Day 2 of my first big landscape expedition of the year started with a leisurely start, with a week ahead of me I had enough time not to have to be up at the crack of dawn. Unfortunately heading out of Fort William I suffered something which every landscape photographer will understand, a lack of exciting light. As photography is essentially capturing light the right light is critical. For my landscapes I enjoy stormy light, sun, serene colours, most types of light, apart from flat grey overcast, which is exactly what today offered.

Heading towards Mallaig on the A830, the Road To The Isles, I turned off at Kinlocheil and down the banks of Loch Eil, a location which has proved fruitful for me in the past. There was a stunning low mist hanging over the loch but unfortunately the sun never broke through, any photograph would have been purely a snap. I waited and waited but alas the cloud thickened meaning it was a no-go. 

Back in the truck I headed towards Mallaig and to the Glenfinnan Monument. I decamped and had a lovely hike around the banks of Loch Shiel but again there wasn't any decent light. Walking back to the car I disturbed a family group of deer. I was quite close to them when they appeared through the woods, what appeared to be a male, female and fawn. I think they were Roe deer in winter coats, they were a lot more brown than the usual reddish coloured ones you see, if you happen to be a deer expert please let me know. Unfortunately they recognised a telephoto lens being attached and were on their toes and away.

I turned off at Lochailort and followed the road along the loch to Glenuig and on to Kinlochmoidart. Here I got my only shot of the day;

Snow Capped Ceann Loch UachdrachA house nestles in the shadows of Ceann Loch Uachdrach near Ardmolich in the highlands of Scotland, the snow capped peaks and forestry give the scene a layered look.

I liked how the landscape formed layers, and the house nestled in the shadow of the mountain.

From here I carried on  through Salen and towards Ardmurnarchan, this was a bit of a self indulgent trip, I have very fond memories of a family holiday where we rented a cottage at Camus Inas, right on the banks of Loch Sunart, it was so close to the loch that at high tide most of the garden disappeared under water! I was able to see the cottage we rented and nothing appeared to have changed, such is the pace of life in this part of the world.

Heading back towards the Corran Ferry  I stopped and dropped into Resipole Studios where I met Andrew Sinclair who was happy to show me around the superb work, even though he was in the middle of rehanging and reorganising the gallery. It is definitely somewhere I will return on my next trip and urge you to if you are in the area.

Crossing the Corran Ferry I turned right and headed down to Castle Stalker on the offchance that there might be a break in the clouds at sunset, sadly not.  I headed back and recce'd a shot on the banks of Loch Leven, then back to my hotel.

It wasn't a wasted day, it is always great to be out and about in the highlands, and it is simply one of the hazards of being a landscape photographer that some days the camera never leaves the bag. Hopefully tomorrow will be more successful.

Dinner now and an early night, I am going to be out early in the morning.