Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape Photography Locations => Topic started by: Shakyphoto (Slim) on February 26, 2013, 01:09:17 am

Title: Scotland
Post by: Shakyphoto (Slim) on February 26, 2013, 01:09:17 am
Hi all,

Last time I posed a question about shooting locations, I only gave myself 1 week for feedback.  This time I'm going to try a different route.  I will be in Scotland in the summer time for about a week.  I'll be playing a few rounds of golf with friends, but on my off time, will definitely want to shoot cool landscapes.  I'll definitely have to get some castles grass hills, old towns and such since I have nothing here like that where we live.

Suggestions?
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: francois on February 26, 2013, 04:05:25 am
Hi all,

Last time I posed a question about shooting locations, I only gave myself 1 week for feedback.  This time I'm going to try a different route.  I will be in Scotland in the summer time for about a week.  I'll be playing a few rounds of golf with friends, but on my off time, will definitely want to shoot cool landscapes.  I'll definitely have to get some castles grass hills, old towns and such since I have nothing here like that where we live.

Suggestions?

I hope that Scot members will chime in but I love the west coast of Scotland and the Isle of Skye is a paradise for landscape photographers. I haven't spent enough time on the east coast to give any recommendations…
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: PhotoEcosse on February 26, 2013, 04:10:02 am
Very difficult to answer this meaningfully.

Summer is not the best time for photographing Scottish landscapes, other than at sunrise and sunset. In June it hardly gets dark at all and best times are probably around 10:30 - 11:30pm (later if you are north of the Great Glen) and 2:30 - 4:00am (BST).

Not sure what you mean by "grass hills". You really want heather-clad mountains - but not until well into August.

The north-west coast and islands provide some opportunities, especially if the weather is "dramatic".

On the east coast, try the Black Isle (which isn't an island) and any of the fishing villages along the Moray coast.

A week is a very short time to see much of Scotland, so maybe you have to concentrate on one or two particular areas. But, wherever you go, have fun.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: francois on February 26, 2013, 04:18:37 am
…A week is a very short time to see much of Scotland, so maybe you have to concentrate on one or two particular areas. But, wherever you go, have fun.

Yes, it's also important to mention that distances don't seem as big of a deal on a map but driving can get very slow.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Hulyss on February 26, 2013, 07:37:23 am
I will organize workshops in Scotland next year and it will be available on my web site soon for registration. Yes, it is possible to appreciate Scotland in less than a week but it necessitate some tricks and sacrifices to be successful. Scotland is vast and I may say it need several trips to be covered.

For the ones of you who like trains, gastronomy, and would like to discover Highlands in a comfortable way I recommend you this:

http://www.royalscotsman.com/web/rs/the_royal_scotsman.jsp
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Wim van Velzen on February 26, 2013, 01:05:01 pm
I have been to many places in Scotland; Summer can be great but be prepared to work early and late (as mentioned above).
Where will you play golf?

And have a loot at my site http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: David Watson on February 26, 2013, 02:50:41 pm
Hi all,

Last time I posed a question about shooting locations, I only gave myself 1 week for feedback.  This time I'm going to try a different route.  I will be in Scotland in the summer time for about a week.  I'll be playing a few rounds of golf with friends, but on my off time, will definitely want to shoot cool landscapes.  I'll definitely have to get some castles grass hills, old towns and such since I have nothing here like that where we live.

Suggestions?

Going to the west coast in summer is prime midge (a small mosquito like insect) time so take some very good insect repellent and be prepared to get bitten on windless (less than 4m/hour) days.  Whilst it does get dark very late and the sun rises very early it does mean that dawns and dusks last longer in some ways.  If you are playing golf on the famous courses be prepared for very slow rounds so take your camera there too!  Other than that have a great time in my home country.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: tom b on February 26, 2013, 03:31:55 pm
Scotland is vast…

http://www.royalscotsman.com/web/rs/the_royal_scotsman.jsp

LOL, coming from an Australian.

Cheers,
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: David Watson on February 26, 2013, 04:53:33 pm
LOL, coming from an Australian.

Cheers,

I think that the poster missed out the last bit -

"Vastly superior". Coming from a Scot LOL
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: PhotoEcosse on February 26, 2013, 06:05:05 pm
As an example, today after lunch, I drove to Glen Etive which is about 130 miles from my home. Got there about 3:00pm and photographed until it was almost dark at about 5:45pm. Took 120 exposures with the 14-24mm f/2.8 on my Nikon D800E and the 70-200mm f/2.8 on the D800. Apart from general landscape, there was plenty of "special interest" such as icicles, frozen streams, red deer stags and hinds, farm and forestry buildings, muirburn, etc. Not much of a sunset today I'm afraid.

But the point is that the Glen Etive road - from the Glencoe road to the Loch Etive sea loch - is less than 10 miles and I could easily have spent 10 times as long as I did and still not explored it comprehensively.

So I think that what several of us are saying is that on a very short visit to Scotland - especially one with some games of "gowf" arranged - you will either have to take a scattergun approach and just scratch the surface of maybe 30-40 different locations carefully selected to form a logical circuit (and taking account of the golf courses) or, alternatively, concentrate on maybe 4 or 5 locations and do them in a bit more depth.

Either way, a suggested route, taking Stirling as a starting point, would be up the A85 to Fort William, the Road to the Isles to Mallaig, over on the ferry to Skye, back off Skye by the Skye Bridge, back down to the Caledonian Canal and up the Great Glen towards Beauly, across to Cromarty then back to Inverness and along the Moray coast. Then down to Grantown on Spey and down the A9 to Perth. That could be done in a week (although 6 months would be better) and it will give you a range of mountains, glens, rivers, lochs, islands, several castles, seaside, etc. It does miss out the northern third of the country and also the southern and south-western parts. But, hey, you have to leave something for your next trip!
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Hulyss on February 27, 2013, 04:23:12 am
I think that the poster missed out the last bit -

"Vastly superior". Coming from a Scot LOL
LOL, coming from an Australian.

Cheers,

 ;D I admit it's a tad expensive :) I forget to mention.

But, compared to France for example, Scotland is more expensive.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: PhotoEcosse on February 27, 2013, 06:48:25 am


But, compared to France for example, Scotland is more expensive.

Vous avez toujours à payer pour la qualité réelle
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Shakyphoto (Slim) on March 01, 2013, 12:38:07 am
Keep the feedback coming.  At least I know that Scotland takes a while to travel through despite the short distances.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: PhotoEcosse on March 01, 2013, 03:37:36 am
At least I know that Scotland takes a while to travel through despite the short distances.

Well, the distance from Wigtown in the SW to Wick in the NE is about 354 miles and, keeping to the speed limits, you could drive it in about 7 hours. But as there are probably several hundred photo opportunities on the route, you wouldn't want to!

Why not give a list of the golf courses that you will be playing on and we could maybe taylor something to suit.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: RawheaD on March 01, 2013, 03:56:54 am
OK, I need to subscribe to this thread :D
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Shakyphoto (Slim) on March 01, 2013, 12:16:48 pm
Well, the distance from Wigtown in the SW to Wick in the NE is about 354 miles and, keeping to the speed limits, you could drive it in about 7 hours. But as there are probably several hundred photo opportunities on the route, you wouldn't want to!

Why not give a list of the golf courses that you will be playing on and we could maybe taylor something to suit.

PhotoEcosse,

Now that would just make it too easy for you to give me advice wouldn't it?  :)
My friend is organizing it, I will get the list of courses and the order and will send to you.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: PhotoEcosse on April 02, 2013, 01:45:14 pm
Any details yet, Slim?
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Chairman Bill on April 02, 2013, 02:31:41 pm
Assynt, specifically the Inverpolly area. 'Nuff said really. Quinag, Canisp, Suilven, Cùl Mòr, Stac Pollaidh & Ben More Assynt may not be the highest, but a more remarkable set of mountains you'll be hard pressed to find. Gems in a setting of rock & water, with fantastic skies (when it isn't raining). And the coast is great too.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Shakyphoto (Slim) on April 03, 2013, 12:32:17 am
Any details yet, Slim?

Not yet, I've asked our family friend to send our itinerary and he has not done so yet.  Will check back soon.  Thank you for following up.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: markmullen on April 03, 2013, 06:14:32 am
I'd really recommend spending some time around Glencoe, look up the history of the place before you leave, you'll feel it when you get there (those who know Glencoe will understand what I mean). Take the road to Loch Etive down Glen Etive, so many opportunities. Castle Stalker is a classic shot as is Eilean Donan castle a bit further up towards Skye. The road to Mallaig from Fort William offers plenty of potential and when you get to Mallaig you can get the ferry to Skye which is a photographers paradise.

Be prepared for weather changing by the minute and midges depending on what time of year you visit.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: PhotoEcosse on April 03, 2013, 07:51:22 am
The road to Mallaig from Fort William offers plenty of potential

Some spectacular night shots of the grass fires at present!!

.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Dave (Isle of Skye) on April 05, 2013, 07:16:20 am
Some spectacular night shots of the grass fires at present!!

.

Here's an image showing the effect that the heather fire smoke is having on the sunsets at the moment. This shot was taken at Ord, which is one of my favourite local photographic spots on the Isle of Skye and just around the corner from where I live  :)

Dave
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Shakyphoto (Slim) on April 07, 2013, 01:31:52 pm
Thanks all for the recommendations.
Finally got the itinerary.

Will be within an hour of EDI for 5 days.
Will be playing at Archerfield, Gullane, Muirfield, St. Andrews. (Golf)

I will also have 2 days before and after the golf outing for other stuff (photos)
I have a feeling that renting a car is essential in this case?
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: PhotoEcosse on April 07, 2013, 06:04:11 pm
Those locations are all close to the coast of south-east Scotland but a long way from the Highlands and Islands.

On your golf days, you will probably have time to sneak away and photograph the fishing villages and harbours of the Fife and East Lothian coasts.

Yes, a car will be pretty well essential. My suggestion would be that, for the two days before the golf, drive up through Glencoe and over-night in or near Fort William. For the two days after the golf, drive up the A9 and branch off to the Cairngorms and maybe the Moray coast, perhaps over-nighting in Grantown-on-Spey.

But don't spend too much time driving the car and too little clicking the shutter.
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: JMCP on April 08, 2013, 03:37:11 am
Hi,

Not sure yet were in Scotland you are going but if down near the west of the central belt then let me know as I know of a few ruined castles worth visiting like Kilchurn castle near Inveraray (also has its own castle and old jail house), castle Lachlan at strathlachlan which is also next to an excellent place to eat called inver cottage, you can then drive past there to otter ferry, tighnabruaich and then on to a viewpoint over the kyles of bute.

If you are in this area, all these places can be visited in an afternoon but there are numerous other places to see in that area like Arrochar and the Arrochar alps, rest and be thankfull, an early morning drive down loch eck which can be truly spectacular.

Cheers, John
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Shakyphoto (Slim) on April 15, 2013, 12:28:34 am
@Dave Isle of Skye - Awesome and inspiring image
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: Shakyphoto (Slim) on April 15, 2013, 12:35:00 am
Since I'll be near Edinburgh for a good 5 days, I will just use my off free time to take photos near them as the opportunity arises.
I'm now thinking of taking 3 and half days at the end of my trip and going up near Fort William and seeing Eilean Donan Castle, kilchurn and the area around there as my main focus.  Should I devote 3 days around here or can I make my way to Isle of Skye and Inverness as well?
Title: Re: Scotland
Post by: PhotoEcosse on April 15, 2013, 09:26:54 am
If you are at Eilean Donan, you are only 15 minutes away from the Skye Bridge, so it would seem a shame not to drive over and spend at least a few hours on the island (but don't hope to see anything like it all in that time).