Out on the backgreen

The sun was out in Edinburgh, and everyone was out enjoying the day. When we lived in Forrest Road the block didn't have any outside space because the bank and restaurant on the ground floor had extended out the back at some point, but the Meadows was jokingly referred to as our backgreen, just down the bottom of Middle Meadow Walk.
This morning we went to Socrates Cafe - just the four of us, but we managed to come up with a hatful of great questions. In the end we discussed with we could learn anything from animals about living a good life and if the best art was only created if the artist wasn't paid. Both fascinating topics that we could have continued to discuss a lot longer.
In the afternoon I went along to something called a Portfolio Review at a cafe in Marchmont, called The Institute. I know I've come a little late to the party, as this was my first visit and it's been open for several months now, but it seems to be a cafe for photographers and other creatives to meet and talk about their art (if that doesn't sound to pose-y). Anyway, today's event was run by The Photographers Collective - a group of Edinburgh photographers who aim to nurture and promote the talent of photographers working in Edinburgh and further afield. As they say on their website, "Collaboration and idea-sharing are central to the Collective, and we aim to offer support for photographers through portfolio reviews, professional promotional guidance, artist talks and exhibition opportunities." A couple of the group are tutors at Stevenson and that probably gave me the confidence to go along and have a bit of a chat about where I am with my photography and where I might go, both 'commercially' (ie earning a living) and artistically. I think it was a useful event and good to bounce ideas around with someone - the sort of thing that happened a lot in college but less so now.
On the way home, I walked through the Meadows and took a picture to capture the crowds enjoying the summer-like weather.