Photography

PICTURE PERFECT

While there are many ways to engage with the lives and landscapes around you, one of the most rewarding is to invest a bit of time and creativity in photography. Helen Moat looks through her viewfinder at the rich potential provided by a Photography Trail in the Outer Hebrides

The beauty of photography is that it draws us into the landscape. It focuses the eye on its detail – the curve of a bay, the interlocking contours of lochan and land, the ripple of tide, the pattern of shell or sea eagle’s feathers.

Whether it’s the rich colours and textures of the machair or the luminous light, cobalt blues and aqua-greens of the coast, the Western Isles provide the photographer with something unique. The ever-changing weather only adds to the richness of the Hebridean palette; within minutes skies and seas can turn from pale turquoise to bruised purple. On the shore, the wildflower plains of machair are a tapestry of delicate yellows, pinks and purples.

Far from being a specialist hobby, taking pictures is something most of us with a smart phone in our pocket can attempt fairly easily; in addition it can be taken up by young and old, on your own or in family or larger groups, and it’s a reminder that outdoor pursuits don’t always have to be all-action physical adventures. The memories have a long shelf-life too, whether in a frame on your wall or as a screensaver.

The range of possibilities for the photographer provided by the countless islands, islets and skerries of the Outer Hebrides has been acknowledged in a Photography Trail created by Outer Hebrides Tourism. It reminds us that throughout the Western Isles the photographer can experience heartsoaring upland wilderness as well as the soul-restoring splendour of coastal bays, sea lochs and fresh water lochans.

Capture the pounding surf of the rugged Butt of Lewis or the razorsharp sea stacks off Garry Sands and

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SNAP HAPPY: SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Photographer Rachel Keenan's work can be found throughout this guide, as well as in other CalMac materials. Here, she shares her top tips and tricks for photography around the west coast and islands

Rachel Keenan

I have too many favourite places. I enjoy climbing the crags of the Cuillin Mountains, photographing the surf atop the cliffs at Neist Point, or camping near one of Harris' beaches. The changing light and seasons of these islands mean no two visits are the same, supplying endless views for the landscape photographer.

In outdoor photography, it is as important to pack your patience and resilience as your tripod and lenses. In my job assignments don’t often allow for time to wait for a sunny day, even in summer. I try to reframe outrageous weather as an opportunity to create something moody and dramatic, using long exposures to turn waves into smokey panoramas, or snowy scenes into something abstract.

While touring the islands I have had some terrific wildlife encounters, often quite by chance. From the deck of the CalMac ferry I’ve seen a minke whale mother with a calf in tow and the blue-eyed majesty of gannets following the ship.

If you’re mapping out your photography wildlife spotting mission to the islands, I’d suggest using The Hebridean Whale Trail app or following The Bird of Prey Trail. These excellent resources pinpoint areas of likely sightings as well as useful wildlife resources such as the stunning Otter Hide on the Isle of Rum, a beach-facing shelter at the end of a path through dappled woodland.

A boat trip to the Treshnish Isles will take you to the puffin colony that summers there. Also on this tour is the geological and geometric wonder of Staffa with its peculiar shapes and volcanic basalt columns.

Also keep in mind that these are islands for all seasons, so don’t be put off by the shorter days of winter as this is the perfect time to capture the cosmic marvel of the Aurora Borealis. It’s a gift to those who photographically persevere during the colder months of the year! n rkeenanphoto.com

the neighbouring sweep of strand at Traigh Mhor. There are countless beaches of pale sands and shallow waters of jade: don’t miss the shell sands of Bosta Beach on Great Bernera or the exquisite coastal colours of Hushinish and Luskentyre on Harris. Heading onto the Uists via Benbecula, you’ll find a watery landscape of marsh and loch, and a western seaboard that echoes all the coastal beauty of its northern neighbours. At its southern tip, the islands of Eriskay, Barra and Vatersay offer up the magic of the Hebrides in miniature.

The eastern seaboard generally presents a very different character: a rocky coastland with a hinterland of lochans and moors. Here you may encounter otters and seals, and with so much water – sea and fresh water lochs as well as ocean – there’s no shortage of birds from ducks and divers to the islands’ most elegant waders: curlew, oystercatchers, redshank and sandpipers. Visit the islands in October to experience the mighty roar of a rutting stag and capture red deer on the water’s edge or high on the hills. All that’s needed is a long zoom camera and oodles of patience.

It’s not just the Hebrides’ extraordinary natural beauty that provides great subject matter for the photographer, as the islands are rich in man-made heritage. When the mists roll in, ancient standing stones, burial chambers, brochs (Iron Age roundhouses) and duns (ancient hillforts) provide ample opportunity for moody images. Just half an hour’s drive away from the bustling fishing town of Stornoway, the Neolithic Callanish Stones stand surrounded by sea lochs. Wander uninhibited among the slabs of 300-millionyear-old Lewisian gneiss at dawn or dusk when the light is particularly atmospheric. Not too far away, Gearrannan open-air museum is a fine example of a thatched blackhouse village, while Howmore on South Uist boasts beautifully restored blackhouses alongside the ghostly ruins of a medieval ecclesiastical complex.

For additional inspiration, pay a visit to some of the galleries, museums, visitor centres and art venues celebrating Hebridean photography. While waiting for your ferry, pop into An Talla Solais in Ullapool, which promotes the region’s art and photography. In Stornoway itself, An Lanntair Arts Centre regularly holds photography exhibitions along with a permanent collection from Lewis-based Mhairi Law. Don’t miss Hebscape Gallery and Tea Room at Ardhasaig on Harris featuring the work of Darren Cole – the views from the picture windows echoing the extraordinary light and colour captured in his images. Displays at the striking Talla na Mara Community Centre a little further south, Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre on North Uist and the equally fascinating Kildonan Museum in South Uist can all often showcase local talent and perspectives.

For further details, search for Photography Trail at visitouterhebrides.co.uk. Details of arts centres and cultural venues can be found on page 46. From top: North Uist; Callanish Standing Stones, Isle of Lewis; Cliff Beach, Isle of Lewis; Traig Mhor Beach, Isle of Lewis

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