As I sit down to write this blog, my suitcase is still half-open in the corner of the room. I only returned last night from three windswept, wonderful weeks running photography workshops in the Outer Hebrides, and by tomorrow morning I’ll be on the road again—off to Glencoe to begin the next adventure. From there, it’s the Isle of Skye for six days, back to Glencoe for another workshop, and then onwards to Assynt for a week of rugged winter landscapes. With luck, I’ll return home just before Christmas.
After a two-week Christmas break, I’ll launch straight into thirteen more photography workshops before the end of May.
You can probably imagine the look on people’s faces when I tell them my schedule.
Somewhere between admiration… and concern.
“Isn’t that punishing?” people ask.
“Don’t you ever get tired?”
“When do you rest?”
“Are you secretly sponsored by the Scottish Tourist Board?”
And honestly?
Yes.
It is punishing.
And yet… it’s also exhilarating, fulfilling, and occasionally magical.
Let me explain.
The Punishing Side of a Photographer’s Schedule
Let’s be realistic: running 25 landscape photography workshops in the UK over a 9 month period isn’t an extended holiday. Far from it.
There are so many early morning alarms when the world is pitch-black, with the only thing louder than the wind is the internal debate about whether I really love photography that much. There are long drives through rain, hail, and everything else the Scottish weather can dream up. There are days when I carry heavy camera gear up hills or along the sand dunes while running on far too little sleep.
And let’s not forget: running workshops requires more than simply turning up with a camera.
It’s:
tracking weather systems
planning locations around tides and light
staying upbeat even when the sky is determined to be dramatic in all the wrong ways
supporting every participant, from beginner to seasoned shooter
keeping creativity alive, even when I’m running on fumes
So yes, my photography schedule can absolutely be described as punishing.
But that’s only half the story.
The Joy That Makes It All Worthwhile
Here’s the part that keeps me going: I’m living my dream.
I get to spend my life surrounded by remarkable landscapes—standing on windswept beaches in the Outer Hebrides, watching soft winter light melt across the snowy peaks of Glencoe and the Isle of Skye, or chasing the ever-changing weather across the beautiful and dramatic regions of Assynt and Torridon. Or soaking up the historical drama, myth and atmosphere of Orkney & Shetland. These moments of beauty feel like gifts never to be taken for granted.
More than that, I get to share these experiences with others.
There is nothing quite like watching someone capture a photograph they’ve always dreamed of. That moment when the composition clicks, the light behaves, the shutter fires, and their face lights up with pure joy—that alone could power me through the busiest season.
Helping others connect with nature and creativity is deeply fulfilling. It nourishes me in ways rest never could.
Holding Both Truths at Once
So is my schedule punishing?
Absolutely.
Is it enjoyable?
Without question.
It’s both.
And I’ve learned that the most meaningful pursuits usually are.
My dreams often require more time, more patience, and more resilience than seems reasonable. But they also deliver more joy, more purpose, and more moments of magic than I dared hope for.
My life might look hectic from the outside, but to me it is a tapestry of extraordinary experiences stitched together by early mornings, long drives, laughter, creativity, unexpected weather, and unforgettable landscapes.
Why I Keep Going
I keep going because each workshop, each trip feels like a new opportunity—to meet new people, to explore familiar places in fresh light, and to immerse myself in the wild beauty of the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
I keep going because every trip teaches me something: about photography, about nature, about patience, about joy… and occasionally about the limits of my inner self.
I keep going because this is the life I once only dreamed about.
And, above all, I keep going because I love it.
A Little Message for Anyone Reading This
If my schedule sounds a little mad… you’re right.
But it also reflects something I want to share with you:
Chase the dream that excites you, even if it demands more from you than seems sensible.
Chase the thing that makes you tired but happy.
Chase the life that feels full, wild, challenging, and meaningful.
Your dream may not involve trekking across boggy moorland with a tripod over your shoulder.
It might be quieter, gentler, bolder, or stranger.
Whatever it is—don’t wait.
Start.
Try.
Keep going.
Because sometimes the path that seems punishing from the outside leads to the most rewarding life on the inside.
And if you ever find yourself standing in the wind and the rain on an Outer Hebridean beach, waiting for the clouds to break, wondering whether you’ve lost your mind or found your purpose, trust me:
You’re probably on the right path.
