Islandscape Blog - Notes From A Small Island

RNLI Photographer of the Year

2012-01-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

First Aid Training, Bloody Bay, July 2011

I'm just back from London to receive the RNLI Photographer of the Year award at the London Boat Show. The winning image was taken during a man overboard and first aid exercise in Bloody Bay to the north of Tobermory back in July. I was given the good news that I had won when I was at the RNLI College on a training course back in November but details of the award were embargoed until a few days ago.

Initially I thought that the photograph was quite an odd choice for the judges. Indeed, I nearly didn't submit the photograph for the competition. However, it seems that the RNLI is (if you'll pardon the pun) awash with photographs of lifeboats in heavy seas. As you'll see from the RNLI's press release, it's the commitment, focus and cameraderie shown by the crew in the photograph which attracted the judges.

So why did I decide to enter the image? I'd been one of two crew who'd jumped into the water to be recovered by the Severn class lifeboat. I was 'rescued' first and grabbed my camera and tried not to drip sea water all over it whilst Robin Harrowsmith, the other 'man overboard' played an unconscious casualty for a first aid scenario on the aft deck. The light, action and setting all came together. My main photographic passion is landscape photography and I was really drawn to the stunning light that evening, but it's the total focus and concentration of my fellow RNLI volunteers which I feel really makes the image. As with many of my crew photos on the lifeboat, it was taken with a long lens which helps me get more natural images as most of the time the guys don't realise that I'm taking photographs.

Preparing to go 'overboard'

Splashdown!

Waiting to be 'rescued'

Bobbing around in Bloody Bay

Rescue!

It's a huge honour to be named RNLI Photographer of the Year and to say that I'm chuffed is an understatement. I'm really pleased that this particular image featuring my crewmates was chosen. When I joined the crew, the Tobermory Coxswain Phil Higson asked me to build up a photographic record of our work and both he and everyone at the station have been very enthusiastic in supporting me in this task. Whilst I always have a small compact camera with me in my 'yellows', I am first and foremost a member of the crew and lifeboat duties come first. I was accompanied to London by Phil and one of my other friends off the crew, Gunny (who is wearing a helmet on the left hand side of the photo) and I accepted the award on behalf of everyone at Tobermory RNLI - I couldn't have won it without them. The award was presented by marine photographer, Rick Tomlinson, himself a former RNLI Crew Member and a holder of the RNLI Bronze Medal for a rescue whilst carrying out an assignment for the RNLI. Rick's work can be seen here.

Islandscape the Movie

2011-12-29T09:34:00.000-08:00

My Canon 5D Mark II was one of the first (if not THE first) digital SLR to also feature an HD video capability. I haven't used it much but as part of my role as Tobermory RNLI's Lifeboat Press Officer I've been learning to edit footage of rescues and training from the two cameras carried aboard the lifeboat. It's quite addictive and one of my New Year's resolutions is to do more video. Here is a short film about Mull and Islandscape Photography workshops shot on the 5D and edited in iMovie. The music is by the wonderful Paul Mounsey and I've been trying unsuccessfully to contact his agent/record company to get formal permission to use it but to no avail.

Lifeboat Photograph on Tour

2011-12-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

I was very pleased to hear a couple of months ago that one of my favourite photographs of 2010 had been selected for the Royal Photographic Society's prestigious International Projected Image Exhibition which is now touring the UK and Ireland. Readers of this blog will be familiar with the image taken from the aft deck of the Tobermory RNLI lifeboat during an exercise with the Royal Navy's search and rescue helicopter, Rescue 177. News of the photograph's inclusion in the exhibition made the front page of The Oban Times a few weeks ago, relegating news of Oban's now famous one minute fireworks display to page 3. It was also the subject of an RNLI news release.

In case you haven't yet seen the spectacular Oban firework display, you can watch it on You Tube below.

Long Time, No Blog

2011-12-12T02:04:00.000-08:00

It's been more than two months since I last blogged. No excuses other than that it's been a busy few months with lots of workshops and tours over the autumn. It's been wonderful to meet new guests as well as to catch up with old friends from around the world. The weather over the summer was not the best this year. Indeed, it is fair to say that this has been the wettest few months on Mull for many years. This autumn, however, has seen some superb light and it has been an absolute pleasure to share transient moments such as the storm light over Gribun and Inch Kenneth as seen in these images with fellow photographers. The dreich, rain sodden days of the summer are but a distant memory now as autumn segues into early winter. Ben More, Dun da Ghaoithe and the other Mull hills are now wearing a dusting of snow.

Of course, winter brings with it the occasional gale and last week along with much of the rest of Scotland, Mull experienced a severe storm with winds up to Force 12, i.e hurricane strength. The video below was shot on my newish Panasonic Lumix LX5 in Tobermory Bay. Many houses on the island were without power for 48 hours (in some parts of the west coast, much longer). However, I am pleased to report that we survived without Facebook and that playing pool by headtorch in the Mishnish and heating up soup on a camping stove in the beer garden can be immense fun.

Farewell, Steve Jobs

2011-10-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have visited the Islandscape Photography studio know that I converted to Mac around eighteen months ago and haven't looked back. But whatever you think of Apple, there is no denying that Steve Jobs was a true pioneer, a supreme innovator. Where he and Apple led, others often followed. Very sad to hear of his passing but what a legacy he has left behind. Many will have learned of his death on one of the very machines which he created. For me, it was on my iPhone whilst stormbound in an Oban guesthouse when I should have been on a ferry to Barra.

You may have seen extracts from Steve Jobs' legendary speech at Stanford University a few years ago but I think the speech is well worth repeating. Whether you be a PC, Mac or no computer user, these are inspirational words and death surely is life's best invention......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15197932

New Dates Announced for Tobermory Hotel Autumn and Winter Workshops

2011-09-21T01:34:00.000-07:00

Hallow'een Sunset, Balmeanach - Taken During the 2010 Autumn Workshop

Once again, we are offering inclusive photography workshop packages in conjunction with the Tobermory Hotel in October and November 2011. We are offering two day workshop packages (3 nights dinner, bed and breakfast) between 21 and 24 October 25 and 28 November. Our two day and three day workshops for spring 2012 will be announced shortly.

Prices start at £386 (£226 for non-participants) and the cost includes three nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast at the Tobermory Hotel, two days’ landscape photography tuition, packed lunches and transport to locations.

For more details or to book contact Sam or the Tobermory Hotel on 01688 302091.

Royal Photographic Society International Projected Image Exhibition 2011

2011-08-31T06:34:00.000-07:00

I've just had news of my first acceptance in a major international exhibition, the Royal Photographic Society's International Projected Image Exhibition 2011. The image accepted is somewhat unimaginatively entitled Tobermory Lifeboat on Exercise with Rescue 177 and features Tobermory RNLI mechanic, Jock Anderson, being winched back on to the Severn class lifeboat, Elizabeth Fairlie Ramsey from the Royal Navy's search and rescue helicopter based at HMS Gannet at Prestwick. The image was taken with a Canon 15mm fisheye lens last August.

According to the Royal Photographic Society's website, over 4000 images were submitted from nearly 800 photographers worldwide, so needless to say I am hugely excited to have had an image accepted. The exhibition opens in Newcastle on 25 October before touring all over the UK and Ireland. I intend to be at the opening and spend some time exploring the landscapes of north-east England.

Staffa and Lunga: A Tale of Two Islands

2011-08-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I visited the islands of Staffa and Lunga which lie to the west of Mull. Staffa is of course famous for its fascinating geology, including Fingal's Cave which inspired Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture. With its hexagonal basalt columns, it is supposedly the other end of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. The light was fairly poor but I managed to get a few shots. What I wasn't prepared for was that the other passengers on our boat headed straight up the hill rather than to Fingal's Cave. As a result, my friend and I had the cave to ourselves for an unprecedented half an hour. To spend all that time in solitude in the cave was a real privilege and the boom of the swell will stay with me for a lifetime. I even managed to get my tripod up to get some slow exposures, although to be honest, the photography was secondary to the sensory experience.

Next stop was Lunga, one of the Treshnish Isles, and famous for its puffin colony. In a former life, my friend had been a wildlife photographer and film-maker and he has always espoused the theory that the key to successful wildlife photography is to get down low and let the wildlife come to you rather than you pursue the wildlife. And so I followed his advice, resisting the temptation to accompany him to a huge bird colony at Dun Cruit (Harp Rock) on the island. I sat near some burrows and let the puffins get used to me. After a remarkably short period of time, they did so and I was not only able to get some shots of them with my beloved 70-200mm f2.8 L series lens (I'd lent my less beloved 100-400mm f4 L series lens to my pal), but after a while they began flying in with food so that I was able to get some classic 'puffin with sand eels' shots.

As we checked out each other's photos on the boat, I asked my friend if he'd managed to get any puffin shots with sand eels. Shaking his head, he asked me if I'd had any success. Of course I answered 'yes', somewhat smugly. Needless to say, he had the last laugh by reminding me that it was by following his advice that I had achieved success. Furthermore, when I somewhat glibly commented that Mendelssohn had been something of a 'one hit wonder' with the Hebrides Overture, my pal (being very knowledgeable on classical music) rolled off a long list of other Mendelssohn works, including the Wedding March and A Midsummer Night's Dream. I really must learn to engage brain before mouth.

Here is a small selection of the puffin photos. I hope to include Staffa and Lunga on some of my workshops next spring and summer. Spending a couple of hours in one spot close to these charming birds was a fantastic experience, but I shall never, ever forget that half hour of solitude in Fingal's Cave.

We travelled to Staffa and Lunga with Iain Morrison and Turus Mara. Iain is a hugely experienced skipper and a great host to boot - you are guaranteed a brilliant combination of informative commentary and great craic. Iain's son, Colin, skippers the other Turus Mara boat, Island Lass. Highly recommended if you are up this way.

Some Recent Magazine Articles

2011-07-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

Feature in the current (August) issue of Outdoor Photography magazine (published by GMC Publications) on how landscape photographers can make their own luck. Particularly if they use the excellent TPE or The Photographer's Ephemeris. Below is a feature from Mull and Iona Life magazine giving some easy ways to improve your photography.

Midsummer at Rubha nan Gall

2011-07-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

Since my last blog post, a couple more sunset trips have been made out to the lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall with mixed results. This is from my last trip, the day before the Solstice. Generally I try to get out to the lighthouse on the Solstice itself but this year it fell on a Tuesday and so I was otherwise committed at lifeboat training. Instead I ventured out on the Monday night. As so often happens in this part of the world, the clouds began to clear just before sunset. I decided to experiment with my Lee 'big stopper' 10 stop neutral density filter (which sounds a bit rude). With Canon cameras, this tends to give a bit of a blue colour cast which can be easily removed in post processing. On this particular occasion, I quite liked the ethereal effect and so left the colour cast as it was.

Normally I stay for about 20 minutes after sunset before making my way back in semi darkness along the cliff path which takes about half an hour. On Solstice minus one, however, a friend very kindly came out to pick me up in a small RIB. I had a very broad grin as I heard the outboard engine in the distance as I was packing away my gear. Best of all, on our way back into Tobermory we came across a three or four harbour porpoises. Shutting off the engine and watching them swim alongside us was a privilege indeed.

Sunset Chasing

2011-06-08T02:54:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when the sun sets behind the lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall. Rubha nan Gall is a great photographic location all year 'round but for three months of the year (May, June and July), there are some spectacular sunsets to be had - or rather, there is the chance of some spectacular sunsets. Whilst a sun compass, or increasingly apps such as The Photographer's Ephemeris or TPE, can predict with a high level of accuracy where the sun will be at any given point, the software which can guarantee or control the weather has yet to be invented.

The image above is taken from my first sunset foray to Rubha nan Gall of 2011 in late May. The conditions had looked promising and this was one of the first photographs I made once I had set up using some sea pinks as foreground interest. I settled in for what I hoped would be a stunning display of oranges, reds and purples once the sun dipped below the horizon. I had reckoned without the weather front sweeping in from Coll and this was really as good as the sunset got. The company of a seal, an otter, several oystercatchers and a myriad of midges was compensation, however - although that's perhaps going a bit too far in relation to the latter.

Watch this space for further sunset adventures.

Soggy Mull Sevens

2011-05-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend saw the Mull Sevens tournament, a great excuse to indulge my other photographic passion, sports photography. Unfortunately, the day was a tad wet and windy but this didn't dampen spirits or the action. Known as the "world's most sociable sevens", the 2011 event lived up to its reputation as ever. A particular hit of the tournament was Alnwick RFC who had travelled up from Northumbria. They made the final against Stirling and I have certainly never heard the chant "our castle is better than your castle" at a rugby game before. The Mull women's team was very unlucky not to make the final but did themselves proud with some cracking tries. Here are a few shots from the day......

The Linda Norgrove Foundation

2011-04-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

Last September, Scottish aid worker, Linda Norgrove was kidnapped in Afghanistan and was subsequently killed by US troops during a rescue operation a few weeks later. Linda was from the Isle of Lewis and had worked in Afghanistan for several years. A charitable foundation has been set up in her memory, the objectives of which are to support projects for Afghan women, children and families in relation to health, education and also to provide scholarships to help Afghan women go to university. Linda's sister, Sofie lives in Argyll and has organised a charity auction for Saturday 30 April. An Islandscape Photography tour is one of the lots, together with some type one gravel and a cut and blow dry (this is the west coast, after all...). This is a fantastic cause: please visit the Linda Norgrove Foundation website. This quote says it all:

"Linda is not defined by the tragic circumstances of her death, but by the life she lived and the choices she made. (....) Linda, and those rare people like her, are trail blazers for all of us who wish for a better world. They are the standard bearers of hope, the people who make change happen so that societies throughout the world can have hope of future peace and self-determination. Linda lived in the day and always looked forward with hope – she would have wanted us to look forward with hope too."

Tobermory on the Big and Small Screen

2011-03-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

Film and television crews are a regular sighting on the Isle of Mull, from the late (and perhaps unlamented) Balamory through to the BBC's Autumnwatch and Springwatch programmes. Back in late October, Tobermory played host to a film crew working on the latest Visit Scotland campaign with the Loch Lomond seaplane making a series of low flying sorties over the town. The result, though brief, is spectacular and can now be seen on a television or cinema screen near you. Or alternatively on You Tube below.

Last month, a new Co Op advertisement was filmed at Calgary Bay and in Tobermory. This should be entertaining, not least as a one or two locals were involved as extras......

Vision and Style

2011-03-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

I tend not to think too deeply about the vision and style which drive my photography, if indeed I can be said to have such things. I have some sympathy with the late, great American photographer, Galen Rowell's sentiments when he wrote: "The best photographs speak for themselves. Attempts to analyse their meanings invariably detract from the special quality that is beyond words in the first place. The photographs that move me the most propel me into an emotional realm where my experience is no longer verbal. I wince whenever I hear a photographer limit the effectiveness of his work by trying to express its meaning in words, and I cringe when I read photo-criticism that authoritatively describes the vision that was in a particular photographer's mind at the moment the shutter was released on a day long forgotten in the nineteenth century." Rowell's words are reminiscent of Ansel Adams' thinking: "When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence."

Nevertheless, I am currently going through a period of reflection and reassessing my own photography. This is partly due to an enforced period of recuperation following a major operation at the end of January. During my recovery, I have been working through a backlog of post processing (deliberate in order to keep me occupied during 'house arrest') as well as assembling some portfolios of earlier work. My time at home has also enabled me to look at the work of other photographers in book form as well as online. But I am also looking forward, and am in the early stages of planning my first exhibition, for which I will need to construct an artistic statement. My aspiration is that the work contained in my first exhibition should 'flow' and perhaps give a sense of of what motivates me to take photographs and what it is that I try to convey about the landscape.

My thinking so far is at a very preliminary stage. I know that I am attracted to the big vistas, to big skies as well as to water, be it sea, loch, burn or waterfall. I know too that I thrive on light in the landscape. As much as I enjoy the abstracts and inner landscapes created by photographers such as David Ward (http://www.into-the-light.com/), I struggle to to find such compositions in the field and indeed I don't particularly enjoy looking for them as it just doesn't feel like 'me'. I could ask, 'why should I try to recreate them?' I enjoy David Bowie's music, but I don't want to rewrite Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

A few days ago, I began to re-read a book co-authored by Joe Cornish, Charlie Waite and David Ward, edited by Eddie Ephraums, called Developing Vision and Style: A Landscape Photography Masterclass. In this book, Cornish, Waite and Ward set out to answer a series of questions about their own vision and style and the same questions are then thrown out to a number of other professional, semi-professional and amateur photographers. The questions include:

- What does vision mean to you?

- How would you describe your vision?

- What is it based on? Is it evolving? If so, in what way?

- How do you try to convey your vision through the pictures you make?

- What does style mean to you?

- How would you describe your style?

- Is your style evolving? If so, in what way?

- Might style enhance or limit creativitiy? If so, how?

Over the next few days as I continue to progress my recovery (hopefully to the point when I might even be able to drive the Land Rover next week!), I intend to seek to try to answer these questions whilst at the same time bearing Galen Rowell's caution in mind. Watch this space for the answers. In the meantime, I have posted an image from that backlog of post processing. The image above was taken in Aros Park during a photography tour at the beginning of November. I don't think I have seen quite such deep and vibrant autumnal colours for some years.

Off Island ..... to Northern Ireland

2011-02-28T12:01:00.001-08:00

Last month I ventured off island but this time not to the mainland but to the island of Ireland, specifically Northern Ireland. I spent roughly half of my career as a public servant in Belfast and so have a huge amount of affection for Northern Ireland. Not so much now but back then, in the 1990s, many people had preconceived ideas of Northern Ireland, mostly drawn from harrowing television images or stark monochrome images in newspapers. Northern Ireland was a world of bombs, of doorstep shootings, of random sectarian massacres in bars or, at best, colourful and somewhat tribal murals painted onto gable ends of otherwise bleak housing estates in Belfast and Derry. As such, I used to enjoy inviting friends and family to stay with me and introduce them properly to Northern Ireland. Even on the journey from the airport to my house in North Down, their perception of Northern Ireland would begin to change (particularly in the days when most flights landed at Belfast International Airport rather than Belfast City Airport, now somewhat bizarrely named George Best Belfast City Airport). They would marvel at the green fields and at how Belfast is framed by hills on one side and by Belfast Lough on the other. That was just the beginning and within a couple of days I would have introduced them to the stunning coastline of County Antrim and the gentle Mountains of Mourne. They would leave with these pictorial memories but, more importantly, with memories of the hospitality, good nature and warm humour of the Northern Irish.

As you can probably tell, I'm a bit of a fan of Northern Ireland. As a former season ticket holder at Ravenhill, I couldn't resist attending the crunch Heineken Cup rugby match between Ulster and Biarritz, and combining the game with some landscape photography. And so I ventured up to the north Antrim coast the day before the game. The hire car, a Citroen tiny something or other, was a bit of a change from the Landy, and in fact I suspect it might have actually fit in the boot of the Defender. Nevertheless, it was very economical and a good job too as I spent most of the morning trying to chase the light along the coast road and always managing to be about three miles away from where it was at its best. Nevertheless, I persisted and finally at Dunseverick Castle managed to get some lovely winter sunlight on the ruins. It was early afternoon and checking my watch, I wondered whether to knock the photography on the head and head to Belfast for some retail therapy. I hesitated, looked at my battered old OS map and realised I was about ten minutes from the Giant's Causeway. I knew from previous visits and also a little bit of research using the fantastic software TPE (The Photographer's Ephemeris) that there might be the chance of some warm late afternoon sunlight on the hexagonal stones of the Causeway. Not knowing when I would next be back, I decided that the shops could wait and headed westward along the coast road.

As I arrived at the Giant's Causeway, the stones were indeed starting to take on a lovely warm glow from the sun as it began to set in the west. I began to indulge in my favourite passion, seascapes, playing around with different exposures to catch the waves and tidal surge. Then the sky suddenly darkened and I realised that it must be raining very close by as a rainbow suddenly appeared at exactly the right spot in my composition. A few shots were quickly fired off and even the intense hailstorm battering myself and my gear couldn't remove the broad grin from my face. This was one of those moments that landscape photographers dream about, being in exactly the right place at the right time and all the elements - tide, light, weather - falling into place. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it makes all those fruitless, frustrating hours in the field fade into insignificance.

As well as the photo of the Giant's Causeway and a mono of the lighthouse at Donaghadee, I have included a photograph of my previous workplace, taken several years ago, for old time's sake. By the way, Ulster beat Biarritz in a very tight game and are now in the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup for the first time since 1999. A perfect long weekend away really.......

Looking Back on 2010

2011-01-05T05:48:00.000-08:00

I had originally begun writing this blog post in the afternoon of Hogmanay whilst sitting at my desk in the Islandscape studio and occasionally glancing out of the window watching two local hotelliers and assorted helpers prepare for the fireworks display over Tobermory Bay which would commence as soon as the clock tower struck midnight to ring in 2011. Needless to say, for various reasons (not all of them associated with the festivities - we've had some great light too) the blog post was not completed and so I am now sitting here several weeks later writing my first entry for 2011. I can confirm that it was yet another great fireworks display and I really can't think of anywhere else in the world I would rather be at Hogmanay than amongst friends at the clock tower.

My original draft post stated that I was finding it hard to believe that it was exactly a year and a day since I had begun this blog. A month or so later, this still holds true. 2010 was a significant year for me both professionally and personally, not least leaving the security of a well paid job at the Scottish Parliament to run Islandscape on a full time basis. Many new friends have been made from around the UK and beyond these shores. And whilst I might not have always got the light I desired for my personal photography, every now and then it all came together. On that theme, I am reverting to my original intention that Hogmanay afternoon and posting three of my favourite images from 2010. One is of the sunset on Hallowe'en at Gribun. This was probably one of the best sunsets I have had the privilege to photograph in some time. And it was all the more wonderful because it was so unexpected (the conditions half an hour before had been most unpromising) and I shared it in the great company of two guests on a Tobermory Hotel three day workshop. The other two photographs were taken using lenses which were acquired during 2010. My Canon L series f2.8 70-200mm has become a favourite lens for people and sports photography and back in July it was put to very good use at the Mull Highland Games (one of my favourite days in the island calendar). I have also enjoyed experimenting with a Canon 15mm fisheye lens and the image above of the Tobermory RNLI lifeboat on exercise with Rescue 177, a Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet at Prestwick is probably my favourite image of 2010: partly because it was a rare consequence of previsualisation paying off and partly because I was accepted as a crew member of the Tobermory lifeboat in 2010. Being winched into the helicopter and then back onto the deck of the lifeboat shortly before taking this image was certainly a personal highlight of the year.

Travelling Light

2010-12-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

Despite owning an excellent Canon G9 compact camera, one of the things I'm very poor at is ensuring that I have a camera with me at all times. Yes I have a mobile 'phone and whilst my iPhone is excellent at many things, the camera on the 3GS is pretty useless (I can recommend the Hipstamatic app, however). But for once, I had the G9 with me on a walk with a friend yesterday afternoon and so I was able to capture some lovely light and the full moon rising over Loch Sunart. The great thing about the G9 is that it is able to shoot in RAW, one of the few compacts a few years ago to have that capability. It also does exactly what it says on the tin and is compact. With the best will in the world, sometimes I can't be bothered to carry my 5D Mark II, particularly if I am just out for a Sunday afternoon stroll with a pal.

As you'll see from these images, we finally have snow on Mull. With freezing temperatures forecast for the next few days and the possibility of another dump of snow later in the week, it looks as if we might be in for a white Christmas.

Cross at the Castle 2010

2010-12-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

My other photographic passion is sports photography and so it was impossible to resist heading out to Glengorm for 'Cross at the Castle' or, more formally, Round 8 of the Scottish Cyclocross Championship. This was my first attempt at photographing cyclocross and I have total respect for the competitors in this incredibly tough sport. It was a great day out in a fantastic setting. Oh and a great excuse to dust off my favourite lens, the Canon L 70-200mm. Here is a small selection of images from the day. To see more, visit the Islandscape Photography Facebook page.

Winter Light

2010-12-07T09:37:00.000-08:00

Mull is currently one of the few areas in Scotland not languishing under a couple of feet of snow. We have ice and lots of it. The Glen Road and the Hill Road are both shut and even the Islandscape Landy had a couple of slithers today down at Loch na Keal. And whilst we might not have snow, other than a dusting on the hills (which does wonders for landscape photography), we are starting to feel the effects of the disruption in the Central Belt and the Co Op's shelves are starting to look a bit depleted. As one Muileach put it on his Facebook page: "with delivery vans and transport links cut off, the Isle of Mull is now only three bottles of Jacob's Creek away from anarchy." Of course, he's joking. We're actually only two bottles of Jacob's Creek away from anarchy.

What we do have is fantastic light at the moment. We have been blessed by blue skies and sunshine for several days. Whilst it would be great to have a few clouds around as clear blue skies can be a bit lacking in interest, it would be churlish not to make the most of it. The four images here were taken today in less than an hour at Loch na Keal before slithering back to Tobermory. Time to get the fire on, watch Reporting Scotland and see the chaos just a few hours away.

Land Rover Monthly Magazine

2010-11-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

Blog followers may recall that a few weeks ago, I undertook a commission to photograph the new 2011 Range Rover when Land Rover Monthly Assistant Editor, Richard Streeton brought it across for a spin on Mull. The resulting feature is in the December issue of the magazine. Coming so soon after BBC Autumnwatch last week, hopefully the six page article will also show off the island in all its glory.

Islandscape Featured in National Geographic Traveller Blog

2010-11-04T09:46:00.001-07:00

Islandscape Photography has been featured in the National Geographic Traveller Intelligent Travel Blog, courtesy of US travel photojournalist, Ellen Barone. View Ellen's article here.

Wild Scotland

2010-10-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

An Islandscape image taken in Glencoe a few years ago, entitled Mountain Light, has been used by Wild Scotland as the background image for a publicity banner. Wild Scotland is Scotland's wildlife and nature tourism operators' association - for more details visit the Wild Scotland website at http://www.wild-scotland.org.uk/. The banner was first used at the Wild Scotland stand at last month's Bird Fair. I only wish that I could claim to have taken the photograph of the eagle too....

Combining Work and Play

2010-10-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

In addition to running workshops and my landscape photography, I also undertake commercial commissions from time to time. Many of these commissions are to supply photography for new websites for local businesses. Last month, I was asked by a television company to photograph the visit of the Governor of New South Wales to the Macquarie Mausoleum. This month brought a job which could scarcely be called work: a commission from Land Rover Monthly magazine to photograph the new 2011 Range Rover on Mull. Consequently I met up with Richard, Assistant Editor of Land Rover Monthly and Dave Currie of Highland Cottage, the award winning hotel and restaurant in Tobermory (http://www.highlandcottage.co.uk/) and off we set in the new Range Rover, Dave's Range Rover and my humble Defender 110 to set up a series of shots around the island. We were treated to some wonderful autumnal light and between us Dave and I managed to come up with some great locations which will hopefully not only show off the new Range Rover but also (more importantly to us anyway) the island.

I was lucky enough to take the new Range Rover for a quick spin to enable Richard to take some tracking shots from the tailgate of Dave's Rangie. Compared to my Defender the dashboard was like the flight deck of the space shuttle (after all, it is only in the last three years that Defenders have come with a CD player!). A lovely vehicle to drive but I think I'll stick with my Defender which is a PROPER Landy after all. The price tag of the vehicle which Richard brought across might also have something to do with my decision: at £91k now I understand why they are sometimes called Range Rooneys.......

New Addition to the Islandscape 'Fleet'

2010-10-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

The Islandscape Land Rover Defender will shortly be joined by Sgurr Fhuaran, an Orkney Orkadian 20. She's very bonny and - most importantly - very seaworthy. Whilst it will be some time before both boat and skipper are licensed and qualified to carry paying passengers, Sgurr Fhuaran will add a new dimension to Islandscape Photography's workshops and tours. In the meantime, I'm very excited about building up my marine experience and exploring the waters around Mull, as well as studying for my RYA Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper exams.

What is the significance of the boat's name? Sgurr Fhuaran is one of the Five Sisters of Kintail, the mountains in Glen Shiel in the north west of Scotland which will be familiar to all those who have visited Skye. She was so named by the boat's previous owner as 'Sgurr Fhuaran' is also the battle cry of the Clan Macrae. The name translates as 'peak of the wells or springs' which I'm not sure is the most appropriate name for a boat but I'm definitely going to keep it.

In The Eye of the Beholder

2010-10-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

Not many people may be aware (yet) that Scotland is hosting the Adventure Travel World Summit in Aviemore next week. Organised by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), the summit is an international gathering of adventure travel professionals. In the run up to the event, Wild Scotland (the nature and wildlife tourism organisation) brought a small delegation of summit attendees to Mull for the weekend so that they could sample some of the island's delights. And so it was that Ellen, Kristen and Joe, three travel photojournalists from the USA, and I found ourselves battling the elements yesterday. Having listened to the shipping forecast earlier in the morning, I was mildly surprised that the delegation had made it to the island at all, but thanks to Cal Mac, we headed off to explore the north west of the island in driving rain and gale force winds.

What a fantastic day we had. The rain (which, along with the wind, gradually eased off) saturated the early autumn colours and the bracken in particular was a golden carpet adorning the hills. Even man-made objects complemented the autumnal theme of the day and I think that the corroding corrugated iron of a chicken shed near Tobermory was a particular highlight of the day for Ellen, Kristen and Joe. We even managed a walk over the machair at Calgary Bay, enjoying the emerald colour of the waves as they lashed the white sands. We finished the day photographing crab pots, rusty chains and other assorted fishing gear at Croig, as well as peering through the sea mist to catch a glimpse of the beam of the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan Point, the most westerly point of mainland Britain. The photo shows Ellen (http://www.ellenbarone.com/), Kristen (http://www.kristengill.com/) and Joe (Assistant Editor of Outside magazine, http://www.outsidemag.com/) returning to the Land Rover at Croig. Their enthusiasm and wonder for the landscape and nature around us reminded me that Mull is such a beautiful island in all weathers and that there is always something to photograph whatever the elements may be doing. Thanks guys!

For more details of the Adventure Travel World Summit, visit http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/2010summit-in-scotland.

Islandscape Makes the News in Spain

2010-09-16T14:41:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Gemma and Victor who were guests back in August - check out this http://www.xabiaaldia.es/en_ruta/la_vuelta_a_escocia_en_8_dias-3288.html

Tobermory Lifeboat Day 2010

2010-08-19T00:12:00.000-07:00

As with many things in life, it's easy to get stuck in a rut in photography. Other than the occasional foray into sports and commercial photography, the bulk of my images are landscapes. As I wrote in a previous post, the acquisition of my Canon 70-200mm f2.8 lens has inspired an interest in more general people photography. A purchase of a Canon 15mm fisheye lens on eBay several weeks ago has also made me look at the world in a different way quite literally.

I was recently asked by the Tobermory RNLI station to act as photographer for the annual Lifeboat Day last Sunday. As this included an exercise with a Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet at Prestwick, to say that I was excited was perhaps something of an understatement. As well as capturing the exercise and the other activities of the day such as the raft race across Tobermory Bay, I wanted to try to get some shots of the crew with the 70-200mm lens. I also had a nagging feeling that the fisheye lens could get some spectacular shots of the helicopter exercise from the rear of the lifeboat. Previsualisation is very important in landscape photography, although the elements rarely co-operate in the way in which I envisage. On Sunday, everything came together with the fisheye and the spray/down draught from the helicopter was not as problematic as I'd feared. The photo above shows the station mechanic, Jock Anderson, being returned to the deck of the lifeboat.

I've also posted some more images below to give a flavour of the day, including a few of myself: as a prospective crew member I also participated in the training exercise and took part in the helicopter lift. Exciting? Oh yes! Finally I took my turn as Tobermory Womble for half an hour in the afternoon - although in 21 degrees, that was perhaps the most challenging part of the day.

Many thanks to the guys who took some photos with my Canon G9 whilst I was otherwise engaged with the heli. A BBC film crew also accompanied the helicopter crew and apparently footage from the day will feature on tonight's One Show on BBC1 (Thursday 19 August). Hope they got our best sides....

Below: Gunny and a BBC cameraman

Below: Nervous smiles before the helicopter exercise

Below: Gunny gives the thumbs up before being returned to the deck of the lifeboat

Below: Gunny, put that bloody iPhone away!

Below: A few smiles AFTER the helicopter exercise

Below: Lifeboat Blues Brothers

Below: Helicopter exercise in Tobermory Bay

Below: The stern of the boat

Below: The Tobermory Lifeboat, a Severn Class

Below: The raft race - one of the highlights of Lifeboat Day. The RNLI raft looks perilously low in the water.....

Below: Not sure if the Royal Navy are saluting us or the BBC film crew......

Below: A few of your blog host......

Dreich Day in August

2010-08-18T02:47:00.000-07:00

In a previous post, I wrote that patience can pay off. Sometimes it pays to be tenacious as well. Some of my favourite landscape photographs taken by photographers such as Richard Childs have been captured in what would appear to be (superficially at least) very unpromising conditions. Ostensibly poor weather can sometimes (though not always!) create spectacular lighting. I know from personal experience that some of my best images have been taken in such conditions when I have had to force myself to head out with the camera gear rather than settle down by the fire with a good book and a dram.

I was reminded of this on a recent photography tour. The day started out wet and I initially planned to spend most of the tour at waterfall and woodland locations. By late morning we were in the Salen area and it was time to decide whether to head for the woodland locations on the north west coast or to head to Loch na Keal. Perhaps it was just an almost imperceptible change in the light to the west or perhaps it was just instinct or a hunch, but I decided that we would head out to Loch na Keal. On arrival at the shore at Killiechronan, the drizzle began to set in and so we took lunch in the Land Rover. But after twenty minutes or so, the light began to change and the cloud began to lift. Moreover, the recent rain had saturated the colours of the kelp on the beach. Some atmospheric images were result and I vowed to go out more often in less than ideal conditions.

Patience Pays Off?

2010-07-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

I have now officially lost count of the number of summer nocturnal visits which I have made to the lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall but on Thursday evening I ventured out again. I'd just finished day one of a two day landscape photography workshop and so I was a little late leaving Tobermory and as I walked along the lighthouse path at a fairly brisk pace, I could see some lovely light on the flanks of Ben Hiant in Ardnamurchan. As I was setting up at Rubha nan Gall, I was joined by another photographer who cheerfully - and confidently - informed me that I had missed the best light. I simply shrugged my shoulders and acknowledged to him that it wouldn't be the first time this summer in numerous treks out to the lighthouse but that I would wait until sunset to see what transpired in the sky. The other photographer hesitated but then said that he might follow my instinct and set up his tripod. He was clearly an accomplished photographer and he informed me that Scotland is the current holder of the photography world cup and that he had been a member of the team and had won various FIAP gold medals. Never being one for photography competitions, needless to say I was suitably impressed.

As time went on, the colours in the sky faded but it was still ten minutes from sunset. The other photographer packed up and left but I have always made it a rule to stay at least ten minutes after sunset unless it really is a hopeless cause. And the broken cloud out to the west beyond Ardmore Point gave me cause for a little bit of hope.

Five minutes past sunset, I began to pack away my kit but left my tripod up and had a quick nip of Talisker from my hipflask. I glanced at my watch and then glanced up at the sky. There was the tiniest patch of pink under the clouds. With a wry smile, the camera was quickly out of the bag and set on the tripod for the ensuing light show. This sequence of photographs shows how the light changed. Sometimes, just sometimes, patience and persistence can pay off and all those trips to the lighthouse suddenly seemed worthwhile. I was even rewarded on my trek back to Tobermory with a wonderful moonrise over Morvern.

Final Batch

2010-07-31T05:51:00.001-07:00

Until the Mull Highland Games 2011!

And Some More.....

2010-07-31T05:45:00.000-07:00

A few more from the Games.....

A Few More Games Photos

2010-07-31T01:47:00.000-07:00

A few more from the Mull Highland Games.

Shooting Wide Open

2010-07-28T10:36:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite days of the year is Games Day here in Tobermory. The Mull Highland Games is one of the few remaining truly traditional games in Scotland. There are no corporate sponsors and no celebrity Chieftain. The Mull Highland Games is organised by local people, many of whom are from families which have been involved in the Games for generations. The Chieftain is Sir Lachlan MacLean of Duart Castle. Games Day is a riot of colour, activity and sheer good fun. Oh and one or two drams are consumed. This is one of the days when I can indulge in some sports photography as well as a little hospitality at the Patron's Tent.

As a landscape photographer, I spend most of my time working with small apertures to ensure maximum depth of field so that as much of the scene as possible is in focus from front to back. This contrasts with people photography where quite often the intention is to emphasise the individual and to throw any distracting background out of focus. This is achieved by working with wider apertures such as f4. In sports photography, shutter speed assumes importance in order to capture and freeze the action. The corollary of this is usually a wide aperture and shallow depth of field.

This Games Day was the first proper outing for my new Canon L series 70-200mm lens. At f2.8, this is a truly 'fast' lens and has a monumental reputation amongst photographers for its optics and quality (it is a particular favourite amongst wedding and portrait photographers, apparently). I was not to be disappointed. Swapping f22 for f2.8, I spent most of the day shooting 'wide open' and working with shallow depth of field and very fast shutter speeds. I was pretty pleased with the results. Unlike some photographers, I'm not much of a 'kit head' but this piece of Canon glass is really quite something. I've also spent much of my life saying "I don't really photograph people". I suspect that this lens may change all that and I can't wait to use it in action again. And it just so happens that a couple of local guys are launching a new Isle of Mull blended whisky this Friday and one of my favourite bands, Skerryvore, will be playing at the event. Well it would be rude not to support local entrepreneurs and to turn down the opportunity to sample some local produce as well as to give the 70-200mm another outing.......

When Bad Turns to Good

2010-07-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Some of the best advice I have heard about landscape photography is from the great English landscape photographer, Charlie Waite (http://www.charliewaite.com/home.asp). Charlie started his career working in theatre and television before his fascination with lighting led him into photography. In one of his excellent DVDs, Charlie once said that the best place for a landscape photographer to be is on the edge of bad weather leaving and good weather arriving. Whenever possible, I have tried to follow this advice.

I had planned to travel to Skye this morning but looking out of the window just before 0700 revealed heavy rain over Tobermory bay and so I decided to defer my plans. But the Met Office forecast for Mull suggested that the rain might eventually clear and give way - at least, temporarily - to some broken cloud. A few emails, updated accounts and other administrative tasks later, I glanced out of the window and saw the light changing. Time to head to one of my favourite locations, Loch na Keal where it is often possible to see the weather fronts sweep in from the Atlantic. As well as trying the HD video function on my Canon 5D (more of which later), I was able to check out a location which I had driven and cycled past on numerous occasions but not managed to explore. I'm not sure that I got the composition here quite right but there was some cracking light and as the clouds closed over again, I returned to Tobermory a happy woman.

Try, Try, Try Again

2010-07-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

Since my solstice visit to Rubha nan Gall last month, I've probably made more than seven nocturnal forays to the lighthouse in the last three weeks. For the vast majority of visits, the camera hasn't even come out of the bag as I've been greeted by overcast skies and a wall of midges. This is the burden for the serious landscape photographer: making repeated visits to the same location in the hope of perfect light. Of those seven visits, there have been only two further occasions when the 5D has seen some action, the latest of which was last night. Again, not quite the cloudscape which I had wanted but you have to take what you can get and simply enjoy the tranquility of the moment. The sky may not have been stunning but at least an otter came to say 'hello' again. He almost made me forget that I had just stood on one of my Lee ProGlass ND filters (what a sickening crunch that was!). Cue quick call to insurance company this morning........

In around two weeks' time the sun will be setting beyond Ardmore Point but whilst our nearest star will not set directly behind the lighthouse until next May, there will be the possibility of some sublime cloudscapes for some time yet. And one of the advantages of the nights drawing in, is that sunset is at a more civilised time. Last night the sun set at 2210, meaning that I had to leave after 90 minutes of the World Cup Final and rely on text updates for the result. I don't think I really missed very much. Whether I shall be so committed to my trade for the REAL World Cup next year in New Zealand is a different matter........

Solstice Sunset

2010-06-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

For three months of the year (May, June and July), the sun sets directly behind one of my favourite places on the island, the lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall. A walk out along the cliff path for sunset around the solstice or midsummer night has become something of an annual pilgrimage and so I set out on Monday night, hopeful that the high cloud would stick around and give a spectacular solstice sunset. But as Mick Jagger (a fellow LSE alumni) once sang: 'you can't always get what you want', and about 20 minutes walk from Tobermory, the sky began to clear. The sheer tranquility and beauty of the evening soon made my frustration dissipate, however, and I used some long exposures (from 5 secs to 30 secs) in conjunction with a neutral density filter to capture the stunning colours reflected on the Sound of Mull. With a seal keeping me company, a heron perched on the reef where the lighthouse sits and a couple of fish jumping out of the water (sea trout?), it would have been criminal to have felt disappointed for long. Here are a few images from the evening. I should add that the neutral density filter does exactly what it says on the tin: it is totally neutral in colour but simply serves to cut down on the amount of light entering the camera lens, thus enabling the photographer to take long exposures. These are the colours I experienced at the time.

On my way back to Tobermory along the lighthouse path, I encountered bats as well as a small hedgehog scuttling across the path just in front of me. As the path passed high above Rubha na Leip, there was a half moon setting over Ledaig. Mick may have sung 'you can't always get what you want' but he followed it up with 'but if you try sometimes, you might get what you need....'

Visit Scotland Awards Islandscape Photography 4 Stars

2010-06-21T06:05:00.001-07:00

Islandscape Photography has been awarded 4 stars and graded as 'Excellent' by Visit Scotland, formerly the Scottish Tourist Board. Islandscape is the first photography workshop and tour provider in Scotland to receive such an accolade.

A Day for a Polariser

2010-06-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

The polarising filter is usually found in most landscape photographers' kit bags. It boasts a number of useful functions in that it can remove reflections, help to saturate colour, act as a two stop neutral density filter and - most famously - deepen blue skies and add punch to white clouds. But as useful as it is, it should be used sparingly and certainly not left on the camera full time. Certainly the temptation to use it under clear blue skies should be resisted as the filter gives a horribly artificial result.

Today was a real polariser day. Visibility in the morning was not particularly good but then the haze slowly gave way to long fingers of cirrus (my favourite cloud) reaching across the island from the north/north-east. These were perfect conditions to deploy our polarisers. And I suspect that Alastair, Geoff and myself probably left the filters on our lenses all day - most photographic rules are made to be broken after all! Here are some photos from the Mishnish Lochs and Loch na Keal.

As the fantastic cloud conditions continued all afternoon, I started to pre-visualise cirrus at sunset at the lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall (this time of year, the sun sets directly behind the lighthouse). But sadly (and perhaps inevitably), the cirrus started to disperse and the sky cleared as we finished up at the Abhainn na-h Uamha at Loch na Keal. The Solstice on Monday beckons, however, and I am keeping my fingers crossed for perfect conditions at 2220 on the 21st. I won't be too upset if there's no cirrus - any broken cloud will do.

A Wee Digression from Photography

2010-05-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Islandscape Photography is one of the sponsors of the Isle of Mull Ladies Rugby Team, along with Calum Buchan and a couple of corporate minnows, Shell and Baker Petrolite. Last weekend saw the team compete in the 25th anniversary Mull Sevens (the 'Silver Sevens'). Having had top coaching from Tony 'Kiwi' Spillane and benefitted from my superb team management skills (my pre-match Clive Woodward motivational speech had the girls yawning!), the team were sensational, putting in big hits from start to finish. There are lots of photos and video on the team's Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=126791754000513&ref=ts&ajaxpipe=1&__a=24, but here are a few from the beach training session at Calgary Bay and a couple of team photos. One of the training photos made the BBC Scotland website - pity they didn't credit the photographer! Check out picture 14: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/10135635.stm

Bring on 2011!

On the Doorstep

2010-05-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we neglect the places which are on our doorstep. Despite studying at the LSE and subsequently working in Whitehall, I have never been to the Tower of London. Sometimes we take for granted the places which are on our doorstep. I walk everyday along the path which leads to the lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall just along the coast from Tobermory. Every year I venture out for the sunset in May, June and July when the sun slips beneath the horizon just behind the lighthouse. I also photograph Ben Hiant from Rubha na Leip, a short sprackle down the cliffs about ten minutes from Tobermory, particularly in the autumn and winter. But most of the time, I am out on the path not with a camera, but with a collie for company and occasionally a pair of binoculars. But whilst I might neglect the lighthouse path photographically, I never take it for granted. Both the views, wildlife and fauna are balm for the soul. A couple of months ago, a Greater Spotted Woodpecker took up residence and whilst I have heard the characteristic tapping noise on most days, I have only once caught a glimpse of it. Otters are sighted regularly. Today, I was treated to the spectacle of a buzzard being chased by a hoodie.

The lighthouse path is a fantastic place to be all year 'round but at this time of year it puts on a truly special display. This morning the path was verdant and vibrant with wild flowers, including wild garlic, bluebells and primroses. After walking the collie, I returned a couple of hours later with my tripod and camera for a few minutes. I'm not sure that my photos have really done justice to the explosion of colour and life.

Off the Beaten Track

2010-05-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

No photography tours or workshops today so I ventured into Glen More in the southern half of the island. For some time now, I have been meaning to explore a forestry track which leaves the main road to Iona at Torness and heads out along a broad glen along the flanks of Beinn Talaidh and Beinn Bheag. With today's bright sunshine and temperatures starting to approach the seasonal average, it seemed like an excellent opportunity to venture out along the track with the collie. Here are a few images which were taken handheld. Once again, I've made a couple of black and white conversions to show that monochrome shouldn't be reserved for dreich, miserable days.

Hail in May

2010-05-12T00:43:00.001-07:00

Although we are having some great Hebridean light at the moment, the weather is unseasonably cold for May with a biting wind coming from the north. When the wind drops, the sun's strength reminds us that it is early summer after all. Yesterday's photography tour was no exception and we spent much of the day alternately putting on jackets and then discarding them. Lunch was taken on the shores of Loch na Keal and the wind diminished long enough for us to eat al fresco rather than in the Land Rover. This was fortunate indeed as we were treated to two flying displays, the first by 3 RAF Tornado jets carrying out a low level training sortie, followed by a far more serene (and much quieter) display by one of the local sea eagles. Further along the loch, we had to take shelter from a brief but intense hail shower and I was reminded of a similar experience this time last year at the very same spot. Then, as now, I knew that the hail storm would be followed by superb light and also the spectacle of watching the curtain of hail sweep across the mountains on the other side of Loch na Keal. The only difference was that last year, I was exposed on top of the cliffs to the full power of the hail storm (and hailstones can hurt!). This time, we were able to eat chocolate in the Land Rover as the shower passed through.

We weren't to be disappointed by the light and here is a grab shot from my BlackBerry yesterday of Ben and Natasha above Loch na Keal and my image from last year, entitled 'Storm Light'.

A Momentous Day in May

2010-05-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

Thursday 6th May 2010. We hold our breath waiting for the outcome.

Is it a sea eagle or not?

Yes it is. The unmistakeable shape and size - even a non-birdwatcher such as myself can recognise a sea eagle. Here on Mull, we are lucky that even landscape photographers can get casual sightings if they are in the right place at the right time. And Louise and I on a two day workshop found ourselves in exactly that situation at our very last location on our last day. At first the sea eagle seemed to be riding the thermals above the cliffs at Gribun but then we saw that it had company, two hooded crows (or 'hoodies') harassing the sea eagle. We watched it for several minutes, privileged to watch such a spectacle.

The sea eagle sighting rounded off an excellent day and we had superb light this afternoon at Loch na Keal: a certain UK event seemed very distant indeed. Here are a couple of images from one of my favourite locations, Abhainn na h-Uamha ('river of the cave'), which was our penultimate stop this afternoon. Reviewing the images on my computer tonight, I noticed how much the blue sky has been reflected in the water.

Back in Tobermory, I walked in the evening sunshine to the Aros Hall, our local polling station, to place my cross in the box of my choosing. As I write this, the BBC is about to announce the results of the exit poll. Here in Argyll and Bute, the constituency result won't be declared until well into tomorrow, possibly tomorrow afternoon. Could be a long night!

Priest's Cove, Cape Cornwall

2010-04-30T01:59:00.000-07:00

I spent a few days in Cornwall last October. I am very behind on processing the images with which I returned. I spent two sunsets at Priest's Cove near Cape Cornwall. They weren't particularly stunning but the shoreline and the outcrops are superb for seascape photographers like me. Here is a twilight image from my second evening at Priest's Cove.

Alba in 3 Minutes

2010-04-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

This is a film from Design Is Central accompanied by fantastic music from Paul Mounsey which takes you around Scotland in around three minutes. It's used as the countdown film for BBC Alba, the Gaelic channel. My only criticism is that Grangemouth really does look better at night - in fact, it looks spectacular and I would love to photograph it just after dusk.

Final Batch from Glen Etive

2010-04-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

Already looking forward to my next trip to Glen Etive, although Holly the Collie may be less enthusiastic when she discovers that we're wild camping..........

Glen Etive Details

2010-04-27T01:16:00.000-07:00

Some 'inner landscapes' from the Eas an Fhir Mhoir waterfall.

Lochaber Light

2010-04-27T01:09:00.000-07:00

The work of Alex Farquhar, a Fort William based photographer, first introduced me to the photographic potential of Glen Etive. A nice man in Black's in Fort William gave me the link to Alex's site a few years ago. Visit http://www.lochaberlight.co.uk/ and enjoy Alex's work. Alex's latest work includes some superb images from Laig Bay on the Isle of Eigg, one of my favourite locations in Scotland.

The Elusive Lochan Urr

2010-04-27T00:58:00.001-07:00

This has been my objective for the last two trips to Glen Etive. Two photographers told me about it one night a couple of years ago in the Kingshouse Hotel. As you can see the lochan has an unusual perspective on the southern aspect of Buachaille Etive Mor and the Lairig Gartain, one of the great passes of Glencoe. On Saturday, I had spent so many hours in the Coire Doire area and by the Eas an Fhir Mhoir waterfall, that the most of the day and the best of the light had gone. And I was 'thirsty'. As I said in my previous post, I'm looking forward to Glen Etive as a long term project. This photograph of Lochan Urr was taken as a reference shot but at the time, I thought it might make an acceptable conversion to mono and I was attracted by the lead in line of the road. Considering how poor the afternoon light was, it's turned out ok.

Return to Glen Etive

2010-04-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the Mull Music Festival, and whilst I am a great fan of Van Morrison, there are only so many renditions of 'Brown Eyed Girl' which I can take in a 76 hour period. So I escaped to the fleshpots of Fort William and spent most of Saturday back in Glen Etive. I had hoped to make it out to Lochan Urr but there is so much photographic interest that I haven't actually made it much further than 4 miles from the road end on the A82. I think that Glen Etive may be a long term project. The good news is that there are lots of wild camping spots. Here is a first selection of photos.

Photography Cruise to Skye and the Small Isles

2010-04-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

Skye and the Small Isles are amongst some of my favourite locations for photography and so I am really excited to be leading a photography cruise to the islands between 26 June and 2 July 2010 in conjunction with the Elizabeth G. The Elizabeth G was designed and build for search and rescue operations in Norway, so she's tough and very seaworthy. Following a major refit in 2005, however, she now provides superb accommodation for up to 12 guests. She also boasts great food, a highly experienced skipper and a friendly and knowledgeable crew. During the cruise we will explore the islands of Skye, Eigg, Canna, Muck and Rum all of which offer a wealth of photographic opportunities and experiences. Whilst our main focus will be landscape photography, we will also have the opportunity to see the diverse marine and bird wildlife of the area, including basking sharks, minke whales and shearwaters. Our day to day itinerary will be determined by the prevailing weather and tidal conditions but in addition to the main islands we also hope to visit the lighthouse island of Oigh-Sgeir to the south west of Canna (a basking shark 'hotspot') and the island of Soay where Gavin Maxwell, author of Ring of Bright Water, established a shark fishery. The cruise is guaranteed to run for a minimum of eight guests and costs £975 per person inclusive of accommodation and all meals. For further details visit the main Islandscape Photography website or email sam@islandscapephotography.co.uk. For further details of the Elizabeth G, visit http://www.elizabethgcharters.co.uk/.

Glen Etive Landscape

2010-04-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

After the excitement of the kayakers, here is a traditional landscape from Glen Etive taken last week. Whilst I was standing in the river to take it, I did remain dry.....

Kayak Update

2010-04-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

A quick update on the Glen Etive kayakers. Firstly (and most importantly), they were kayakers and not canoeists. Secondly, I left my business card on the right minibus windscreen and they have been in touch. A CD of photos will be winging its way to Bicton College in Devon very shortly. Here is a link to a video from a head cam worn by one of the tutors which has been shared with me. Respect! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr_Uzi3i6TQ I can be seen at about 2 mins 50 secs standing on the outcrop.

Sunset over the Buachaille

2010-04-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

Taken a week ago from the Kingshouse Hotel. My pint of Northern Light was at my side. Any resemblance to an Icelandic volcano is purely coincidental.

Canoeists in Glen Etive

2010-04-18T05:48:00.000-07:00

Most of last Tuesday was spent out in Glen Etive. Whilst I really enjoy sports photography, I hadn't expected to have this opportunity so sadly my long lens was in the car. The crop on the Canon 24-105mm lens on the 5D works acceptably well though. I left my business card on the minibus windscreen for these guys - hope they get in touch.

Mono on a Spring Afternoon

2010-04-18T04:53:00.000-07:00

Many photographers (myself included) use black and white in less favourable weather conditions or when the mist is down as mono often lends itself in such circumstances to creating brooding landscape images. But black and white is often best used in high contrast situations or where there are strong forms, shapes and lines. I spent a few days last week in Glencoe and Fort William. Whilst it was hugely enjoyable to be outdoors in the sun, the paucity of cloud cover and bright sunlight made landscape photography hard work. Here are two versions of the same image of Loch Achtriochtan and the Aonach Eagach in Glencoe. Personally I prefer the mono version which shows that it's not always the dreich, misty days which are necessarily the days for black and white.

Road to the Corran Ferry

2010-04-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

Until early March, I was used to driving this road somewhere near the speed limit. Now that I no longer regularly commute to Edinburgh, I can adopt a different pace. Taken last Monday near Inversanda, about six miles from Strontian.

More Mono

2010-04-03T03:18:00.000-07:00

I am continuing my personal project to shoot more black and white landscapes in 2010. This was taken on April Fool's Day at one of my favourite locations, Abhainn na h-Uamha ('river of the cave') and shows a snowcapped Beinn Ghraig ('mountain of the herd of the deer').

Beinn Ghraig is aptly named for fallow deer can frequently be seen in the area. Indeed as I drove back to Tobermory I passed three beautiful creatures in the garden of one of the estate houses close to Knock farm.

Tobermory Reflections

2010-04-03T01:52:00.000-07:00

This was taken yesterday morning whilst I was working on some images for a Main Street client. The reflections are of the Carnaburg Guest House and Tobermory Hotel.

Crackaig

2010-03-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

I've been asked by a local in Tobermory to photograph some of the deserted villages on the west coast of the island where his ancestors come from. This was taken yesterday out at Crackaig about half an hour's walk across the moor. Here I've photographed one of the best preserved houses from the old ash tree by the burn which acted as the village's water supply. It's said that the last inhabitant hanged himself from this tree rather than leave the village. In his book, Highways and Byways in Mull and Iona, Peter Macnab states that 'there have been well substantiated reports of the ghostly sight of an unaccountable dark figure flitting past the doorways of certain of the houses after that dark day'. Normally I am not a huge fan of using tree branches to frame compositions but in this instance I decided to make an exception. The warm sunshine and cacophany of spring birdsong were a sharp contrast to the shriek of the wind through the old ash tree. I find many of the old townships tranquil, verdant places but there is something about Crackaig, despite its superb vantage point overlooking Staffa, Ulva and the Treshnish islands. I wouldn't describe it as an intimidating or frightening place but there is just a greater sense of sadness there which I don't experience at settlements such as Ardmore, Penalbanach, Kildavie or Inivea. Footnote for Doctor Who fans: David Tennant's ancestors come from Inivea, a cleared village just above Calgary Bay.

On my last but one visit to this spot a few years ago, I managed to lose a pair of binoculars up by the cairn above the village. Just as I was about to shoulder my camera rucksack and hike back to the road yesterday, I found that my BlackBerry was no longer in my jacket pocket. I have to admit that a thought flashed through my mind that this might expedite an upgrade to an iPhone (an inevitable effect of having joined the Apple cult two months ago with the purchase of a Mac) but I retraced my steps around the village and managed to find the BlackBerry. On the walk back to the road, however, I wondered if almost losing two pieces of kit at Crackaig was carelessness or coincidence.............

Upper Falls at Allt na-h Uamha

2010-03-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

The Allt na-h Uamha ('river of the cave') which flows between Ben More and Beinn Fhada on the southern shore of Loch na Keal is one of my favourite locations. Today I took a walk up towards the coll and the upper falls about 30 minutes from the road. A series of heavy showers swept in from the west and whilst we missed the worst of them by sheltering in the Landy for ten minutes, Holly the Collie and I still managed to be halfway up the hill as a second shower peppered the mountain flanks. However, just as we reached the upper falls part of the hillside was suddenly bathed in late afternoon sunlight. As I struggled to position my tripod to catch the fleeting light (and inevitably found myself ankle deep in a bog), I was reminded of the famous saying of Ansel Adams, the American landscape photographer:

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have someone click the shutter."

The light was certainly worth the climb and the soggy feet.

Ice Abstract

2010-03-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I find abstracts or 'inner landscapes' particularly challenging. There is a real skill to spotting patterns in the detail of landscape and it is not a skill which comes easily to me. This was taken during the recent three day workshop run in conjunction with the Tobermory Hotel and shows a detail in the ice in the Mishnish Lochs. The original image has been converted to black and white.

Land Rover Livery

2010-03-21T04:48:00.001-07:00

The Islandscape Defender has been spruced up for spring courtesy of Brian Swinbanks and KFT of Tobermory. Here she is out and about on a couple of recent photography tours at Loch na Keal.

Trying a Fresh Perspective on the Familiar

2010-03-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Buachaille Etive Mor must be one of the most photographed mountains if not in the UK, then certainly in Scotland. It's proximity to the A82 and to Glencoe makes it a magnet for the landscape photographer. Its Gaelic name translates as 'Great Shepherd of Etive' and this is particularly prescient as it heralds the shelter of Glencoe after the wind-raked exposure of the vastness of Rannoch Moor. The writer Peter Drummond in his book Scottish Hill Names: Their Origin and Meaning suggests that this may have been an ironic name given by the cattle herders nervously passing through the lands of those recidivist cattle stealers, the MacDonalds of Glencoe.

At any rate, the Buachaille is a huge draw for photographers. This photograph was taken a couple of Sundays ago just off the access road to the Glencoe Ski Centre. I made some photographs at the classic spot some way down the road at Blackrock cottage where you are quite often jostling with other photographers for position. I was drawn to this location, however, because of the lead-in lines of the power lines which looked strangely fragile in the seemingly hostile mountain environment. Black and white seemed to suit the snowy conditions. The working title for the image is 'Link to the Outside World' - very much a working title!

As a footnote, the Glencoe Ski Centre is having a second successive successful season which is great news as it has narrowly avoided financial oblivion in recent years. Indeed, two days before this photograph was taken Glencoe had the highest snowfall in 24 hours than any other ski resort in the world. Pity Glencoe hadn't hosted the Winter Olympics.........

Prima Magazine's Break of the Month

2010-03-18T03:20:00.000-07:00

Islandscape Photography holidays in conjunction with McKinlay Kidd have been named as Prima magazine's 'break of the month' for April.

Perfect Day

2010-02-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

One of the things which often surprises non-photographers or those new to landscape photography is the revelation that some of the best light can be found in mid winter. These photos were taken on Monday and feature two brave souls who decided to honeymoon on the west coast of Scotland in late February. They were rewarded with superb weather and cracking light for their day with Islandscape Photography. Cold? Oh yes, but what a day to see the snow-capped hills reflected in Loch na Keal.

The forecasts suggests that we may have some snow today and tomorrow but then clear skies and sunshine will return.

Licensed to..........?

2010-02-16T10:48:00.001-08:00

The new Land Rover Defender completed the final stage of the private hire licensing process today when it passed its local authority inspection. Step forward Private Hire Licensed Vehicle 4415. Argyll and Bute Council Health and Safety Officers should look away now but I got an opportunity to have a close look at the chassis from the inspection pit at the council depot: it's not just Irn Bru that's made from girders, believe me.........

Tobermory Main Street Nominated in Google Street View Awards

2010-02-14T07:22:00.001-08:00

Tobermory's Main Street has been nominated as Britain's Most Picturesque Street in the Google Street View Awards 2010. Ironically there is no street view image available of the Main Street and this may or may not impact on voting. Visit www.maps.google.co.uk/beststreets to cast your vote and see the other nominations.

Above: Tobermory Reflections

New Year, New Premises

2010-01-30T15:39:00.001-08:00

Islandscape Photography has just acquired new premises at Taigh Solais in Tobermory. Taigh Solais (which means 'the lighthouse' in Gaelic) is situated on the waterfront and belongs to the Tobermory Harbour Association. Opened by the Princess Royal in 2008, Taigh Solais is not only home to the local HM Coastguard station and provides facilities for visiting yachts at the nearby pontoon, but it also boasts a suite of offices and a circular board room with panoramic views. The new Islandscape Photography 'digital studio' will provide space for tutorials as well as for feedback sessions. There will be computer and printing facilities available as well as 'touchdown' space for those guests with their own laptops or notebooks. It will also provide a refuge from any sustained inclement weather, otherwise known as 'rain'. Fitting out will be undertaken in the next few weeks (hopefully with some willing volunteers enticed by the promise of a couple of bottles of Prosecco) and a dram or two will be raised to toast its opening at the end of February.

Mishnish Lochs Mono

2010-01-14T06:18:00.001-08:00

At the weekend, I spent some time exploring some new vantage points along the Mishnish Lochs a few miles outside Tobermory. In particular, I had never really spent much time at the far end of the lochs. Loch Carnain an Amais ('Loch of the small cairn of the meeting place') is the third of the Mishnish lochs just before the road drops down the hill towards Loch Torr and Dervaig. As with the other two lochs, Loch Carnain an Amais was frozen but unlike the previous few days, there were some high clouds to give some visual interest in the sky. By manouevering around on the shore, I managed to get a vantage point where the lone tree was positioned just below a hole in the cloud formation. I also over-exposed by one stop to compensate for the snow and used a polarising filter to accentuate the clouds and reduce the reflection from the ice. As well as emphasising the clouds, I wanted to emphasise the shadow in the foreground and the light on the branches of the tree and the hills behind.

I think that this looks much better in black and white but have posted the colour version for comparison.

Charles Maclean's excellent book The Isle of Mull: Placenames, Meanings and Stories states that there was a 'minor' battle here concerning cheese which was important both for food and rent. He doesn't give any information as to the date of this event but I can only assume that it didn't involve the makers of Isle of Mull cheddar from nearby Sgriob-ruadh......

Islandscape Book Published

2010-01-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

I finally finished my first book to be published through Blurb (http://www.blurb.com/). I will take delivery of the proof edition in the next couple of weeks. Click on the link for more information.

Islandscape

Landscape Photograp...

By Sam Jones

Book Preview

Ice, Ice, Ice

2010-01-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

Despite the rest of the UK seemingly getting huge dumps of snow, we remain largely locked in ice here on Mull. Here is a detail from the upper falls at Aros, taken from Charlie Dootson's memorial bench at lunchtime today.

Bliadhna Mhath Ur

2010-01-03T17:32:00.001-08:00

Or a very Happy New Year from the Isle of Mull. The Hogmanay festivities are now over - although as a friend remarked it won't be long before 'Old New Year' (14 January) is celebrated on the island.

There was yet another excellent fireworks display at the 'bells' on Thursday night, although I will confess that the photograph featured here is from the Mull Rally fireworks last October as I was much too busy on Hogmanay celebrating with friends at the clock tower to be out taking photographs. And thanks to Barney and Carol for a superb first footing party immediately after the bells.

We still have freezing temperatures. I ventured out on Sunday to the hill above Ardnacross which looks down the Sound of Mull to try to capture the sunset but again was disappointed by the light. Watching a nearby group of deer made up for it, however.

Islandscape Photography's tours and workshops on Mull have been featured as one of 52 'brilliant' weekend breaks in The Sunday Times on 3rd January. I suspect that this will be the first and last time, I am mentioned in almost the same breath as the Turin shroud. Follow this link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/breaks/article6973308.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2

Goodbye 2009

2009-12-31T08:36:00.000-08:00

Well we are into the last few hours of the year and soon it will be time to gather at the clock tower in Tobermory and raise a dram to welcome in 2010.

I enjoy Hogmanay far more than Christmas. I know that some people find new year a little depressing but I always think that it is a time for reflection on what has just passed and anticipation for what is to come. Even if the dying year has not lived up to expectations or there have been difficult or even traumatic events such as a bereavement, Hogmanay is the time to draw a line under the year and perhaps even dare to hope for better times in the coming year.

I thought that I would post what is probably my favourite image from 2009, titled 'Storm Light, Loch na Keal'. This was taken in May when Mull had experienced some very unseasonal hail storms. The image was taken from one of my favourite vantage points above Loch na Keal, one of the island's most spectacular sea lochs with sixteen miles of coastline. I had to stand for ten minutes being pounded by the hail but I could see blue sky behind me and knew instinctively that there would be some excellent light once the shower had passed through. I wasn't to be disappointed.

First Post

2009-12-30T03:39:00.000-08:00

Greetings from a bitterly cold Isle of Mull. This is my first post in my first ever blog. Welcome. I hope you enjoy the ride.

We have been sitting under a ridge of high pressure for something like ten days now. There is snow on the hills and we have had some sensational light. This should be a gift to the landscape photographer but as well as the snow on the hills, there is ice on the untreated roads, sheet ice and lots of it. So photographic forays have been largely restricted to the main roads. The photo (right) was taken on Christmas Eve from above Ardnacross looking south along the Sound of Mull to Beinn Talaidh, Dun da Ghaoithe and Sgurr Dearg. I had hoped for some serious alpenglow. The previous night I had walked out to the lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall with my camera gear and as I returned along the cliff path to Tobermory, the sky was a rich purple to the south. Sadly it was not to be repeated on Christmas Eve: the only things which turned purple were my feet as I stood in the snow waiting for the light to be transformed.

The day after Boxing Day, I walked up my favourite hill, S'Airde Beinn. S'Airde Beinn literally means 'highest place' which is strange given that it is not the highest hill in the north of the island - nearby Speinne Mor at 444m is nearly twice the height of S'Airde Beinn at a lowly 292m. S'Airde Beinn must have had considerable importance or significance for the Gaels who once lived here and it is not difficult to see why. It only takes twenty minutes or so to climb up from the road but the views are superb. On a reasonable day it is possible to see Ben Nevis, the islands of Coll, Tiree, Skye, Rum, Eigg and Canna, as well as the mountains of Glencoe and Ben Cruachan near Oban. On a particularly clear day (as it was on Sunday), it is possible to see the outer isles of Barra, North and South Uist and Harris. S'Airde Beinn is known generally as the 'crater loch' as its summit is a volcanic crater with a lochan. On Sunday the lochan was frozen solid and here you can see two brave/foolhardy (delete as appropriate) members of the Mull Cycle Club testing out the ice having run up the hill. Looking at the Met Office's 5 day weather forecast, I think the 'Hello Sam' which Jim and Steven carved in the ice is likely to be there for some days yet.