Bonny Scotland doesn’t get much bonnier than this.
Scottish photographer Fiona Campbell has spent years turning her lens on the wild landscapes of her home country, leading to a spellbinding collection of images that take you from Scotland’s rolling Highland region to its wind-whipped coast.
Chatting with MailOnline Travel, the 42-year-old says: ‘The fantastic thing about the Scottish landscape is that it has all of it, from rugged mountains to limitless rivers and lochs to its stunning coastline and white sandy beaches. But what makes Scotland so special is that there’s a certain mood to this place, and when conditions are right, the sunshine will be truly spectacular at times.’ Campbell, who was born in Inverness and lives within the Highland village of Corpach, admits that she’s ‘drawn to the dark and moody imagery’ that, to her, reflects classic Scotland.
Which parts of this vast and varied country are her favourite to document? Campbell admits that Glencoe within the Highlands is a treasured spot, saying: ‘This area has all the time been an element of my life, even after I was a small child visiting Glencoe for picnics and to paddle in its beautiful lochs and streams, so today it’s a place that holds many glad memories for me and where I’m going to unwind.’ She adds that the Isle of Skye can also be high on her list of favourite places ‘as a consequence of its grandeur and dramatic landscape’.
Certain challenges include photographing the country’s epic terrain – early starts are needed to capture landscapes at daybreak, and Campbell often must wear double and even triple layers of clothing to endure the unforgiving weather conditions that Scotland is understood for. There’s also a component of editing involved after she has secured the shot, a skill that Campbell has been working fastidiously to hone prior to now yr. Campbell says: ‘I now have a method I’m glad with. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but that is the fantastic thing about photography – it is a subjective art form.’
Below is a handful of images from Campbell’s portfolio. Prepare to see Scotland at its finest…
Glen Nevis, a glen that is set on the foot of Ben Nevis within the Lochaber region of the Scottish Highlands, is the topic of this atmospheric, autumnal shot. Drawing attention to the tree trunk within the foreground, Campbell says: ‘Each time I pass this tree I stop to look, it’s such a unusual fella’
Mist settles on Loch Ba, a loch within the Great Moor of Rannoch within the Scottish Highlands. This serene picture was captured during a ‘beautiful’ morning
The mighty mountain of Stob Ban is painted in a magical light on this picture by Campbell. The photographer says that the height, which is a component of the Mamores ridge mountains within the Scottish Highlands, has a ‘moody’ appearance within the shot
On this stunning photograph the sun sets over the Fairy Glen, a landslip that sits above the village of Uig on the Isle of Skye. Campbell describes the sweetness spot because the ‘most magical, mystical place on Skye’
This dynamic photograph, taken after a heavy spell of rainfall, shows Grey Mares Waterfall outside the Highland village of Kinlochleven
The verdant Glencoe valley is the topic of this spellbinding photograph, which is a composite of two images. Touching on the unsettled weather that is visible within the shot, she says: ‘The weather within the Scottish Highlands could be very changeable… bad weather can often be the very best conditions for photography, creating imagery packed filled with drama and atmosphere. Low cloud often shrouds the high mountain peaks, making a mystical feel to the glen; the rivers and streams swell, and waterfalls cascade down the hills all adding to the magic of this location.’ She continues: ‘Glencoe is not a destination famed for topping up your tan and arguably, wet and gloomy conditions are when Glencoe looks at its most majestic’
The setting sun lights up the sky on this breathtaking picture of Loch Shiel within the Scottish Highlands. Recalling the evening she took this shot, Campbell says: ‘The sun dipped below the clouds for just a number of moments, bathing the distant hills in a fantastic glow’
The Quiraing, a landslip on the Isle of Skye, is pictured on this awe-inspiring shot by Campbell
Light filters through the clouds on this magnificent picture of the height of Bla Bheinn – also often known as Blaven – on the Isle of Skye
Bow Fiddle Rock, a sea arch on Scotland’s north-eastern coast that’s so named since it has the identical shape because the tip of a fiddle bow, is beautifully captured on this shot by Campbell. It was taken at moonrise and sunset, she reveals
This dramatic photograph was captured from Elgol, a village that lies on the Strathaird peninsula on the Isle of Skye. The island’s Cuillin mountain range looms within the background
Waves crash along the shoreline of the village of Elgol on this powerful picture. Campbell notes that that is her ‘favourite place to go when there’s a storm’
A rainbow cuts over Loch Leven near the Highland village of Kinlochleven on this enchanting photograph
This mesmerising picture was taken on a day spent ‘moseying across the icy shoreline’ of Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute. Across the loch are the ruins of Kilchurn Castle, a fortress that dates back to the fifteenth century
This other-worldly photograph shows Loch Ba within the Scottish Highlands – Campbell says she was ‘on a high’ after witnessing this stunning landscape
