I started photographing the Scottish highlands after over 10 years of enjoying the hills through walking and climbing. My background in and passion for the outdoors has provided me with a clear direction for my photography, simply to capture and present the landscape of the Scottish highlands as it is.

My Process

Every image featured is real. My images are captured and processed digitally to bring out the best of the scene presented. The primary objective of my process is the pursuit of realism, creating a window to what I saw and experienced.

I work only with what I see and capture at the time. Occasionally over multiple exposures, moments apart. Transient elements, minor distractions and artifacts created by my equipment may be removed. But more often than not I choose to present my images as they were, ‘flaws’ included.

In order to photograph the Scottish hills in the best light, I will either camp on the summits of the hills themselves or approach in the early hours before the sun has risen. Often, I will only descend after the sun has set. Whilst this approach can be arduous, it is intrinsic to the appeal of photography to me. Whilst it can never be fully conveyed in a photograph, the experience of every moment up to when the shutter is ‘clicked’ will always be my primary motivation.

Recommended Learning Resources

Image Editing

Image editing is a widely misunderstood aspect of photography predicated on the misconception that that a ‘straight out of camera’ image is the most honest depiction of the subject or scene. In reality, skillful image editing is not only preferable but often necessary to recreate what our eyes see in the landscape. Whilst image editing is but one of many core ingredients which make a successful image, it is a skill which, if neglected, will hold back an image from realising its potential. Fortunately, images can be edited to the highest standard using simple concepts and techniques. Moreover, online resources are available for free to allow any aspiring photographer to learn to edit their images in this way.

Below are my recommendations for arguably everything you need to know about image editing (for free):

• Professional Editing with SIMPLE Tools for Landscape Photographers by Alex Nail

• Mastering White Balance for Landscape Photographers by Alex Nail

• Photoshop Curves - Pt.1 One Tool to Rule Them All! - The curves tool for Landscape Photographers by Alex Nail

• Photoshop Curves - Pt.2 Local Adjustments - The curves tool for Landscape Photographers by Alex Nail

• Photoshop Curves - Pt.3 Mastering the Color Curves - The curves tool for Landscape Photographers by Alex Nail

My Gear

I use a Nikon Z7 full-frame mirrorless camera and typically carry only two lenses, a Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S and Nikon Z 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 S. Many of my photographs are taken around dawn or dusk, when the light is at its best. This necessitates the use of a tripod to maximize the image quality my equipment can produce. I use an FLM CP-30 S tripod and Really Right Stuff BH-40 ball head.

Alex’s approach to photography has been a huge inspiration for my own and the above resources taught me 99% of what I know about image editing today. To see more of Alex’s photography, book a workshop or online image editing session visit his website here.