Quiet Landscapes Blog
My life as a photographer living in the Highlands of Scotland, endlessly spending time alone on the Scottish islands and leading workshops for people who wish to discover their inner photography approach drives me to share all kinds of information. In my blog, you will find information about how I plan workshops, the photographic kit I use and how to get to various places.
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Benro Tripod Shoes for long exposure Seascape Photography
Kit
Benro Tripod Shoes for long exposure Seascape Photography I photograph mostly long exposures seascapes and generally I photograph right on the shoreline or in the water. Which means that my cameras and tripods are prone to sinking in the sand as the tide washes in and out and leaves the sand waterlogged. During a long…
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Loch Ness photography book
Landscape
Loch Ness Photography book released I have just released my Loch Ness photography book and it is available on my online shop now! The book is of photographs from around Loch Ness from around 5 years of heading out to capture the most atmospheric conditions on the loch. I live next to Loch Ness and…
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A creative Retreat in Italy with Sean Tucker
Healing, Retreats
Creative retreat in Italy with Sean Tucker Taking time out for yourselves and going somewhere outside your normal daily environment to allow yourself to rest and to be creative is so important. Along with many others, my best ideas and creative thoughts happen when I’m in complete rest. And it’s no good me talking about…
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Underwater photography on the Isle of Harris
Gear, Scottish Isles
Underwater Photography On the Isle of Harris From the very first time I began to practice underwater photography on the Isle of Harris, I had a vision of wanting to capture an image in snowy conditions. Of the snow on the mountains. Still yearning for this image, I spent a month on the Isle of Harris…
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Isle of Harris photography in March 2022
Scottish Isles, Stay, Workshops
Isle of Harris photography in March 2022 Two weeks photographing on the Isle of harris I’ve enjoyed another fabulous two weeks photographing on the Isle of Harris, and I wanted to share with you all how wonderful it was to enjoy some unseasonably warm weather there this time. The extraordinary, sunny conditions for photography were…
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Harris photography workshop in February
Workshops
Harris photography workshop in February I have just returned from my Harris Photography workshop in February 2022. I spent 3 weeks on the Isle of Harris prior to the workshop to get to know more intimately the land,new walks and observe even more closely how each of the beaches on the island works. This becomes…
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Creative Photography festival
Retreats
New creative photography festival in the Highlands of Scotland organised by Margaret Soraya. 3 days of workshops masterclasses and talks. Speakers include Marianthi Lainas, Mark Littlejohn, KJ Nasrul, Paul Sanders, Charlotte Bellamy, Lesley Lintott, Kim Grant, Bill Ward, James Kelly, Anna Deacon, Margaret Soraya, Justine Ritchie and Cassandra Baron
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Paul sanders mindful photography on my podcast
Lifestyle
Paul Sanders speaking on my podcast about mindful photography Paul Sanders is a photographer who has a very special way of seeing the world. I recently interviewed him on my Quiet Landscapes podcast about his life and work. His beautifully calm B & W images come with a message that is deeper than just the…
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Isle of Harris Photography workshop
Scottish Isles, Workshops
Photography workshop on the Isle of Harris, November 2021 Another really successful photography workshop on the Isle of Harris has ended and I’d like to share with you some of the wonderful experiences I’ve been lucky enough to capture in five days on the Hebrides. I have been visiting and photographing the Isle of Harris…
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Seascape Photography on Tiree
Scottish Isles
I recently spent a week photographing seascapes on the Isle of Tiree which is in the Inner Hebrides. Tiree is a very small, remote island that feels very much back to nature.
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Landscape photography workshop on the Outer Hebrides
Scottish Isles, Workshops
Landscape photography workshop on The Outer Hebrides led by Margaret Soraya and Paul Sanders
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Photographing on the Isle of Harris
Landscape, Scottish Isles
Three weeks photographing on the Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides. Photographing waves, wild weather and even the aurora.
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Creativity & Wild Swim Retreat in the Highlands
Retreats
My first wild swim and creative retreat in the Highlands saw a group of ladies join me swimming in some of Scotlands finest lochs.
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Shimoda Camera backpack review
Gear, Kit, Tips
I am delighted to be an ambassador for Shimoda camera backpacks. Their bespoke camera bags, built for outdoor photographers, are perfect for me to manage my kit whilst photographing on beaches.
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Photographs of the Isle of Harris beaches
Landscape, Scottish Isles
I am delighted to be an ambassador for Shimoda camera backpacks. Their bespoke camera bags, built for outdoor photographers, are perfect for me to manage my kit whilst photographing on beaches.
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Online monthly photography community round up, July
Creative Haven, Workshops
This has been a busy month in the online photography community, Creative Haven. We have been looking at sequencing and...
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Wild swimming and creative retreats
Healing, Lifestyle, Retreats
Introducing a new style of retreat for me: wild swimming and creativity in the Scottish Highlands. When you take a deeper look at the inspiration behind your art, you will discover the most genuine and authentic work comes from what you love personally love
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Where to stay and eat on the Isle of Harris
Scottish Isles, Stay
Where to stay, eat and how to get to the Isle of Harris A guide to the Isle of Harris There are two ways of getting to the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. Caledonian MacBrayne ferry or by plane. On the ferries, you can travel as a foot passenger, or with a car.…
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Orkney photography workshop
Scottish Isles, Workshops
Orkney landscape photography workshop which took place on Orkney and Hoy.
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Quiet Landscapes podcast – simplifying choices
Lifestyle
Quiet Landscapes podcast – simplyfying choices In a recent episode of the Quiet Landscapes podcast, I talk solo in “Quiet Moments” about simplifying choices and the impact it can have on our happiness. Below is the transcript: In today’s world we have abundance and so many choices – – yet we are becoming increasingly unhappy.…
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What’s been happening in my online membership – Creative Haven
Landscape, Workshops
I thought it might be nice to have a look at what's been happening in the membership since we started out in November last year and what there is to look forward to in the coming months
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Spiders webs – Fujifilm GFX 50s, 250mm lens + macro extension tube
Gear, Kit, Landscape, Tips
I spent the whole day at Loch Leven yesterday, basking in the calm sunshine. The loch was flat calm which is a rare occurrence in the Highlands of Scotland in November. So rare that is a shame to ...
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The Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides
Landscape, Scottish Isles, Workshops
I have an affinity with the Isle of Lewis that is different from the Isle of Harris. I have spent almost 12 years now going back and forth to the island to photograph weddings...
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Taunus Gallery Exhibition
Healing, Landscape, Scottish Isles
I am delighted to announce that my solo photographic exhibition ‘Quiet” is now open at Taunus Foto Gallerie in Bad Homburg, Frankfurt.
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Stillness of the Isle of Harris
Healing, Landscape, Lifestyle, Scottish Isles
My first trip back over to the stillness of the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides since last year. In fact, my first trip anywhere since returning from running a landscape photography workshop in Glencoe in March.
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Autumn in the Highlands
Healing, Landscape, Lifestyle
It has been a long time since I have blogged and I have decided to catch up. Today I drove out to Glen Affric to photograph the amazing colours of the autumn. I arrived and headed out but it felt like I was walking through treacle. So I headed back to the van to have a rest. The blessings of having a van!
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Mindful photography monthly membership
Lifestyle, Workshops
I wanted to write a little bit about my new monthly photography membership that will start on November 16th. Is open for registration for founding members now! 2020 has been a difficult year in so many ways and I have noticed many...
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Photography, mindfulness and therapy
Healing, Lifestyle
We are currently experiencing an understandable increase in mental health problems. These are uncertain times...
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5 tips for building an audience on Instagram
Tips
I wanted to share with you today some of the things I have learned during my time on Instagram, in terms of building an audience on Instagram.
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Introverts and the creative advantage
Healing, Landscape, Lifestyle
Many introverts are told they are too quiet, parents tell them to stop spending so much time in their bedroom, teachers tell them to take part more.
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Creative photography and the Cyanotype process
Gear, Landscape, Tips
Cyanotype is a creative photography printing process. Producing a cyan-blue print from anything you wish to print with.
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Night sky photography tutorial
Landscape, Tips
Night Sky Photography Tutorial I have always been interested in photographing the night skies so I decided to write this night sky photography tutorial. There is something about standing below the stars, feeling that wonder at the world. It is a similar feeling of awe and uplift I get when I watch big waves. Peacefulness…
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5 tips on photographing intimate landscapes
Gear, Kit, Landscape
If you want to take lovely closeup nature images, here are 5 tips on photographing intimate landscapes
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Fujifilm GFX Photography with 250mm lens
Gear, Kit, Landscape
Continuing the theme of shooting intimate landscapes, or details within nature. I wanted to write about how I photograph using my Fujifilm GFX in close-ups today. This is something that l love and is completely different from the seascape work that I am known for.
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Safety on photography workshops in Scotland
Tips, Workshops
I wanted to write a few thoughts on safety on photography workshops in winter in Scotland and how I approach this within Quiet Landscapes. Scotland is beautiful, and never more so than in the winter months. The light is low, the ever-changing skies can be simply glorious. The weather brings with it conditions that make landscape…
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Seascape Photography Workshop Cornwall
Workshops
We headed down to Cornwall just in time for Storm Ciara to hit. It was possibly the best timing as it brought with it huge waves, wild conditions and interesting skies.
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Isle of Harris Photography Workshop
Landscape, Scottish Isles, Workshops
Isle of Harris photography workshop Last November I ran an Isle of Harris photography Workshop based at Scarista beach. I have been visiting the Isle of Harris for 12 years now and it has become almost like a second home. Last year I travelled back and forth almost every fortnight during the summer months. I…
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Fujifilm GFX 50s camera
Gear, Kit
Switching from Nikon to Fujifilm GFX 50s camera I’ve been looking to make the switch from my Nikon cameras over to Fujifilm for a while and the Fujifilm GFX 50s camera seemed to be the right fit. For me, it isn’t so much about the technicals as the emotive in an image. However, the right…
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Beach Bothies on the Isle of Lewis
Scottish Isles, Stay
I’m always on the lookout for amazing places to stay on the Scottish Islands. On this occasion, I spotted these amazing beach bothies being built at one of my favourite locations on the coast of the Isle of Lewis. Nestled into the dunes at Kneep, you can almost touch the turquoise waters from the doorstep.…
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Solo photography exhibition
Landscape
Photography exhibition at the Bosham Gallery, showing Margaret's seascape images from the Outer Hebrides. Quie is the title of Margarets solo exhibition.
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Landscape photography tuition in Scotland
Landscape, Scottish Isles, Stay, Workshops
I am delighted to be offering landscape photography tuition in the beautiful landscapes of the Highlands of Scotland. I live in Drumnadrochit which is the ideal base for teaching landscape photography in Scotland. So I decided to build a tinyhouse at my home in Loch Ness. It is a small and comfortable cabin style accommodation. Built…
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Where to eat & stay on the Isle of Harris
Scottish Isles
Na Bothain Wigwams Sandy Bay Croft Wigwams® are located on a working croft on the West coast of the Isle of Harris. Two Wigwam cabins sleep up to four adults.
Read Post Winter photography workshops versus summer on the islands!
Scottish Isles, Workshops
Some people initially question why I run my photography workshops and why I shoot most of my work in the winter months. I am writing this in the summer after a trip so I thought I’d write about it! I am writing this in the summer after a trip to the Hebrides that involved full…
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Slow art photography workshop in Garve, Highlands
Workshops
I ran two short workshops in conjunction with Ffordes Photographic last week. All based around the idea of slowing down in the landscape – both in the physical taking of the photograph and also in the sense of slowing down and really embracing the environment whilst outdoors. Soaking up the feeling of being outside and…
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Isle of Harris photography workshop 2019
Workshops
Last year’s Isle of Harris photography workshop was a great success – with 5 participants staying close to Scarista beach and within minutes from stunning scenes on Luskentyre, Seilebost, Northton and Hushinish.
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Walking on the Isle of Harris – Beinn Losgaintir & Beinn Dhubh
Landscape
My journeys to the Outer Hebrides are usually full with commercial shoots, weddings and landscape tuition. It is a rare visit to the islands where I have a few days off. Even rarer that those days off are filled with wall to wall sunshine!
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Mindful photography workshop with Paul Sanders
Scottish Isles, Workshops
Just back from a wonderful week leading Mindful photography workshop on the Outer Hebrides with Paul Sanders. What an incredible week it was! The weather was very kind to us in that we were treated to all seasons every few hours. From hail storms to huge swells, rainbows and blue skies. These kind of weather…
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Outer Hebrides Photography Workshop 2019
Workshops
The Outer Hebrides photography workshop with myself and Paul Sanders The group arrived at Mangersta one day to be confronted by 20 foot waves and gale force winds. We proceeded to be hit by horizontal hail whilst walking down to the beach. There are only a few memorable times in life that we really truly let…
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1-2-1 workshop on the Isle of Skye
Scottish Isles, Stay, Workshops
I had been chatting with Vikki for many months about a 1-2-1 workshop on the Isle of Skye before we finally met up in January. She had been looking to arrange a surprise for Leisa, her partner who loves photography. So, first up I helped her with some options for buying a camera for Leisa…
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Landscape photography tuition on the Isle of Skye
Landscape, Scottish Isles, Workshops
A few images from a bespoke landscape photography tuition day on the Isle of Skye. I photographed Michaela and Iain’s wedding amidst sleet storms, howling wind and then glorious sunshine this summer on Loch Coruisk. A photographer herself, Michaela wanted to experience landscape photography tuition on the Isle of Skye. So we set off for…
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