The 2016 Botanic Lights show, at Edinburgh's Botanic Garden, ended last night, another sell out I believe. If you didn't manage to make it along I took some photos and videos that will give you an idea of what you missed.
I have to admit to being dubious before we went. Fifteen quid seemed a lot to have a cold walk around a bunch of lit up trees. My cynicism was unfounded. We spent ninety minutes going around and enjoyed it all. It's a lot more than just a few lighting effects. Although it's surprising what a bit of coloured light can do to raise the profile of even the most boring vegetation. Click on the links to go to my YouTube Channel.
The theme of the event was Explore.
Explore the world, explore different cultures, recognise our common humanity. The clearly laid out pathways had something to see all the way along, with several stopping off points for longer, more dramatic displays. Light art is high tech stuff and there was a lot of imagination and skill on display.
Right from the start there's a very different feel to the place.
Just going through a section of woodland takes on a sense of the theatrical.
This box like installation was constantly changing.
In a small clearing there was a man telling anyone interested to push hard on the big foam button mounted on a plinth in the middle. Get it right and lights shot up the tree and the bells rang, like the old funfair strength test.
That's the way to do it.
People get lit up too!
The dancing fountains were beautiful - this video's a bit longer than the others.
Walking along some pathways was like being guided by a thousand tinkerbells.
And the lantern-lit walk like visit to China (or Habitat....).
It wasn't all about bright and flashing lights. This structure resembled a cross between a radioactive spider's web and the cat's cradle games kids used to play with wool.
There was a tree festooned with Nepalese ribbons, and you could buy one to tie on with your own message added.
This constantly changing hedgerow was amazing, and the sheer size of it isn't really obvious on film.
I thought the coloured light pools on this path were very effective, like mosaic flooring.
The Victorian Palm House was given the stellar treatment.
This simple outline of the map of the world was repeated all the way up this wall.
The last major display on the tour was this swift tour of the world spread across a Georgian facade. It's also the longest of these films.
But I've left my personal favourite until last, an oriental series of images displayed on to a fountain of water. Look out for the man and his dog.
Not bad for fifteen quid really. Better still, it didn't rain.
