I was up in the Shetlands a few weeks ago. Jon, one of my participants from a workshop last year kindly showed me around for a few days and then left me with his car. Which was very kind of him.

While driving past the Drongs on several trips, I found them just too far away to make a picture of, but in my mind’s eye, I visualised the image you see here. This all came about because I parked Jon’s car  and hiked in to the tip of a peninsula. Being high up, I was able to get this shot – it’s a 6×7 image, shot in portrait mode and the top part of the sky cropped. I shot it with my most powerful telephoto for my Mamiya 7II – a 150mm lens, which equates to 75mm for full frame 35mm shooters.

I’d like to get the 210 lens for the Mamiya again, but feel it would make the entire outfit I own much more of a drag to carry around. I had to return to using a tiny LowePro bag with just the Mamiya and three lenses in it because the airplane flight was very restrictive in what I could take. It’s been a revelation going back to such a small bag and very little to carry.

There’s some amazing scenery on the Shetlands and Jon has been suggesting I come back in winter time, which I’d love to do as I find winter light my favourite kind of light, but this shot’s got some special light too – I think it was made around 9pm.

Last year I spent a week on the isle of Harris. I didn’t quite make it to Barra, Eriskay, Berneray or the Uists. So this May, I will be heading out there for a few weeks to photograph the islands I missed out on last year.

I’ve travelled a lot. I’ve been to many countries and many exotic landscapes around the world. It’s been an incredible journey. If anything, what I’ve learned is a deeper appreciation for my own country. Scotland is incredible.

I feel that my own photographic projects for the next year at least, are going to be Scotland centric. I know that this trip to the Hebrides is only one of many to come over the next few years. There’s simply so much to my own country and I can’t wait to get out there.

If you want to join me, I’m conducting a photographic workshop on Harris at the end of May. More details here.

Well, I know this must seem like I’m pumping out the photos at the moment, but it’s not often like that for me.

Skye Portfolio

So to get to the chase, here is a new portfolio from Skye.

There are often spells of what seem like ‘inactivity’ to others, but for me, it’s actually the opposite – if you’re seeing me on the blog a lot, it’s because I’m not out shooting! And if you don’t hear from me on my blog for a while – it’s because, well, you know – I’m out there practicing what we all love to do when we get some time.

I was up in Skye about a week ago for 3 or 4 days. I’d booked another trusty camper van for the trip, and almost didn’t go. So bad were the weather warnings and advice not to leave home unless it is absolutely necessary. So I went!

The weather was pretty mild, but the landscape was still arctic. For those of you know know Skye well, the river at Sligachan had around seven inches of ice on it. I wasn’t quite sure sometimes if I was standing on the ice or firm ground while roaming with my camera.

Skye Workshop

So you won’t be surprised that I’m now offering a workshop to Skye for this December (3-8). This trip is strictly limited to 4 people as I thought it would be nice to do a much more intimate group size. The hotel we will be staying at is not far away from the Storr, and caters for 5 people max.

As I type, it looks like there is now currently only 1 space left on this trip, so if you’re interested in coming, email me for more details.

I’ve just begun to process my images from my trip to Skye last week.

It’s strange to be back in Edinburgh, with the weather being very damp, grey and cold, instead of clear blue skies, crisp dry conditions and lots of snow.

Ok, so this is (part of) the famous Storr situated at the far northern tip of Skye. I had to use crampons and four season walking boots to get up here because the snow was so deep and icy in places too. This shot was taken in the evening. The sun in the winter is practically south, so as it turns out, being here in the morning or evening has pretty much the same effect – shooting into the sun. I got here a little bit late in the morning (trudging through snow waist deep in places, it robbed me of my time), so I didn’t really have much of a chance to survey the landscape and make some good decisions. So I resolved to come back in the evening to shoot, now that I knew how difficult the terrain was to get around, and had already picked out a few spots for the evening shoot.

I’ve only processed a handful of images at the moment, but some of the films show some pretty crazy colours, courtesy of a polarizer used in a landscape where the ground is white and the sky is dark…. when you see the images I’m sure you’re going to think I did something very strange to them.

Hope you enjoy this photo of the Storr.

I’ve just been spending the last week on the isle of Skye, again in a trusty camper van.

There is something quite liberating about a camper van. It means you can stop anywhere and be there for sunrise, or sunset, and if the weather isn’t working in your favour, then you can always pop on the kettle and have a nice cup of tea (I’m British, that’s what us British people do – we love boiled water in copious quantities).

Having said all that, I find spending a week or so, anywhere, on my own – a bit too much. So this time I brought a pile of Audio books. Some were great (thanks Bill Bryson for your humour and company).

So what was Skye like this January?

Well, I parked below the magnificent Storr landscape and trekked up there early one morning. I did however have to use crampons and four season walking boots to get there. Icy, perhaps three feet of snow in places, it was hard going, but well worth getting there.

The only issue I have with Skye is that it’s simply too big an island. I did around 700 miles all in, and I’m knackered. Happy, but knackered. I’ve shot in some of the most bizarre winter conditions we’ve had here in the Uk for over 30 years… and I’m curious to see how the pictures turn out.

The trip started in Glencoe a week ago, and it was -15 there in the morning…. I was out taking pictures in snow drifts for about one hour, perfectly happy, but when I returned to the car, I met another photographer and we got chatting. Well, he got chatting, I got mumbling…. my face was so numb, I’d lost any coordination of it – it was just like I’d been to the dentist!

I’m looking forward to a bath when I get home, and then I’ll work on my images from Skye.

I’ve just uploaded a new portfolio of images from the Isle of Arran.

Perhaps my most simplest of compositions yet. I do feel that conducting the workshops, has led me to understand a bit better ‘why’ I make images the way I do. I think this is good and bad. Good from the point of view that I can improve upon my compositions a bit better, but it’s perhaps a bit bad in that being consciously aware of why I make decisions in the field could perhaps lead to being contrived. I hope not.

I’m in in the Orkney’s at the moment. A cluster of little islands just at the tip of the north east of Scotland.

I came here about 2 months ago, but the wind was so extreme here that it was hard to stand up in. So I’m back.

The downside about coming back at this time of year is not the dreaded midge (mosquito), but the dreaded tourist ;-)

I was able a few months ago to get some nice photographs of the Ring of Brodgar (pictured) and a suitable long exposure to mark the movement of the clouds over the landscape.

Last night was entertaining though. I went back to the stone circle to photograph it and met two scientists who were on holiday. They had dowsing rods with them and were busy walking up and down the area noting where there were dowsing lines. If you’ve not heard about this phenomenon, then check out google for it. I’m a bit skeptical about most things, but I tried it – and it worked!

I’m off to Hoy today to go and photograph the old man of Hoy and also the fantastic beach at Rackwick. Weather is very murky, but hey – that’s the beauty of Scottish weather – it’s always changing and often moody.

I’ve just finalised some plans for a 5 day long week workshop on the Isle of Harris, situated in the outer Hebrides.

I was really taken with this island on a recent visit. The beaches are expansive and really photogenic and the light there is something else.

The trip is scheduled for the later part of November – the 20th to the 25th. We’ll be staying at the lovely Harris hotel in Tarbert, which is a good base for exploring the entire of Harris and also making a stop over on Lewis to photograph the Calanais stones.

If you’re interested in coming, it would be a good idea to book earlier rather than later, because you can get some really cheap deals on flights from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness to Stornoway on Lewis (I will be picking you up from there)  for as little as £25 one way if you go with FlyBe.com.

The trip is limited to six places, with single occupancy of the rooms and the price is £1,100 for the duration of the trip.

I expect that we will get a lot of varied weather on Harris in November and this should present us with some dramatic light over the duration of the course. Please email me if you’re interested.

One space has become available for my Isle of Eigg workshop! So if you were thinking of coming along, now’s your chance to secure that spot :-)

I’m particularly looking forward to this trip as it’s for a whole week on a beautiful island.

We’ve got our own place to stay for the week where everyone can come and go as they please. So if you fancy a bit of time on your own to explore the island, you can.

I’ll be bringing a digital projector and laptop so we can cover critiques of the groups images as well as tutorials on my own workflow – how I arrive at my final print from RAW or Film capture.

The trip is due to commence on the 14th of September, ending on the 19th of September, priced at £779. If you are interested, email me.