The Soft Hiss of Lead
Written by John MacphersonThis is an old picture. Taken at least 30 years ago. I’m not sure if they allow such shenanigans these days. Firing shotguns beside a tourist attraction busy with tourists – hmmm!
I wandered down the path below the monument to the shore of Loch Shiel and walked along the water’s edge on the gravel, several tourists already there skimming stones and generally enjoying the scene. As I passed in front of the shooters, who were a long way back up the field, I was astonished to hear the sound of the shot from their cartridges falling into the bushes and low-lying heather a short distance behind me, a soft hiss of lead.
Clay pigeon shoot, Glenfinnan, Lochaber 1981 copyright John MacPherson
Author — John Macpherson
John MacPherson was born and lives in the Scottish Highlands. He trained as a welder in the Glasgow shipyards, before completing an apprenticeship as a carpenter, and then qualified as a Social Worker in Disability Services. Along the way he has cooked on canal barges, trained as an Alpine Ski Leader & worked as an Instructor for Skiers with disabilities, been a canoe instructor, and tutor of night classes in carpentry, stained glass design and manufacture, and archery. He has travelled extensively on various continents, undertaking solo trips by bicycle, or motorcycle. He has had narrow escapes from an ambush by terrorists, been hit by lightning, caught in an erupting volcano, trapped in a mobile home by a tornado, kidnapped by a dog's hairdresser, rammed by a basking shark and was once bitten by a wild otter. He has combined all this with professional photography, which he has practised for over 35 years. He teaches photography and acts as a photography guide & tutor in the UK and abroad. His biggest challenge is keeping his 30 year old Land Rover 110 on the road. He loves telling and hearing stories.
Discussion (3 Comments)
“…and as I passed in front of the shooters…”
Reminds one of ye olde saying… Young, dumb and full of cum.
Yeah, we were all there one time.
Ha ha Stan! Reminds me of one night down the pub with some folks I know that included a rather outrageous woman Julie, whom I’ve known for years. We enticed a young American guy who was on holiday into our company, he said he was “Tom, from Pennsylvania”. We had several drinks and all was jolly, then Julie came waltzing over and, arm round Tom’s neck cooed “Now Tom, tell me, how much lead ya got in your pencilvania………. ?
[…] This is an old picture. Taken at least 30 years ago. I’m not sure if they allow such shenanigans these days. Firing shotguns beside a tourist attraction busy with tourists – hmmm! […]