Life in Scotland

1st February 2023

I can’t believe that it’s been over six months since we moved to Scotland, time really does fly. During the last six months we have spent time redecorating and settling into our new home, getting to know our lovely village and exploring our new surroundings. Since having a break from photography in the early part of 2022 due to surgery on my hand and relocating I was more than ready to pick the camera back up and get back into the swing of things. The East Coast of Scotland is absolutely beautiful and an area I’m ashamed to say that we hadn’t previously explored. Aberdeenshire has everything from stunning countryside, castle ruins, ancient forests, lochs and mountains to rugged coastline boasting sea stacks, lighthouses, stunning beaches and of course wildlife. We have so much to see and explore here that I absolutely believe it would take a lifetime and we still would not have experienced all of it. We are excited to see as much as we can and take you on that journey with us via our photography and videography.

This year we are planning quite a few trips away in the campervan and would love the opportunity to visit Harris & Lewis which has been a dream of ours for a few years now. That’s the other thing about living here, the Cairngorms National Park is on our doorstep and the West Coast and Far North of Scotland are very easily accessible. It still blows our minds that we have so much beautiful scenery locally or within a few hours drive. We’d also like to get the workshops up and running, I’m thinking March or April time when the weather improves and we have more daylight hours to take advantage of. Seascape Photography has become a huge passion of mine, I love to watch the waves roll or crash in, feel the sea breeze and experience the power of mother nature. I’ve thought about planning a route along the East Coast stretching from Stonehaven all the way along the coast to Findhorn Beach. It doesn’t matter if we find a small quaint little harbour or amazing sea stacks we’ll have fun finding and photographing them. During winter we have been very privileged to see and photograph the Northern Lights on several occasions, what an amazing sight in November 2022 stood looking out to sea watching the lights glow, form structures and dance in front of our eyes. Incredible and amazing . I’ve come to realise that so many people are not aware that you can view the aurora in Scotland, you don’t have to go abroad to see them and on a clear night with a new or small moon it is very possible to see them by eye. I was thinking about making a video on how to see and photograph them, which we did actually start to do until the camera fell over onto rocks so we gave it up as a bad job.

Since moving to Scotland I have also joined a Photography Group which I have thoroughly enjoyed attending. I would have never had the time previously so it’s refreshing and rewarding to spend time every week with like minded people who also have a huge passion for photography. I was asked to present a talk on Seascapes which I was delighted to do, it encouraged me to sit down and think about what drives me, what inspires and present some of my work. It was also a fantastic opportunity to share my knowledge and experience with the group. It also made me reflect on my own journey with the camera which I hadn’t anticipated. I’m sure we all have our own unique experience and reasons why we love to pack the camera bag and head out at daft o’clock or get wet feet on a regular occurrence. Personally photography has given me drive, ambition, confidence, a connection to the landscape and improves my mental health. I may at some point write about the why’s and how’s but if you are reading this and haven’t given photography a go then I would massively encourage you to do so, even with a mobile phone, the best camera you have is the one you have with you.

We’re excited for what 2023 may hold for us and look forward to every day in Scotland. We are hugely grateful and privileged to have been able to realise our dream of living here. So far we have experienced wild winds, heavy snow, thick ice and double digit minus temperatures and loved every single minute of it.

Anyway, I’ll sign off for now and will update again in the next few weeks. Take care.

Adele & Max