Journal
4 Jeeps. 3 Days. 1 Trip to Oman☀️
Jeep Wranglers, canyons and cliff jumping - Ewan takes us on a 3 day, off-road trip around Oman
How to get your Tens in time for Christmas 🎄
Christmas shopping? Order by these dates 🎁
Win your dream '90s Christmas list!
Remember all the incredible toys and games you wished you got for Christmas in the '90s? Well, we're giving you the chance to FINALLY get your hands on them this Christmas. Enter below! Win your DREAM '90s Christmas list with Tens!
Surreal Deals This Black Friday
Score those sunglasses you wanted in our Black Friday Sale 🎁 There’s only one thing we’re looking forward to more than summer and that’s Black Friday. We’ve got some amazing things planned for 2019 (which we can’t tell you about just yet) - so let's see 2018 off with a bang! We’re doing our biggest Black Friday sale yet with some surreal deals 💸Set your alarm for Tuesday 20th November (yeah, we’re starting early) to pick up those Tens you wanted for some amber-tinted Winter sun or serious après-ski style points 🔥🔥🔥Here’s a sneak peek at some of the styles on sale... Black Classic£45 / €45 / $65 Crystal Bailey£45 / €45 / $65 Sundown Ashton£45 / €45 / $65 Black Harper£45 / €45 / $65 Caramel Scout£45 / €45 / $65 Oystershell Cooper £45 / €45 / $65 - Basically, everything's going to be at this price, so visit our store and pick out your favourites, ready for the launch of our biggest EVER sale next week.
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
Best of the Month - Vol. 17
Even though the leaves are falling, it's still Summer here at Tens HQ, no matter what the temperature's telling us.So, to keep the Summer vibe alive, we've pulled together the best of music, good news, and beer in this issue of Best of the Month. Enjoy! Best of the Web It's a chick! Two male penguins entrusted with the care of a fostered egg have welcomed a tiny sub-Antarctic chick into the world! The same-sex parents Magic & Sphen are doing well at their home in the Sydney Sea Life Aquarium. Scottish craft beer charity Brewgooder launched their Honesty Box this month. Starting at just 1p, they're asking how much you'd pay for a case of beer... that will change a life. Read more on their mission and check out their beer on their website HERE. Trent Siggard is a drone pilot who built a custom aerial instant camera machine. Read more about the 'Instax Drone' and view the results on Peta Pixel HERE. This photographer made a camera lens out of an ICEBERG! Speaking of icebergs, did you see this HUGE rectangular slab that was captured by NASA last month? Finally, if you thought your pumpkin carving was good, check out these beauties from the NASA jet propulsion laboratory pumpkin carving contest. Tens Soundtrack Here are some of our office favourites, mostly new, some old. Who else should we be checking out? Visit our profile on Spotify to check out our previous months' soundtracks. Who To Follow Here are some of our favourite accounts to follow on Instagram. If you know anybody that we should be following, let us know! This month we've got @drawingsofdogs, @hi_limi, @dinokuznik, @kopernikk & @markdelmars. #TensMoments At Tens we put our community first, no matter what it is that we're up to. Here's where we share some of our favourite photos with Tens from the last month. We love seeing your tags with Tens, so be sure to tag us in them for your chance to be featured! Photos submitted (in order) by @lorenzobotticelli, @zoeyarielle, @jaxandjesse, @kevin.j.thomson, @discothedoggo & @ktlphotog. ~ What things have you discovered this month? Are we missing anything? Message us on Facebook with suggestions!
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.
Best of the Month - Vol. 16
Sooo we just checked and we're exactly two thirds of the way through 2018... It's okay though because at Tens it's summer FOREVER, and we're still chilling by the pool so grab a towel and an icy drink to sip on. August has been full of wonderful stuff, and we've put together some of it right here for you to consume with your summer cocktail of choice. Enjoy! Best of the Web "Hey Google, tell me something good." Google assistant now delivers that GOOD news to broadcast a wee bit of hope within your home / office. Because it's not ALL bad. The New York Public Library is ingeniously using Instagram stories to share classic novels. The design is so well thought out, and they include animated slides! Go check out the first highlight on Alice in Wonderland over on their Instagram page. Scotland just became the first country in the world to offer free sanitary products for all students, following a new initiative to help banish period poverty. Lego unveils sustainable bricks made from sugarcane as brand continues eco overhaul. We're pretty sure they're still not edible though, unfortunately. This one's pretty self explanatory... it's called Swimply and it's like Airbnb for swimming pools! A company called 'Plastic Whale' in Amsterdam is now offering canal boat tours with a catch (literally). As part of the tour, you take part in plastic fishing for litter in the canal. We're very on board with this. Tens Soundtrack Here are some of our office favourites, mostly new, some old. Who else should we be checking out? Visit our profile on Spotify to check out our previous months' soundtracks. Who To Follow Here are some of our favourite accounts to follow on Instagram. If you know anybody that we should be following, let us know! This month we've got @darius.music, @sarahmaxwellart, @sashasa_a, @rkrkrk & @minusthesun. #TensMoments At Tens we put our community first, no matter what it is that we're up to. Here's where we share some of our favourite photos with Tens from the last month. We love seeing your tags with Tens, so be sure to tag us in them for your chance to be featured! Photos submitted (in order) by @nomad_nonsense, @ilsignorfranz, @ggalaska, @natgeobell, @nclrnld, @jackcrapa & @asherhodara. ~ What things have you discovered this month? Are we missing anything? Message us on Facebook with suggestions!
Scotland's Top 10 Wild Swimming Spots
By Calum Maclean I am an obsessive outdoor swimmer, and I’m always on the lookout for new places to swim. I’ll swim anywhere: the sea, frozen lochs, dark caves. Tens asked me, @caldamac, to pick out my Ten Best Natural Swimming Spots and my picks are unashamedly biased towards the Highlands of Scotland! The water in Scotland is generally warmest around September, so jump in now! In no particular order... Achmelvich Beach, Sutherland In the far-north west of Scotland, down the end of a winding little single-track road: crisp clear water, sea air and white sand. You can paddle about in the bay, or even swim around the coast to explore the rocks. Beware: even on a sunny day, it’s usually cold! Allt Daraich, Isle of Skye A short walk from the road at Sligachan, away from the hordes of tourists you’ll find bright blue/green pools that invite you to slip straight in. You can slide down waterfalls, jump off rocks, hide from the midges under water. The Cuillin mountain range gives the most incredible backdrop. River Feshie, Cairngorms Very easy access for great jumping and underwater fun. At Feshiebridge there’s a deep pool directly under the bridge, and a shingle beach to walk in. But my favourite spot is hidden about 100m upstream! A deep pool that channels up to a small waterfall, with jumping and diving potential. In summer, laze on the hot rocks with friends. Glencoe Lochan It’s winter, so what? I like to swim all year and if you start in summer, you get used to the cold…(well, almost). Glencoe Lochan is a small and sheltered, and you might even have to crack some thin ice to get moving. Cold water is good for you! Or so I’ve been told… Loch Coruisk, Isle of Skye As you travel in by boat, hills seem to fall straight into the sea all around. Loch Coruisk is surrounded by mountains, protected from the wild waves. Shout in joy and hear your echo reverberate around the mountain amphitheatre. Swim out to the rounded islands: they make for the best diving boards as the land disappears instantly into the water. Spend a whole day here. Tràigh Mhòr, Tolsta, Isle of Lewis Take a roadtrip to The Hebrides in summer: if you get the weather, you’d not want to be anywhere else. The sun barely sets, there are beaches all over and water that demands to be swum in. Tràigh Mhòr stretches out far into the distance: if you want a long swim, here’s the place. Clear water: beautifully cold.Image by John Matrix at Bike List. Sandwood Bay, Sutherland Wild, expansive, ever-changing. Sandwood Bay can suffer the brunt of some wild sea weather, coming in off The Minch. This is why it’s not always a place for the nervous swimmer! 4 miles from the road, the surf here can crash onto the shore, and rips pull the water back out. I love playing in the surf, slipping under the waves and letting it batter me into the sand when I miss-time it! One of my very favourite places in all of Scotland. Isle of Arran The sea between the Isle of Arran and Holy Isle is teeming with wildlife. Anemones, urchins, fish. There’s a “No Take Zone” between Lamlash Bay and Holy Isle, meaning that sealife thrives. Crossing to islands is a bit like munro-bagging for some swimmers, and what better one to tick off. Take a snorkel Loch A’an, Cairngorms Last time I swam at Loch A’an, it felt as though I was having a spiritual moment…I just hope it wasn’t hypothermia setting in! The most direct route is to a walk over a mountain - Càrn Gorm - and back. On a sunny day the water must be some of the clearest I have seen, with sand and soft grass tickling my feet. The perfect spot to camp overnight. River Douchary I have to admit, many of my favourite swim spots are far from roads. The River Douchary is about 8 miles inland from Ullapool: a long walk or cycle. But it’s worth the effort: there’s a series of stunning waterfall pools, a natural canal channel and clear water to plunge into. The best bit? You’ll probably have it all to yourself. You can follow more of Calum's adventures on instagram at @caldamac. Safety disclaimer: Always take your time getting in, go with someone else, and check out the depth before you jump!
