Outer Hebrides Top Ten Photography Locations

Seascape Photography locations Outer Hebrides

Based in the Outer Hebrides for more than two years and out with my camera on a regular basis, with no particular order, I’ve put together a shortlist of my favourite locations across the islands. For each spot I’ll explain why I love it, the best time of year to visit, and how different light and weather conditions affect the images you can create.

Luskentyre Beach, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

Luskentyre Beach, Isle of Harris

Luskentyre Beach is rightly celebrated worldwide for its beauty. Its long, sweeping sands and clear turquoise waters sit beneath the dramatic backdrop of the Harris hills, creating scenes that never fail to inspire. No matter how many times we return with cameras, the beach always offers something fresh to photograph.

One of the most striking features is the ever-changing sand patterns carved by a river as it winds across the shore toward the sea. These rivulets and channels provide compelling foreground interest that naturally leads the eye toward the mountains, and they also create opportunities for striking abstract compositions.

Depending on how wild the waves are, you can choose to freeze the action with a fast shutter or introduce motion blur by slowing the shutter — the creative choice is yours. With the Harris Hills or Taransay as a dramatic backdrop, or the sweeping sand dunes nearby, there are also excellent opportunities for intentional camera movement (ICM) photography. I’d highly recommend taking a set of ND filters with you and enjoy some long exposure photography.

I prefer photographing Luskentyre Beach in autumn or winter, it’s my personal choice. The season brings mood, drama and atmosphere: vast, dramatic skies and storms are what draw me in.

Port of Ness, Isle of Lewis Outer hebrides

Port of Ness Isle of Lewis Outer Hebrdies

Port of Ness, Isle of Lewis.

There is so much to photograph here. Take a walk along the beach toward the sea stacks and you’ll find a wealth of subjects: abstract rock textures, the stacks themselves, and dramatic rocky foregrounds. Large waves often roll in, so take care, especially on an incoming tide—to avoid getting caught out. Wave photography is a passion of mine, and the beach is an excellent place to capture close-up detail; I recommend using a telephoto lens for dynamic, tightly framed shots.

Photographed from the carpark at sunrise, I captured the cliffs as huge waves rolled and crashed into shore. Winter is my favourite season for shooting Port of Ness and any time a storm passes over the island. Always check tides and wind direction for safety. The harbour wall is another excellent vantage for dramatic, spectacular waves.

Butt Of lewis, Outer Hebrides

Butt Of Lewis, Isle of Lewis

One of my absolute favorite places to photograph on the Isle of Lewis. You are spoilt for choice with what to photograph here. Firstly you have the lighthouse which makes for a great subject.

Just around the lighthouse, after rainfall, you can create striking reflection images in small pools of water. Look for puddles that capture both the lighthouse and the sky; low angles and a wide aperture will emphasise the reflection while keeping foreground detail crisp. Use a tripod and a remote release to ensure sharpness, and try polarising filters to control glare, remove or rotate the filter to enhance reflections as needed. Alternatively, head out onto the cliffs and shoot the lighthouse with amazing rocky foreground. I enjoy to head out onto the cliffs and find rugged compositions that look out to sea. There is so much opportunity to create a unique image here., again i would recommend using ND filters for long exposure photography.

You can also walk to Eoropie, taking in the stunning coastal views along the way.

Mangersta Sea Stacks Isle of Lewis

Mangersta Sea Stacks, Isle of Lewis

Mangersta Sea Stacks on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis is a superb location for long-exposure seascape photography. Walk out toward the stacks and you’re met with an unforgettable view of these wild Atlantic formations. The best times of year for great light are April and May, and again in September. If you’re fortunate enough to have a break on the horizon or dramatic cloud cover, you’ll be treated to a stunning Hebridean sky. Take care on the cliff tops

Small Beach, Isle of Harris Outer Hebrides

Small Beach, Isle of Harris Outer Hebrdies

This small beach on the Isle of Harris—affectionately known as the “wee beach”—punches well above its weight for seascape photography. I made this image at a winter sunrise when soft pink hues tinted the morning sky, but honestly it rewards visits in any season.

High tide often gives the best results: the incoming water wraps around the rugged foreground rocks, creating beautiful patterns that lend themselves to long exposures. Before committing to a composition, spend at least 20 minutes watching how the tide behaves — the rhythm of the waves will tell you where the interesting movement and safe spots are. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way; more than once a sudden surge has washed over my wellies. Always put safety first.

Mealasta Beach Isle of Lewis

Mealasta Beach Isle of Lewis

Probably one of the lesser photographed beaches on the Isle of Harris & Lewis, this west‑facing shore is a superb sunset location. If, like me, you’re not keen on early sunrises, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy warm golden light and dramatic skies without the early alarm. Best photographed at low tide in my opinion as this provides opportunities to create some foreground interest with pools of water reflecting the sky, rocky foreground, sand patterns etc The sun sets here during the winter months providing soft low winter light. High tide and storms can provide huge waves here with lots more to photograph by taking a short walk around the cliffs.

Seilebost Beach, Isle of Harris Outer Hebrdies

Seilebost Beach Isle of Harris

Probably my favorite beach to photograph on Harris. That may surprise some as Luskentyre and Scarista often top other photographers’ lists, but I love the extra foreground interest here. At low tide sand shelves are revealed, some etched with beautiful patterns, others dusted with green algae, offering rich textures and compositional possibilities.

The photographic opportunities are vast. You can work the sand dunes, or head up toward the channel of water that runs onto the beach, one of the best places I’ve found for striking sand patterns.

I love the drama of a passing storm. Taken just after heavy rain, the easing shower allowed the setting sun to cut through, bathing the scene in warm and cool contrast. Wet surfaces hold the storm’s memory while low light sculpts texture and atmosphere, creating a dramatic moment. of warmth and cooler tomes in the image.

For me best visited on an outgoing tide, follow the tide out to see what foreground interest sparks your creativity, great for photography all year round,

Callanish Standing Stones, Isle of Lewis

Callanish Standing Stones

Callanish Standing Stones are magnificent over 5,000 years old and still standing tall and proud. They remain an integral part of the island’s history & tourism.

The Callanish standing stones—weathered silhouettes against sky and sea. Aligned with the moon, they have a quiet, ancient feel: stones smoothed by wind and salt, throwing long shadows over the bog. At dawn and dusk they’re like a slow conversation between land and light, a timeless draw for photographers after texture, mood and a real sense of place.

Strange as it may sound, I don’t often photograph the stones. When I do, it’s to create something a little different. I’m more drawn to astrophotography — the Milky Way, the Northern Lights and other celestial displays. Winter is a fantastic time for this work: the Milky Way sits high in the sky, and on a clear night you might even catch shooting stars or a meteor shower.

Stac A’ Phris Isle of Lewis Outer Hebrides

Stac A’ Phris Isle of Lewis Outer Hebrides

Stac A’ Phris, a sea arch on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, is an excellent location for seascape photography. The arch is striking, rising dramatically against the rugged cliff backdrop. Again there are so many different vantage points to photograph the sea arch but can be challenging if you don’t like heights.

Plenty of opportunities to include compelling foreground interest, or to focus solely on the sea arch itself.

Best photographed on a high tide to create interesting texture around the base of the arch. The sun sets here during the summer months, casting beautiful, warm light across the rock and out to sea. I would recommend taking a set of ND filters and enjoy some long exposure photography. Take care here it can be dangerous in the wrong conditions.

Dalbeg Beach, Isle of Lewis Outer Hebrdies

Dalbeg Beach Isle of Lewis Outer Hebrides

And last but by no means least, Dalbeg Beach, once again on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, is a charming, sheltered little beach and an outstanding location for dramatic seascape photography.

My favourite time of year to photograph the beach here is from April through May, when the sunset lights up the ocean, sands and cliffs. I prefer shooting at low tide, it reveals expansive textures and reflections across the sand that really lift a composition. Gneiss boulders scattered along the shore add strong foreground interest and help lead the eye into the scene

After heavy rain, the river pours across the beach, carving spectacular channels that create dramatic leading lines and rich textures. These beautiful grooves guide the eye toward the sea and the sky, producing strong compositions. Use a low angle and a wide lens to emphasise the foreground channels; Shoot at golden hour or under moody skies to enhance contrast and bring out the sand’s patterns and wet reflections.

Taking a wander out onto the cliffs offers even more opportunities for photographing the beach and stacks from a fresh, elevated perspective.

Calm or stormy this beach makes an amazing location for photography

There are so so many other fantastic locations to photograph in the Outer Hebrides, Garry Beach, Scarista Beach, Dun Carloway Broch, Reef beach etc I could list them all as ideal places to visit during a trip to the Outer Hebrides but the blog post would be far too long….. For more locations and photographs visit our Gallery or Store Page.

Scottish Nature Photography Awards Sea & Coast Category Winner

It’s such a proud moment to share with you that my image “Where Winter Lands” has been awarded first place, winning the sea & coast category of the Scottish Nature Photography Awards.

I’m also pleased to have four more images across three categories shortlisted.

The image holds such special memories for us both and i wanted to share a little more about the day the image was taken, the conditions and how it felt to be stood on one of the most incredible beaches in the world looking out to what felt like the edge of winter.

The clocks have just gone forward signifying the start of British Summer Time, longer evenings and maybe some warm sunshine which I’m sure will bring some welcome relief for many, a chance to swap grey skies for golden light, linger on beaches and heather-clad hills, plan evening walks or simply sit with a book and a cuppa while the world transitions into warmer rhythm.

I’m slightly different in that I have to admit that if i could enjoy winter conditions all year round I’d be more than happy. I love nothing more than the huge winter skies, dramatic cloud and fleeting moments of light. Frosty mornings, frozen lochs and feeling alive on the long stretching beaches of the Isle of Lewis & Harris enjoying the conditions with the camera.

The winter months on the Island bring quieter moments, time for us both to head out to the coast, time for us to completely focus on photography and head out in conditions where most people would prefer to stay indoors. Whether it be snow & hail, high winds and roaring waves, storms passing through or gentle soft winter light. We live for these conditions and find tranquility and calm even in the most brutal conditions.

November 2025 saw wintry showers across the Outer Hebrides, nothing unusual for that time of year I suppose but what is different here are the skies. When weather moves in the skies feel so huge and dramatic, almost other worldly.

During the mid part of November sleet and snow showers had been forecast to sweep across the island. A perfect opportunity for us to head out with the cameras and just enjoy whatever the day had in store. For a few days before, I had been feeling unwell with a heavy cold but didn’t want to miss out on the conditions. As we loaded the car with our camera bags and tripods, i remember Max asking if i was sure we should be heading out, my response being something along the lines of…There’s no chance i am staying at home when it looks like this outside. I Knew that it would just be Max, myself and a solitary beach so wasn’t worried about about passing anything on.

Clearing the windscreen of snow felt exciting, snow was still falling, above us a blanket of atmospheric cloud with soft light breaking through the gaps. The drive down to Harris was just incredible, winters beauty all around us, the magic of the Outer Hebrides beaming around every corner. We dream of these conditions all year around so when it happens we love to be outdoors witnessing those special moments.

Footage of the drive to a snowy Isle of Harris and snow showers on Luskentyre Beach.

Arriving at the beach, the weather was intermittent, snow and hail showers sweeping over the Harris Hills and across the beach, stinging our faces as the hail stones bounced. One moment the view towards the magnificent hills offered a glimpse of magic, fresh snow capped tops with winter light painting detail and shadow, the next they were shrouded by a band of snow clouds, visibility dropping to almost zero. It was pretty challenging conditions for photography but the kind that you don’t complain about, instead the kind that excites you, makes you want to work harder and enjoy every single second of the experience.

Luskentyre Beach is world known for its beauty and rightly so it is an incredible place, we describe the views here as the closest place to heaven on earth, the sense of peace and tranquility is like nothing we’ve ever experienced and it’s where we fell in love with the Outer Hebrides. It felt unreal to be stood on Luskentyre Beach looking out to these incredible scenes.

Where Winter Lands, First place Image, Sea & Coast Category, Scottish Nature Photography Awards.

I Just remember us both being freezing cold, but repeatedly saying Wow to each other. I could hardly breathe due to my cold, but was determined not to miss the best of the conditions. I had noticed a group of sea birds settled on the wet sands at the edge of the water but didn’t want to disturb them. Over a period of a few minutes i took small steps, working my way nearer hoping they wouldn’t take flight. I wanted to include the birds in the scene, it was almost like they were completely oblivious to what was about to pass across the beach, instead happily going about their usual daily routine. The birds give the scene scale and lend a touch of normality to what is otherwise the exact opposite. The blue and silver tones to the image are in keeping with the feel of winter with huge bands of snow falling from the sky, just revealing enough of the hills opposite to create another layer to the image. Using an ND filter, I opted for a slightly longer exposure to soften the edge of the breaking waves in the hope of creating a softness to what is quite a dramatic scene.

It felt amazing. I hardly moved from the same area of the beach for the entire duration we stayed out. There is also a small stream that runs down onto the beach providing great foreground interest, after heavy rain or snow fall the stream carves out a beautiful channel with the most amazing sand patterns, so I took the opportunity to create some images around this area too.

After such an amazing experience i couldn’t wait to take a proper look at the images back at home on the computer but spent the next four days absolutely wiped out in bed. My cold had taken full hold and was more like flu symptoms which was hardly surprising really given the conditions we’d been out in…..but worth every second and I’d do it all again tomorrow in an instant.

Heading out with our cameras is all about the experience and enjoyment of photography. As i always say if you have some nice images to show for it then that is an added bonus. If at the end of the year I have some images that I’m proud of or that mean something to me then it’s great to have the opportunity to enter them into a competition.

I’ve been entering the Scottish Nature Photography Awards for a good few years now and have previously enjoyed a third place image in the Landscape Category and a second place image in the Sea & Coast Category last year. Being awarded first place this year is just incredible, I was blown away and over the moon when the phone call came through.

I’m proud to showcase the magic of the Outer Hebrides through my photography, to share a glimpse of how the moment felt and the beauty of winter. The island is a very special place, it’s a privilege to live here and see how the changing seasons shapes the coastline. To have the opportunity to return to locations over and over again in all conditions keeps it fresh and exhilarating. Never knowing what you will see, find or experience in such an awe inspiring location is always such an incredible feeling.

So the clocks have rolled forward, spring and summer is around the corner and winter feels like a long way off although I’m sure we will still be out enjoying photography no matter what the weather and look forward to what the next few months will bring.

A huge thank you to the team at the Scottish Nature Photography Awards.

The Freedom of Photography

Happy New year, It’s hard to comprehend that we are three quarters of the way through January already.

As promised, my intention is to write more posts this year. Writing is something i really enjoy to do and although I may not be the most polished or articulate writer, i enjoy the process of putting thought & feeling down on paper. The same could be said about photography.

Photography for many people is a way to convey emotion, feelings and mood, it’s also…. story telling albeit in a visual context and a way to express yourself creatively.

My very early beginnings in photography started by wanting to create a moment of beauty and share this with family & friends, improve things like composition and the dreaded technical side. I would buy photography books to look at images, how they had been composed, the settings used, where the location was and research for a potential visit. I was completely drawn in by scenes of colour & light and totally transfixed by flowing waterfalls. I remember researching waterfalls like the Loup of Fintry, the Devils Pulpit, the Fairy Glen and the Fairy Pools, all of which we did visit & photograph, below.

Early photographs of waterfalls that i felt inspired to visit.

This brings me to my first thoughts on the freedom of photography, we tend to have lists of locations we’d like to visit, all of which we would likely never even know about if not for photography. My lists were usually of places that had captivated me enough that I wanted to be immersed in the location, see it for myself and enjoy being in the environment. The freedom of travel and exploration. The journey to a location was all part of the fun, the not knowing what you would see & experience on the way, other locations that might be of interest and those moments that were completely spontaneous. My experience has been that photography encourages you to head out into the environment, into all sorts of weather and terrains that would usually leave you thinking what on earth are we doing….It’s where memories are made not only in the camera but within.

I could literally write paragraphs about how the freedom of travel through photography brought us joy, peace and a sense of belonging.

The second half of my thoughts on the freedom of photography will likely sound contradictory but it’s a process that has taken me over ten years to arrive at and may not come out in any logical context but I’ll give it a go…

The camera allows us to create moments in time, to see, to feel and to be. It’s a creative outlet, a way of letting go and for many, a healing and mindful process. My photography has taken many different directions and paths, especially in the early days. I photographed weddings, portraits, events, experimented with macro, long exposure and Astro which I suppose is another way that photography allows freedom.

Early photography long exposure, Astro and seascape

We were always drawn to water in some way or form, lochs, waterfalls and especially the ocean. Long exposure was my first glimpse into being able to create a scene that was true to life but with the added element of ethereal flowing water or movement in the clouds created in one still image. What I have always loved about long exposure is the choice, the freedom it gives you in terms of how you want to create a scene. I enjoy to use different shutter speeds with the same scene and am always amazed at how different the image feels when comparing one to another. It’s a creative choice and your own interpretation which i really enjoy.

Something that i feel has held me back in terms of my creativity is the drive to create pleasing images. But who are they pleasing to? We all love a scene that is incredibly beautiful, full of life & colour, the glow of a sunrise or sunset or the drama of a dark moody sky but it is how we interpret the scene. I find myself and still do, looking at composition and trying to make sure that everything is balanced, correctly exposed, focused and has the elements that people enjoy to see… I do love this part of the process, being out in nature, the story telling and the excitement of the weather & conditions.

Over the last couple of years i have been finding myself wanting to be a little more expressive in my photography. This has usually been out by the coast with raging seas. I absolutely love huge waves and the roar of the sea. The initial response is to freeze the moment, capture the shape and structure of a breaking wave and see every piece of the spray and droplets as it surges. Creating images like these portrays a sense of the power of the ocean and elements but the same can also be said when creating something a little different. Using a slower shutter speed to almost create an ethereal feel can have as much impact.

Wave images using a fast shutter speed to freeze the moment.

Wave images using a slower shutter speed to create something a little different

The problem that i have found is more of a personal one in that i have been reluctant to share these types of images. I tend to select the ones i am happy with, edit them and save them into my folders, never to be seen again. The same can also be said with other images that i have been super critical with myself about.

The question I have been asking myself recently is why do I do this.

It more than likely comes down to fear and apprehension of doing something different and sharing it online, the images not being accepted or criticised even. I have even chosen to not share certain images, particularly to my Instagram account because of how different they would look compared to my other images which is quite ridiculous when you think about it…. I’m sure I’m not alone with this.

My thought process has always been to only share work that I consider to be my best work or images that I think are pleasing to others but surely this again has the potential to hold you back rather than be free.

I haven’t allowed this to stop me from creating images that are more experimental. And this is the part where it feels contradictory. The freedom of expression and creativity is one thing but being willing and happy to share this is another and has felt restrictive rather than freeing which has completely my own doing. It should come down to what you enjoy to photograph in whatever way you want to create it.

All that being said, 2026 so far feels refreshing and definitely freeing. I’m not sure what has changed or why. I enjoy to see other peoples creative work and have often been inspired by this. Creating something a little different isn’t always what people enjoy to see but this year I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to share more and step out of the comfort zone. For me, it’s not about change, it’s about accepting that creativity comes in all shapes, forms and directions. It’s embracing what we enjoy and not being afraid to share what we’re passionate about. What has been incredibly positive is the response to some of the images i have shared recently which goes to show that we shouldn’t hold back from sharing. It may even provide some encouragement to others who may have been feeling the same way.

So here’s to sharing images that are pleasing to us, images that we enjoy to photograph and images that we’re passionate about.

Recent images using ICM, Intentional Camera Movement.

This is still very much a learning curve but one that i am enjoying.It’s the freedom of exploration and creativity that makes it fun rather than frustrating.

I always try to be honest when writing about my photography and experiences. This to can be daunting, sharing your thoughts and feelings written in text for everyone to see but even if this post resonates with just one person, that makes me happy.

Thanks as always for reading and for the support, it means the world to us.

Take care and until next time, Adele.

New Beginnings….Again

Hello, hopefully everyone is well and enjoyed a lovely festive period.

I just wanted to jump on and write a quick post to mark the end of the year and to share some news with you. I realise I have been spectacularly poor at keeping up with writing this year and will aim to do better into next year. Time just seems to have run away with itself this year, a combination of being busy working and enjoying time with family and friends visiting the Island and us in turn heading over to the mainland. to celebrate my sisters wedding.

I’m not sure the post will make much sense to be honest as things just now are exciting and terrifying but hopefully my thoughts and expressions will come across in some logical sense. I also don’t want the post to be a run down of the year but wanted to share some stand out moments and a little bit more about life as a photographer on the Isle of Lewis.

In terms of working, photography feels like it has been at the forefront of everything that we do and rightly so, it has been fantastic to spend time teaching and have the opportunity to show our work at events, craft markets and festivals this year which has been rewarding and exciting. We’ve also had some pretty big events this year too, being invited by NiSi Filters to speak at the photography show in London was an immense opportunity and a huge honor. We also supported with Margaret Soraya’s Creative Light Festival in Harris, a three day event leading groups of people onto the magnificent beaches in Harris to enjoy a variety of creativity. I had the privilege of printing the submissions for the creative light festival exhibition and delivered a talk about the print process which PermaJet very kindly supported by providing the paper used to print to exhibition images.

It has been a great year, but at the risk of sounding cliche, I live and breathe photography and the most important thing is heading out with my camera, the experience and fulfillment this provides me with is enormous. Launching our business on the Island has been the priority, meaning there have periods this year where opportunities to head out have felt scarce. I’m sure every photographer goes through the same pain barrier? Looking out of the window seeing a glow on the horizon, the clouds lighting up, dark moody light with rainbows and knowing you have other commitments that take priority just now.

Being more than likely overly honest, it’s in these moments that I question if we are doing the right thing in setting up a business. The love and enjoyment of photography has literally been life changing and freeing in so many ways, the excitement, anticipation and adventure of it has been overwhelmingly special to us both. It took us on a path neither of us expected and one that we could only dream about whilst having full time jobs on the mainland. It’s why we relocated and why we do what we do.

Living on the Island brings a totally different way of life for us in so many ways, one of them being able to make a living from a creative skill. This is hugely important to many people here and something I didn’t really realise about small communities in Scotland until relocating. The time, effort and skill that goes into making arts and crafts by talented people on the island is unbelievable and for many is the main source of income. There are many ways you can see & support some of this talent by visiting pages like the Lewis & Harris Trail, Visit Outer Hebrides, Handmade Scotland, The Hebridean Hub and Scottish Island Gifts.

The point I’m getting to is that whilst i may grumble that we didn’t get out for sunset for the last few weeks, I am also at the same time enormously grateful for the opportunities that we have been fortunate enough to have come our way. It is a huge step to take from just being out with the camera enjoying photography to actually making it into a business. It’s maybe something i didn’t feel ready for and wanted to hang onto the freeing moments of being spontaneous for as long as possible.

Balancing time to be free to enjoy the beauty of the island is now even more prevalent as we move into a new period of our lives. We’re in a transitional period just now, our good friends Mo & Colin decided to take a step away from running their business in Stornoway due to health reasons. Over the past year at their shop, we had the opportunity to hold an exhibition and set up our own shop for over a week whilst they were away on holiday. When the opportunity then came to take the shop on a permanent basis we knew it was something that we had to try.

From the 7th January 2026 we will be full time retailers of our own business in town…..both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Again i have to admit that i was reluctant to entertain the idea initially, being filled with dread at the prospect of having even less time to head out with the camera was something that definitely held me back. Finding a balance of spending time building the business and still finding time for photography will be key and I'm sure one that we’ll will settle into.

The overriding feeling is one of excitement as we start a new beginning…so here’s to me now putting aside those natural apprehensions and bringing out the business speak, something i definitely need to get used to.

Introducing Our New Photography Gallery in Stornoway

Nestled on the beautiful Isle of Lewis, in the heart of Stornoway, we are delighted to announce the grand opening of our new photography shop. Inspired by the rugged landscapes, dramatic skies, and unique culture of the Outer Hebrides, our shop is much more than a place to purchase our prints—it’s a celebration of the island & creativity.

What We Offer

Whether you’re a visitor enchanted by the Hebridean scenery or a local looking for a special gift, our shop promises something for everyone. We specialise in mounted and framed photographic prints, each carefully selected to showcase the diverse beauty of the Outer Hebrides. From windswept beaches and ancient standing stones to lively stormy seascape scenes, our images are designed to bring a little piece of the islands into your home.

Alongside our prints, we offer our photography book, a selection of small gifts using our images and greeting cards perfect for sending a touch of Hebridean charm to loved ones near and far. We are pleased to confirm that our photography tuition services are still available. Whether you are a beginner eager to learn the basics or an enthusiast looking to refine your skills, we are happy to tailor make sessions to suit.

Stornoway is a vibrant community, serving as the hub of the Outer Hebrides. Its lively streets, historic harbour, and welcoming spirit make it the perfect location for our photography shop. We believe Stornoway offers the ideal setting to share our passion for the islands and to connect with people who appreciate the unique character of this special place.

A Place for Inspiration and Connection

At the heart of our vision is a desire to create a space where locals and visitors alike can feel inspired by the beauty that surrounds us. Whether you’re looking for a stunning framed print to adorn your wall, a thoughtful gift, or a greeting card to brighten someone’s day, we hope our shop will become a favourite stop in Stornoway. We’re also happy to chat about local photography spots, share tips for capturing the perfect shot, or simply swap stories about life in the Outer Hebrides.

Looking Ahead

We can’t wait to welcome you in and share our love for photography and the magic of the Outer Hebrides. Whether you’re popping in for a look around or searching for the perfect memento, our doors are open—and we look forward to meeting you soon!

Photography will always remain the priority, were looking forward to a short break over New Year when we’ll be out enjoying the cold wintery weather we have forecast. Nothing beats being stood looking out into the Atlantic Ocean with huge dramatic skies above and roaring seas below.

I’d like to close the blog with two quotes that we have displayed into the shop….

“ Held by the Atlantic, between tide & sky, shaped by wind & water, the Outer Hebrides lie”

“Sometimes in the wave of change, we find our true direction”

A Huge thank you to everyone who supports us, interacts and shares our work, it means the world to us.

Wishing everyone a very happy & healthy New Year.

Adele & Max

How photography helped me through loss

Photography has been a part of my life now for around 10 years, it started out as a way of documenting our experiences when visiting Scotland, it felt exciting, refreshing and absolutely fascinated me. Photography provided a way of sharing some of the incredible scenery that captured our hearts with family and friends and was also a way of creating some much needed down time from work.  Ten years down the line and I still can’t wait to pick up the camera bag and head out, it transformed our lives and has provided so much more than creating an image.

Theres one outing with the camera that had a profound effect on me very early on, I remember spending an afternoon on a rugged beach on the Isle of Skye that we still talk about today, we’d been staying at a cottage on the west coast and took a wonder down to the nearest beach with our cameras. Back then i used a Nikon point & shoot, I don’t remember the model but it wasn’t an expensive camera, nothing fancy, it was an automatic camera that did the job. The weather wasn’t great, typical Scottish weather, the sort that you wouldn’t usually venture out in but we were on holiday and wanted to enjoy our time.

We wondered around photographing shells, seaweed, rock pools and anything that sparked an interest, completely oblivious to the cold grey skies. In that moment nothing else entered my head, I was completely absorbed in the experience enjoying every second, it’s hard to explain that feeling, it’s almost like entering a mindful state, being fully present and so focused on the environment and photography that everything else disappears. Four hours passed that day in what felt like 20 minutes and to this day I still experience the same calmness and tranquility when heading out with the camera.

What started out as a way of creating memories became a huge passion but quite quickly became a distraction, helping me through some of the most difficult times of my life. In August 2017 my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and was given six to nine months of time. My dad was the rock of the family, he was a true gentleman, kind, warm, funny, considerate and incredibly respectful, caring for my mum who had problems with her own health for many years. It absolutely floored me and our family. The months that followed were harrowing, trips to Christies Hospital in Manchester for treatment in the hope that we’d have a chance of fighting it, some hope that the diagnosis could be challenged, the emotional ups and downs, the hopes and fears were overwhelming. It felt like someone was squeezing my chest the whole time, a tightness that wouldn’t lift. The details of what happened are still far too difficult to speak about but seeing my beautiful strong dad deteriorate so quickly was heartbreaking, the impact it had on my mum equally so. Towards the end, dad was offered a place at a hospice, but he wanted to be at home and we wanted to look after him. We would take turns to sit with dad through the night in case he needed anything and to make sure somebody was with him in case of any emergency.

Those times at night whilst dad was sleeping were incredibly difficult, I was emotionally all over the place, my mind wondering and racing away with itself, feeling angry that there wasn’t something that could be done, feeling empty, feeling like I was already grieving for him before he’d gone, like I was losing myself, a whole host of emotions that weighed me down.

Physically heading out to enjoy photography had been sidelined, I stopped the wedding and portrait photography and postponed trips away as I wanted to spend as much time as possible with mum & dad.  Instead, I created family photographs of mum & dad together with the family. Time was precious and being able to create these moments meant the world to me. Before dad became too poorly, we all arranged to stay in a huge holiday rental close to where my brother lives down South, we spent the week enjoying each other’s company and making lovely memories. The photographs from the week away are incredibly special to us and I’m thankful for them every day.

What also became a huge distraction was the ability to learn more about landscape photography.  I’d been enjoying a variety of genres of photography but craved the tranquility of the landscape more than anything.  When I found my head racing, I would find an opportunity to read & watch tutorials, I’m a very visual learner so found YouTube the perfect place to try and take my mind off things for a while, watching others head out into the landscape, sharing their experience, taking in any tips or information along the way.  This without any doubt was escapism and my way of dealing with what was happening.

Dad passed away on the 8th April 2018, a day after his 70th birthday and also on Max’s Birthday. The few months after that are a complete blur to be honest, I don’t have much recollection at all. Life starts to find a new way of normal but your mind and body doesn’t match the pace.

The following 12 months were about supporting Mum, she had her own health concerns that meant daily life wasn’t easy for her. She had difficulties with her mobility and her mental health, she also had COPD, a chronic lung condition. It was hard managing grief, balancing a full time pressurised job and caring for mum but again photography kept me going through those difficult times. I invested in a set of ND filters and would head out into the landscape and to the coast at any opportunity we could find to put into practice what I had learned online. That feeling we experienced on the beach on the Isle of Skye when everything disappears from your mind, the mindfulness, the peace and relaxation of just you, your camera and the outdoors definitely was the therapy I needed.  It was a release and felt like a breath of fresh air.

We nearly lost mum in  2019. Having COPD meant that mum would quite often have chest infections which could lead to pneumonia, mum had become very poorly, she was taken into hospital where the doctors told us to prepare for the worst. After over a week in hospital thankfully mum pulled through but needed more care coming out of hospital than before, as a family we rallied around to make sure the appropriate care & support was put in place, organised a mobility scooter for her and increased our visits and daily phone calls. It was always a concern and a constant worry about mum that weighed on my mind.

The whole world then changed the following year with the pandemic, the first concern was with our parents, my mum and Max’s mum. I won’t write about the impact the pandemic had as we all faced the same worries, concerns and difficulties during this time but that period from March when we couldn’t head out into the Landscape for photography was difficult, it was my way of healing and my way of dealing with what had happened over the last 18 months. The pandemic was like a full stop, a complete change in the way we lived our lives which very quickly became a reset for many people.

Returning to work late July, was now working from home, we also returned to the news that we were faced with restructuring at work which brough the risk of redundancy. This was huge, we both worked for the same company, if we both lost our jobs the fear was losing our home. I’d worked for the business for 26 years and hadn’t really experienced working anywhere else. We had many sleepless nights and lots of conversations around what to do if we were to lose our jobs. The process went on for a few months, at the end of it Max kept her job, I was made redundant but retained on a short-term contract as one of our team were away on secondment. If she didn’t return, I would keep my job, so the process became far more drawn out which just added to the anxiety we felt at the time.

Then in December of 2020 mum became really unwell very quickly. She was taken into hospital with breathing difficulties and placed onto a sideward. Due to the pandemic we were unable to visit mum at the hospital which was incredibly difficult. Initially not being able to see her and fully understand what was happening added to our distress. They informed us that mum had covid and would likely not recover this time. Mum passed away on the 20th December, we were able to visit and stay with her in her last few days which I am incredibly grateful for as I am aware that many families didn’t have this opportunity. Due to the restrictions at the time, mum’s funeral was not how we would have wanted it. There were a lot of things that we were unable to do, like see mum at the funeral home, they were unable to dress her in the clothes that she would have liked, unable to carry out the personal touches that would usually happen. We were unable to hold a wake for her, unable to sing in church, so many things that feel that she didn’t have the send off she deserved which still upsets me today.

The period of time from finding out about dads illness to mum passing away are the worst years of my life. It felt like just beginning to deal with one thing before the next one hit harder and harder again.  Losing both parents, the pandemic and facing redundancy from work all in just over two and a half years had a major impact on my mental health.

Photography throughout played a huge part in recovering, calmed me and slowed my mind. It gave me something to focus on and something to feel passionate & enthusiastic about. Something to look forward to and something to work towards. When we  talk about the benefits of photography, it isn’t just about creating an image, it provides so much more. The benefits of photography are enormous, it keeps us active and continually develops our knowledge, we’ve also met so many lovely people through photography, we’ve visited some of the UK’s most spectacularly beautiful locations and experienced so many things that we would never have seen. The love of photography has also seen us relocate to be nearer to the landscape that inspires us, this transformed our lives meaning we feel much more fulfilled than ever before.

What is now also very special is seeing how my photography affects others in a positive way. From chatting to people about photography in general and seeing their passion and enthusiasm grow, from seeing and hearing peoples reaction to a printed image when they say they can feel the mood and atmosphere, when total strangers spark a conversation about an image that I have created because it strikes a chord with them, when someone makes a purchase because of how the image makes them feel and when people tell you that an image you created holds a special memory for them too. That’s the power of photography and printing an image can have, something that started out as a distraction and way of improving your wellbeing almost comes full circle for then someone else to find happiness and enjoyment in for years to come.

I’d like to close the blog by referring back to my memory on the beach on the Isle of Skye, my camera wasn’t anything fancy or the latest in technology, it was a fully automatic point & shoot. You don’t need to have the best equipment to have the most meaningful experiences. Whatever camera you have is more than enough to head out into the fresh air and enjoy the benefits of photography.

My favorite PermaJet Papers

It has been some time since I last wrote a blog post, the past few months have been incredibly busy for us. There is so much to share about this summer and the fantastic events we have been involved with, I’m planning on writing another blog update which i’ll share with you soon.

One exciting event that I was proud to be part of recently was the opportunity to be invited to take part in a mystery paper challenge set by PermaJet. All Brand Ambassadors where sent a mystery paper to create an image that would perfectly suit that particular paper. As part of the challenge we recorded a video to tell the story, documenting the process and finished result, you can watch the video here

PermaJet also have a fantastic selection of videos on their YouTube Channel offering helpful knowledge, hints & tips on paper choices & printing which you might find useful.

It was an enjoyable project to be involved with, providing a great opportunity to work with a different type of paper which I love. The experience has also inspired me to write this post about PermaJet paper options and how they greatly impact the quality and feel of your final print.

I’ve been printing my work now for over 18 months, and I’m happy to share that I initially found the process both very exciting and at times frustrating, as well as a little daunting. It was definitely a steep learning curve, but with perseverance, patience, and determination, I gradually found a process and a workflow that I’m genuinely happy with and confident in. Now, I very much look forward and am excited to print new images, experiment with different types of papers, and share some of my experiences along the way. It definitely is the final part of the photography process, there is nothing like seeing your image coming off the printer for the first time, seeing the detail within the print alongside the feel and texture of the paper, it really does make a huge difference.

Why did I decide to make the move from ordering my prints online to printing my own work?

Lots of reasons

Photography provides us with a wonderful creative outlet, a meaningful reason to head out with our cameras. It takes us to some of the most incredibly stunning and awe-inspiring locations, encourages us to stay active, and promotes overall well-being and mindfulness. We thoughtfully plan and take pride in capturing an image of a special moment that we’ve personally experienced, telling the story of our travels and the joys found within the landscape. It’s such a shame when our images then end up stored on a computer or uploaded to a social media platform, where they are often quickly forgotten or lost in translation just a day or two later. Printing an image truly brings it to life; it creates far more than just a fleeting memory of that moment in time. Instead, it becomes a physical memory, a tangible and lasting reminder, a piece of art to be admired and treasured for years to come.

The whole experience of printing your own work is massively rewarding, from choosing the type of paper you want to use, preparing the file for print, loading the paper into the printer alongside the excitement of watching the print process itself. It’s always a proud moment when the print starts to appear and you get a glimpse of how amazing it looks. If you sell your work online or at a physical location, printing at home offers you the luxury of print-on-demand, which in turn offers flexibility and is far more practical than ordering online. It’s the personal satisfaction of being able to complete the process yourself that for me really provides that extra bonus.

During my early experiences with printing, my go-to choice of paper was always PermaJet’s lustre paper, I found this a great paper to work with that provided excellent results. I had also experimented with PermaJet’s FB Distinction paper, which came highly recommended by another photographer also providing fantastic results but my knowledge of paper types and what the end result would provide was very limited.

Since having the fantastic opportunity to work with PermaJet as a Brand Ambassador over the past year, I have had the chance to explore their range and try out a wide variety of their different papers. If you are unsure where to start, PermaJet offer very handy sample packs that allow you to test and experiment with a range of their papers. In addition to these, they also provide swatch books which give you the opportunity to both see and feel the distinct textures and qualities of their various paper types before making a decision.

Personally, having the opportunity to test and explore a wide variety of papers has been a great experience, it’s also been very rewarding providing me with a greater understanding of the printing process which has built my knowledge & skills along the way. The team at PermaJet are incredibly helpful, friendly and supportive, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the team for the belief and trust they have invested in me over the course of this year.

My favorite PermaJet Papers

Choosing the right paper can feel quite daunting, especially if you are new to printing, so I wanted to share my personal experience with some of my favorite PermaJet papers that I have discovered and enjoyed using so far for my seascape and creative photography.

1. PermaJet Portrait Rag - Portrait Rag 305 | 100% Cotton, Acid Free Fine Art Paper

(Description from PermaJet’s website)

New for 2025! PermaJet Portrait Rag 305 is a fine art inkjet paper with a delicately textured matt surface and medium white base. This new and improved version of the award-winning Portrait Rag 285 features a highly requested heavier base weight and a more pronounced texture, delivering even greater impact for photographers, artists, and print professionals.

This paper has an incredible Dmax that produces deep, velvety blacks, and a wide colour gamut. The increased weight adds a more premium feel and greater rigidity, while the refined textured provides depth without distracting from the subject.

Portrait Rag’s 100% cotton rag acid free base gives a premium print with archival qualities, making it ideal for fine art photography, exhibitions, gallery prints, and high-end editions.

My thoughts, I have used this incredible paper from PermaJet’s textured fine art range on many occasions and have been absolutely blown away by the outstanding quality it delivers. Straight out of the box this paper has the wow factor, a beautiful feel, weight and texture. I have taken the opportunity to print a variety of images, whether for my seascape or landscape photography, both colour and black & white images consistently look stunning. The wide colour gamut of the paper and incredible Dmax provides a beautiful rich print without loosing any detail in the darker parts of an image. It’s delicate textured finish beautifully enhances intricate details. Additionally, the heavier weight of the paper gives it a distinctly premium feel. I have been super impressed with this paper so much so that i would say it is my favorite choice of paper.

It’s also a perfect choice for high-key portraiture, rich deep blacks, rustic and textured subjects as well as archival fine art pieces.

Find out more by watching PermaJets overview of the Portrait Rag 305 - YouTube Video

PermaJet Portrait Rag 305

‍ ‍2. Photo Art Silk 290 - PermaJet Photo Art Silk 290 | Award Winning Inkjet Paper

(Description from PermaJet’s website)

PermaJet Photo Art Silk 290 is an award-winning fine art inkjet paper with a silk matt surface and mid-white base. This matt paper has a unique coating that takes on a luxurious silk sheen when printed on, sparkling in the light and bursting with vibrancy. This makes it the perfect paper for seascapes and long-exposure landscape photographs, enhancing the results and adding a magical quality.

Photo Art Silk is an art paper with a difference and will create stand-out prints suited for all purposes, from wall art to Camera Club competition entries. The surface has a subtle undulating texture for a true fine art feel, whilst the natural white Alpha Cellulose base delivers excellent colour renditions and sharp detail.

My thoughts, Photo Art Silk 290 is an exceptionally superb paper choice for seascape photography, part of PermaJet’s smooth fine art range. I love how the unique subtle silk sheen beautifully brings ocean scenes to life, it’s perfectly suited to long exposure photography, while the subtle textured surface adds a tactile, fine art quality. It’s a great paper for vibrant images providing depth and detail, one that I keep returning to again and again for my seascape photography. I have also used the paper to print a fine art creative image, a shallow depth of field, long exposure photograph capturing cotton grass gently dancing on the breeze. The delicate, subtle texture of the paper enhanced the image beautifully and provides a fine art feel.

Perfect for subject matters containing reflective surfaces, such as water, fine art prints that need an extra special finish, long exposure seascapes.

Find out more about Photo Art Silk 290 on PermaJets YouTube Channel - Youtube Video

Photo Art Silk 290

‍ ‍3. Museum Heritage 310 - PermaJet Museum Heritage 310 | Award Winning Fine Art Paper

(Description from PermaJet’s website)

PermaJet Museum Heritage 310 is a fine art inkjet paper with a textured surface and mid-white base. It prints with outstanding detail and clarity, enhanced by the rough textured weave that is highly suited to fine art photography, rustic scenes, and detailed portraits. This cotton and Alpha Cellulose mix paper is perfect for artists wishing to reproduce their work, with the mid-white base providing outstanding colour and monochrome renditions.

Museum Heritage has a superior coating that prints excellent highlight and shadow detail with a high Dmax. The textured surface adds a depth and quality to images for that extra special look and feel, suited to professional exhibitions, galleries, museums, and artists.

My thoughts, I have really enjoyed using PermaJet's Museum Heritage paper from their Heritage Range. Like many of PermaJet's textured papers, the rich, textured surface truly enhances the final image. The clarity and fine detail this paper produces is simply outstanding, every photograph comes to life and have been genuinely amazed at how how well this paper copes with highlight and shadow detail. I have used it extensively for my seascape photography as well as to print a variety of images including portraits and an image of the iconic Scottish stag. The heavier weight feels luxurious but what i really love about this paper is the rough textured weave. It may sound silly but when i first started printing, it was a dream of mine to have the opportunity to print on a paper that wasn’t gloss or lustre but a beautiful textured paper that felt like more than just a print, for me this is the paper.

Perfect for Fine art pieces that require extra depth, with incredible highlight and shadow detail, complex colours and highly detailed pieces, Rustic scenes and landscapes, ʻweathered’ portraits

Find out more on PermaJet’s YouTube Channel - YouTube Video

Museum Heritage 310

Titanium Gloss 300 & Titanium Lustre 280

Titanium Gloss 300 - PermaJet Titanium Gloss 300 | High Gloss Metallic Photo Paper

(Description from PermaJet’s website)

PermaJet Titanium Gloss 300 is a high-gloss inkjet paper with a unique metallic base. It has a silvery undertone that gives life to images where subjects contain metal, water, and reflective surfaces, making them sparkle under the light. This award-winning digital photo paper is the ideal creative choice to make your work stand out and have high impact. The gloss surface is not overpowering, instead adding a luxurious finish, whilst colours almost glow thanks to the light reflective base. Titanium Gloss 300 prints with incredible detail and clarity and works extremely well with images that have vibrant colours, deep blacks, and white/silver areas that allow the metallic base to show through. This resin coated paper has a 300gsm weight that feeds effortlessly through any inkjet printer whilst still having a high-quality feel to hand.

Titanium Lustre 280 -PermaJet Titanium Lustre 280 | Award Winning Metallic Photo Paper

Permajet Titanium Lustre 280 is an award-winning inkjet paper with a unique metallic base and subtle lustre surface. Images leap off the page with a dramatic appearance and high level of detail.

This digital photo paper works particularly well with monochrome and HDR images, its silvery metallic base lending itself to wide tonal ranges and high contrast images. The subtle undulations of the lustre surface catch the light beautifully, adding a sparkle to subjects that contain metal or reflective surface, whilst the metallic paper base adds a true to life feel. This makes Titanium Lustre 280 a creative and stand out choice for that special piece of work.

This resin coated digital photo paper has a 280gsm weight that feeds effortlessly through any inkjet printer whilst still having a high-quality feel to hand.

My thoughts, both of these papers from PermaJet’s digital photo paper range are an excellent choice for seascape photography, offering outstanding results. The metallic silvery base of both papers works exceptionally well with water and reflective surfaces, creating a stunning effect that has provided a fantastic addition to my seascape work. I genuinely love the quality of both papers, the metallic base beautifully shines through exceptionally well , adding sparkle and shimmer to the image. Another added bonus is that the metallic sheen can be seen anywhere the light catches, so for example in rocky foregrounds, the shimmer on the water, the light in the sky, adding an extra layer of interest to the print. It depends if you are looking for a lustre of gloss finish to your work. After testing out the titanium gloss for the recent project with PermaJet i actually prefer this to the lustre. Due to gloss being highly reflective i think it can be often overlooked but for me the super high gloss of this paper brings out more of the metallic base emphasising the effect.

Perfect for images with water, metal or reflective subjects, vivid colours and contrasty monochromes, Images with white areas and highlights to allow the metallic base to shine through.

Find out more on PermaJet’s YouTube Channel - YouTube Video

Titanium Gloss Video

Titanium Lustre Video

I hope you have found this post an interesting and enjoyable read, and that it has offered you more of an insight into PermaJet’s range of outstanding quality, award winning papers. PermaJet also have free ICC profiles available to download directly from their website for each of their papers making the process simple & easy.

There are many more beautiful papers to explore which I’m genuinely super excited about sharing with you in the future.

If you are interested in purchasing any of PermaJet Papers you can also enjoy 15% off using my discount codeADELEWT15

You can also join the PermaJet community by sign up to their newsletter to receive updates, special offers, hints & tips and receive 20% off your next order

The video below shows some of the images and paper choices in more detail.

A Huge thank you to PermaJet for their continued support to myself and our women in seascape photography community.

PermaJet Fine Art & Digital Peper Range

Celebrating Women in Seascape Photography & International Women’s Day

To celebrate International Women’s Day on Saturday 8th March, we were asked byPermaJet Professional Inkjet mediato write a blog post about our Instagram community, Women in Seascape Photography which you can read below. To celebrate women further they are running a series of ‘In the spotlight’ daily features which provides more information about a selection of women to photographers, designers, tattoo artists and educators. As a PermaJet Brand Ambassador, it was a huge honor to be included in this series. You can find out more about each of the women featured by visiting PermaJet’s Instagram or Facebookpages. They have also recorded a YouTube video with Angela Nicolson,SheClicks founder and some of the ladies from the SheClicks community to explore the importance of their community & its impact on women in the industry which you can watch here

We are also super excited to have been invited by NiSi Filtersto present at this years Photography Show at the ExCel in London on Monday 10th March 2025. Our presentation will cover an insight into our coastal photography in the Outer Hebrides and to also highlight and celebrate women in seascape photography. A fantastic opportunity for us to showcase some of the incredible talent shared with us on a daily basis within the women in seascape photography community. Huge thanks to Nisi Filters for the opportunity.

BLOG POST

In October 2024 we created a social media space on Instagram for women in seascape photography. A platform in which women who share the same passion for a specific genre of photography could join together, share their work and engage as a community with the overall aim of encouraging and supporting women in seascape photography.

The idea – We are coastal photographers and feel most at home on a beach or surrounded by rugged coastline. Being inspired by the sea & coast is what motivates us and encourages us to head out on a regular basis with the cameras. The initial idea for women in seascape photography originated in January 2024 shortly after we relocated to the Isle of Lewis. Our relocation to the island was twofold, an aspiration for an improved work life balance and also a desire of creating more time to focus on photography The island has a fantastic creative community and an unspoilt, award-winning coastline. Lewis & Harris captured our hearts and is such an inspiration to us in many ways, most of all our love of seascape photography.

We wanted to create a platform to share our love of the sea & coast. Quite naturally the Isle of Lewis lends itself to “Lets encourage women in seascape” Photography. Photography has provided us with many benefits from improved mental & physical health alongside the enthusiasm to appreciate the coast in all seasons and weather conditions. The coast is ever changing, high or low tide there is always something to photograph from intricate abstracts, long exposures, roaring waves and the stillness of a calm sea at sunset, that’s what makes seascape photography such a fantastic & interesting genre of photography to take part in and why we love to encourage others be involved.

What we do - We encourage women on Instagram to share their photographs inspired by the sea and coast by tagging our account. We encourage a variety of creativity and welcome ICM, Long exposures, abstract, ariel, astro and multiple exposure etc. Each day we select an image to share as our main feature and encourage the community to support the photographer’s work. We also spotlight many other images that have been shared with us to our stories to provide an encouraging platform recognising multiple female photographers on a daily basis.

Why this is important – Unfortunately women in the photography industry are still vastly underrepresented. Community groups showcasing the talent of female photographers is on the rise, there is a growing momentum that we are proud to be part of, the more women who become involved, find a passion for photography and support each other will only help to improve the balance. We have always been supportive of women in photography and have spoken on various podcasts and presented a webinar with SheClicks to encourage others. Raising the visibility of female photographers to showcase their incredible talent is something that we are passionate about and proud to be involved with. It is such an inspiration to us to view the diverse range of incredible talent that is shared with us and a fantastic opportunity to connect with other women from across the world who share the same passion.

We are proud to be supported by PermaJet with this fantastic initiative and feel honored to have the opportunity to give something back to the community by hosting a monthly print challenge. Each month one image that has been featured on our Women In Seascape Photography page, an image that stands out, will be selected as our PermaJet Print of the Month. The image will be professionally printed by PermaJet on their outstanding quality paper and delivered directly. We believe this will further engage our community and inspire them to print their own work.

Our Ethos is paramount to the community, we believe in being open, creative, encouraging, appreciative and nurturing (Ocean) Our values are at the core of what we believe in, welcoming, inspiring, supportive and passionate (Wisp) By creating an environment that encompasses our values and ethos we aim to create an interactive & supportive community for women in seascape photography. Over the next few months we plan on holding a series of webinars where expert knowledge & advice will be shared on topics such as ‘printing your work’ and ‘creative seascape photography’

We welcome you to join our community and encourage creativity in what is such a versatile genre of photography.

Adele & Max

A year in the Outer Hebrides

Merry Christmas, we hope it was filled with fun, family, friends, festive loveliness and hopefully some photography. We appreciate that for some people, Christmas can be a difficult time of year both financially and/or emotionally, missing loved ones at this time of year can be incredibly hard. This year Max and I enjoyed a quiet Christmas unwinding, enjoying a beautiful meal, speaking with family & friends via video call and listening to the wind howling down the chimney :)

Back in November we headed over to the mainland to celebrate Christmas early with the family, it was absolutely wonderful to see everyone together and enjoy good food and one another’s company. The last time we saw everyone together was just before our relocation, over a year ago so the time we spent was very precious. Laying flowers at the cemetery for Mum & Dad was incredibly hard. It felt familiar, warm, loving and sad all at the same time. They would have been so proud of where we are and would have loved the Island.

Our year on the Isle of Lewis has been one of the best years of our lives. As i have previously spoken about in an earlier blog post, the decision to relocate wasn’t an easy one to make, filled with lots of what if’s and uncertainty. It was only 18 months since our last big move from Rossendale to Aberdeenshire and i questioned if we were doing the right thing.

Max had taken early retirement and we had both fallen in love with the Isle of Lewis & Harris during our holidays and adventures here. It was a whirlwind to be honest, every time we visited on holiday we both felt calm, relaxed and experienced a feeling like no other we had before in Scotland. Every time we visited the island, we didn’t want to leave and in September 2023, Max made me ‘pinkie promise’ that we would put our house on the market as soon as we got home from our two & half week adventure touring the Outer Hebrides in our van and relocate…. and who can go back on a pinkie promise….

Image from our holiday to the Isle of Harris in May 2023

And so it began…

It has been a privilege getting to know the island & the community. We have never experienced such hospitality & warmth from some of the most loveliest of people we have ever met. The Island has a real sense of togetherness, respect for one another and meaningful values. Being incredibly fortunate to call the Island home still feels surreal even after 12 months.

The weather, always a topic of conversation anywhere in the UK has been challenging, brilliant, wild & fantastic. Dark, moody, foreboding skies, squally showers, gale force winds, fleeting light, warm sunny blue sky days, overnight clear skies revealing the milky way & northern lights is what makes the island stunning, exceptional & exciting providing many photographic opportunities. Outstanding coastline, white sandy beaches and wildlife are amongst some of the best in the world, so much so that the Outer Hebrides has recently been voted as one of the best places in the world 2025 by National Geographic, the only destination in the UK to receive this award this year.

Dark skies & stunning coastline of the Outer Hebrides

Relocating and choosing a very different way of life has provided us with the luxury of spending time together and that is the biggest positive we could have ever wished for, focusing on what makes us happy is priceless and moving forward as a result in just a bonus.

The end of a year is often a time when people take a moment to reflect on the year that has passed, it has been a mammoth year for us both, highlights of year would definitely include speaking to so many talented and lovely people via our podcast, one in particular stands out… Speaking with Nigel Thomas and hearing about how photography helped him through a very difficult time in his life, improving his mental health…. very inspirational. How he has taken his photography forward and now shares his story with others via presentations & exhibitions is remarkable. Such a lovely, humble guy. Recently creating our Women in Seascape Photography Community on Instagram is something we are also proud of, seeing so many talented female photographers work is a privilege on a daily basis. Other highlights include our Highly Commended images in the Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year and towards the latter part of this year becoming a Brand Ambassador for PermaJet. I was immensely proud to have been selected during the application process and am really looking forward to working with them.

The year hasn’t been without it’s lows, for some reason this year i find myself with a couple of issues health wise but as always photography is something that gives us a focus and keeps us heading out with the cameras and that will never change.

Reflecting on my photographic year and looking back over the previous years images, I feel that during 2024 my photography has improved, my thoughts are… if you can visibly see improvement throughout your own work year on year then that is a huge achievement in itself, one to be proud of and celebrate. It’s about small steps, believing in your own capabilities and making time to enjoy photography. Photography means so much to so many people, the most important thing is to enjoy your experience, enjoy the landscape without any pressure of a resulting image. Experiment and be creative.

We have had the opportunity to visit locations repeatedly in different conditions, discovering new places to photograph and practice. Naturally, having the chance to go out more frequently is a significant aspect of improvement, but there are also many occasions when we venture out without capturing any images, and that is also ok. The Island has provided us with numerous benefits, not only the opportunities for photography but also the experience of nature, feelings, emotions, relaxing, and rejuvenating.

Image comparison

This year has also been dedicated to learning, learning more about the Island, learning more about ourselves & developing new skills. We also made the decision to display our work for sale at the local craft fairs, displaying our work for sale to the general public was both scary & exciting. Deciding which images to print, mount & frame was the first challenge, understanding & discovering which images would sell, how to display them and how to price them was the second hurdle. It has been immensely gratifying to chat about our images with others and personally fulfilling to witness someone appreciate the image so much that they wished to purchase it. Getting to know other local creatives via the craft fair has also been amazing, we’d like to give a huge mention to Deb Wilkinson, an immensely, inspirational talented artist and lovely lady you can find her on Facebook here

We now also have our work displayed for sale at Riley’s in Stornoway

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025

More of the same would be amazing :)

But we do have some exciting news and plans to share with you..

In 2025 we will be launching our first exclusive range of fine art prints, I’m really excited about this and will be of course using the outstanding quality of PermaJet papers.

Super excited to share that we will be supporting Margaret Soraya with the creative light festival here on the Isle of Harris in 2025. There are only a few tickets remaining, if you are interested and would like more information on how to bookclick here

We will be hosting small group workshops on the Isle of Lewis & Harris in 2025 - Dates to be released soon.

We would love to hold an exhibition here on the island and are in the very early stages of planning this.

Project - We have a fantastic idea for an exciting monthly project in 2025 and have already planned part one for January.

I wanted to finish the blog post with a quote shared recently by my brother….

A dream written down becomes a goal, a goal broken down becomes a plan, a plan backed by actions becomes a reality.

Wishing you all a happy & healthy New Year filled with lots of opportunity

All the very best Adele & Max

Some of our favorite images from 2024 below

Adele

Max

Vallerret Photography Gloves

As outdoor photographers we strive to be creative whilst out in the filed, creating work that we are happy to share to hopefully inspire & encourage others, sharing our experience and story telling via a still frame. We plan locations & travel details, we prepare our camera bags, clean our kit and charge up the batteries in readiness for a few hours of being out in nature, enjoying the peace & tranquility and the anticipation of what we may experience. We spend hundreds if not thousands of pounds on camera equipment which we take care of and look after. Our creativity and enjoyment of the experience is paramount, its why we do what we do. Quite often we’re heading out early in the morning pre sunrise or later in the day after the sun has set to experience the magic of golden hour, blue hour or maybe astro photography. We head out during adverse weather when others choose to stay warm at home. We do this for the love of photography….

Along with planning, preparing and taking care of our camera equipment is also the need to take care of ourselves. Good walking boots and outdoor clothing, appropriate to the conditions we head out in are vital to our experience. We’ve all been in a similar situation where we’ve headed out and the conditions are fantastic, the light is just right and we’re enjoying the the experience in it’s entirety except for one thing…. we’re cold.

Before discovering Vallerret Photography Gloves i tried numerous pairs of gloves in an attempt to stay warm. For me there is nothing worse than feeling lost deep in the photography only to be pulled back from my calm state of mind by the biting cold burning at my hands. There were countless occasions where we cut a photography outing short due to the fact that I’d lost the ability to control my camera, the painful burn no longer bearable and therefore the experience not one that was enjoyable.

WHY WE CHOSE THE TINDEN PHOTOGRPAHY GLOVE

A great pair of gloves is as important as the right pair of walking boots, if the boots are too big, too small, not waterproof etc. it could be enough for you to consider not heading out. That’s why after using Vallerret’s Markhof pair of gloves for around five or six years we both decided to invest in a pair of Deep Winter Tinden Photography Gloves to brave the winter conditions here in the Outer Hebrides.

Vallerret Glove Description - Source - Photography Gloves - Vallerret Photography Gloves

The Tinden glove is equipped with Flip-Tech fingertips, allowing you to expose your thumb and index fingers with ease. This feature gives you the freedom to adjust camera settings, handle small accessories, and use your phone without the need to take off the entire glove. The Tinden is equipped with exceptional Primaloft Gold insulation to keep your hands warm in sub-zero temperatures. The glove also features a luxurious, soft merino wool lining that provides exceptional warmth and comfort. The natural properties of merino wool regulate temperature, keeping your hands cozy in cold conditions while also wicking away moisture. The Tinden features a non-slip grip artwork printed across the fingers to provide superior camera control even in freezing conditions and also comes with a carabiner clip, allowing you to attach your gloves to your camera bag, backpack, or belt loop. Vallerret really have thought about everything, located in the pocket on the back of the hand, is a handy Tripod key which allows you to adjust and secure your tripod with ease, it’s also a great place to add a heat pack for additional extra warmth.

Vallerret Tinden Photography Gloves 

WHY WE ALSO LOVE VALLERRET PHOTOGRAPHY GLOVES

• Vallerret are proud to support 1% for the planet, Vallerret annually donates 1% of all sales to support environmental non-profit organizations who work hard to create a healthy and vibrant future for our planet.

• They also have biodegradable product bags, In partnership with Aquapak their gloves are protected in bags that are water soluble, ocean safe and biodegradable, breaking down harmlessly to non-toxic biomass in soil and sea.

• They have also moved away from single use packaging, with every pair of gloves you purchase via their webshop, they provide a convenient glove storage bag made from organic linen.

• Vallerret also plant a tree for EVERY product sold.

• Every Year, they donate Black Friday Profits to The Norwegian Society for Conservation of Nature (Naturvernforbundet), who works to protect nature and the environment so that human activity does not exceed the tolerance limits of our planet.

  You can read more about their commitments to sustainability via their website Sustainability | Vallerret Photography Gloves

SUPPORTING WOMEN IN PHOTOGRAPHY

We are proud to share with you that we have recently teamed up with Vallerret & will be collaborating with them. Firstly a huge thanks to Darren Moorhouse otherwise known as Ginger Captures | West Yorkshire Based Photographer for putting our names forward to Lukas Riedl, a very talented, lovely guy who is part of the Vallerret family.

On 23rd November 2024 Vallerret released a Blog Post titled 15 inspirational female photographers to watch in 2025, the visual image attached with the blog reads “This is what happens when you support women”

The blog is an interesting & inspiration read, one that highlights the under representation of women within the field of photography & film making. What we find refreshing is that Vallerret as a brand chose to raise a spotlight in celebrating females in photography, sharing the blog via their website, Instagram and Facebook pages brought the female photography community closer. It was fantastic to see so many women sharing the post, connecting with each other and supporting the women featured within the article. Very kindly Vallerret asked if they could also share our recent blog post written in October 2024 which explores some of the barriers women in photography face. You can read the blog post here Women in Photography — Warner-Tate Photography

We’re loving our new gloves and wear them at every opportunity to keep our hands warm & cozy during our Hebridean adventures.

Thanks for reading, take care Adele & Max

Women in Photography

Over the course of 2024 a momentum is building - Empowering women in photography of all genres is becoming at the forefront of the photography community.

Unfortunately for many years females have been vastly underrepresented in the photography industry. Visibility of females in photography is on the increase and a rise in community groups are leading the way by supporting & showcasing the talent of women in photography.

Earlier this year over the summer months we were proud to be part of the Women Photographers UK Team, an Instagram & Facebook Page created to support & promote female photographers. Since then other community pages were set up including Women Photographers Canada by Viktoria Haack & Fiona Mclean & Women Photographers US by Anna Moon, both of which share inspirational female photographers work. You may also be interested in - In focus women, created by Sarina Jackson & Steph Vella, one of the original community groups dedicated to inspiring others.

This blog post isn’t intended to be negative or a criticism in any way but to look at some of the facts and reasons why females in landscape & nature photography are still vastly under represented. There are very few female Youtubers & Podcasters for example, still very few female brand ambassadors and still very few women who are recognised in Landscape Photography Competitions. The blog post is intended to explore some of the reasons why this may be and what efforts are being done to improve the balance.

What we found of particular interest was a survey released from Women Photographers Canada who took the initiative to delve deeper in gaining an understanding of what barriers are involved in heading out with the camera, entering photography competitions, learning & development and much more. The survey was designed for their female audience but also open to both male & female photographers to understand the differences in approaches & to find ways to support what could be done to improve this.

All credit given on information provided - Women Photographers Canada, survey initiated in June 2024

Finding from the survey - Over 400 responses - 75% of responses were completed by women, with the majority being involved with photography for at least five years.

The top barrier to overall participation in photography was not having someone to go out with, the second barrier with 41.6% of respondents was concerns around safety, 95% of those were women.

Both myself and Max completed the survey, we thought the initiative was a great way of hearing from women in particular and proactive in that they were also asking for thoughts on what could be done to increase the representation and participation of women in landscape, nature & wildlife photography. We’re both very lucky & fortunate in that we share a passion for photography & videography and head out on a very regular basis together. I have always said that if Max wasn’t as supportive or had no interest in photography that i probably wouldn’t head out at sunrise or at sunset as i too wouldn’t feel comfortable.

After completing the survey and discussing the barriers between ourselves it was interesting to then see the results start to unfold via their Instagram Page, in particular their post on the 9th August with regards to the top barriers.. When the results in relation to the top two barriers were shared we wanted to help in whatever way we could and felt sad to see the facts in black & white. Photography is such a huge creative outlet, a release from the everyday, a positive hobby for wellbeing, alleviating stress and mental health and also a great way to keep active both physically and mentally.

We felt inspired by the survey and wanted to do something to support, we decided to launch Photography Buddy on our Website & Facebook page in mid August 2024, our way of trying to give back to the photography community, it just didn’t seem right that people were reluctant to go out and enjoy photography alongside the benefits it provides because they had nobody to go with . Photography Buddy was designed to literally just have someone to go out with, share knowledge on locations here in the Outer Hebrides and also to provide people with an opportunity to experience the northern lights when solar activity occurs. We didn’t feel it was right to exclude males from this opportunity as there are still a percentage who would welcome a buddy to head out with, this could be safety, health concerns or any number of reasons.

What is fantastic to see is that others are now taking a similar initiative with Photography Buddy, Women Photographers UK in October ran with the idea of female photography buddy and are now providing the service solely to females in photography. Our belief is that the more people who provide a photography service to enable others to enjoy creativity the better. The more women who put themselves out there to support & encourage others can only be beneficial to the photography community. If we can go someway in overcoming the top two barriers then surely this would support with more women taking up landscape & nature photography. On another note, sadly there aren’t enough women who lead the way with photography services especially in the Landscape genre, very few women from the UK lead workshops or 1-2-1 tuition sessions…….It would be great to see more.

Other findings from the survey

Learning methods - Observing other photographers was the leading method for women in learning photography techniques and skills 71.3% followed by YouTube 68.6%, online courses 63.5% and learning from friends 61.3% Males responded as YouTube being their preferred learning 81.9% followed by observing other photographers 74.7%

Being a self taught photographer i can relate to YouTube as being a fountain of information in gaining an understanding of the technical side to photography. This does require lots of time spent watching the “right” video to learn and can be frustrating especially if there are multiple videos on “how to” if they each have a different approach. I would also say that it could depend on your preferred learning style, visual, audio or kinaesthetic (hands on) Practicing and keep practicing is what cemented the learning process for me, not being disheartened with unfavorable results is what kept me interested and seeing self improvement was my motivation.

In fairness what is difficult from a ‘YouTubers’ perspective is not knowing who your audience is and what your audience is wanting to gain from watching the video, I was very conscious of not wanting to sound patronising and instead chose to share the experience with a hope that we might encourage someone or provide something to take away from the video.

In summary - We believe that the top barriers are linked with why females are under represented in Landscape, Nature and Wildlife Photography. If you have nobody to go out with or don’t feel safe/comfortable and this prevents you from heading out, opportunities to practice are limited or non existent, opportunities to improve also limited, the chance of creating a special photograph that you are proud of, enough to enter a photography competition are limited. We are also well aware that the barriers are difficult to overcome and that there could also be many other barriers involved. It isn’t easy to put your head above the parapet, there is a growing momentum that we are proud to be part of, the more women who become involved, find a passion for photography and support each other will only help to improve the balance.

We would love to encourage you to join one of the community groups, there are now more & more to chose from. SheClicks for example has a very interactive Facebook page with virtual coffee mornings, meet ups and so much more, find someone local to share the passion with. Instagram has a growing number of female communities to share inspiration and promote female photographers.

We are both delighted to be part of the growing momentum & have launched L.E.W.I.S Photography - Lets Encourage Women In Seascape Photography or WISP for short :) This is where our passion lies and where we believe that we can make a difference. Our Instagram community dedicated to women in seascape photography.

We are proud to continue with our supportive ethos for women in photography.

Adele & Max

Scottish Landscape Photographer of The Year Awards 2024

Highly Commended

We’re both absolutely delighted to have two winning images in the 10th Scottish Landscape Photographer of The Year Competition, both being awarded High Commended.

Huge congratulations to the overall winner Ian Bowie and to all other final winners. You can find the full list of winners and purchase the book using the link below.

https://slpoty.co.uk/

The competition received over 4000 entries with an extremely high standard of photography. Incredible images showcasing the beauty of Scotland being represented. It was especially nice to see some familiar names also being awarded in the competition, huge congratulations to Dawn Brown, Claire Carter, Aleksandra Radzikowska, Nicola Turner & Seascape winner Dean Allan.

Our love & passion for photography is why we head out with the cameras; the experience is what makes photography so special to us and to create images we are proud of is an absolute bonus. Scotland has always been an inspiration to us, it’s where the interest in photography began, we’ve been fortunate to discover & enjoy so many incredible locations around Scotland making memories that will last a lifetime. The Outer Hebrides, the place we now call home is incredibly beautiful, magical and very special, it’s an honor to have two

images from this stunning island represented.

Hear Me Roar – Isle of Harris, Adele

Oceans Isolation – Drone Image, Isle of Lewis, Max

Six Months in the Outer Hebrides

It’s been a while since my last blog update so i thought i would share some thoughts & news with you.

The 20th June saw us mark six months living on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. We spent the day visiting our local beach, Dalbeg and then headed up to Port of Ness for sunset. The cloud was quite heavy and the day had been pretty miserable from a weather point of view but we wanted to head out regardless and reflect on our time on the island so far. As we approached Port of Ness a small gap in the cloud revealed the silhouetted mountains of Assynt on the mainland, it was the first time that a break in the cloud had allowed us to see the view across. I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of peace, maybe this was knowing that we are finally settled, enjoying a way of life that previously we had only spoken about, maybe it was memories of our travels to the North of Scotland and the calm time we always felt away from our busy lives. The evening turned out to be nothing special, the waves were relatively flat, drizzle filled the air & the light was all but gone except for a faint hint in the gap of cloud. I took my camera out of the bag and used the long lens looking across to the mainland to make a photograph just to mark the occasion and remember this moment in time.

Six month on since we boarded the ferry and made a permanent one way sailing from Ullapool and we can honestly say that it was & still is the best thing we’ve ever done. I know that for many the dream would be to live in a place that makes them happy, a place that fills the soul, energises creativity and enhances wellbeing. We know that we are extremely lucky and are grateful and thankful everyday. Waking up, opening the curtains and looking out every morning to the mountain and croft land with sheep grazing opposite, hearing the sound of the ocean roar from the garden really does fill the soul. I know that I have mentioned in a previous blog post that is wasn’t an easy decision to make, the risks felt huge, leaving family & friends even further away felt scary and the “what if’s” a constant thorn. The reality is that we experienced the worst in losing both parents in just over two & a half years, Dad in 2018 and mum in 2020 during the pandemic. We both went through redundancy shortly after and at the time fought hard to keep our positions within the corporate world. After being successful in the selection process, an opportunity for Max with work saw us relocate to Aberdeenshire where I suppose we had time to reflect on how the last couple of years had changed us, knowing even more so that you get one opportunity at life to live. Discovering the Outer Hebrides helped to heal, helped us to have an opportunity to experience and enjoy a new way of life. I hope that our family & friends and for anyone visiting the Island will also experience the same feelings.

We’re now into July, nothing much feels different weather wise, summer still hasn’t arrived although the garden is blooming which is nice to see. The bare trees that swayed in the winds over winter now boast abundant green leaves and home to many garden birds, the hedges are full & filled with glorious small flowers which adds colour & life. Just recently we haven’t seen much of the sun, white out skies and rainy days have dominated but warmer weather surely has to be on the way at some point? What does feel very different is us, the last six months have been very kind to us and were already looking forward to the next six.

News…..

We launched Coastal Creations earlier this year, offering 1-2-1 tuition and small group workshops also teaming up with Visit Outer Hebrides and Isle20 now Scottish Island Gifts. Since then we have also launched our own Podcast Coastal Creations where we chat with other photographers & creatives twice a month. We’ve really enjoyed getting to know people, learning about their journey, how they found photography and what benefits it provides them with, how the process of heading out with the camera has helped them to heal or find a focus in life. We’ve already spoken with some truly inspirational guests and look forward to hearing more.

We were also very kindly invited to chat with the incredibly talented Mali Davies Photography on his Podcast - Lets Talk Mali is someone we have admired for many years so it was an absolute honour to have the opportunity to chat with him.

Over the last few days we’ve taken the opportunity to revamp the website and add some recent work to the gallery & shop. We’re offering a variety of sizes and finishes to prints to provide more choice when ordering. The website will always be a work in progress with changes and tweaks here and there as we grow & develop.

Even more exciting is that we are extremely excited & proud to have produced & launched our first photography book, featuring images of the Isle of Harris & Lewis Coastline. Rugged, wild weather, big skies and of course beautiful beaches. We hope you enjoy the book as much as we have enjoyed the experience of being out with the camera creating. With huge thanks to Mali Davies for the inspiration & belief.

SHOP

Last but by no means least, we are both very proud to have been invited to join the Women Photographers UK team. A place where females in photography are supported, their work is shared and creatives spotlighted. We are looking forward to being involved, seeing & sharing, being inspired and motivated.

We hope everyone is well and taking good care, thank you for your continued support, it means the world to us both. Adele & Max x

Scottish Nature Photography Awards 2024

Northern Lights, Outer Hebrides & Bow Fiddle Rock Moray Coast, Shortlisted in the Scottish Nature Photography Awards

The final results of the Scottish Nature Photography Awards are announced today. Back in February this year, we were delighted to learn that we had two images shortlisted in the sea & coast category of the competition. Four years ago when i first discovered the competition, i decided to pluck up enough courage to submit a selection of images and was absolutely blown away to find out that we had an image shortlisted. Since then i have continued to enter the competition and have been fortunate to have had some success every year, achieving third place in the landscape category in 2022.

What was especially nice this year was to have two images shortlisted, Midnight Light, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides and More than Pebbles, Moray Coast, North East Scotland, images below. The fact that we had an image of the northern lights shortlisted was an absolute honour, I remember watching a TV show featuring Joanna Lumley head out to the Arctic Circle to fulfil a lifelong dream to see the illusive northern lights, i was mesmerised, hooked and also dreamt of standing under a dark sky with the lights dancing above. Since learning this was actually possible from the UK and understanding how to photograph them, we embarked on what can only be described as an obsession. We actually drove from East Lancashire to Loch Lomond and back in the same day in the hope of seeing them but sadly without any joy, we spent many nights in the Yorkshire Dales hoping to catch a glimpse without any luck until we found ourselves in 2018 on the Isle of Skye in October for a weeks holiday when everything finally alligned. We had a clear sky, barely any light pollution and a good forecast, at around 8pm in the pitch black we made our way down to Staffin Bay, before we even got there we could see a huge arc of muted green in the sky. We were beyond elated, pulled the car over to check we weren’t seeing things and took a quick couple of images….seeing the green on the back of the camera was insane….it had been years of hoping to see them. I remember the uncontrollable joy that could probably be heard all over the island, the sheer excitement and utter disbelief at what we were seeing. We made our way down to the bay and set up the camera, withing ten minutes huge pillars & structures started to appear lighting up the sky and we were the only ones stood there experiencing it, its a feeling like no other, wonder, joy, exhilaration and elation. Since that night we’ve headed out to see them at every opportunity, even down to planning holidays around the new moon during aurora season to maximise the possibility. During our time in Aberdeenshire we made the most of the dark skies and were fortunate to photograph the lights five or six times in one season. One of my favorite memories of living in Aberdeenshire was during major solar activity, I’d received a notification on my phone indicating a red alert, i instantly went to the front door of the house and popped my head out, even above the street lights i could see the colour in the sky. We’d only been in the house around five months and had met a lovely lady who lived in the next street at our local camera club (which i’d only been going to for around two months at this point). In my full on dressing gown, pajamas and slippers i raced around to her house knocking on the door jumping up and down in excitement… i was greeted by Ilene’s husband who might I add must have wondered who on earth he’d opened the door to as we’d never met. We all stood for a few minutes looking up at the sky in amazement with shrieks of joy before deciding to head out in the car to get a better view…..It’s a night we wont forget.

You’ve probably got the idea that it’s become something that we love, witnessing the aurora never becomes boring. In September last year whilst touring the Outer Hebrides we were treated to what can only be described as the best show we’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing and is where & when our shortlisted image was created. The dark skies of the Western Isles make viewing the aurora an even better experience. We could actually see the colours & curtains of light forming & moving, softly and beautifully lighting up the night sky, the display went on for hours well into the early hours of the morning. For anyone new or interested in viewing the northern lights our advice would be this…. Aurora season is usually from September though to around April, download an app specific for aurora activity and track the forecast, head for an area without light pollution away from towns/cities and look north. Ideally you will need a clear sky for optimum viewing but even between the gaps in the clouds it’s a privilege to see. Mobile phones can be used to take photographs using night mode, use a tripod for best results. It’s also worth baring in mind that the camera sees the light far better than the naked eye. During red or major alerts you may be lucky enough to see the colour red and muted greens without the camera but quite often what you see is a glow of light in a clear sky. I’ve included an image below to try & give more of an indication of what you might see in the night sky. The other thing to take into account is the moon, the light from the moon can make viewing aroura difficult so its always better during a new moon or when the moon isn’t as bright. We’re fortunate to now live in the Outer Hebrides and were treated to a lovely display a few weeks ago, the lights can be seen from our back garden which is an absolute dream. We appreciate that seeing the northern lights isn’t always possible for some people, we were so pleased last year when my sister visited us in Aberdeenshire to have solar activity taking place during a clear night. We headed out to Portsoy and were lucky enough to have a display taking place in front of our eyes, I took some photographs of her under the northern lights which will always be a memory of our fantastic wonderful time together. There was also a couple on holiday staying in Portsoy who i offered to take a photograph of and emailed it across for them, again as memory of their trip to Scotland. Witnessing the northern lights can be an emotional experience and can also bring back memories for others of their time under the night skies. For us it’s a privilege to share our photographs.

Our second shortlisted image from Bow Fiddle Rock, Moray Coast also made us smile as it’s where the interest in seascape photography started. We were on holiday in Spean Bridge which is located in the Western Highlands. I’d bought a photography book which featured an image of this magnificent sea arch and was totally fascinated by it. Again in typical us fashion we decided to drive from the West Highlands to the East Coast of Scotland for sunrise to experience the location. It didn’t disappoint, i was in absolute awe, it felt magical. Sea birds filled the air with dawn chorus, the smell of the ocean filled our lungs and the calmness was indescribable. I’d just invested in a set of ND filters and experimented with a few compositions, we felt incredibly lucky to be stood on the pebbled shoreline taking in subtle sunrise colours behind the arch. Our house in Aberdeenshire was just under an hour away from Bow Fiddle Rock so it was inevitable that we would spend many opportunities photographing the arch in a variety of conditions. It will always hold a special place in our hearts, despite it being classed as a honeypot location we continued to photograph and experiment with compositions & conditions.

If you’ve made it so far into the blog update thanks for sticking with us, we hope you have found it interesting. I just wanted to end the piece by talking about competitions in general…. We head out with the camera given any opportunity, we experience varied conditions, seasons and changeable light. Our journey of photography began just over 8 years ago but didn’t really properly start until 2018. It’s been something that has given us an immense amount of joy, direction, focus and passion. Photography for us is a way of life, we don’t head out to create award winning images, that is never the reason. We head out to experience the environment & nature, to feel alive, to see, to breathe, to relax and to feel elated by the experience. When it comes to submitting images into a competition i tend to select images that i feel a connection to. That’s probably not the best advice but that’s how what i do, that’s why it feels special to have an image of the northern lights and an image from Bow Fiddle Rock shortlisted. I also think its great to showcase Scotland and the beauty that this part of the UK has to offer, both images will also feature in the Scottish Nature Photography Awards portfolio year book to be published later this year alongside other shortlisted & winning images. Well done to everyone involved.

SNPA | Homepage (scottishnaturephotographyawards.com)

On a side note we’ve just launched our podcast.

It’s taken us months to get around to setting everything up, probably something to do with relocating :) We’ve titled the podcast Coastal Creations, which is in keeping with the launch of our 1-2-1 & small group photography tuition but the podcast won’t just be about seascape photography. We plan to invite photographers & creatives onto the podcast and hear more about their experiences and passions, we want to know more about the person behind the lens or paintbrush. Sharing their stories and inspiring others. Our first introduction episode is now live on Spotify and also available via our website, Podcast Page. I’ll include links below if you are interested in listening

You Can listen to the podcast here

Speaking of inspiration, it has been a great month for meeting up with exceptional female photographers. It was super lovely to have the opportunity to catch up and spend time with Alex whilst she enjoyed a week in her van on Harris. We’d planned to spend an hour or so on Luskentyre Beach but the weather had other ideas so the warmth of the Harris Hotel was well received. Also superb to briefly bump into Shona Perkins who was leading a photography workshop on Harris, very inspirational. We shared an evening of photography on the wee beach with Fiona Campbell, met Lunar her wonderful pup and experienced the most incredible sunset we’ve seen in a long time. Also massive thanks to Fiona for the BTS image from that night. Ruth Grindrod has also spent two weeks in the Outer Hebrides this month so it was a joy to catch up over a coffee and Banoffee Pie chatting and discussing all things photography and the Outer Hebrides. Last week it was an absolute honour to meet Jen Spiers & her husband Paul on his birthday alongside Angela O’Neil and her husband John. I’ve admired Jen & Angela’s work for many years. Jen was the first female photographer on Instagram who’s work literally made my jaw drop, her work still does. She’s a true inspiration. All links below if you’d like to follow their work.

https://www.instagram.com/creative_light_photos

https://www.instagram.com/my_beautiful_scotland

https://www.instagram.com/fiona.a.campbell

https://www.instagram.com/ruthgrindrodlandscapes_

https://www.instagram.com/jenspiersphotography

https://www.instagram.com/photographybyangelaoneill

As always thanks so much for all of your support via Instagram, Facebook and Youtube, we have released a new video recently, it was fantastic to be back.

Take lots of care, until next time Adele & Max

Midnight Light, Northern Lights light up the sky at Seilebost, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides.

How the northern lights might look to the naked eye. Northen lights above the Harris Hills looking out towards Luskentyre, Outer Hebrides.

More than Pebbles, Bow Fiddle Rock, Moray Coast, North East Scotland

Photography in the Outer Hebrides

Time is flying…. It’s been just over two months since we relocated to the Outer Hebrides and set up home on the Isle of Lewis. Hopefully our previous Blog posts have provided an little bit of an insight into our experiences so far since we moved home but it felt quite apt to write to you today, on the last day of February.

The nights are now drawing out and the weather is sort of settling down, the winds are raging again today with gusts of up to 70mph around the Island but we have been able to head out with the camera much more during February which has been fantastic, rewarding and immensely exhilarating. We’ve been spending a lot of time exploring Lewis, the beaches on Lewis are just as magnificent as they are on the Isle of Harris. What has been especially nice is having the beaches pretty much to ourselves, vast wide open sands looking out to roaring waves, deafening sounds as they crash, golden sunlight reflecting onto the the ocean and backlighting the spray. One of the things that i have always loved about photography is how being out in the landscape or at the coast makes you feel. We both used to have full time professional roles at work and initially found photography a release from the every day, it has also been a healing process mentally for us in many ways. The camera has taken us on journeys that i don’t think we would have experienced hadn’t we have discovered a love for photography. Being out with the camera is now very much an emotional and meaningful experience, the small things like incredible patterns etched into the sands bring us as much joy as a beautiful sunset, the way the sand dunes glow during golden hour and the colour of the ocean under a dark moody sky fills us with what i can only describe as a big warm hug that recharges every cell. Witnessing the changing conditions and the power of the ocean reminds you that we are a very small part of the planet, that feeling walking back to the car after spending an hour or so immersing yourself in the outstanding beauty that the Outer Hebrides has to offer is one of calmness, peace and tranquility.

February has almost been a time of reflection, it’s ten years ago this month since when we first discovered the magic of Scotland. We stayed in Aultbea in the West Highlands and i can still remember how i felt seeing lochs and enormous magnificent mountains for the first time, light and cloud creating shadows as it passed over the landscape, sunrays peeping through gaps in the cloud and of course sideways rain a few minutes later. Having never experienced or seen anything like this before, we were totally in awe of the landscape and completely unaware of how this would shape the next ten years of our lives. We knew early on that being in Scotland was the dream, it took us eight years to then realise that dream with our move to Aberdeenshire. When we first discovered the Outer Hebrides in May 2023 it felt like discovering Scotland all over again, we certainly didn’t want to spend another eight years debating if we should relocate. After spending our first couple of months on the Island during the winter months, yes it has been challenging with the weather but you soon learn to not worry so much about it ….if we could sum up our experience so far we’d say something like “ Wow what a place, absolutely incredibly stunning, wild wet windy weather, hospitable friendly warm people, caring community, peace & tranquility & space to breathe and focus on what really matters to you. Of course you will find this in any community but for us the move has been literally been a breath of fresh air.

Experiencing Scotland isn’t all about the camera, we enjoyed many visits for a good few years before i really started to become interested in photography and always left feeling renewed. I’m much more relaxed about the whole photography process now which i believe is so much more beneficial to you on a physical and emotional level…..to give a little more context, I would get caught up with the expectations, what I’d seen online or pictured in my head and more often than not be disappointed that the sky didn’t light up or the waves weren’t crashing in as I’d hoped. I do think it’s part of a process when you are new to photography, for me it definitely was. Making the journey, spending money on travel, accommodation etc the thought process was i hope we come home with some good images. As we know the weather in Scotland has it’s own ideas and quite often i wouldn’t even get the camera out if there was the slightest bit of rain. I’m much more relaxed about that side of things now, i rarely research an area unless its cliff top. I will check the tide times and the weather apps but we head out regardless, no expectations just excitement. I’m drawn to the smaller things and experimentation, if the conditions are on our side we enjoy them, if they aren’t we embrace them. Shaking off the it needs to be perfect every time we head out hasn’t been easy but it has made photography much more relaxing. Removing the pressure allows more time to be open minded and see what is still in front of you.

What else have we been up to over the last couple of months… Other than heading out at every opportunity.

We met up with Ken & Wendy Walker at the Harris Hotel for a coffee and chat, a very lovely, warm & friendly couple who were enjoying a holiday on Harris. Ken is a fantastic photographer and it was an absolute joy to hear about his experiences in the world of photography and also about their own relocation to the East Coast. I love that photography is a community, it’s refreshing to actually meet people whose work you admire and chat to them face to face. We look forward to meeting up with Ruth Grindrod in March and hopefully many more wonderful people over the season.

We’re also planning on releasing our first YouTube video since September last year. We have so much footage from the last five months to share with you. The video will be more documentary style showing our move, some of the places we have visited alongside drone footage & images taken. We do plan on making more videos to share and are looking forward to heading out with the cameras getting back into the swing of video.

We’ve also linked up with Visit Outer Hebrides & Isle20 to promote our 1-2-1 & small group photography tuition & prints. Isle20 is a website promoting photographers, arts & craft makers with 32 Scottish Islands represented, with each maker/artist having their own online store. They have some wonderful gifts from over 600 businesses in the Scottish Isles. Visit Outer Hebrides provide lots of information & guidance on visiting these beautiful islands from accommodation, activities, see & do, food & drink, history & wildlife and so much more. Links below. You can also find our prints for sale in the Carloway Community Shop (Lewis) & also at An Clachan community shop (Harris) as well as our prints page on the website.

Warner-Tate Photography - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (visitouterhebrides.co.uk)

Scottish island gifts - we deliver the very best of the islands! (isle20.com)

Welcome to the Outer Hebrides - Outer Hebrides (visitouterhebrides.co.uk)

Photography for us is such a huge part of our lives, it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to provide tuition and share the experience in such an outstanding environment.

Thank you for taking the time to read the update, take care and hope to catch up soon.

Adele & Max

Drone image made by Max, I especially love how this images shows the wide open space of the beach with just me & the tripod looking out towards the incoming waves. The perspective of the drone images allows us to see the world in a different way.

Harris & Lewis 1-2-1 Photography Tuition

Earlier this month i updated the blog post to let you know that we had recently launched Coastal Creations, we are super delighted to be offering one to one photography tuition here on the Isle of Lewis & Harris and look forward to having the opportunity to welcome you. Costal creations is dedicated to breaking down barriers in photography in a supportive environment, allowing you the time to develop your skills and creativity at your own pace. If you are planning a holiday over to the Outer Hebrides and would like to book a photography session or if you are based on the island and would like to know more head over to our tuition page or click….. HERE

It’s just over a month since we relocated to the Isle of Lewis, what a month is has been. Sailing to Stornoway to begin our new journey was filled with a huge mixture of emotions all of which positive, overwhelming, exciting, and exhilarating to name a few. Our move was brought forward prior to Christmas due to the solicitors finishing up for the festive period and the completion date was set for the 20th December.

It didn’t take us long to get unpacked and begin to make the house feel like our home, I think the fact that it was just a few days before Christmas helped to push us along in getting organised. A walk along the beach on Christmas Day and Boxing Day with the dogs was like a dream come true, our local bay is truly beautiful, on a calm day waves gently roll in, as the waves break the greens tones of the water shine through, Oyster Catchers go about their daily business long the shore line and the views back towards the house over the still loch are stunning. The weather has however been pretty wild over the last two weeks with winter storms raging across the Atlantic Ocean, battering the Island with strong gale force winds. Yesterday was the first day that the Island hasn’t been covered by a weather warning in over a week. We’ve also had a beautiful blanket of snow fall which was so idyllic everywhere being covered in brilliant white snow with dark squally skies was breathtaking, apparently it’s the most snowfall seen on the Island in over ten years. Thick snow with gale force winds produced blizzard like conditions, snow blowing across the road with such force was something we’ve never seen before. Having visited Scotland for many years alongside living in Aberdeenshire for 18 months, we’re sort of used to the Scottish winters but the winds here definitely had me a little worried and awake for most of the night wondering if we would still have a roof in the morning. Thankfully the roof lived to see another storm but sadly two trees in the garden have been broken. A couple of days ago we headed down to a local beach around high tide as the winds were driving through, the power in the wind whipping up the ocean was incredible, needless to say we stood safely out of the way on the sand dunes looking out. Just now the winds are currently gusting and rain is lashing down on the windows as i write but that’s typical of Scottish winter weather and something we’ll have to get used to here on the Isle of Lewis. We’ve been fully embracing the weather and heading out in all conditions with the cameras, snow storms, hail showers, strong winds and rough seas. It’s been a privilege to be here on the island witnessing these conditions, seeing the weather change literally in a matter of minutes from blue skies to not being able to see anything at all is totally mesmerising.

Island life so far is fantastic, we have met some of our neighbours and have been welcomed by the community. Hebridean hospitality is second to none and the warm nature of people here is comforting. Looking ahead, we are excited to see the change of seasons over the course of the year, we’re also looking forward to exploring more of the stunning coastline and experiencing more of island life. We are thankful, appreciative and grateful to be surrounded by such incredible beauty and nature. We are incredibly fortunate to be fulfilling our dream, it’s good to have a dream, whatever your dreams are, never stop chasing them.

Always believe it is possible.

Until next time take care and keep well, Adele & Max.

Relocating to the Isle of Lewis

Happy New Year…

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year, enjoying precious time with family & friends. We would also like to wish everyone a safe, healthy and happy 2024.

We have so much to update you on and thought it would be nice to say hello via a blog post. We have several exciting things to let you know about, one of which involves life changing decisions and the other about what’s in store for 2024.

Apologies it’s been a while since we last updated the blog post, in typical fashion since I last wrote to you so much has happened. During September we had the adventure of a life time experiencing two and a half weeks touring the Outer Hebrides in our campervan. It’s a period of time in our lives that we wont forget. With very little planning we decided to head to Harris and spend a few days down time in the van before heading off to explore North & South Uists as well as the Isle of Barra. There was no itinerary, no expectations, just the freedom of a couple of weeks and a full tank of diesel. We stayed on some beautiful campsites and also enjoyed the facilities provided by West Harris Trust, enjoying breathtaking views out to sea from all over the Outer Hebrides. The highlight of the trip had to be the best display of the northern lights we had ever seen dancing over Luskentyre sands. The weather also had a few surprises in store for us with gale force winds several times during the trip. At one point over night we thought the windows in the van would blow through, the winds were that powerful, all good fun and just adds to the experience. Another highlight was meeting up and connecting with several other photographers who were also enjoying some time in the Outer Hebrides. It was lovely to finally say hello face to face with a few fabulous photographers that we follow on Instagram. We were also fortunate to be back on Harris in time for the Isle of Harris Distillery Whisky launch. The Hearach is the Islands first release of single malt, not that either of us are whisky drinkers but fond collectors. The whisky collection started many years ago during our very first visits to Scotland, we decided to buy a bottle every time we were in Scotland so it seemed very fitting to be involved in a little piece of history. There is a four part documentary on BBC Alba all about the distillery from the beginnings of them producing Gin right the way through to the whisky launch if anyone is interested….. Anyway, I’m digressing as usual.

If you have seen our videos from our time in the Outer Hebrides during 2023 you will know that in a very short space of time the Outer Hebrides captured our hearts to the very core. We’ve visited so many parts of Scotland more than once and been fortunate enough to find a release & escapism in the coast & landscape but never before have we felt so emotionally moved and in tune with an area. After we returned home from our trip in September we made the decision to relocate. Putting our house in Aberdeenshire up for sale felt a little scary but very exciting. We’d settled into our village well and spent 18 months enjoying the beautiful countryside and coast that Aberdeenshire had to offer but it didn’t really feel like home. We will look back on our time in Aberdeenshire with very fond memories, we made some incredible friends and felt very welcome. The move to Alford was for work purposes, Max was working full time, commuting into Aberdeen & Dundee but we had only realised part of our dream. Since discovering Scotland 10 years ago, the dream was always to live somewhere remote by the sea, our dream kept us both going through some very difficult times in our lives and also gave us something to aim towards. So the house went up for sale, storm Babet lashed down and viewing were a little sparse to start with but just three weeks later we had a buyer…. then the panic set in. We assumed the house would take a while to sell with it being later in the year and on the run up to Christmas, we were wrong. Our buyer wasn’t in a chain meaning that the process would be short & sweet, we quickly booked a ferry and started to look at houses for sale, selecting around 7 to view over a few days. I won’t bore you with all the details of houses we viewed, some were lovely but a little small or not in the right location for us, some offered other opportunities such as a six bedroom house that had previously been run as a BnB. We wanted a family home, our forever home, one that was perfect for us & our three dogs. On the last day before our ferry home, a house that we previously looked at but was outside of our price range was reduced…. a stroke of luck or fate? We both absolutely loved the house the minute we stepped inside and the rest is history. Six weeks later we have now relocated and making our dream house on the Isle of Lewis home. We are located within ten minutes of three beautiful beaches where I’m sure we’ll be spending a lot of time, we have so much to explore and discover both on Lewis & Harris and finally feel we are where we are supposed to be. We are very much looking forward to Island life, taking in the whole experience and embracing every second.

In other news since returning home, we were also involved with a SheClicks Webinar. For those of you who are unaware of SheClicks, it is a female photography community. You can find SheClicks on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, via their website and they also have a podcast. They are a very friendly bunch offering virtual coffee mornings, monthly themed competitions, meet ups and a whole host of valuable photography related information & advice (Link Below) We were asked by Angela Nicholson who founded SheClicks to present a webinar to the community about starting & running a YouTube Channel. Following on from our Podcast with Margaret Soraya over summer, this was a fantastic opportunity for us to encourage more women onto the YouTube Platform. It was a real privilege to be able to share some insights on how to go about starting up a channel alongside a little knowledge on how upload videos, make thumbnails and titles etc. With things escalating so quickly with the move and lots to organise we haven’t made any recent YouTube videos but will be back out and about very soon.

We are also very proud to be launching Coastal Creations in 2024. Coastal Creations will encompass everything we’ve dreamed about offering for many years. Bringing photography experiences, possibly a podcast, Facebook community and much more, click the link below to find out more.

SheClicks

Summer in the Outer Hebrides

Well what another couple of months that has been….

Time just seems to be going nowhere recently, only yesterday I saw Halloween products for sale in the shops, that only means one thing……we are on the countdown to… dare I say it, Christmas. Before we get to the tinsel & turkey and all that good stuff we’ll have autumn to look forward to with the rich orange, yellow and brown colours lighting up the landscape. Wow… that’s me taken us to the end of the year in just a few short ramblings.

So what have we been up to over the last few months, for those of you who don’t already know, we’ve visited the delightfully beautiful Outer Hebrides again, spending my birthday on the incredible Isle of Harris. It was an absolute pleasure whilst we were on the island to have the opportunity to visit Talla Na Mara to see Margaret Soraya’s exhibition. Margaret lives on Harris and had her beautiful work displayed proudly and rightly so on the walls. What was even more amazing was that we met up with Margaret at the exhibition having the opportunity to chat to her over a coffee. One of the most genuine, sincere and inspirational people we’ve met in a long time. Margaret’s work is exceptional, I’ll post the link to her website below for those who are interested, I’d definitely recommend taking a look. We also recorded a podcast in Margaret’s van with her dog Skye, such a joy and playful soul with a huge amount of character. The podcast was around female landscape photographers on YouTube and the lack of them. It still surprises me that we are one of only a handful of British female landscape photographers that have a presence on the YouTube Platform. We discussed reasons why this may be on the podcast, again I’ll post the link to the podcast below. It was probably one of the most surreal moments we’ve had in a totally good way, it was hilarious with Skye causing mischief, so much fun. If you are a female and have considered starting a photography channel but have yet to take the plunge, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch using the contact section, we’d be interested to discuss it further.

I’ve also been involved in presenting a talk to Donside Photography Club which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was great to have the opportunity to speak to other photographers about Seascape Photography and all things creative. The talk was well received by the members and has spurred me on to deliver more presentations. It has also been great to meet up with Don Nealon, a local photographer who got in touch with us after watching one of our YT video’s. We spent the day at a wonderful seascape location, it was fabulous to have the opportunity to chat to him and learn more about his journey with photography, the video from our day will be released on 30th August. It was also superb to meet Dave who was over from the Isle of Lewis in our neck of the woods, we met up at Dunnottar Castle and enjoyed a lovely discussion about all things photography related. This leads me onto our next venture… we are shortly heading back to the Outer Hebrides for just over two weeks, visiting the Uists and Barra, finishing with some time on the Isle of Harris & Lewis. We are really looking forward to meeting up again with Dave to explore some hidden gems.

I’m going to finish the blog update by thanking everyone who takes the time to watch our YT videos, leave a comment or a thumbs up, it really is appreciated, also to everyone who interacts on Instagram & Facebook. We enjoy sharing our experiences with you and will to continue doing so.

Be sure to check out the ‘my recent work and prints section’ which have also been updated.

Take lots of care, chat again soon…. hopefully before the tinsel & turkey makes an appearance.

Adele & Max

Margaret’s Websites - Photographer, artist and educator Margaret Soraya

‍ ‍Quiet Landscapes | Landscape Photography and Creative Retreats Scotland

Our Podcast - Creative Soundscapes with Margaret Soraya: Encouraging Women onto YouTube with Adele and Max Warner Tate on App

Discovering the Outer Hebrides

I thought I’d begin this update by sharing with you that this time last year we moved out of our home in Rossendale, North West UK to begin a whole new life and adventure in Scotland. It still actually blows me away that we are finally here after eight years of dithering but it was the best decision we’ve ever made. Over the last few months we have done quite a lot of travelling and have revisited Achmelvich Bay, we decided to head up April with the main reason for the trip being to try out the new awning for the campervan. After getting over the initial shock of assembling the drive away awning…what a difference it made to the amount space we had, not to mention additional comfort and somewhere to sit dry and warm outside of the van. As usual Achmelvich looked incredibly beautiful with its turquoise waters and golden sands. I decided not to take any images during this trip and instead we enjoyed some downtime, relaxing, enjoying the sights and sounds of the coast. We also spent some time with the family celebrating Max’s mums 80th Birthday, such a beautiful evening enjoying good food and wonderful company.

Into May saw us head over to the incredibly beautiful Isle of Harris & Lewis, somewhere we’ve dreamt of visiting for years. There genuinely are not enough superlatives that I can use to describe the immense natural beauty of the island. We headed over on the ferry from Ullapool , it’s around a two and a half hour crossing and thankfully we had calm seas, so much so that I fell asleep. The van again came into its own especially with the awning, the first night saw gale force winds, thank god we’d had a trial putting up of the awning session, luckily the awning remained in place overnight and the morning brought much calmer weather. Whenever we stay over in the van in any location we are always respectful of the area, the locals and the environment. Making sure we book campsites or stay in designated parking areas. The isle of Harris has many official camping spots in beautiful locations that allow you to stay over night for a five pound donation payable to West Harris Trust which we made use of.

The island has so many white sandy beaches with turquoise waters that literally blow you away & on several occasions we were reduced to tears by the outstanding beauty. We enjoyed hours of fun on the beaches and even in the water wearing our wetsuits…..how we wish we were back there now. We enjoyed our week in June so much that we decided to head back again for a short break. September will see us return again for around ten nights, we’re hoping to head across the the Uists and explore more of the Western Isles.

Photography plays a huge part in our every day lives, I’m still enjoying attending our local camera club weekly and have been asked recently to present a talk at Donside Camera Club which I’m very much looking forward to. Since returning from Harris we’ve visited Bullers of Buchan and were privileged to see puffins, coastal flowers during sunset at Portknockie and even attempted food photography for the camera club monthly assignment. Given that we enjoy and love photography to the level that we do it is always nice when other people enjoy your work, I was delighted recently to find out that I had been shortlisted in the Scottish Nature Photography Awards, Landscape Category and Commended in Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year, Seascape Category, I look forward to the exhibitions and year books from both.

I’ve was also recently asked to take part in a podcast with Kim Grant from Visualising Scotland. The podcast digs deeper to understand the journeys people have experienced with photography and how they connect to nature via the camera. The experience was great, so relaxed and informal chatting about all things photography related and how we use photography in nature to improve our wellbeing. It was an honor to be asked to get involved and I’ll hopefully take part in a few more this year. Kim has a deep love and connection to nature and hosts Photographic Connections alongside her YouTube Channel. I’ll pop some links below to the podcast and Kim’s YouTube Channel, there are some very interesting stories by other photographers that may inspire you.

Photographic Connections

@photographicconnections • Instagram photos and videos

Kim Grant - YouTube

We’ve also just released the first date for our photography workshop which will run on Saturday 7th October 2023 4pm until 7pm at Bowfiddle Rock. If you would like to get involved head over to the tuition section to book.

Enjoy the sunny weather whilst it lasts and take care

Until next time

Adele & Max

Life in Scotland

I can’t believe that it’s been over six months since we moved to Scotland, time really does fly. During the last six months we have spent time redecorating and settling into our new home, getting to know our lovely village and exploring our new surroundings. Since having a break from photography in the early part of 2022 due to surgery on my hand and relocating I was more than ready to pick the camera back up and get back into the swing of things. The East Coast of Scotland is absolutely beautiful and an area I’m ashamed to say that we hadn’t previously explored. Aberdeenshire has everything from stunning countryside, castle ruins, ancient forests, lochs and mountains to rugged coastline boasting sea stacks, lighthouses, stunning beaches and of course wildlife. We have so much to see and explore here that I absolutely believe it would take a lifetime and we still would not have experienced all of it. We are excited to see as much as we can and take you on that journey with us via our photography and videography.

This year we are planning quite a few trips away in the campervan and would love the opportunity to visit Harris & Lewis which has been a dream of ours for a few years now. That’s the other thing about living here, the Cairngorms National Park is on our doorstep and the West Coast and Far North of Scotland are very easily accessible. It still blows our minds that we have so much beautiful scenery locally or within a few hours drive. We’d also like to get the workshops up and running, I’m thinking March or April time when the weather improves and we have more daylight hours to take advantage of. Seascape Photography has become a huge passion of mine, I love to watch the waves roll or crash in, feel the sea breeze and experience the power of mother nature. I’ve thought about planning a route along the East Coast stretching from Stonehaven all the way along the coast to Findhorn Beach. It doesn’t matter if we find a small quaint little harbour or amazing sea stacks we’ll have fun finding and photographing them. During winter we have been very privileged to see and photograph the Northern Lights on several occasions, what an amazing sight in November 2022 stood looking out to sea watching the lights glow, form structures and dance in front of our eyes. Incredible and amazing . I’ve come to realise that so many people are not aware that you can view the aurora in Scotland, you don’t have to go abroad to see them and on a clear night with a new or small moon it is very possible to see them by eye. I was thinking about making a video on how to see and photograph them, which we did actually start to do until the camera fell over onto rocks so we gave it up as a bad job.

Since moving to Scotland I have also joined a Photography Group which I have thoroughly enjoyed attending. I would have never had the time previously so it’s refreshing and rewarding to spend time every week with like minded people who also have a huge passion for photography. I was asked to present a talk on Seascapes which I was delighted to do, it encouraged me to sit down and think about what drives me, what inspires and present some of my work. It was also a fantastic opportunity to share my knowledge and experience with the group. It also made me reflect on my own journey with the camera which I hadn’t anticipated. I’m sure we all have our own unique experience and reasons why we love to pack the camera bag and head out at daft o’clock or get wet feet on a regular occurrence. Personally photography has given me drive, ambition, confidence, a connection to the landscape and improves my mental health. I may at some point write about the why’s and how’s but if you are reading this and haven’t given photography a go then I would massively encourage you to do so, even with a mobile phone, the best camera you have is the one you have with you.

We’re excited for what 2023 may hold for us and look forward to every day in Scotland. We are hugely grateful and privileged to have been able to realise our dream of living here. So far we have experienced wild winds, heavy snow, thick ice and double digit minus temperatures and loved every single minute of it.

Anyway, I’ll sign off for now and will update again in the next few weeks. Take care.

Adele & Max