Dougie’s focused on his retirement after a high-flying career

A VETERAN DC Thomson photographer has brought the curtain down on a 40-year career that took him from the cockpit of a fighter jet to shaking hands with Clint Eastwood.

Today Dougie Nicolson finishes his career, after four decades working for the Evening Telegraph and The Courier, having started as an apprentice in the photo lab at the company’s old Bank Street premises.

In our age of digital photography and smart phones it may seem like another world, but newspaper images were still processed in a darkroom using wet plates when he began working in the lab.

It wasn’t until 12 years into his role that photographers started using colour film and Dougie processed the images at the new Kingsway premises.

Despite enjoying his time in the lab and making great friends – some of whom are still with the company today – in 1999 Dougie turned from processing the photos to taking them, first for The Courier and then the Tele.

The 57-year-old said: “I have met some lovely people from all walks of life over my career, and met lots of celebrities too.

“The first one I met was Joanna Lumley, when she was appearing in The Cherry Orchard at the Dundee Rep, she was very pleasant.

“The other two memorable famous people I have had the pleasure of meeting were Clint Eastwood and Richard Branson.

“I was sent to the Old Course in St Andrews because we knew Clint Eastwood was going to be playing at 8.30am as he was looking at golf courses around Fife. He was making a film about golf, which eventually fell through.

“I couldn’t believe it when they said they would send me because I was daft on Clint, and still am.

“I was thrilled to meet him, he was so softly spoken and had a great big hand when I shook it – and so tall. He definitely lived up to my expectations.

“Richard Branson is also someone I had admired for a while.

“He was appearing as a surprise guest at an entrepreneurial conference in Gleneagles and none of the guests knew he was going to be there.

“I took a copy of his autobiography to chance my luck and he was so nice and so down to earth.

“He even agreed to get a photo with me which I asked if I could print a copy of and send to him to sign.

“I didn’t expect anything from it but when I went into the office a few weeks later there it was on the desk. He exceeded my expectations.”

A self-confessed petrolhead Dougie’s career highlights also include meeting his racing

Dougie with his hero Clint Eastwood and other striking photos from his long career.