The Big Day

And I spent it wandering around North Edinburgh with my camera. Went to twenty-eight different polling stations all told, starting with ours just off Ferry road at 10am and then finishing a little further along Ferry Road at just after 5pm. I had thought I'd simply photograph the buildings again, like I did in 2011 but I plucked up the courage to ask the Yes person at the first polling station if she minded me taking her picture and she said, fine, shoot away. And the two women with No badges were okay with it too. And then at the next polling place I found a friend was there for Yes, so that was easy. And from then on, most of the people standing outside with their respective badges - Yes or No - seemed happy to pose for a quick picture. Often, especially when there was just the two of them, one from each side, they were keen to pose together. As I worked my way closer towards the city centre there were TV crews in evidence, and I met another friend who was also doing the polling place duty. She'd voted earlier up in the city centre and been interview by the Guardian, Reuters and a foreign newspaper, before 7am.
As I went round I met two more friends at different polling places, and bumped into someone who I was at college with on Princes Street. He'd been down to the Borders to vote as he is still registered at his parents' place. Some of the later places on my route had no one at all outside them and as tiredness was kicking in I thought I'd head for home, ticking off two last ones that were more or less on the way. The first went okay, although only a Yesser on duty, but at the second, and the very last on my circuit a rather snooty woman for Yes, said, 'you really should be outside that gate if you're taking pictures.' I did think, well if that applies to me, it probably applies to you too, but I bit my tongue and merely asked if she'd like to move to get her picture taken but she said she'd rather not. And the woman for No was studiously ignoring me as she conducted a mobile phone conversation. As in fact few of the No people had done on my way round.
One other person - SNP, going from his badge, proceeded to give me a lecture about the international nature of Scotland, how many thousands there are of various different groups and their support for Yes, as if he needed to counter a misconception. Perhaps a reflection of party training that he felt he needed to point out to someone he took to be part of the 'media', even although all I said was that I was a freelance photographer.
Still, I shouldn't let that and my last polling place experience spoil what was an excellent day. Most people I met were very friendly and happy to be photographed. And great to meet so many friends unexpectedly out doing their bit on this historic day. After I got back L and I went out to cast our votes. All we can do now is wait for the results!
I was tempted with another montage but I feel I should try and pull back from them. Blip, after all, should be about a picture a day. so amidst all the pictures I took, I went for this one from North Leith - Green Yes and No representatives shaking hands.