Author | Lightnews

Brian Smith 📷

@ibriphoto.com

490 followers 660 following 370 posts

Working in education. Photography, Graphic Design, Mac. But, mostly the photography bit just now. [No DMs - UK Safety Bill nonsense] 📷 https://ibriphoto.com 📷 https://www.facebook.com/ibriphotography 📷 https://www.instagram.com/ibriphoto/

ibriphoto.com

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Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · 21d

You might as well. Might need someone with deeper pockets though!

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · 21d

Still to get along to this one - cheers for the reminder.

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Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · 21d

Thanks. Certainly puts a much more personal perspective on things.

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · 23d

One of the few remaining collections of user curated #photography that‘s genuine and not algorithm influenced. Always worth adding to the bookshelf and to help support more of the same. Excellent work getting this one over the line @dylannardini.com

Dylan Nardini @dylannardini.com · 23d

🚨 IMPORTANT UPDATE 🚨

COLLECTION 8
#Sharemondays2024 book release scheduled for

5/10/25

SAVE THE DATE

Details to follow & please share

#Sharemondays2025
#Photography
#BookRelease

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · 25d

A nice start to the work week and an early morning nature encounter as a seal appeared through the mist and slowly made its way along the River Forth. Can just about make out its wake as it swam slowly off for the relative safety just a bit up river.

#Scotland #UrbanWildlife #AutumnWatch

A misty morning view over the Kildean Loop section of the River Forth. Warm golden hour light is diffused in the mist over the still water, its surface broken in the distance by the wake of a seal as it surfaces. In the distance the Ochil Hills and Wallace Monument are partly obscured in mist

A mist clearing golden hour lit river view is punctuated by ripples that lead to the dark, small head of a seal as it surfaces for breath.

Under a clearing mist on the River Forth a seal slowly swims through the frame, head low on the water and whiskers glinting in the golden light, as a goosander takes little notice and swims in the opposite direction nearer the river bank.

A closer view of the seal as it raises its snout for a deep breath just before disappearing below the gold and mist bathed surface of the River Forth in Stirling, Scotland

Reposted by Brian Smith 📷

UnOfPhoto @unofphoto.bsky.social · 26d

NEW unitednationsofphotography.com/2025/09/27/t...

Tired of Photography or Just Tired?

As you would expect the various touch points I have with photography lead me into a constant stream of conversations with people engaged with the medium. Those conversations are with a broad sectio…

unitednationsofphotography.com

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Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · 29d

Left to rot in peace now. :-(

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · 29d

Not 'mine' as such, just one I've been back to many times over the years up by Clackmannan Tower. Now just something for the local yoofs to scramble over.

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · 29d

Scouting out and about for another arboreal subject to point a camera at every now and again, as another often snapped one has quite literally snapped. Accompanied by two faithful and patient dog 'togs who take no interest in anything photographic.

#LandscapePhotography

The sun heads near the horizon at sunset and illuminates a tree that sits on its own in the middle of a recently harvested field in a high contrast and colourful landscape photograph with the trees and distant farm buildings heavily silhouetted.

In amongst a small copse of trees a single tree with a crooked, almost 90 degree angled trunk lies fallen after a recent storm took its toll on its weakened state. A group of kids are seen clambering over its sricken form and are silhouetted against a post sunset cloudy sky. In the distance, over the town of Alloa's rooftops, Stirling castle and Ben Lomond can be seen and, to the right of that, the National Wallace Monument can just about be made out in the developing twilight.

Two Lhasa Apso dogs sit patiently together on the grassy verge of a single track farm road, bathed in the warm light of a sunset's afterglow. A camera bag and camera paraphernalia lie near them as they ignore the sunset and look intently on as the noise of the train to Glasgow passing in the near distance distracts them

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Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 14

Wow! That's properly uprooted too - can't remember it being that windy? Need to look out somewhere else for sure. 🌳🌲🌳

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 14

Lovely wee film. And like Kenna, I had spent many an hour photographing this same tree. Never managed it in as much snow though! Thanks for sharing that. 🙏

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Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 14

Was looking forward to an autumn visit too - but it'll be to photograph whatever remains of it on the ground.

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 14

Quite gutted to discover this favourite photographic subject didn't survive a recent storm. I'm sure most photographers have their own 'one tree' that they return to; this one has very much been a regular and recurring feature for me. Even printed and framed a few versions. 😕

#LandscapePhotgraphy

An autumn view over the Forth Valley, taken from a hilltop above the town of Alloa. A single bowed and bent tree dominates the foreground, resplendent in bright orange autumn leaves and pointing towards a distinctly Scottish view.

A hazy sunset view over the Forth Valley, taken from a hilltop above the town of Alloa. A single bowed and bent tree dominates the foreground, leafless in the midst of winter and points towards a distinctly Scottish view.

A copse of bare branched winter trees are silhouetted against a blue sky. In amongst them is an ancient fortified tower that once formed part of a much larger structure. The tree closest to the camera is bent at almost ninety degrees, and slots in to the space made by the other trees almost intentionally and with purpose.

A triptych of images framed and mounted on a wall

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Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 12

View from the office.

#Autumn

This photograph captures a striking autumnal landscape featuring a vivid rainbow arching across a dramatic sky. The scene shows the Wallace Monument, a tall, tower-like structure standing prominently on a wooded hill in the distance. The monument is partially illuminated, contrasting against dark, brooding clouds that dominate the upper part of the image. The rainbow’s bright colours—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet—stand out sharply against the grey sky, creating a vivid focal point. Below, a calm river reflects the muted tones of the sky and the green foliage lining its banks. The landscape includes rolling hills and fields with patches of sunlight breaking through the clouds, casting a dynamic range of light and shadow across the scene.

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 12

Achh, this made me laugh this morning. Needed that. Although the last line sign off may be a tad untimely based on events elsewhere.

The Ayrshire wedding crasher mystery solved after four years

For years Michelle and John Wylie were puzzled about the presence of a mysterious tall man in a blue suit at their wedding.

www.bbc.co.uk

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 8

Struggling to shake the US centric nature on here - No regionalisation or localisation option on this as far as I can tell.

So, posting an album of images from one of my very local #photography bolt holes that rarely fails to produce a photo or two.

#Scotland

ibriphoto.com/the-shore

A photo grid of 30 thumbnail riverscape photographs. I think the earliest photo in here was taken back in 2011. It's from the day an absolute local legend asked if my son and I would like a trip out on his boat 'The Three Sisters'. Of course we jumped at that, and I've been heading back here with a camera ever since. Still surprises me to this day that I show some of these to local folks and they go "Where's this about?"
The views along the river to Stirling and the Trossachs, at any time of year are fantastic. Down river towards Grangemouth is a bit more industrial, but that's not necessarily a negative.

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 7

Back to basics, adding some #photography to my long neglected website instead of tumble-weeding on the other places. Unlikely to make any difference, but at least it's all under my control there.

I've a lot to get through - this one going back to April 2025 to start.

ibriphoto.com/stay-on-the-...

Phot collage - Taken as a distraction on the always subdued hotel to airport transfer along the SS145 route from Sorrento to Naples. All shot from my seat on the bus and all mostly shot on the move as the bus tackled the always congested route.

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Sep 5

Autumn has been successfully installed. Cool mornings, damp dewy starts and lazy garden spiders showing off their bed heads. Bring it on.

#AutumnVibes #MacroPhotography

An extreme close up photograph of a garden spider on a wooden fence. The camera is positioned in front of the spider, looking through it's spiky fore-legs. It's dark black pin-pointed eyes connect directly with the camera. It sits slightly dishevelled with its limbs at oddly different angles. Early morning dew drops sit as perfect spheres all over the spider's body.

Reposted by Brian Smith 📷

UnOfPhoto @unofphoto.bsky.social · Aug 31

NEW unitednationsofphotography.com/2025/08/29/m...

Mixed-Up-Confusion or Are Photographers Lost?

I haven’t written a new article for many, many months primarily because I have used the A Photographic Life podcast to express my opinions, views and ideas. However, I find myself drawn to wr…

unitednationsofphotography.com

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Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Aug 28

Only a few followers on here, but mostly lurking nowadays and hardly engaging at all. Started promising enough, but now flat-lined - but this seems to be the same across the other services too if you're not spending hours commenting and sharing. Can't be arsed with that. 🤷‍♂️

Rose 🌹 @rose.bsky.team · Aug 28

Millions of followers ≠ engagement. @theguardian.com has 1.4m followers on Threads with almost no engagement. On Bluesky, links can get 3–4x more clicks than likes.

The real question isn’t “how many followers do you have?” but “what kind of engagement do you get?”

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Aug 15

Fast too. Had me running to try and get into a good spot, then running again because I was too low with the shutter. 🥵

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Aug 15

A sunset.

This photograph captures a breathtaking sunset over the Wallace Monument, silhouetted against a vivid orange and pink sky. The sun is positioned perfectly behind the monument, creating a striking halo effect that outlines the monument's crown. Rays of sunlight burst through scattered clouds, casting a warm glow across the sky. In the foreground, a dark silhouette of rolling hills and flat fields stretches out, adding contrast to the bright hues above. A solitary bird is seen flying against the radiant backdrop, enhancing the serene and timeless quality of the scene.

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Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Aug 6

Indeed. Seeing reports of that now appearing.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

A wasteland of rubble, dust and graves: how Gaza looks from the sky

The Guardian joins a Jordanian military airdrop for a rare chance to observe a landscape devastated by Israel’s offensive

www.theguardian.com

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Aug 6

Need to try and find some different local subjects as we start to think of the most photogenic of seasons to come. A while away yet, so time to purge the castles, mountains and monuments.

#LandscapePhotography #Scotland #Stirling #Clackmannanshire #MultipleExposure #ICM #WipeTheSlateClean

A bright sunset panoramic image with oranges in top half and shadows and highlights in bottom half. View is across the River Forth towards an abandoned munitions warehouse complex with a derelict crane visible on a very rickety and old wooden pier. Beyond is the skyline of Stirling and Stirling Castle as it lights up for twilight. The distinct triangular shaped mountain of Ben Lomond juts sharply into the citrus orange sky. Multiple exposure technique and Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) combined to create an abstract horizontal blend effect with the subjects described being brought into more clear detail.

Brian Smith 📷 @ibriphoto.com · Aug 1

The sight of so many Hercules aircraft from different countries here this morning is surely a good sign? 🤞

#Gaza #FlightRadar

A screen grab from FlightRadar tracking software showing five Hercules aircraft form a number of different countries' airforces (Jordan, Spain, France, Germany & UAE, circling off the coast of Gaza and conducting low passes inland.

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