I had dreamt of making a living from photography for quite some time, as I’m sure have so many others. I know it’s the dream of many keen amatuer photographers to turn pro but having done so myself, is the reality all I thought it would be?

I had planned to eventually turn pro for 3 or 4 years, I knew it wouldnt be a quick or easy process, but then what is when it comes to running your own business?

Having discovered my passion for capturing landscape images and at least a hint of ability,I spent the next few years absolutely immersed in everything photographic. I learnt the fundamentals of composition, light,line,texture, shape and form in order to understand how to create compelling images. I read up on Gestalt theory, colour pallets, depth of field and hyperfocal distances.

I studied my camera and every technical detail so that I could look at all its myriad of functions as tools at my disposal rather than unhelpful and confusing buttons.
Then there is the post processing side of things which requires climbing a huge and steep learning curve. And finally you have to be able to put it all together and be able to create beautiful prints that show the images you painstakingly captured to their best.

What I’m saying is, if you want to turn pro and have a chance at success you have to invest a great deal of time and money to gain the knowledge and skills you will need to try and stand out from the millions of photographers already taking the snap shots that you think are quite nice and might sell.

To sell consistently you have to either have a better product than your competition or be able to produce the same product for less. I never planned on producing cheap record shot type photography. It requires you to work on large scales and produce huge volumes of work. I dont think there is anything wrong with that, but for me the passion and the satisfaction is in creating beautiful images. That requires a more measured approach than just taking the camera with you everywhere and hoping something happens.
I plan my shoots so that everything is working in my favour, the tides the light, prevailing wind etc. All to try to maximise my potential for getting great images without waiting for weeks for the right conditions.

Having painted the picture of where I wanted to be, I then set about getting there. A steady investment in equipment to build up all I would initially need to be able to start my business and putting all the above knowledge into practise. I carried on working in my mundane office job, all the while just thinking about the time when I could leave to do what I really wanted.
During this time I sacrificed things some people take for granted, I didnt have a car, didnt go out partying, buy expensive clothes or take holidays aborad. But was it all worth it?

I moved to the Isle of Harris in August 2010, a little old croft house in need of much attention was where I’d be based.(In fact it still needs attention!)
The view out of my front window is of the harris hills and behind my house are the waters of East Loch Tarbert. On sunny days i can wander down to the loch and watch otters play. The hills are 5 minutes away and the stunning beaches of West Harris are 10 minutes in the car. To me at least this is an inspirational landscape, full of potential.

I have spent a significant part of my first 8 months here building up my portfolio of images. That was obviously my first priority. The business would be nothing without them. As a landscape photographer this is the best part of the job, so I have been having a whale of a time getting out there and shooting the stunning scenery. Its amazing I feel like I have hardly touched on the beauties of this small island but still I have managed to capture some beautiful images.

Gradually however the time I’ve been spending actually out shooting with the camera has decreased as I look to get a return on those images in the form of cold hard cash.

Initially my thoughts were that sales may be there through the limited local retail outlets. But on studying the market I realised that the market segment was too low and the volume for that sector was simply not high enough, hence my re-evaluation.

I then turned my attention to the website. Competition is fairly high on the islands but as with everything if it is done correctly it stands a good chance of working. The web design has to fit the market and most importantly has to be visible. Choosing the design was quite simple and the website was up and running in a comparitively short space of time (I think it took me 2 weeks initially). The work comes in the form of tweaking the website to ensure it ranks highly on the search engines.

Time has to be spent optimising content, talking to other businesses to get links and let them know about your presence, and of course seeing what the competition is doing and trying to better it. I wont go into detail for obvious reasons but this process has taken a while but it is now starting to pay off. Im on the first page of google for some of my lesser keywords and I’m moving up the rankings on the others. The time scale on these processes is a long one, what i do now I will see the benefits of in 3-6 months time hopefully. Oh and of course theres the blog, and all other forms of marketing, twitter, facebook, business directories, and arts and crafts guides, business cards, posters, are all part of this.

As you can see a large portion of my time is now having to be devoted to tasks other than photography. If you have unlimited resources then yes, it is possible to contract this work out but it will be expensive and you lose some control.

The website is now starting to be effective and with the oncoming tourist season it should start to see good returns.

The next stage which I am in the middle of is to find a physical presence on the Isle of Harris itself. I am currently in discussions with a local gallery to display my work and these look to be very promising.
Alternatively I have looked into building my own gallery but this will alter my business fundamentally and could become a full time job in itself. I shall of course let you all know how it progresses on this weekly blog.

Which way I will turn is not certain yet but I am firmly of the belief that if your images are good enough and you put in the time on the business aspects of things then you stack the odds in your favour for success.

So, is it worth it , is the reality matching the dream?

I would say the answer is a resounding yes!

I can shoot virtually when I want as I control my schedule. If the weather happens to be perfect I still have the option to drop what I’m doing and go out with the camera.
Seeing my images come together to start to form a body of work is very rewarding and that others value what you do is uplifting.

Yes the hours are incredibly long right now, but I am working for me, not doing menial tasks in an office like I used to be. I wake up in the morning and know I control my life now. I have the opportunity to create work I’m proud of and I shall be working my socks off over the coming years to improve every aspect of my business and to make it succeed.

I hope you can too.

The Top 10 things to do on the Isle of Harris

If you are planning on visiting us here in the Outer Hebrides then here’s my suggestion of the top 10 things to do on the Isle of Harris.

1. Climb The Clisham for the best views of the Western Isles.

2. Visit the local art galleries, starting with The Finsbay Gallery to see my photos. Then why not visit   Skoon art cafe  with beautiful paintings by Andrew John Craig as well as a selection of freshly prepared food.  Many of the islands residents would personally recommend Skoon as the best art cafe on Harris and I agree.  The owners are delightful and they work hard to promote art on Harris by kindly stocking all the other artists marketing literature.

3. Visit some of the Harris Tweed weavers in the bays and Luskentyre and see them creating this wonderful fabric. Or buy from the shops in Tarbert.

4 Relax and take a stroll on one of the many golden beaches of Harris.

5.Watch otters play along the coastline. Particularly good locations are Kyles at Scalpay and Flodabay in the bays area.

6. Watch for whales and basking sharks in the Sound of Harris
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7. Take a boat trip to St Kilda.

8. Look out for Golden eagles in the Harris hills and Sea eagles around the coast.

9. Visit St Clements church at Rodel

10. Buy a memento of your trip from one of the islands talented artists or photographers

I know its a top 10 list with 12 things on it but I have to include a couple more

11. Experience an impromptu Ceilidh during the summer season at one of the bars in Tarbert or the Harris Hotel.

12. Visit some of the islands many archaeological sites such as Macleod’s Standing Stone.

There is of course much, much more to see on the Isle of Harris and I havn’t even touched on the Isle of Lewis. Hopefully this little guide can serve as a good starting point when planning a trip to the islands.
Next I shall cover places to stay on the Isle of Lewis.

Accommodation on the Isle of Harris

I thought I would list some ideas for you to use as a starting point to planning your stay on Harris. There are plenty of options, particularly self catering accommodation so this list is aimed at giving you an easy place to start your search from. So here is a quick list of some accommodation on the Isle of Harris for you.

If you would like your property adding to the list then feel free to get in touch.

Castles (yes thats right castles)

Amhuinnsuidhe Castle .

Hotels

Harris Hotel .

Hotel Hebrides.

Ardhasaig House Hotel Bed and Breakfast .

Self catering

Urgha Self Catering .

Scarista House, Guest house and self catering cottage

Blue Reef Cottages .

Borvemor Cottages .

Camping

Lickisto Blackhouse Camping .

Minch View Touring Park .

Wildcamp.

Winter Photography on the Isle of Harris

With the arrival of spring (althought you wouldn’t know it from looking outside) I thought I would give some impressions of my first year of winter photography on the Isle of Harris.

I had heard horror stories of just how extreme the weather is up here and tales of “the cold” but to be honest I have found the weather very similar to other parts of the UK. I used to live in the Midlands and I can honestly say the previous winter in the midlands was colder than this one up in Harris.
The real difference up here can be the wind. I would say that perhaps a couple of days a week we get quite strong winds up here (30-40mph or higher) and they do affect how cold it can feel. However these winds also mean that the weather is ever changing up here and it makes for some beautiful light, where the clouds are literally passing over your head as you take images.

Without these winds im sure we would have far more grey and miserable days, so i am quite happy for them to remain.

Now obviously these winds affect my photography in a number of ways. One initial thought is that a sturdy tripod is essential (I use an aluminium Manfrotto 055 XPROB ). And ensure you set it up in a sturdy position, I have had the stomach wrenching feeling of turning around to see my tripod, camera and attached filters all falling to the ground in what seemed like slow motion! Luckily there was only a slight scrape on the camera body. Once you have had this happen to you, you will check and double check the solidity of the way you place your tripod.

However the wind has this other effect which is great for producing stormy, dramatic photos with transient light and ever changing clouds and weather.
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The low levels of light we get up in the Western isles in winter mean that the days can feel very short. Sun rise in mid December is after 9.00 and it sets again before 4pm. However this can actually be a benefit for photography as it means the so called “golden hours” around sunrise and sunset are at a much more reasonable time. (good if like me you struggle in the mornings). The quality of light throughout winter is also fantastic. The sun stays low in the sky meaning long shadows are cast over objects giving beautiful contrast but avoiding the bleached out look that happens during mid day shooting in the lighter months.

The short days do mean that you have to pick your shooting locations carefully. For instance there are several places that I am desperate to shoot that simply do not receive enough sunlight to capture at this time of year. Selilebost beach is one place I have been to a lot but im yet to see it at its best due to its west facing location and the fact that it is surrounded on three sides by hills. The sun just doesnt get high enough in the sky to light it as I want. This has had the benefit of making me search out different beaches, perhaps a little more off the beaten track and less photographed than some.

I am also keen to get up in the hills and photograph the stunning peaks of North Harris but again they are not lit to their best in winter. I have a shot in mind including Loch Langabhat and The Clisham which involves me shooting from the North of the mountains. Its just not going to happen in winter as I need the Sun to be setting in the West and in winter it is setting in the south west and so not lighting up the slopes as I would like.

These are all little nuances that no matter where you live you have to learn and adapt to. It is part of the charm of the environment that as a landscape photographer you start to understand a little better than before. In fact while working on the Isle of Harris I have felt much more in touch with nature and the land than I have since I was a child. The very need to know what time the sun rises or whether it is a high tide or not makes you much more aware of the changing world around you. You become aware that the sun is setting in a different location than the week before and the days have grown long and you have to set the alarm earlier in the morning. To feel so in touch with nature harks back I think to a very primevil human instinct when our very existence depended on such knowledge and so it gives great satisfaction to re visit these ancient experiences.

Another aspect of the weather up here, and in fact the reason I am writing this article today is that yes we do get grey days, when you become very aware that we are a small island off the west coast of Scotland stuck in the Atlantic.
Planning here takes a very weather reliant form. You cannot plan days in advance, or at least you cannot do so with any confidence. The way I work is to decide what I want to shoot, how I want it to be lit and then plan that shoot so that when I do get a break in the weather I am already ready to go. It also pays to not be reliant on getting shots purely in better weather. Grey days are perfect for shooting rivers and experimenting with different shutter speeds like I tried .

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You have to learn to be adaptable and be able to shoot in all sorts of conditions. Some of the most dramatic shots you will get will be at the edge of weather fronts moving in and you have to be prepared to get a little wet sometimes (*hint buy decent wet weather gear. Id personally recommend Paramo. which will keep you dry and warm, as well as mountain equipment. and Rab. which both make great jackets too, but you should be fine with any goretex or Event jacket and trousers).

The main thing is to get out there and learn what works and when the weather is simply not going to do anything for you then stay in and write a blog entry like I am now, or update the website, submit to your image library, magazine or competition or heaven forbid do the accounts( but the combination of miserable weather and doing the books may be just too much for most to bear). Flexibility is the key. I am just thankful that the Sabbath is still observed in Harris which gives me a nice quiet rest day at least once a week and long may it continue.

Now im looking forward to Spring with the growth of new flowers and the birth of new creatures, it is sure to be an exciting and wonderful time and I already have quite a few shots in mind.

I recommend you come and see these wonderful Islands for yourself.
To learn more visit this fantastically informative website run by Joanne Mackenzie-Winters .Joanne Mackenzie-Winters or have a look at my links page to see how to get here where to stay and what to do when you arrive

Canon 5D MK 2 review

I’ve been using this camera a while now and thought It was about time I gave my Canon 5D MK 2 review.

I wont go on about the technical details as these are freely available on the Canon website amongst many others.

When I considered upgrading from the EOS450d I had a few requirements… There had to be an tangible improvement in image quality that I could see,and was relevant for my work. And it had to be capable of producing the highest quality output for my clients and customers.

Now from the research I had done I wasn’t expecting miracles in resolution and IQ difference as the EOS450d I was already using was quite a capable camera. So I was expecting to see improvements in fine details in large prints but didn’t expect to see anything major on my rather small 15inch laptop screen.

I’ve found that a lot of the time information posted on the internet is tinged with bias and unfounded opinion often swayed by the alleigences of the poster.
I have no such allegiences, I use Canon equipment but would have no issues switching to Nikon or any other brand if the equipment was significantly better. Note it would have to be a significant improvement to warrant the loss I’d incur on my Canon lense investment.

The 5D mk 2 was in theory the perfect choice for my Isle of Harris photography business. Full frame, 21 megapixels for superb IQ, resolution and large file output. Light in weight for a full frame camera although still no point and shoot, it is comfortable to lug up hills and along the beaches for day long walks in a lowepro bag of one variety or another.
Weather sealed although not to the 1d series standards, it has stood upto some serious Western Isles drizzle and when caught out in a downpour, panic to get it packed away doesn’t overcome me. I can usually get the shot and calmly shelter the camera if need be.

In reality the image quality this camera produces is fantastic. I took a few test images down at my local loch. The images i got just from that shoot put a smile on my face. Not because they were great images but I was relieved that my not insignificant investment had produced “the goods”.

IQ was excellent, resolving the minute details in the landscape and the colour and contrast was way better than I had seen before. The camera definately ticked the image quality box, so much so that I wouldn’t consider using a non full frame camera as my primary set up anymore (unless things change significantly of course). There is a significant difference in detail levels between this and the 450d. However I would also note that for non commercial applications and unless you are highly critical these differences may not be “significant” to you. Sizes upto 13×19″ may not yield a huge improvement to the less observant eye. But, when image quality is paramount the differences and improvements are there for all to see.

The image files this camera captures are huge with raw files being in the 26mb region and 16bit tiffs somewhere around 120mbs you need to make sure your computer is upto the task. (I use a high end dual core laptop with 6gb ram aswell as a desktop with 4gb of ram, they both cope well but I can see in the not too distant future a need to go quad core especially if using the video function on the camera,which I dont)

This does give you a lot of room for cropping after the event so if you shoot like this then it makes for a very flexible system. I have used this on a couple of occassions and it does give you confidence knowing you have plenty of file size to play with. However I am of the opinion that you should try to get the image as close to perfect in camera or else it becomes more a skill of image manipulation than image creation. This also has the benefit of cutting down my time spent post processing at the pc.

The handling of this camera will prove familiar to anyone who has used a xxd body up. It is a sturdy, solid construction and feels durable. Unlike the plastic feel of the xxxd models. The shutter makes a solid clunk when it operates and this seeming durability is born out in the figures with sutter life being in the region of 150,000 actuations compared with the 450d’s being in the region of 50,000.

If you have used Canon bodies before then the important buttons are all where they should be. The playback, delete and picture style buttons are located vertically down the left hand side of the LCD display rather than horizontally along the bottom as on xxd models and the iso and top panel light button are also positioned differently but these are only slight changes and make no difference in the real world.

As well as gathering more detail and better contrast the full frame sensor also affects depth of field. This can be both a help and hinderance depending on what you shoot. If you shoot portraits then it is undeniable that the shallow depth of field and bokeh achievable with this body and a large aperture prime lense is superb.
It is also the case that I have to pay a little closer attention to ensure I get all details of a landscape in sharp focus as the depth of field is shallower on this body compared to a crop sensor. However this isn’t a fault, just something to be aware of.

The larger sensor in my opinion also seems more prone to dust. Having had the camera a few months the sensor dust on my images was becoming a real nuissance and so today I gave it its first wet clean. This has sorted the issue out but it is definately more of a problem than on my previous cameras. Bigger frame= more dust, it makes sense I suppose.

The final feather in the cap of this camera is the prints it is capable of producing along with professional Epson printers.

Upto A2 is printed at native resolution without the need to uprez the image(make it bigger). This yields superb prints that are the equal of any gallery print your ever likely to see.

I sell my prints to customers with the absolute confidence that the image quality will equal or surpass anything they have seen before and this confidence is an important part of selling your images.

The Isle of Harris and the Western Isles are staggeringly beautiful and a dream location for landscape photography and I know that the Canon 5D MK2 can do them justice and produce images and prints that are worthy of these stunning islands.

Next stop, a super wide angle lense……

If this review helped you then I’d appreciate it if you bought your camera through my link (it wont cost you anymore but helps towards the running costs of the site)