Assynt Portfolio
In the last week of December 2009, I spent most of it in a camper van in the far north west of Scotland – specifically, the area known as Assynt.
I love this area very much, and since I’m keen to do an Assynt workshop (October 22-27), I felt that I needed to gather together some good images of the landscape. So without further delay, you’re very welcome to view my new Assynt portfolio.
As you can probably gather by the dates specified above, I’ve also set up a corresponding workshop for Assynt which you can find out more about here.
This landscape is in the far north west of Scotland, about 1 hours drive from Inverness. But what I love about it, is that it’s not on the tourist trail as much as some other locations in Scotland. Unjustified as it is, I think it’s predominantly because it’s a little bit more out of the way.
Stunning! I wonder how long you’ve spent there for this portfolio and if it was a single trip or you’ve been there few times?
Congratulations, this is my favorite shot since this year started :) http://www.brucepercy.com/pages/Portfolios/assynt/assynt_05_b.html
Have a great Health and Light this year:)
Vladimir
Comment by Vladimir Donkov — 4 January, 2010 @ 2:16 pm
Hi Vladimir,
Many thanks for the kind words – I’m glad you like that image as it is one of my own personal favorites. I’ve shown the portfolio to some of my photographer friends here in Scotland and it has been interesting to note that what they prefer is different from what I prefer.
Just to let you know – I was in Assynt for about 4 days. I tend to work very, very hard at my photography and find it hard to switch off when I’m supposed to.
I also got stuck for 3 days at my Dad’s because of the snow, so I had one more evening in Assynt which is where I made all the snow images you see here.
All the best for 2010 Vladimir!
Comment by Bruce Percy — 4 January, 2010 @ 2:33 pm
Nice set of images.
This is one area I need to revist sooner rather than later for my portfolio of images of the British Isles which you can see at http://www.britishlandscapes.com.
I visited briefly earlier this year when I was in Wester Ross for the week, also in a camper van.
You must be extremely dedicated to your photography spending time in a camper in late December in the north of Scotland
My favourite is http://www.brucepercy.com/pages/Portfolios/assynt/assynt_07_b.html
Supberb lighting
Comment by Derek Fogg — 4 January, 2010 @ 4:03 pm
Hi Derek,
I don’t know if ‘dedicated’ is the right word. Perhaps ‘mad’. I think we, as landscape photographers, are a bit nutty. Thanks for the comments and appreciation :-)
Comment by Bruce Percy — 4 January, 2010 @ 5:14 pm
stunning images. I like the water images -the one with stones underwater looks quite unreal- love it. Is that the result of using a polarising filter?
It’s so interesting that all the images are from the same area, and yet some just say ‘Scotland’ big time(in a good way! )but with others I’d be hard pushed to guess where the images were taken if I didnt already know.
Anyway Happy New Year Bruce, and every success for Light on Scotland for 2010!
these are the two I was drawn to most:
http://www.brucepercy.com/pages/Portfolios/assynt/assynt_08_a.html
and
http://www.brucepercy.com/pages/Portfolios/assynt/assynt_08_b.html
Comment by pinkpig — 4 January, 2010 @ 10:53 pm
Hi Pinkpig,
Thanks for the considered and kind reply.
I didn’t use a polariser for the water shots…. the reflections seem to be high near the mid ground of the image, but in the foreground, seem to taper off…. I did wonder if they would come out in the shot when I was making this. Plus, it was one of those ‘tail end of the day’ shots – a long exposure of perhaps a minute or more.
Thanks once again Mabel. Hope you have a very good and happy 2010. Say hi to the enthusiastic Michael for me. :-)
Comment by Bruce Percy — 4 January, 2010 @ 10:59 pm
will do!
Comment by pinkpig — 4 January, 2010 @ 11:15 pm
Hi Bruce,
I was very much looking forward to see the photos of your recent trip to Assynt and the waiting was really worth it. Love your new portfolio and I find it difficult to pick a favorite out of it as they are so diverse. Hard to believe you took them all in just four days time! When it comes to simplicity, I agree with Vladimir, I’d definitely pick that one too, really love it. Then Suilven is such a distinguished landmark of this area making you gasp for breath first time you see it and that is why I also think the picture you posted here in this blog should be my favorite. But because maybe having spent a weekend out photographing in the Swiss mountains in bitter -15° cold myself and having gotten in sort of wintery mood, I guess my favorite right now really is this one of Stac Pollaidh:
http://www.brucepercy.com/pages/Portfolios/assynt/assynt_04_a.html
But this could all change again tomorrow! They are all stunning.
Best wishes,
Sonja
Comment by Redhair — 4 January, 2010 @ 11:36 pm
Hi Sonja,
Well thank you too, for the very kind comments. I’d love to see the pics you took at -15…. did you have success getting good images?
You’ve all been so kind…. it’s very nice of you all… my head is now so big that I doubt I’ll be able to get into my bedroom to rest my big head on my bed tonight.
It’s nice to get nice comments, but it’s also nice to produce new work and I think it’s one of the reasons why I keep going – there’s an excitement about what’s around the corner and I think we often need to create new images, so we are always moving forward. Happy new year to you Sonja.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 4 January, 2010 @ 11:44 pm
Well, let’s say at least my camera made it through the cold and lastet longer than me or my feet last night.. ;-) Had to give up shortly after sunset up in 1800m altitude, hoped to make it a bit longer but just couldn’t (women and cold feet.. ;-). I made some images which I quite like, but I am still not completely happy with it. But I keep going and enjoying!
And don’t let us take your sleep! Especially during winter time you have to make the most out of it as a photographer… LOL. Sleep well :-)
Comment by Redhair — 5 January, 2010 @ 12:00 am
Hi Sonja,
So you must be a mountaineer then? Technical?
My Mamiya 7 died on me in Glencoe last week at -17. It was so cold that my hands were stinging when I touched the camera. Imagine everything being like the Arctic. It was great, and I had perfect weather. Only thing was the camera wouldn’t fire a single shot, and my tripod leg colums had frozen solid too.
I had to leave there and then as it was heartbreaking seeing the sun hit the Buchalle Etive Mor in ‘the’ best conditions I’ve ever seen here in Scotland – and I could do nothing but watch.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 5 January, 2010 @ 12:05 am
I wish I was, Bruce… but I am neither a mountaineer nor technical in it in any way. I enjoy hiking and trekking trips, but no climbing or technically difficult things. But you know, the good thing about where I live in Switzerland is that I got the Alps right in front of me. Takes me less than an hour by car to a cablecar station up to a mountain.. and there are so many of it in this country. Everything is so easily accessible and organized here and I think that is one of the reasons why I love Scotland’s wilderness so much.
I read about your Mamiya disaster in Glencoe before I went up there and was really curious if that was going to happen to me too. I was out there for almost e hours waiting for some batteries to give up or something else other than my limps to freeze, but nothing happened. Good luck I guess.
Comment by Redhair — 5 January, 2010 @ 12:17 am
Bruce, these are amazing! I especially love the first couple of images.
You’ve said recently that you feel your images are becoming simpler. I also looked at some of your earlier photographs again, and I can see what you mean.
I’ve just spent a few days in Tomatin between Aviemore and Inverness, with waist-high snow in parts, and was thinking of you as I staggered through the snow. My tripod legs froze up and so they couldn’t be shortened, and my film camera got so cold it wouldn’t wind on properly.
Comment by michael — 6 January, 2010 @ 10:38 am
Hi Michael,
Sounds like incredible weather you’re having. I’m still stuck in Edinburgh and I’m wondering whether to try and head up to Inverness or not via Fort William as the A9 is pretty bad around the Cairngorm area.
I do think my compositions are becoming much simpler, and I’m sure this is because of the workshops I’ve been doing. The workshops have forced me to ‘think’ about why some of my images are more successful than others. Telling everyone about leading lines, curves, diagonals, breaking down a composition into simplistic shapes and tones…. has all rubbed off on me.
I wouldn’t say it’s been a conscious thing for me though. More like I ‘just get a feeling’ it will work better. It’s a hard one to pin point and I guess I shouldn’t analyse it too much :-)
Comment by Bruce Percy — 6 January, 2010 @ 10:51 am
hi Bruce,
just wanted to say that these Assynt images are, in my opinion, some of your best.
cheers,
Bruce
Comment by bruce lonie — 9 January, 2010 @ 1:10 pm
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for the encouragement…. much appreciated. Thank you.
Bruce
Comment by Bruce Percy — 9 January, 2010 @ 9:10 pm