It was a magical day on the far west cost of Scotland just above the Isle of Skye. We were on a long drive from Ullapool, and had just turned south along the shoreline towards the village of Applecross, which was going to be the far point of the day’s adventure. In a bit of a change from earlier weather, the sun was trying to make an appearance — and mostly succeeding, though there was an offshore rain shower between us and Skye.
Continue reading Skye, Rain Over the Inner Sound
When I encounter a new landscape I virtually always start comparing it to other landscapes with which I’m familiar. I think this is my way of trying to make sense of unfamiliar spaces. Some of the vast, open spaces of northern Scotland reminded me, at times, of parts of the American Southwest or the wilderness of Alaska. I think this is a combination of the very long views, the lack of large vegetation, and the huge valleys.
Continue reading Valley and HIlls
Trees, much less groves or forests, are a bit of a rarity in much of the Scottish Highlands, at least compared to what we might expect in similar mountain country in the Western United States. Much of the highlands landscape is devoid of trees, and when they appear they are scatted in small groups… or part of tree farms. So it was a very pleasant surprise to arrive on the coast near Applecross and see these lush, green trees next to the River Applecross.
Continue reading River Applecross
Often when I make a photograph I remember a lot of specific details about the subject, how it looked, and why I chose to photograph it. But I’m not always good about recalling specific locations. (In many cases the “what” seems more important to me than the “where.”) I’m pretty certain that this is an entrance to the cemetery around the Kirk of St. Nicholas in Aberdeen, Scotland. But while I recall the general layout of the place and the subjects I saw, I’m not precisely sure about the location beyond that general description.
Continue reading Cemetery Gate