On Saturday, we had a quick visit with old friends James and Kylie MacHattie. This talented pair of pipers, now members of Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, were set to be the entertainment for the evening at the Vancouver Island Pipers Club. They arrived late in the afternoon and were willing to let me take their photos as part of the pipes | drums installment, Photographing the Art (subscribers only), before we made our way to the club for the evening…..which continued well into the morning (like any good group of pipers) telling stories and having some great laughs. James and Kylie are also celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary in the very near future, so it was a bit of a double-whammy session.

An image from this session was also featured as my Photo of the Week on the Photographer Network blog.

The Macpherson Family are no strangers to the British Columbia Pipe Band scene. Angus has been a long-time Pipe Major, adjudicator, Games Chairman of the BC Highland Games, past President of the BC Piper’s Association, and now current Pipe Major of the New Westminster Police Pipe Band. His wife Judi, organizes the piping, drumming, and band events at the BC Highland Games (and she’s possibly one of the most patient people around to deal with the hectic schedules of three family members involved in pipe bands!). Their kids are both members of the current World Pipe Band Champions, Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Neil is a very accomplished piper, and his little sister Katey a talented tenor drummer.

With the winning hardware from the competition, they packed up the car and came to the Island for some photos, and since the band had to cross the Atlantic to compete in Glasgow at the World Pipe Band Championships, I figured it’d be suiting to place them in the Pacific. Here’s a video link to view their big win.

The Vancouver Island Pipers Club met on Saturday evening. The guest performer was Dave Bowman, a drummer with the current World Champions Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, and co-owner of Bowman Percussion (makers of the Rad Pad). Jamie piped as well, and a bit more about the evening was posted on the JWT Reedmakers blog. I took a few shots in the band room as the boys were warming up for the evening, and one of Club President (and Jamie’s little sister), Jacquie Troy. Good luck to both Dave and Jamie this weekend in Kansas City as they compete at Winter Storm! Head over to the Photographer Network blog to see one more image of the boys in the band room.

My weekly post over at Photographer Network features the superbly-talented James Laughlin. James runs Come2Drum which offers both online pipe band snare drumming lessons and workshops worldwide. As part of the pipes|drums feature I’ve been shooting, James very generously spared some of his limited time during the Bellingham Games on Saturday for some photos. Head over to Photographer Network to check out one more.