Sulking

When you're six, sulking is an artform.

Sutherland, Ross & Cromertie: Scotland's GeoPark

The landscape in Scotland's North West Highlands is the most dramatic I've ever seen: rugged peaks, give way to shining lochs and in October, rich autumn light gilds the gorse and heather. The more distant peaks beckon; it's easy to understand the lure of the mountaintops when you are standing beneath them. 

Ardvreck Castle and Loch Assynt, Sutherland

A 16th Century castle, Ardreck towers above Loch Assynt, in Sutherland. It was built by the Clan MacLeod (Highlander!) and James Graham, Marquess of Montrose was imprisoned in its dungeons before his trial and execution in Edinburgh. It's haunted, of course.

Amongst its ghosts one is a young girl who was betrothed to a devil in return for gaining his supernatural help to build the castle. She threw herself from a tower to escape her horrible fate. Some believe she became a mermaid, living in the Loch.

Ullapool

Ullapool, in the North West Highlands of Scotland, looking out across Loch Broom, a sea loch.

Amid the volcanos

The North West Highlands Geopark is located in the far North of Scotland, just outside of Ullapool. The "Cradle of Geology" is home to some of Scotland's wildest places and most ancient communities, internationally unique.

Frodo inspired 

From the personal collection

A little showcase of some of the pictures from my personal collection, exploring Scotland with my family. These images were taken on a very windswept Kintyre Peninsula and at Kilmartin, the birthplace of the Kingdom of Alba. The light on the Kintyre Peninsula is wonderfully ethereal and a wander round the ancient sites in the nearby area confirmed the feeling of magic in the air (though my daughter just wanted to see the sheep!). Watching the sunset across the Atlantic Ocean turning the white foam pink made for a perfect birthday weekend.

As I have posted before this type of "recreational" photography is a big source of inspiration for my wedding portraiture, helping me to see creative settings and to play with different effects. My absolute favourite is the picture of Cora running into the sea with the storm clouds looming - she is as fearless as a mermaid!

I've been on vacation....

I'm just back from my summer holiday on the beautiful Isles of Mull and Ulva - full of songbirds and eagles, white sand beaches, picturesque wrecks and - for once - bathed in glorious sunshine. Just to show I haven't been idle and to make a change from wedding and portraiture, here are a few personal pictures from the trip.