The very first time I went to Scotland, over 30 years ago, I immediately fell in love with the place. What captivated me about the Scottish landscape was how wild and unpredictable it was. It's one of the only places I've been to in the world where it's not unusual to experience all four seasons in one day.
For that reason, even if I go to the same location every year, I know I will come away with a completely different image. This is especially good when I'm photographing classic locations, such as Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe.
There have been times when I've photographed this castle where all the elements have come together - great light, mirror-like reflections, dramatic clouds, and a dusting of snow on the mountaintops - but, unfortunately, that was not the case on this occasion. I only had one out of these four elements working for me, apart from a bit of mist that strangely hung in a line just above the castle.
There was no point including the milky white sky: it would just have been a distraction. Instead, the sky provided soft, even lighting. Some would say it's bad light, but there's no such thing as bad light: just the wrong subject for the existing light.
This story is from the September 2022 edition of N-Photo: the Nikon magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2022 edition of N-Photo: the Nikon magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Quack shot
A rain-soaked Robert May proves you don't have to head out searching for elusive birds of prey to capture stunning shots of birds in flight
Kim Grant
Scottish landscape photographer Kim Grant prefers chasing more intricate - even abstract - images and tells Keith Wilson why she eschews the large, wide views of well-known locations
Heal the noise
Find out from James Paterson which are the best noise reduction tools in Photoshop
Clone in a crowd
Make multiple clones and master essential layer masking skills in Affinity Photo with James Paterson
Full of hot air
Mike Harris photographs Bristol Balloon Fiesta from Clifton Observatory so he can frame the city’s famed suspension bridge
Flutter speed
Mike Harris shows you how to capture beautiful butterfly close-ups without a tripod
Take-off sequence
Nigel A Ball uses Pre-Release Capture mode and fast burst speeds to shoot butterflies on the wing
The perfect gift
My 30th birthday marks more than a decade as a pro- and all I want is a cracking moment with nature at a stunning location holding my camera
20 top tips for...Autumn landscapes
Mark Bauer gives some expert advice to help you capture the vibrant colours of the landscape during the most photogenic season of the year
A game of tones
Our apprentice meets a vintage diver and channels the House of the Dragon with pro Paul David Smith