Ebb and Flow, Part 2
Allt Dearg Mòr
By the time we reached Skye, checked into our Airbnb, and found some dinner, it was late. Thankfully, when you’re that far north in the summer, the sunset is also late, but with an overcast Skye, the light was fading fast. I couldn’t wait until morning, so I grabbed my camera and tried to seize the moment.
My Dad and I drove to Loch Leathan. On a clear day, the Old Man of Storr looms on the horizon, but tonight the hill was swallowed by low cloud. It was almost dark, and a light rain drifted through the air. I fitted an ND filter to smooth the water and capture some motion in the clouds. Sometimes you just have to make the best of the situation. The result was dark and moody, but I like that.
With all the time in the world, you could wait for perfect conditions, but I’ve said this about Scotland before: if you’re hoping for perfect conditions, you’re standing in the wrong place. You make peace with what you’re given. Flat light? Work on composition. Bad weather? Let it be the subject.
Over the next few days, I was struck by the fact that you could live in Skye your whole life and never run out of things to photograph. Still, when you have an impatient toddler along for the ride, you have to be efficient and fit photography in where you can. Luckily, I like photographing waterfalls, and he likes throwing rocks in rivers. That happy overlap made Allt Dearg Mòr a highlight. Again, the foreboding sky set the mood, but I found some contrast in the bright wildflowers in the foreground, and show that it really was summer.
Neist Point was another favorite. The lighthouse there is a classic subject, the kind that tempts you into postcard clichés. The light wasn’t great, but the foreground was scattered with jagged rocks, perfect for building a unique composition. I used the opportunity to experiment with focus stacking, piecing the scene together with intention.
No trip to Skye feels complete without hiking to the Old Man of Storr. I kept delaying it, hoping the weather app would promise a glorious sunrise or sunset. It never did, but we hiked anyway. The light stayed flat, but the clouds rolled through with their own kind of drama. I didn’t improve on my past photographs of the Storr, but the climb was worth it—the landscape is incredible, light or no light.
It might be a few years before I return to Skye, but I’m already looking forward to it.
Loch Leathan
Neist Point Lighthouse
Portree
The Old Man of Storr
The Sound of Raasay
Allt Dearg Mòr Wildflowers
