Natural Landscape Photography Awards - Volume 4

The competition showcases the very best of landscape photography from across the world, so I was incredibly proud to have my image, ‘Deliverance’, included in the most recent volume. Read on to discover the story behind the image itself.

Have you ever been to Scotland before? For those of you reading that have, I say with the upmost confidence that you and I must share a similar sentiment towards this most-wonderful corner of the world. For the rest of you, despite my flamboyant self-assurance, unfortunately it is quite difficult to describe. You see, the landscape of Assynt, in the far-northwest of the Scottish Highlands, is so profoundly beautiful that I am halted into a semi-permanent, jaw-dropping silence the majority of the time that I spend here. Nevertheless, I shall try my upmost to paint a picture for you.

The area is characterised by the many remarkable mountains that thrust up out of the rolling landscape, which is laden with hundreds of lochans in a myriad of shapes and sizes. Because of this, these hills often appear higher than their comparatively modest height would suggest, and there is no doubt that the retention of the traditional Gaelic names for the mountains further amplifies their distinction, intimidation and, moreover, it's charm. One of the most iconic is Suilven, meaning 'Pillar Mountain', and this monolith is seen prominently in the central background of 'Deliverance'. However, when viewed from the coast to the west (left), Suilven instead resembles a graceful, slender spire.

There is a captivating and alluring quality to this place that is so tangible. So real. Whenever I have found myself stood atop one of the peaks in Assynt, I become engrossed in each and every inch of the landscape. Each little backlit fold in the heathland below, eager to explore around the corner; every silver and sapphire lochan twinkling up at me, like precious jewels hidden across the countryside; and the light flitting across the hills, every second revealing a crag even more foreboding and seemingly impassable than the last. In my mind, the mountains are like giant sentinels, watching over the land. You can tell I watched Lord of the Rings too many times as a kid!

Now then, about the image. After pitching my tent near the summit, I set about exploring the plateau and was immediately drawn to a plentiful rock garden of Torridonian Sandstone. The specific selection that I have used for the foreground caught my attention almost instantaneously, such was my interest in their unusual arrangement. I found several alternative compositions whilst I waited for the sun to dip down towards the horizon, but my heart was already set, and eventually I obediently returned. I took care to give the individual elements enough space to bring harmony to the scene: the foreground rocks, the mid-ground lochs, and the distant hills - which led to me the selection of a 3:2 aspect ratio. Often I interpret 3:2 to be a little bit too 'long' to provide a pleasing balance, but in this instance I feel it works quite well.

This image has a strong emotional significance for me too. The following day I received some very unfortunate news and my life was flipped upside down. When I look at this image now, I'm reminded of how quickly our individual circumstances can change. From one day to the next, we can go from glorious highs to tremendous lows. Every single image we take becomes a valuable memory and a veil to look back through, to reminisce on who we were; what we experienced; and, importantly, how we felt during each precious moment in time.

So, about that picture I was supposed to be painting for you... I'm afraid I may have rather digressed! I'm sure you now realise why I became a photographer and not a poet.

Let's make this a little easier, shall we? Close your eyes. Imagine absolute peace, joy, contentment and amazement. Count to ten.

Now, open your eyes... Welcome to Scotland!