John S Pow Photography

Name: John S Pow Photography
Address: Kirkcaldy, KY26, GB
Telephone: +441592643226
Price range: $$

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Kirkcaldy, Scotland
John S Pow Photography

Landscape photographer based in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Mostly Scottish landscapes but I love to travel

14/09/2026

📍Tantallon Castle — East Lothian

Some photographs are as much about the conditions as the place itself.

I took this drone photograph of Tantallon Castle looking across the fields towards the Firth of Forth. The castle itself is almost lost in the vastness of the landscape, but that was exactly what attracted me to the composition.

The weather was changing rapidly, with heavy cloud rolling across the Firth while the rising sun found a narrow gap on the horizon. For a few minutes, the light broke through in spectacular fashion, throwing shafts of sunlight across the water and illuminating the coastline around Tantallon.

I particularly like the way the old castle sits between the sea and the farmland — a reminder of how dramatically its medieval builders used the landscape to their advantage.

Sometimes it’s not the biggest or most obvious subject that makes the photograph. It’s the combination of place, light and the moment you happen to be there.

12/09/2026

Wonderful Views at Seacliff Harbour.

11/09/2026

What's happening here?

If that was your reaction to this photo, then I have achieved my aim. Let me explain...

I've been experimenting with images taken as it gets dark, using portable lights to provide interest to the scene. This was taken at Lady Tower, Elie a couple of nights ago. The shot was harder to take than it might first seem, I had to position all the portable lights, so only the lantern was seen, I then had set the timer on the camera, run in and get myself and the lantern in position, all while trying to coax a diva golden retriever to pose. Not easy.

I'm still at the experimental stage here and know the light to the left of the tower is too bright, as is the lantern, but the composition is good, the path creates a visual journey for the eye and there is good visual tension between the figure (me) and the tower.

It's not quite the finished article yet, but I'm hoping it is enough for you all to find it a little bit intriguing!

Please let me know your thoughts.

10/09/2026

One of those Scottish mornings when the weather does all the work.
The Bass Rock sitting quietly offshore beneath a heavy blanket of cloud, while a little golden light managed to find its way through on the horizon.
I really like the mood of this one — cold, quiet and atmospheric.
Bass Rock, East Lothian.
What do you think — would you have got up at 4am for this light?

09/09/2026

THE KNIFE ANGEL — A SCULPTURE WITH A VERY POWERFUL STORY
I went to visit the Knife Angel this morning, and although it is an incredibly striking piece of sculpture, it is the story behind it that really struck me.

Standing 27 feet tall, the Knife Angel was created by sculptor Alfie Bradley at the British Ironwork Centre in Shropshire. It is made from more than 100,000 knives and blades surrendered or seized by police forces across the UK. The blades were collected through knife amnesties and weapons surrenders involving all 43 police constabularies.

Every blade had to be blunted and sterilised before it could be incorporated into the sculpture. Some had even arrived still in police evidence packaging, with traces of blood.

The Angel isn't simply about knives. It was created as the National Monument Against Violence and Aggression — a memorial to people who have lost their lives through violence, but also a powerful attempt to educate young people about the consequences of carrying weapons and using violence to solve problems.

Look closely at the wings and you'll see that the individual knife handles have been used to create the appearance of feathers. Some of the blades also carry messages from families who have lost loved ones, as well as messages of regret and forgiveness.

What I found particularly striking when photographing it was the contrast between the beauty and craftsmanship of the sculpture and the horrifying reality represented by the materials from which it was made.

The second photograph gives a little more context, showing the Angel standing in Leith, with people stopping to photograph it and read its story.

A remarkable piece of art — but ultimately one with a very serious message:

Save a life. Surrender your knife.

06/09/2026

Ancient stone. Wild sea. Burning skies.

For centuries Dunnottar Castle has watched over this stretch of the Scottish coast.

For a few minutes, it looked as though the sky had decided to put on its own tribute to it.

One of those moments when you simply stop taking photographs… and stare.

📍 Dunnottar Castle, Scotland

02/09/2026

Lily and Harvey are dancing with joy that it is almost Autumn.

31/08/2026

The annual nail appointment 😂

It’s one month since the launch of my 2027 calendar, so I thought it was time for the annual inspection… and apparently I’ve had my nails done again! 😂

My wife is once again doing a much better job of showing off the calendar than I ever could.

For anyone who hasn’t ordered one yet, here’s a little look through some of the photographs inside.

And for those of you who already have yours — thank you so much for your continued support. ❤️

If you’ve been meaning to get one but haven’t quite got round to it yet… this might be your gentle reminder! 😉

https://www.johnspowphotography.com/2027-calendar

29/08/2026

Sunset under the Queensferry Crossing.

The Forth Bridges

28/08/2026

Sometimes bad weather is exactly what you need.

The weather forecast wasn't looking particularly inspiring this week, and with a couple of other photographic plans cancelled, I decided to give myself a challenge instead.

I took the Nikon and walked across the Forth Road Bridge on a dull Scottish afternoon with simple instructions:
Don't photograph the obvious.
No spectacular views.
No dramatic sunset.
No waiting for perfect light.

Instead, I had to find photographs in an ordinary place by looking at shape, structure, people, movement, colour and moments. So I started looking at the bridge differently. The bolts that hold it together. A walker emerging from the mist.
People using the crossing as part of their everyday lives. The extraordinary geometry of the suspension cables. Workers carrying out jobs most of us never notice. And then, while I was photographing them, one of the workers spotted me and gave me a salute. That tiny moment turned what had been a photograph of a bridge into a photograph about people and the bridge.

I've included some of the photographs I made — including a few that I initially rejected.

And that's probably the biggest lesson I took away from the exercise:
A good photograph isn't necessarily waiting for you in a beautiful place. Sometimes you have to learn to see the photograph that's already there.

I'm genuinely interested to know which one you would choose as your favourite.
Which photograph catches your eye most — and why?

Address

Kirkcaldy
KY26

Telephone

+441592643226

Website

http://www.johnspowphotography.com/

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