When Piping Today magazine published a new series of features entitled "The real life of...", the first person interviewed was the highly-respected piper, adjudicator and reed maker, Colin MacLellan. What made it different from the rest of the magazine's content was that the series did not focus on the bagpipes, but rather on what other interesting things happened in the "real life" of the subject.

Colin provided a very interesting and funny interview, and as it was a new series I decided go in a new direction with the photography. So on a sunny spring morning in March I drove to Colin's home in Edinburgh with my portable studio, and with Colin sitting for 18 minutes, was able to capture the portrait above.

I had a good idea what I wanted from the photo session, and Colin was relaxed and willing to work with my ideas when he was in front of the camera. I'm glad to say both of us were very happy with the 'presidential' image and it even got the approval of his sister, of whom Colin said: "There is no bigger critic in Scotland".

For more information on Colin MacLellan visit his website at http://www.pipereeds.com/index.php/about-colin