studio 12 Goose Hill, Morpeth, Northumberland. NE61 1TL

email masonstudio@tiscali.co.uk

tel (01670) 783357

Wedderburn Castle, Duns

WEDDERBURN CASTLE, Near Duns, Scotland. well, Borders really, if you're English . . . .

though if any Scots hear me even suggest that this place is
anywhere near to being in England,
they'll probably knock my head off with a claymore.
basically - they'd prefer it to be in Scotland, which it is.
( many wars have been fought over that small point).

at the top of the stairs.

clue number one.

confetti . . .using the staircase as a vantage point.

chairs, all dressed up, patiently waitingt

this room and it's chairs appear later . .

you only turn around for a moment.

in a blink of an eye,

one of the chairs is occupied . .

but by whom you ask . . . ?

it's a secret . . I'll tell you later.

wotsat ?

(if you're German - a rough translation is Votsat)

anyhow - I'm not telling you.

either work it out for yourself or you'll see it in use later. . .

I wander deeper
into this fascinating building and find guests chilling out
in various rooms.

the sneaky snapper

sneaks up

and snaps 'em.

In an absolutely vast bedoom, I discover Jan,

yipee. it's the bride !

Jant and her feller Kev, travelled from the Isle of Man and arrived with close family at Wedderburn for the wedding.

The mysterious occupant of one of the dressed up chairs appears again,

The girl with the big smile and somewhat
unusual way of occupying an armchair
is Kelsea, ( very important person today).

This feller is Callum, brother of Kelsea the acrobatic armchair occupant above.

I kept finding him everywhere, big grin beaming from his face.

wherever I went - down a corridor

there he is . .

wander into a room

he's there again

on the stairs.

yep. he was either employing body doubles, or he's an extremely fast moving chap.

Ah.. the dressed up chairs are all becoming occupied !

Guests, previously all over the building, have gravitated to the room with the dressed up chairs !

the huge smile is from Jans Mum Barbara

That's not the best man, silly . . ..

it's an usher - or a page boy,
(I never could tell the difference)

The sound of pipes is heard.

(in most peoples houses that would mean
a rushing gurgling sound.

ah . . but this isn't plumbing I'm talking about. . .
this is Scotland.

Jan and her Father are piped to the wedding

by a piper. (wonder if he goes to the shops in that outfit ?)

A room falls silent,
(no point in talking with that piper piping
(or droning or wailing or skirling
or whatever pipes do)

absolutely every face is turned towards Jan as she makes her entrance with her Father.

Grand piano cam

(camera balanced on or leaning over a Grand Piano)

picks up the smile as Jan and Kev see each other for that fleeting moment at the top of the aisle.

Plant cam picks up another picture.

(this camera concealed in a rather large floral display - part of which is attempting to get into the picture on the bottom left.

I really was trying to hide behind the plant.

hey - look at Callum on the right - he's so happy about the wedding !

oh. and the trange wotsit from the picture above has appeared again - to the bottom right of this picture.

I wonder what it is . . . . ??

Yep. its' a boy

it's a big grin.

he's everywhere . . it's Callum !

You remember the wierd picture above with the comment

wotsat (or votsat if you're German)

well - here it is again . .

have you guessed what it is yet ?

After the register is signed using the strange wotsit contraption ..

Callum and Kelsea also use the same wotsit
(pen) to sign their own contract !

I rather stupidly asked the registrar
'is this real ?'

OF COURSE ITS REAL she smiled.

doh . I come up with some daft things sometimes . .

The piper fires up his instrument

(how else do you describe a piper starting up ?)

and music drifts through the room

as our heroes,
grinning with 1000 watts of sunshine
walk down the aisle.

The entire wedding party

(lovely intimate wedding this one)

including the Piper, give a wave at the front of the castle.

Fair weather meant a pleasant mingling of guests

what a relaxed day !

Oh heck

Jan and Kev want me to take some pictures.

oh all right then . .

hah . this is the best bit for me - I get to play . .

I'm like a kid in a toyshop when it comes to making pictures

I want to do everything all at the same time.

trouble is - there's never time for EVERYTHING

so I have to choose, prioritise.

I do this in a random sort of way

a bit like a kid in a toyshop really . . .

Jan later gave this image to Kev for his birthday.

they must have liked it.

This picture may solve the riddle of the missing boy.

Yep.

that's a heck of a big ditch.

aaaaaaaaaaaagh !

thud.

Almost imperceptibly,

the guests drift indoors - gravitating towards food - but slowly, in a dignified fashion of course.

Kelsea, the acrobatic armchair occupant is sitting spectating

well . what's she spectating at ?

Hah - the artist of the billiard cue strikes again . .

love the pose.

so that's what Kelsea as watching . .

it could explain her smile too !

Jans father makes a very serious speech

you can see how serious it is from the expressions surrounding him

You can't see what they're laughing at

I'm not going to tell you . .

could be one of the guys nicked a gals hat

no - he wouldn't wear it . . .

would he ??

Kev makes his speech

And there were two best men

this one is merrily ripping into Kev - as is the tradition !

As the meal

(sorry . . wedding breakfast)

draws to a close - it's somewhat later in the day

lights are on and interest swerves towards the wedding cake.

mmmm. something else to eat.

but first we've gotta cut it . .

The cake is cut in a really atmospheric room, lit only by candles and the odd table lamp

who's that boy in the front at the right.

aha - it's Callum again !

What is it about shadows ?

I really like the shadow of the bannister falling onto the wall to the right.

dunno if I'm looking for the right thing in my pictures, it's supposed to be a picture of a bride and groom, and what have we got ?

a staircase and a shadow
which fascinated the photographer and . .

oh . .there's a bride and groom somewhere in the picture . .

Completing the story here. . .

remember the chairs in the first couple of pictures . . .

well . . we came across them again in the evening,
the room hadn't been touched,
quite eerie really,
in the dark,
even the rose petals scattered on the carpet were still there. . . .

it looked like a scene from a movie.

Do you recognise the bust on the right ?

yep, it's Homer - he also figured in one of the pictures above,
bet you can't find it though . .
(no . . this isnt Homer Simpson you dope.... )
this guy wrote one of the greatest stories ever told.

anyhow . this is quite poetic,
all of the candles from the dining table were left on this sideboard,

and whilst they lit old Homer quite well,
they also cast a really soft light onto Jan and Kev.

greatest story ever told . . . means something . . .

As the wedding day draws to a close,
everyone relaxes to the sound of a guitarist

(he's twanging strumming and plucking in the corner behind me . .so you can't see him)

Phew. end of the day.

nice one eh !