Tonight I'm in a humorous mood, and feel I want to share something with you all. Over the past few years, I've received a lot of correspondence from people. The majority of the unsolicited emails I get are very lovely - words of kindness, of really beautiful wishes, some telling me they love what I do, some telling me how I've helped inspire them and bring them on in their photography - amazing things really. And they go a long way to show that most people are very nice, want to see you succeed in what you do, and want to wish the best in others.

But as with anything, there's always a very small percentage of people out there who are a bit odd, lack etiquette, or lack.... something!

So tonight, for a bit of humour, I felt inclined to give you an example of one of the stranger e-mails I get from time to time. The following e-mail came into my mailbox this morning, from a complete stranger, who seems to think I have nothing better to do with my time, than go and photograph her boat! Ha ha ha ha !

I used to be rather perplexed by these strange e-mails.... but I've grown to love them. They always surprise me, and remind me that the human race is a funny lot really. Enjoy!

Hi Bruce

This is a very cheeky request but we're in Lofoten on:

22 February (Svolvær, ms. Marco Polo) 21 March (Svolvær, ms. Marco Polo) 04 April (Stamsund & Svolvær, ms. Finnmarken) 09/10 April (Stamsund & Svolvær, ms. Finnmarken)

I think you're also there on 21 March? If you happen to catch sight of either ship, could you possibly take a photograph? It might be the only photographs we'd see of the ships sailing and would be useful for future ships cruises if my Husband is lecturing on them.

Now that I've set a bench mark - please don't email me to ask if I will photograph your boat/car/cat/horse/sheep/whatever... I won't have time..... I'll be too busy trying to photograph the rather cheeky R McVicar's boat!

ps. I've just drafted up a reply:

Dear R McVicar,

Many thanks for your enquiry.

I'd be only too happy to oblige.

Bit of a cheeky request from me. I've been wanting to make some of the horizons in my coastal photographs a bit more interesting. If I told you where I was going to be over the next year, could you sail your boat to those locations so it can be used as a nice prop on the horizon?

Bruce