Journal
Meet Our Very Own 'Phodographer'
So what do we at Tens get up to at the weekends? Could be a bit of exercise (sometimes), partying with friends (definitely), getting some headspace in the outdoors... maybe trying out that new bar that has that new mango IPA we're really into right now. What about going up to strangers in the park and taking photos of their dog? Well, our community & operations manager Iain does just that! Inspired by popular account 'The Dogist', Iain spends the weekends wandering around our town of Glasgow and meets ALL THE DOGS. Iain caught up with BBC recently to talk about his side-project, The Dugist... When did you become the Dugist? Why did you start? I’ve always been obsessed with Instagram. I found that most of the photos I was posting on my personal account were of dogs, so about a year and a half ago I started a new account that was just STRICTLY dogs, as I had enough content to keep a good flow. One of my favourite accounts on Instagram is The Dogist, it’s this guy in NYC that took the ‘Humans of New York’ theme and used it to document dogs. My account is basically just a Scottish rip-off of this. I’ll probably update the username soon if it grows, but it seems all the good dog-related usernames are taken! Would you say there is a knack to it? Would you share some secrets as to how you get the perfect shot? Not really, every dog is completely different, and you learn new behavioural traits each time. Some dogs are very good girls/boys and will just sit and stare straight down the lens - they’re the dream. Others - especially puppies - will run in circles and jump all over you with their muddy paws. Which, don't get me wrong, I love as well but in those situations I just need to make sure I take a LOT of burst ,shots with a high shutter speed. My camera shoots at 10 frames per second so I get the shot eventually. I’ve taken up to 200 photos of a single dog before to get the right one! Most people have a pretty decent digital camera in their pockets these days, I highly suggest using the burst feature on your smartphone and just going out there and taking as many photos of dogs as possible! People are usually delighted with the attention you give to their pups. People say working with animals is a nightmare…how do you get them to stay still? Funnily enough they become extremely curious when the camera shutter starts. As soon as the first click goes it gets their attention. To get their attention initially I basically just make high pitched whistling noises, and click / wave my fingers next to the lens to get them to look. From then they’re totally fascinated! Often the owners will have treats or toys on them so that can help too. Always been into photography? I always have been, and have always had a camera close by. It’s only really in the past few years I’ve gotten really into it. Instagram as a platform has helped inspire me to shoot more, it still is an incredible place to share and engage with a community. Do you ever get paranoid if you have left your camera when out and about? (What happens if you miss that perfect dog shot) I literally carry my camera with me everywhere. Wouldn’t dream of leaving the house without it! So nah! What do your friends and family think? Supportive? Yea they’re super supportive. My mum doesn’t even have Instagram but I send her all the originals via WhatsApp. It definitely does make me a bit distracted when I’m out with friends at the pub though. If I spot a cool dog from across the bar I’ll literally leave my group without notice and go make friends with it for a bit. Sorry pals! What is the usual response? It’s overwhelmingly positive, who doesn’t love dogs? Yea that was on the Facebook group Dogspotting (highly recommend joining), it’s always heartwarming to see hundreds of people tag their friends and partners in the photos. Sharing the dog love is what it’s all about really! What do you love about dogs? It’s the unconditional love and happiness. There’s a quote at the end of Marley & Me that always makes me cry…. "A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?" What’s the future for the Dugist? I’ll keep growing it, and hopefully one day I will have met all the dogs in Glasgow! Follow @thedugist on Instagram. Iain shoots on a Sony A7iii w/ 16-35mm
Escape to the West
by Iain MacLennan The allure of fresh air, clear skies and breath-taking landscapes provide a strong attraction that any photographer would find difficult to ignore. Equally, finding untouched and beautiful wilderness has become increasingly challenging in our ever connected modern world. The west coast of Scotland however, is one of the last few places within the UK that manages to achieve that raw sense of disconnect whilst still remaining within a reasonable drive to civilisation. With an unlikely convoy consisting of a 1998 Land Rover Defender and a similarly aged soft top Alfa Romeo we set off west from Glasgow, in search of turquoise blue waters and soft white sands. Driving the old West Highland Way through Glencoe is a must if routing towards the coast. Glen Etive and the striking Buachaille Etive Mor are impressive as you pass through and well deserved of the fame garnered from their feature in “Skyfall”. On reflection relying solely on an “intensive” recce of the coastline with Google satellite maps (and just a little bit of local knowledge) was probably not the best method of planning a weekend trip. Nonetheless we traversed west with a Landy full of whisky, beer and BBQ in hope of finding that perfect spot. Close to our target area we were hindered by roads and terrain unsuitable for the low profile of the mighty Alfa. With a quick shuttle run system in the 4x4 we managed to move the squad (and more importantly the booze!) cross country in to where we hoped we would find our untouched beach.After a short walk in we were not left disappointed. The headland opened up to reveal the most stunning and pristine cove, complete with glinting blue waters and even a small white sand beach. Tents pitched, we were straight into the water with our tinnies of Tennent’s in hand to celebrate our unlikely success. Watching the sun set low over the islands of Eigg and Rum was one of the most spectacular scenes I have ever witnessed in the UK. Turbulent dark clouds mixing in with the piercing sunbeams of the fiery red sky provided the perfect backdrop in which to share a dram or two with friends not often seen.Darkness fell and the sky eventually cleared to reveal the majesty of the Milky Way stretched out above, thousands of stars visible in the light pollution free skies. Fortuitously Mars was in its perihelic orbit and close enough to shine extremely bright in the night sky. This is what any landscape photographer craves for! Unsurprisingly it turns out that setting a tripod and capturing long exposures are much more difficult after half a bottle of the finest Scottish single malt… Iain is a serving British Army helicopter pilot with a passion for photography. Checkhis work on Instagram at @imagesbyiain.
Making Of - Our New Poolside Set
From moodboard to pool party - behind the scenes of our new photography set 🍹
Heatwave ~ by Enzo Iriarte and Marty Bell
Saturday at The Parc del Laberint d'Horta in Barcelona with some styles from our new collection and a Nishika N8000 🔥
Infrared Palm Springs by Kate Ballis
“I had a mirrorless Sony camera converted for infrared, bought a variety of coloured filters and the results completely changed the way I viewed the place, and beyond that, it provided me with a window into another world.” Where tropical palms and modernist architecture meet the martian-like desert, Palm Springs isn't already too far from an alien world. With a method of camera wizardry and a fantastic eye, Palm Springs is transformed into a brand new, exaggerated hyper-coloured light. An almost alien landscape devoid of normality. Mid-twentieth century automobiles are found sleeping by empty roads and bubbling red pools contain nothing but novelty floats. All adding to the sinister nature of this other-worldly set. The ‘greenery’ in the set really pops through this modified camera, as the infrared spectrum of light emanating from the plants normally sits out with the humanly visible spectrum. Kate told Wallpaper magazine that ‘Adventure has to be the best part of my job,’ she says. ‘I’m constantly planning the next destination to photograph and finding ways to capture that place’s story in a way that feels as unexplored as the location itself.’ We love Kate’s mindset of seeing things in a new perspective, that’s why we were so enchanted by this alien-like photoset. Cameras can be modified to shoot in infrared by removing the infrared blocker from the sensor assembly, but often this is permanent. If you want to give this a go yourself, there are many tutorials on YouTube. View the full set on Kate’s website here.
Venice Beach, 1976
Load up some Donna Summer in a new tab and take a nostalgic trip back to a sun-drenched Venice Beach. '76 was the summer when outdoor roller skate rentals were introduced for the first time. What started out of an old mail truck from a parking lot soon became a global phenomenon - and it didn't need a viral video to get noticed. Thanks to a newly installed bike path, the rise of disco music and the invention of the polyurethane wheel, rollerskating on the street was now viable. This happened to be the same year Dogtown and Z-Boys staked their claim to fame. No smartphones, no notifications, no worries - just blazing heat, ill-fitting tees and the hum of the rolling wheels on warm asphalt. This was the beginning of the outdoor rollerskating revolution, and the rebirth of Venice, or "Venice Beach" as it became to be known. A couple of years down the line, Mayor Tom Bradley declared Venice, "The Rollerskating Capital of the World", making it the most popular California tourist destination second only to Disneyland. These original photographs are a representation of this vibrant decade, and offer a peek into the joy shared by those of who were lucky to be there. Photos by Mark
Cinematic Cuba by Stijn Hoekstra
'The Jurassic Park for cars' When Fidel Castro came into power in 1959, he placed a ban on foreign vehicle imports, making it nearly impossible to buy a brand-new, foreign-made car. As you navigate the roads of Havana, you'll find a rolling museum of classic '50s American automobiles. Vibrant paint-jobs and those iconic space-age tail fins are seen at almost every turn - each booming reggaetón from aftermarket speaker systems. Dutch photograper & cinematographer Stijn Hoekstra spent 3 weeks in Cuba capturing its cinematic land & cityscapes, but what particularly caught our eye was his photoset on these beautiful classic cars. We at Tens maintain a love for all things retro, and this photoset is simply bathed in nostalgic warmth. American cars were previously considered something of a burden; gas guzzlers whose parts were impossible to replace thanks to the US economic embargo, which makes most commercial transactions with the island illegal, and has effectively limited ties between the US and communist-run Cuba for much of the last half-century. Some of the smoke-belching monsters had so many adapted Chinese and Russian parts inside that Cubans nicknamed them "Frankensteins." They were rusty beasts that almost no one thought about painting or fixing up. Few people could afford to do much else but keep them running. But as tourism to the island increased and the island's government loosened restrictions on travel and car ownership for Cubans, more and more mint-condition beauties emerged from their long state of abandonment. Cuban entrepreneurs realized there was money to be made in offering vintage car tours and fanned out across the island in search of old cars to repair and fill with paying customers. It's easy to fall in love these cars that possess a style and vision that automakers lost long ago. They act as a gleaming testament to Cuban ingenuity and perseverance rolling down Havana's potholed roads. Check out more of Stijn's work via Instagram here, and his Website here.
Fairytale of New York - by Enzo Iriarte
I suppose that is the thing about New York. It is always a little more than you had hoped for. Each day there, is so definitely a new day. "Now we'll start over," it seems to say every morning, "and come on, let's hurry like anything." London is satisfied, Paris is resigned, but New York is always hopeful. Always it believes that something good is about to come off, and it must hurry to meet it. There is excitement ever running its streets. Each day, as you go out, you feel the little nervous quiver that is yours when you sit in the theatre just before the curtain rises. Other places may give you a sweet and soothing sense of level; but in New York there is always the feeling of "Something's going to happen." It isn't peace. But, you know, you do get used to peace, and so quickly. And you never get used to New York. Photos by Enzo Iriarte. Follow his visual journey on Instagram here. Words from "My Home Town", an essay from 1928 by American poet Dorothy Parker. ~ Shop with Tens this holiday season. Free gift wrapping and worldwide delivery in time for Christmas (order before 12pm 15th December) - visit store.
The Search - by Freddie Hare
How many times trying does it take to find what you're looking for? An adventure opportunity arose when my girlfriend invited me to join her on holiday with the family. As a coast kid, I always loved to pursue something with a little water, and a little thrill - so Portugal was a great place to let loose. Straight off the plane we managed to grab a taxi and cram in two 9ft longboards and 5 shortboards which was an over-dramatic start for our journey to the south. After at least 2 hours of this hectic, hot and stuffy car journey full of smells (which I can’t say from who and where but it wasn’t pleasant) we finally made it to the villa (which was PIMPING!) Not messing around, Lucie (my girlfriend) & I took full advantage of the van and drove off to explore the coastline. It was Christmas come early, just pure waveporn. We were gifted with a lovely 3-4ft wave with not a soul in the water.... WINNING! After a week of constant surfing and terrible tan lines, I thought we should give the shoulders a rest and find some of Portugal’s hidden gems. There's only a certain amount of minutes I can sit still for... I dragged Lucie and the others on a hunt for a possible cliff jump I had been shown by a friend of mine on Instagram. It took us three attempts to find this cliff, I was orienteering from google maps which was a little unconvincing to the others as we were scrambling over rocks and bushes in the blistering midday heat. Finally on our third attempt to find this place, we got there. We began the descent down and placed our valuables in a safe area. You know when you show someone an image and it just doesn’t do the place justice? Well that was very true in our case, this jump was fucking HUGE! I made my way down to an obvious ledge to scout where we could jump in and exit safely. There was nothing visible and it was a huge 50ft+ drop into a dark cave at high tide. Lucie looked at me as if I was mad, so we called it off and headed back to our safe cosy villa to indulge ourselves with wine and pasta for the night. It was too big and sketchy, we needed at least a warm up jump before attempting such a sickening drop. A couple days on from our failed attempts, we decided to take a boat tour around the coastline of southern Portugal (Sagres). What happened next was bloody typical; the captain was telling us about all these amazing places that we could jump from and the first jump just so happened to be the one we had been looking for! How fucking annoying is that? The end of the tour we headed round the bay to find the big ass jump we had failed the previous week. I explained to the captain how we had attempted to jump this and he laughed and said “You're just jumping to your death, there’s no way out - once you're in, you're in”. How very happy we all were that we didn’t have the bollocks to go through with this idiotic jump, as this would have been a very different story. We opted for a smaller, safer one instead. See more on Freddie's Instagram here.
