my own – nor would I have even tried too.

So a big thanks to both the guys for the beautiful light here…

.. which one may get naturally in the early morning, as the sun rises on this side of the building.

Anyway, with that now done, it was time work on what we should ask our ‘Mother & daughter’ to do.

Claudio made a suggestion – which is what we were looking at here…

.. just as Oral walked in with our ‘Mother & daughter’.

So I’m sure you can imagine the look on their faces, when I zoom in on this…

.. and then tried to explain our thinking here

Anyway, once everyone stopped rolling around the floor – it was time for the Stars of the show to take-up their positions…

.. as everyone watched…

.. the two of them having fun talking to the bears…

.. who spoke back – due Dianne having hidden one of the walkie-talkies under the quilt

Team work at it best – much of which I know goes unnoticed – which is part of the reason behind me writing these blogs, because I don’t want to forget all these wonderful moments that lead up to us creating an image like this…

.. which you can now see on their website…

.. as “The K Club offers a range of family friendly accommodation including Interconnecting Family Rooms” – which was the next shot we did…

.. “Luxury Pull-Out Sofa beds”, as seen above – “and Two-Bedroom Suites”…

.. which I talked about us shooting here: The Presidential suite.

So an interesting one that’s for sure – which just leaves me to say a big thanks to everyone involved here – and especially to Ivan for all that he did, who I believe is still in therapy, as he never knew he had another big son

Indulge yourself.

Next up was the River Room Restaurant – which like with the The Pantheon Suite, they were busy redecorating when we were last down…

.. but we knew this room well, as this was where we had our breakfast each morning – so the concept was simple:

“This is a big room so we feel it will look better with a few people about.
Breakfast setting – with the early morning sunlight pouring in across the room.
Family having breakfast with possibly the father at the self service”

So as soon as the last guests had finished their breakfast…

.. we started to do what we do…

.. while Claudio and Ivan worked on the lighting…

.. then there was the ironing to be done…

.. repositioning of the chairs…

.. and before you know it we where basically ready to shoot it for real…

.. just as the Stars of the show arrived…

.. all of whom we knew, as we had worked with them all before.

So while Claudio had fun briefed them…

.. poor Ivan waited patiently by the lights outside…

.. but he didn’t have to wait very long – because it was basically all over in less than 5 minutes…

.. as they all posed to perfection in almost ever frame.

And so this was the final result…

.. which I was delighted with, once it was pieced together or amped as we would say

And so that’s the story behind this image that you can now see on their website…

“Indulge yourself with a Full Irish Breakfast in our elegant River Room Restaurant while overlooking our extensive landscaped gardens.”

.. at the fabulous Kildare Hotel, Spa & Country Club in the beautiful Irish county of Kildare

Congratulations!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will just let the pictures here of my daughter, Chloe…

.. and her friend Vicky…

.. graduation ceremony at the University of Northampton speak for themselves – as I recorded them throughout the day having fun…

.. and being very much part of the iPhone & Selfie generation…

.. which is how I and no doubt they will remember it…

.. for years to come…

.. as they will have lots of pictures…

.. to remind them…

.. of their big day..

.. and the proud smiles…

.. which was recorded from every angle…

.. right up to the end.

So congratulations Chloe, from a very proud Dad…

.. who enjoyed every minute of it too.

The Official Picture…

.. by Tony Rundle.

A good day for ducks…

.. as they would say in this part of the world – when it’s raining.
But it was also a good day for the ‘new’ wagon to arrive.

After 9 years of driving 3 different black VW Sharan’s, we decided it was time for a change.
So here it is, our ‘new’ and very wet Land Rover…

Discovery II – which will hopefully transport us and all the gear, to many far of places, for years to come.

Want list:
Side Steps.
Sports Bars.
Access Ladder.

Wish list:
Expedition roof rack.
Mondial alloy wheels.

So no doubt over the coming years, we will in & out of The 4×4 Store, in Ards, a few times to see Ian 🙂

Friday the 13th..

… and the sun is shining in our garden today…

.. as you can see.

Anyway, we decided to put our house on the market at lunch time…

..which you can read all about, by clicking on the above image to view a pdf document, of the Property News page on their website.

This ‘Magnificent Detached Semi Rural Property’ as they describe it, has been the Morrison family home for over 150 years now…

..and has been our family home…

.. which we have done a lot of work to over the past 15 years – and even updated the kitchen at the start of last year…

.. going for Ikea’s free standing units…

.. which was then featured in the October 2009 issue of Ideal Home magazine…

.. on pages 122 to 124 🙂

A great family home for sure…

.. with lots of character…

.. five good size bedrooms…

.. including Holly’s girlie room…

.. where the sign on the door reads: “Girls Bedroom (No Boys)“…

.. which says it all – as they definitely had fun here…

.. in this wonderful big old place, which may even be partly listed now due to it’s age…

..but anyway, we decided today it was time to move on.

Plus my 10 year old goldfish died this morning, my Hasselblad CFE 40mm lens stopped working this afternoon and it was Coach Phill Hansel’s Funeral today.

So this Friday the 13th is definitely a day to remember.

Mullview No.4

Number 4 Kilbright Road has been the home of the Morrison family since the late 1700’s, who still own much of the surrounding farmland.

Mullview by Ashley Morrison | Make Your Own Book

The original section of the house was built about 200 years ago – in keeping with Scottish Croft Houses of that time – and was known as Hill View Farm up until 1971, when it was re-named by Mary Morrison, after the new extension was built – as the windows in that part of the house look out across the fields towards the Irish Sea and Scotland beyond.

So on a clear day, you can see the ‘Mull of Galloway’ – hence the name Mullview.

A day to remember.

John Morrison: 23rd November 1929 – 1st March 2010.

“Dad was born on the 23rd November 1929 at “Hill View Farm” as it was known back then. Now that was a very special day for his Father and Mother – William and Eleanor – and his Big sister Elizabeth (who is with us here today).

Dad and Elizabeth grew up on “Hill View Farm” and attended Ballyboley School just outside Carrowdore – some 3 miles away. Things were very different back then. They would happily walk to and from school each day – and that love for walking remained with Dad throughout his entire life.
He loved to walk – and was always on the Go.

Dad grew up while the Second World War raged throughout Europe – and a story he loved to tell, was how he was stopped one day by American soldiers, while walking home from school.
It seems the soldiers asked for his papers – but he had forgotten them – so he was promptly marched up the road by the soldiers to their Base Camp.
Base Camp turned out to be ‘Hill View Farm’ no less – and for him, this was most exciting.

Dad left school at about age 16 and followed in his fathers’ footsteps to be a farmer. It seems one of his first requests was that the horse & plough had to go – to be replaced by the all new mechanical horse – the Tractor.
He was very much a progressive farmer and loved farming.

Dad however had many interests outside farming.
One was his great passion for motorcycles – and soon he had his own BSA to get him around.
He also was an active member in the amateur dramatics at Ballywalter Young Farmers Club – and loved going to dances.
It was at a Regent House dance in 1956 – he met a beautiful girl from Donegal called Mary – who became his loving wife … and in turn became Our Mum.

Mum and Dad married in 1957 and made “Hill View Farm” their home.
Farming was changing and Dad like many others, started to introduce British Friesian dairy cows onto the farm – and also was very much involved in the N.I Poultry industry…..this was the working Dad that I first remember.

Work was not enough for him, Dad was an active member of the Ballywalter Presbyterian Church and he also enjoyed being a member of the Lighthouse Masonic Lodge….he never did tell us what the initiation was or about the secret handshake.

In the late Sixties Dad and Mum introduced us all to “the world of swimming” and this was where we were to spend our time as a family. It all began at Butlins Mosney then Templemore Baths in Belfast. Memories of him racing along the Portaferry Road in his Ford Capri or Corsair 2000E, will live with us always – and as soon as the new pool was opened in Newtownards, we joined Ards Swimming Club, and that was the start of a 20-year sporting interest, which he became very heavily involved in.

Dad loved it – and especially loved it when he was asked to be the official race starter at major galas.
He was a real quick starter, no time for waiting…..he was always ready to GO…

Inst, Leander and Bangor Swimming clubs followed and there were many early mornings and weekends away at competitions , he was always there to support us and give us the encouragement that we needed.

For Dad the whole swimming circle was a real step outside the farming world that he had grown up in. It was a great opportunity to visit and see different parts of the world; his visit to see Ashley in Houston, Texas was one trip Dad still talked about with great excitement and fondness, and the photograph of him today was taken when he visited NASA back in 1981….. he was ready for lift off…ready to GO !!

By this stage Dad decided to change direction from farming and joined the Department of Agriculture, just beside us here,today, at Crossnagreevy. He spent many a happy time working there and until recently would have referred to his colleagues and friends there.
Then during the mid eighties Dad seized the opportunity to start his own business on the farm in the agricultural supply industry, which he continued with right up to the point were we as a family recommended that he really should stop working, especially when he started to believe he was Eddie Irvine on the fork lift –

He loved watching Eddie – who we swam with at Ards – and the whole formula one racing scene.

Believe it or not this was around the same time that his love for motorcycles was rekindled, and he decided to buy a 1956 Francis Barnett motorcycle. Please appreciate that at this stage he was in his Seventies… we were not quite sure who was going to be more surprised as he planned to race up and down the local roads; us or the neighbours… as one neighbour said to me “clear the roads!!! John’s coming !!”
Alas it was never to be, Dad had forgotten that to get the motorcycle started you needed a strong right kicking leg.

Dad will be greatly missed by all the family, but especially by Mum, Terence, Ashley and Me.

Love you Dad!

It’s time to go.”

by Nicholas Morrison.

Dad said “farewell”.

A sad day for us all and he will be greatly missed.