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Our shop in Crieff is nestled in the beautiful Perthshire countryside, with so many interesting people, places and businesses that make it a wonderful place to live and visit. Join us as we meet some of the personalities of Perthshire that make it so special.
Meet the people of Perthshire
Jess Macdonald from JJM Later Life Photography
Iona from our Crieff store was delighted to speak with Jess Macdonald from JJM Later Life Photography, a local photographer, who worked with us and Richmond House in Crieff to create lovely portraits of the care home residents wearing our tartan pieces as part of their Burns Night celebrations.
Jess, thank you for joining us. Tell us what your photography business is all about?
I take photos and videos that celebrate older people. I specialise in multi-generational family photography that focuses on the special relationship between great-grandparents and grandparents, their children and grandchildren. I offer portrait photography for older people, creating images that capture the subject’s unique, authentic self. I also create short films inspired by informal interviews designed to draw out the stories and life experiences that make our older generations so exceptional. In addition to traditional private photo sessions, I work closely with local care homes and senior activity groups.
Can you tell us some of your favourite memories from all the shoots you have done?
One of my favourite recent experiences was being invited into the home of a grandmother who wanted pictures with her grandsons but couldn’t access a traditional photo shoot. This was due to her wearing a nasal cannula and being connected to an oxygen machine at all times. Her two grandsons were of an age where most boys would have little interest in posing for photos, especially in a fairly everyday setting in their Nan’s living room. And yet, with a bit of coaxing they got really involved, abandoning their iPad to hug and kiss their grandmother and make silly faces for each other to get everyone smiling. The love between the boys and their Nan was palpable and an absolute joy to photograph. Both boys were very interested in my camera and after taking it in turns to be behind the lens, declared that they would like to be photographers themselves when they grow up.
What got you into photography?
Photography has been a passion of mine since my parents took us on a family holiday to Alaska when I was seven years old and gave me a plastic film camera shaped like a polar bear. I studied photography at A-Level and have been taking photos both recreationally and professionally ever since. I’ve worked for music labels taking photos at rock concerts and festivals. I’ve worked as an underwater photographer documenting shark-diving trips in South Africa. As a travel writer and photographer I’ve visited six continents and had my work published in Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy, and Condé Nast Traveller. After having two small children and settling in Crieff, I decided it was time to switch from freelancing to running my own business.
My decision to focus on older people was inspired by the close relationship I had with my grandmother. In later life her physical and mental health deteriorated until she was mostly housebound. Her greatest pleasure was time spent with family and she filled every surface of her living room with family photographs. After she was diagnosed with dementia, I saw firsthand the cognitive, emotional and social benefits of looking at and discussing these photos together. When she passed away, those photos became treasured possessions for our family as a memory of her and what she meant to us all. As such, I’m very conscious of how much photographs can mean both to older people and to those they eventually leave behind.
The market is flooded with photographers offering engagement, wedding, newborn and even pet photography. And yet, there are so few people focusing on older generations that there isn’t even a niche or name for it. I think that’s indicative of how little value society as a whole places on the elderly. We so often take older people at face value, forgetting that there is much more to them than their physical or mental handicaps. These are people who lived through momentous historical events, who loved and lost, who went on adventures, took risks, made sacrifices — and shaped all of us who came afterwards. They deserve to be recognised and honoured and to have their stories preserved for generations to come.
Have you got a particular shoot that was most enjoyable to work on?
I recently spent the day at a local care home taking photos of and interviewing the residents. The time I spent with each person revealed one incredible story after another. One man told me about his experiences as an aircraft engineer for RAF Fighter Command during the Second World War. Another told me how he grew up in Ethiopia where his father worked for Haile Selassie. They lived in the emperor’s summer palace. A gorgeous lady who just celebrated her 100th birthday told me about picking up a bomb from the rubble in the Blitz as a souvenir only to realise that it was still ticking. She was beautifully made up for her shoot, red lipstick and all. Not all of the stories I heard were as momentous. One of my favourite moments was sitting down with a couple who had been together for over 60 years and listening to their relationship advice.
Can you give us some more insight into your services and what a typical shoot would look like/involve?
I put a lot of effort into making the people I work with feel comfortable. I believe this is essential in order to achieve natural photographs that really show a person’s character and personality. It’s about creating a connection and having a conversation as much as it is about getting good photographs or film footage. We chat, we laugh and most importantly, we have fun. I particularly enjoy shoots that offer an opportunity to capture interactions with other people, whether that’s family, friends, or much-loved carers.
With vulnerable older people, staying safe and respecting boundaries is paramount. I work closely with carers or family members to make sure that particular physical or mental needs are met. I try to use natural light and settings as much as possible, but also understand that sometimes there are limitations to how much people can move around. I work with whatever conditions the situation offers to ensure that we get the best possible results while also creating a positive, memorable experience for everyone involved.
Could you talk to us a little bit about what you did at Richmond House for their Burns Night celebrations?
I was just there for the photoshoot during the day, but I believe they had a Burns supper in the evening, a visiting piper from Morrison’s Academy and guests to read a traditional Scots poem and the Ode to the Haggis.
Do you yourself have a particular tartan you like? And any links to Scottish clans?
Although I grew up in England, my gran was Scottish (Dundas clan) and always made us very proud of that part of our heritage. I lived in South Africa for a long time after university and met my husband there. Despite being a born and bred South African, he’s also a Macdonald of Scottish descent, so when we relocated to Scotland we chose the modern Macdonald tartan for our daughter’s school kilt and later for my husband’s dress kilt (both of which we had made at ScotlandShop).
Is there anything particularly Scottish that inspires your work? This could be connections made, the local area, history of area or anywhere in Scotland that inspires you most?
The primary inspiration for my business is my Scottish grandmother, Sheelah. She taught me to appreciate and value older people, and the importance of capturing our time with loved ones in photographs. I’ve also made a wonderful friend, Veronica, a lady in her eighties living in Comrie, who has reconnected me with her generation and reminded me of how many amazing stories are waiting to be heard if you take the time to sit and speak with older people.
Thanks so much for your time, Jess! Check out Jess' JJM Later Life Photography website, connect with her on Facebook or Instagram.
Crieff Cloverleaf - A Marvel For Motorcyclists
Next up is Kona from Crieff Cloverleaf who loves exploring Perthshire and the rest of Scotland on her...motorbike! Written in her own words, read on to find what Crieff Cloverleaf is and how Crieff resident Kona started it up.
"What do you think of when you think of Crieff?
If you ask the average person this question, you'll get a range of associations. "Stunning countryside", one person might say, or "fantastic places to eat and drink". Another might talk about our "proper traditional Scottish shops", or our "adventurous outdoor activities", or our "relaxed holiday vibe".
If you ask a motorcyclist, you'll probably get a different answer. "Crieff? Oh, the Crieff Cloverleaf, of course!"
MEET THE CRIEFF CLOVERLEAF
"The friendly community of "touring motorcyclists" are inveterate travellers, always looking to discover new riding routes in epic surroundings (and to get a hearty and convivial dinner afterwards!).
Scotland’s incredible landscapes and exceptional roads already make it a must-ride destination for motorcyclists from all over the world, and the Crieff Cloverleaf is helping riders discover more than just the North Coast 500 and the usual tourist hotspots.
The Crieff Cloverleaf is a set of four spectacular all-day motorcycle touring routes, especially designed for an unforgettable biking holiday. Each route starts and ends here in Crieff, so riders can enjoy all four routes in turn, and still come back to the same bed each night.
Covering over 870 miles to the north, south, west and east of Crieff, the routes take in some of Scotland's most-loved biking roads and some hidden gems too. From the Cairngorms to the Borders, the West Coast mountains to the seascapes of the east, riders discover jaw-dropping landscapes while enjoying a great mix of sweeping A-roads, meandering country byways and adventurous single track."
MEET THE MAKER
The Crieff Cloverleaf is the brainchild of long-time Crieff resident and ardent motorcyclist Kona Andrews Macphee, ably supported by her husband Patrick. We asked Kona to tell us how the Cloverleaf routes came about.
"I love riding my motorbike, I love wild scenery and I love maps (I know, what a nerd!) These passions have all come together in the Crieff Cloverleaf project, but the thing that really got it started was the 2020 pandemic.
After the initial lockdown in early 2020, there was a phase of loosening restrictions - first of all, a period of visits to places within your own county, and then a period where you were allowed to cross county boundaries but still expected to come home at the end of the day.
Feeling as stir crazy as everyone else, I took full advantage of this relaxation of the rules. I started heading out on full-day solo motorbike rides, planning big loops that would take about 6 hours of riding, and joining together some existing favourite roads and some new exploration. When I arrived home at the end of each day, my husband would laugh at me, because I couldn't stop grinning. (As the old joke goes - "How do you tell a happy motorcyclist? By the flies in her teeth.")
These post-Covid bike adventures really brought it home to me how astonishingly well-placed Crieff is for motorcycling holidays. In a day's loop of riding in any compass direction from here, you can encounter some really thrilling roads and an amazing variety of scenery.(Scotland is so compact, and the landscapes change so radically in different directions!) Once I realised this, it was a small step to decide to share some carefully-developed routes with other riders, while simultaneously trying to support the town and the surrounding area in its post-Covid economic recovery.
Fortunately, as an IT professional, I was able to put the whole thing together myself fairly quickly. The brand new Crieff Cloverleaf website launched on January 1st 2021, and since then the project has gone from strength to strength. The rider feedback (which can be sampled in"What Bikers Are Saying" in the Reviews section of the website) has been simply incredible. I'm so delighted that other enthusiasts are enjoying our amazing roads and scenery as much as I do!
The Crieff Cloverleaf is repaying me in so many other ways too. For example, I met some visiting riders and ended up going motorbike camping with them in the Hebrides, and then motorcycle adventuring with them in Nepal! Equally unexpectedly, our local tartan design expert, Brian Wilton, donated a Crieff Cloverleaf Tartan design which is now officially registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans - how cool is that?Similarly, because I'm (ahem) recognisable due to my green hair, at motorcycling events I often now get people coming to say hi and ask about the Cloverleaf, or to tell me how much they've enjoyed riding it. It's great!
Another fun side is our Crieff Cloverleaf Gear Shop with our own unique merchandise range, including designs featuring our Tartan and also our very endearing cartoon Cloverleaf Coo (skilfully drawn by my husband Patrick.) The eight-year-old in me loves packaging up all of these colourful goodies to display in my very own shop! I'm super grateful to ScotlandShop for hosting our Little Gear Shop right on the High Street. It's wonderful to feel that we're all working together in support of the town and its greatly valued visitors."
Meet The Tartan Cowboys
Tucked away in the beautiful Aberfeldy area of Perthshire, five local musicians came together through a shared love of music sessions, cowboy hats, and a healthy sense of humour and The Tartan Cowboys were born.
The band is made up of Dee, Isobelle, Keith, Jamie and James, each bringing their own musical background, personality and style into the mix. What started as casual local music sessions soon became something much bigger when the group realised their voices blended surprisingly well together.
“We started meeting up outwith the sessions just for a sing-song and quickly thought… maybe we should actually become a band!”
Blending Scottish, country and folk-inspired music, The Tartan Cowboys have built a reputation for warm harmonies, lively performances and a genuine love for making music together. Their sets feature everything from well-loved classics to original songs written by band member Isobelle, whose songwriting has become a special part of the group’s sound.
So… where did the name come from?
The story behind the name is as entertaining as the band themselves.
The group had jokingly started referring to themselves as “cowboys” thanks to their love of country music and cowboy hats but also because, in their own words, they “had absolutely no idea what they were doing” when they first started out. A nod to the phrase cowboy builders, they embraced the chaos and ran with it.
Then came the finishing touch from Dee’s daughter, who simply said:
“You all love tartan and cowboy hats, it’s easy… The Tartan Cowboys!”
And the name stuck.
Music, friendship and a local home
The band regularly practise at the Cowboy and Parrot, which has become something of a home base for the group. From there, they’ve gone on to host gigs across the local area and beyond, recently travelling to the stunning Isle of Skye for performances.
Five members, five personalities, one sound
Each member of The Tartan Cowboys brings something different to the stage.
Dee helps drive the heart and soul of the band’s harmonies.
Isobelle plays guitar during her duo performances with Dee and is also an accomplished songwriter whose original material regularly features in the band’s sets. (When James is there, she leaves the guitar duties to him!)
Keith plays both mandolin and guitar, adding rich folk textures to the music.
Jamie brings a distinctive sound with the mouth organ.
James completes the lineup with his own musical flair and stage presence.
Together, they represent a mix of backgrounds and walks of life, united through music, friendship and a shared enjoyment of performing.
Find The Tartan Cowboys on Instagram here and on Facebook here.
