Lightstalkers's Blog

One Eyeland and me

lightstalkersscotland — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:30:08 +0000

One Eyeland is a website featuring a host of photographers work from around the world. Within the site is some the best imagery that you are likely to encounter. It’s an inspiring, thought-provoking hot bed of ideas, observations and creativity. Work is submitted, accepted and rejected on a daily basis and photographers are ranked globally and nationally. I guess this keeps up with egos and gives the site a competitive nature. I have been a premium member for over and year and currently rank #7 in the UK and #32 in the world. Maybe I should submit some more images?

One the way to Skye via Glensheil this view smacks you in the mouth as you drive along the shore of Loch Clunie

Creative directors surf the site looking for images and talent, commissions are made and ideas are born. I just like the images and thought you might too. Visit www.oneyeland.com

Winter Highlander Photo Tour with Lightstalkers Scotland

lightstalkersscotland — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:41:20 +0000

The end of February could be the last chance to capture some winter scenes here in the Highlands, 6 glorious days to explore, capture and create some great winter images. Highlights include the The Cairngorm NP, the UK’s biggest and the mountains and lochs around Wester Ross.

Inverpolly and some wild landscapes on Skye will also feature. It’s mild here at the moment but things can change quickly and the temp is set to drop. We have known cold conditions and snow into April and even May on the low mountains.

Images: top – From the Quiraing, Isle of Skye, below – view from An Cobar (Ben Wyvis) Wester Ross.

Happy New Year

lightstalkersscotland — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:20:14 +0000

Thanks for all your support in 2011, been a good year. Looking forward to 2012 and exploring some great locations. Re visiting Tasmania in March as well as some new Highland locations and hope fully meeting some new faces along the way.

This is one of my favourite scenes from 2011, not necessarily my favourite photograph but it’s one that always grabs my attention. It’s Kilbride on Skye, on the way over to Elgol. I love the mountain “Blaven” in the background and I often wonder if the folks that live in that house ever get lonely?

Another memorable trip in 2011 was Harris and Lewis, the outer Hebrides. I went over a few weeks before the workshop just to touch base with the locations and iron out a few things, the rough ferry trip over from Ullapool was an ominous sign. After 2 hrs crashing through big waves I drove down to Luskentyre on Harris. It was high tide and still blowing a wild gale as water whipped up over the road. This was September. After failed attempts to get onto the rocks I went for a walk on the dunes, a safer option. Impossible to take any photographs I retired to the pub to watch Manchester Utd get humbled by inferior opposition. I guess when it’s not your day it’s not your day.

After a wild night sleeping in the back of the car buffeted by the howling wind all night I set off north to Lewis, stopping en route at the Calanais standing stones (above). An atmospheric place that leaves a lasting impression on the mind and the camera sensor. Harris and Lewis really get Fortunatly the workshop in October was a mild affair with great weather, light and company.

New Lightstalker Tour

lightstalkersscotland — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:26:31 +0000

This has been my busiest period since starting Lightstalkers almost 2 years
ago. All my recent trips have sold out and I’m now looking towards 2012
and developing some new locations and ideas.

After the success of the
Highlander tours I thought I’d det up a new tour with some new locations
with a similar format. The New Lightstalker Tour will run during May and
feature some new locations that don’t normally feature during the
Spring/Summer/ Autumn months. The Lightstalker tour will feature Glencoe,
Glen Nevis, Glenfinnan, Arisaig beaches and some other areas on The
Isle of Skye. I’m also going to develop a further trip that starts in
Inverness and ends in the Scottish capital Edinburgh, it will also feature
Torridon, Applecross, Dornoch and the Tarbet Ness Light house and the Cairngorm National Park, watch
this space.

Isle of Mull Images

lightstalkersscotland — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:15:32 +0000

Isle of Mull – The workshop

lightstalkersscotland — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:52:12 +0000

Julie, Kerryn and Sandra at the mouth of Fingals cave on the Island of Staffa, the sun eventually found us after a bouncy, wet and misty trip over.

Chilling out (and holding on) on the boat back.

The guys on the top of Staffa

Getty ready for the post sunset shoot on Calgary beach.

Sandra and Julie at Eos Fors Falls.

Early morning session at the Rubha nan Gall Lighthouse.

Raasey

lightstalkersscotland — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:07:16 +0000

Every now and then you witness a scene, and even with your best efforts it can never do the place or event justice. This was taken while driving along the Applecross peninsula , looking west towards Skye. Crepuscular rays as they are known are a common sight along the North West Highlands, but this one was pretty dramatic and I doubt I’ve done it justice.

A day in Torridon

lightstalkersscotland — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:40:27 +0000

Spent yesterday with Katy and Stuart from London on a day trip to Torridon and Applecross. Although the weather proved to be frustrating we still managed to get some great results and the guys are now shooting in manual mode and have a new understanding of light and the capture process after a day in the field. Thanks guys.

Couple of images straight out of the camera below feature a stand of Caledonian pines amongst a swathe of colourful bracken and heather, soft side lighting the key to this image. Forests provide a great location during dodgy spells of weather.

More Highlander pics

lightstalkersscotland — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:38:53 +0000

More images from the August trip

August Highlander Tour

lightstalkersscotland — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:10:12 +0000

From hidden waterfalls to sunshine on Skye, the August trip was as productive as it was fun. With participants from Germany, Luxembourg the US and UK on board all experienced some great locations including the Bow Fiddle Rock in Moray and mountains and beaches of the North West Coast.I’ve attached some images straight from the camera via the iPad showing some of the locations photographed last week.

With the iPad in my camera bag I’m now able to upload and view images at each location straight after capture which is an invaluable tool, enabling participants to review composition and exposure in more detail there and then.

Chris from New York introduced me to a Polaroid variable ND filter which enables you to vary the light entering the camera by up to 6 stops, it,s a screw on an offers an alternative to the 10 stopper made by Lee which doesn’t offer the same flexibility in my opinion.

Working on hyper focal focusing, classic foreground, middle ground background compositions, mastering exposure and experimenting with Chris’s flash and shadow effects along with Kerstin’s Holga photography all created some memorable experiences on this trip.

Thanks again to Chris, Marc, Kerstin and Jane for their participation.