These Western Isles of Scotland offer an amazing diversity of scenery and creative licence for the photographer. The Outer Hebrides in particular offer scenery ranging from the white sandy beaches, turquoise seas, rugged cliffs and sea stacks to the windswept plateaus and the spectacular scenery along the Golden Road. An incredible display of light and colour.
For most photographers and especially those who shoot landscapes, it is so important to have a good set of filters at your disposal and so this was a fantastic location to try out my new NiSi Filters. And so it was to the Outer Hebrides that I travelled to put the filters through their paces.
Isle of Harris
The Isle of Harris has remarkable coastal treasures from the vast golden sands of Luskentyre and Seilebost that will leave you feeling dwarfed to the immaculate miniature beaches of South Harris, such as the one at Bagh Steinigidh. There are so many beaches and all of them have their own characters, each offering something different. There is a raw but natural beauty to this part of the world that gets through to you in a very different way. You’ll be opening your eyes to the most extraordinary remote corner of the British Isles. Expect to fall in love.
Every landscape photography shoot in the Scottish Outer Hebrides is special to me. I love the moody, changeable skies and far-reaching views across the seas towards the other Hebridean islands, which themselves create a wonderful backdrop to any photograph. I love the white sands and turquoise seas that surprise any new visitor who expected a less exotic environment, for there is nowhere else so dramatic and diverse in its scenery within the British Isles.
Dramatic Weather
The eyes of the photographer will fall in love with these Islands. Its as though they have been perfectly designed to provide a balance of seeing such vast variety of locations which including the wonderful cliffs and sea stacks along the west coast of Lewis, the impressive Callanish Stones, the amazing stone circles which will challenge your compositional skills as well as the abandoned crofts, moorland, lochans that are dotted around Lewis.
Whilst on these Isles expect to experience fast moving weather systems, which at times can be challenging and a real test of your technical abilities. The light will change throughout the day and you will learn to get the best out of it – this will help the photographer to not only be more productive, it can also foster creativity and make it easier to be more flexible when unexpected conditions happen in the future.
Magical Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides is a magical place and a place which offers the photographer so much creative opportunity. And once visited, these Western Isles will stay with you for the rest of your life. They are dominated by the force of the weather and resemble very little to be found on the mainland. As a part of the “British” experience they are quite unique, and are much further from London and the centres of political power than can be measured in miles.
2 Responses
Hi Dean, thinking of moving from my 5d mk iv over to the fuji system gfx 50 mk ii which I know you use. Can I ask you honest opinion all considered. ie best lens combo, issue on computer with big files Etc
I only do landscape so speeds not an issue
regards
Sean