A couple of months ago Chris and I finally got to the Stone Mountain Highland Games. I say finally because we have missed it every year for the past four for one reason or another. We had heard from many that it was “huge” or “one of the largest gatherings in the states.” Well, I’m here to tell you, it was not that big, certainly not “huge.” It was, however, fun.
Born in the U.S. to Scottish immigrants with most of my aunts, uncles and cousins still in Scotland (though some are in England, and some in New Zealand), it’s a special day to be hearing the pipes and especially the accents. Speaking of which, the most jarring thing to me on that bitter cold day in October, was seeing a gentleman in full dress (kilt, plaid, etc.), then hearing a very southern dialect come from his mouth. And I don’t mean like from Dumfries southern. I mean from Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia southern. Of course there were those, like my parents, who had the accent, but you could tell they’d been in the states for a number of years.
So, to the photography. Tartan. Men in kilts. Highland sports. All very interesting shooting for me. I spent quite a bit of time shooting the amateur athletes throwing various heavy things (stones, hammers, cabers — which, if you don’t know, is basically a telephone pole). With every turn they took in their throwing attempts their kilts would go flying around in a sort of dance. I was fixated to say the least. Thankfully the athletes did not adhere to the “real scotsmen don’t wear anything under their kilts” rule!
To see some more of my photos from the games, click here.
The highland athletes gather for the rules to be read.
Athlete gets ready to toss the sheaf.
A readied athlete waits his turn.
The pipe band gets set to march onto the field.
December 27th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I second-generation Scott-Canadian I know (his grandparents emigrated from Scotland to Canada, just to make things clear) once stated that all Scottish sport was based on a bet– “I bet I can hit this little ball into a little hole before you can, and then do it again 17 more times!” “I bet I can slide this heavy stone farther across the ice than you can!” “I bet I can throw this giant log farther than you can!” Greg could articulate the bets with perfect Scottish accent, and he had us all in stitches by the end of the conversation.
I make a point to always get to the local highland games. Personally, I find a man in a kilt very attractive. While I have Scottish roots, they’re far enough back in my family tree that I really can’t, with a straight face, call my self Scotch. I would, however, love to marry a Scottish man, if for no other reason than to make all the guys in the wedding party wear kilts!
December 27th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
What’s up with men in kilts insisting on throwing things..
December 27th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
In Central New York State, they also have a celebration of everything Scottish with huge men participating in highland games. It was the first year that I had gone and I was very impressed at the strength and agility that one had to have to participate. I mean throwing a log straight up in the air and trying to make it flip over? Quite a feat. It was definitely fun to watch.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
i think guys that wear kilts are hot. There’s thing in my country and it’s called the highland games. The Event is on for 2 days. That’s how long i get to see them in it!!
December 27th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
At the Highland Games in my hometown, participants wear t-shirts color-coded to their entry level (novice, masters, etc.). A few years back, the shirts were all screen printed with a typo. Let me just say how adorable I found it to be watching big burly men in manly kilts and baby pink t-shirts (not of their choosing, obviously) obsessing over how they had come to the “PORLTAND” Highland Games. Priceless.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Absolutely nothing wrong with men in kilts. In fact, I still have the GQ cover with Mel Gibson (before all his bad behavior started) wearing a kilt … the headline? “Mel Gibson Without Pants.”
That I will have for a LONG time. ;0)
December 27th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I love your photos and of course like many other women…I am crazy for a man in a kilt! I recently visited Inverness in north-west Scotland and sadly never saw even one guy in a kilt
Ah, well, perhaps I need to visit the same places you do
December 27th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
That’s too funny Cindy — the only place I saw a man in a kilt while in Scotland last, was in — you guessed it, Inverness!
December 28th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Happy New Year 2010!
December 28th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
We need more of this in our world.
December 28th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
If I look that man, sometimes I think that they like a girl.. hahahaha… *I look them by asian perspective
December 29th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Whoever says that a man in a kilt is crossdressing and girly is either a retard or a liar!! To hell with those bigots who think that men should not wear kilts or even MASCULINE SKIRTS!!
January 7th, 2010 at 12:51 am
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!