I consider nightscape photography (or landscape astrophotography to be more technical) to be the form of photography I enjoy the most, being out there under the stars on cold nights, capturing our galaxy’s stunning beauty. Long exposure images of the night sky reveal star patterns, nebulae, aurora and cosmic dust unseen by the naked eye, sparking wonder about the universe. I enjoy the process immensely as it is both creatively and technically demanding, requiring considerable planning, execution skills and the ability to edit images well. It’s a steep learning with more steps back than I dare to recall, but it’s well worth the effort.

I find that few photographic pursuits are as rewarding as seascape photography. The ever-shifting dance between light, water, and sky offers limitless opportunities for creativity and discovery. My favourite destinations for seascape photography include the Outer Hebrides, the Aberdeenshire Coast and the Northumberland Coast.

I also love lighthouses. Their photogenic charm blends drama and story: perched on cliffs or lonely shores, they mark moody landscapes with iconic silhouettes. Scotland has some really unique lighthouses that make for ideal photographic subjects, acting as symbols of hope, safety, and adventure.

I love to photograph misty lochs and lakes in the hush of early morning and I’m lucky to live fairly close to several good locations in the Trossachs National Park. Photographing a misty morning scene gives me joy - it’s in this calm, timeless stillness that we find a rare invitation to pause, breathe, and fade gently into nature's quiet embrace.

From my perspective woodland photography is about capturing nature’s quiet moments. It is a challenging genre though. Compositions require great care to handle the natural messiness and chaos of many woodland environments. I find that it pays to look at scenes from various angles and perspectives, and reflect on how they might work better in different conditions or seasons before I dismiss them completely. Also I’m always on the look out for lone trees. They make for great photographic subjects because they stand as solitary sentinels against the landscape, offering striking shapes and strong silhouettes. Their isolation emphasises scale, mood, and the surrounding environment, allowing for dramatic compositions.

I should point out that whilst I’m not a big hiker at all, I have climbed a few munros! I do love to include mountainous backgrounds wherever possible and therefore having the Scottish Highlands just a couple of hours away from where I live is a real blessing. The dramatic shapes and ever-shifting shadows of mountain and hill environments create an enchanting playground for light for landscape photographers.

I enjoy photographing small details and textures as i explore the landscape. The process invites me to venture beyond the obvious, unveiling hidden worlds that often go unnoticed. Frozen leaves, pebbles, and other intimate scenes transform into miniature landscapes in their own right, brimming with character and story.

Castles captivate me with their timeless blend of mystery, history, and rugged beauty, and Scotland and northern England offer plenty of good choices. Whilst on my travels I often seek out interesting cultural and historic landmarks to check out photographic potential. The inclusion of monuments, towers or standing stones, for example, in images gives them more of a timeless quality.

A collection of photographic oddities that don’t quite slot into the familiar folds of my usual landscape, seascape, or nightscape galleries. Includes some architecture, waterfalls and river scenes (I’m not sure why I’m not drawn to these more), and rural scenes.