George Square Statues Restoration

The project

Glasgow’s George Square has a special place in the heart of every Glaswegian, whether they were born and bred in the ‘Dear Green Place’ or are an honorary citizen who has come to call Glasgow their home. As the city’s principal public square, it has served as a gathering place for millions over generations, hosting everything from political rallies and national celebrations to festive events and public mourning.

As a Grade A‑listed civic space surrounded by Victorian architecture and dominated by the City Chambers, its statues commemorate key figures in Scottish and British history. Robert Burns, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and William Gladstone are among those immortalised in bronze, forming a powerful civic narrative in the heart of the city.  The Square itself has been revamped many times in its long history but now, as part of the £20 million Avenues transformation programme, it is having a new makeover to see it through the next century. Commissioned by Glasgow City Council the work includes the careful removal, conservation and eventual reinstatement (in the Autumn of 2026) of all 11 bronze statues.

Our role

McAteer Photo’s role is to produce a considered, high-quality photographic record – before, during, and after the transformation – focusing on both the physical evolution of the space and the care taken with these culturally significant monuments.

The first phase involved creating a visual record of the extraction operation, complete with stills and drone footage, showing crane lifts and specialist rigging to reassure the public that Glasgow’s heritage assets are in expert hands, and capture signature visuals suitable for press releases to local, specialist and international media, and legacy documentation that will form part of the Council’s permanent archive.

Approach and outcome

Shoot 1 of 4 focused on capturing the statues in situ before their removal, documenting both their spatial context within George Square and close-up details to record their condition. We carefully planned shoot times based on the weather and when each statue would be naturally lit by the sun, helping us capture them in the best possible light with clear detail. Shoots 2 to 4 focused on the phased removal of all 11 statues, beginning with Robert Burns and concluding with Queen Victoria. Each session was carefully timed to align with the specialist removal contractor’s lifting schedule, requiring close coordination to ensure we captured key moments as they happened.

For each session, we undertook detailed location scouting to identify optimal vantage points for both aerial and ground-based imagery.  We consulted on-site with the client and conservation team from Rupert Harris Conservation to align on key visual objectives.

Health and safety was a paramount consideration throughout, given the city centre location, the use of heavy plant machinery, and the complex movement of large, fragile statues. Additional planning was required to ensure drone operations complied with CAA regulations, avoided flight over pedestrians, and maintained safe distances from cranes and lifting equipment, all while capturing the necessary aerial perspectives.

A combination of Fujifilm GFX medium-format digital cameras with a variety of lenses, including tilt-shift, and a DJI Mini 4 Pro drone – all shooting in Camera RAW – ensured both technical precision and aesthetic consistency.

A hybrid post-production workflow in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop was used to enhance tonal depth, lift shadows, and preserve the natural bronze patina of the statues. Final high-resolution JPEGs were delivered to the client for use across social media, press releases, and public communications.

What's next

Follow the project’s progress at mcateerphoto.com and on our Instagram and Facebook channels, where we’ll continue to share new images as the restoration unfolds.

Book a consultation or call 07713 166398 to discuss bespoke aerial & drone photography that brings your story to life.