It is no secret at all, that the Isle of Skye is one of the most spectacular places in the UK. Situated in the North-West of the Scottish Highlands, this small island is home to some of the most incredible sights, that capture the imagination of all those who visit. Even though I have visited several times, the Isle of Skye feels so surreal on every single occasion. The untouched landscapes are simply breath-taking. I was lucky enough to be sponsored by Columbia and Blackleaf to go and capture some images, while trying out some of their kit. Here’s how it went down.
After a couple of uncertain years, getting outside and experiencing different environments has been very important to a lot of people, for both their physical and mental health. So, when I was approached to plan a trip, I knew that the Isle of Skye would be the perfect place to disconnect from the bustle of life and reconnect with the calmness of nature. After spending some time researching, I decided to head out to the very Northern tip of the island. Here, I planned to spend some time watching the various resident wildlife and exploring the beauty of this area.
When planning a trip to the Scottish Highlands, the one thing you need to take into consideration is the unpredictability of the weather. When people say you can experience every single weather condition in one day here, they are not wrong. This was the reality of our stay. The beginning of our trip consisted of a constant battle against the high winds and heavy rain.
After a couple of days trying, and failing, to make it out to the Rubha Hunish coastline, we decided to make one last attempt at catching a break in the rain. Luck was finally on our side as on our approach, the clouds parted and gifted us with some much anticipated sunshine. After the challenging conditions of the previous few days, it felt incredibly rewarding to finally have some success whilst we were here. With the visibility as good as it had been all week, it meant that I could finally head over to the cliff’s edge, and spend some time observing the wildlife that lives there.
It is well known that you can see various whales and dolphins off this coast, however I spent most of the afternoon admiring the birds, watching them fly in and out, diving in to the sea to try and catch their dinner. It was truly amazing to disconnect and take in the wonders of the natural around me. Taking the time to reconnect with nature is something that has always been so important to me, even more so since I began working as a full time creative.
In the past, I have been guilty of getting caught up in the fast paced nature of my work, and not taking in the beautiful locations that I am fortunate enough to visit. I know I’m not the only photographer who will feel this way and in fact, photographer or not, we are all culpable of ‘capturing the moment’ as opposed to living in it. This trip, for me, marks the start of a personal mission to spend more time taking in the raw beauty that surrounds me, and to reconnect with nature.
