Skye and the West Highlands

This photography trip is based at a wonderful hotel in a secluded bay on the Isle of Skye, perfectly situated for our tour.

The emphasis is very much on dawn photography and with suitable weather, we will typically depart at 5:00 for locations in south Skye, returning for a full breakfast.

All meals are included and we can look forward to some delicious three-course dinners. Any special dietary requirements can be catered for.

• 4 nights accommodation in a single room within a stylish hotel situated on the Sleat Peninsula on the Isle of Skye.
• All meals during the trip.
• All transport throughout the trip, starting and finishing in Inverness.
• The services of guide and photographer Colin Prior, who will look after the group as well as work closely with each group member throughout the holiday, helping you develop your photography skills.

Green Graded 1-3

Green graded walking holidays are suitable for active travellers who are reasonably fit and enjoy moderate hikes. We walk at a comfortable pace, and you can expect to be out for 5-6 hours a day. The terrain will consist mostly of good paths and hill trails, but these can still be muddy and rough in some places. Some hikes may involve an ascent up to a max of approx 1,500 feet / 450m. Distances will typically be 8-10km, but there may be an odd, slightly longer day. Daily hike details are available in the itinerary.

You will be met by Colin Prior at the fixed seating area of Inverness Railway Station at 8:30 on Day 1 of your trip. The London Sleeper arrives at 8:30, so if you are on this train please let us know in advance. Inverness is a small railway station so it will be easy to identify Colin. We aim to have you back at the station by 14.30 on the final day.

For advice on getting to and from Scotland, please our travel advice FAQ page on our website.

If you would like to use your own vehicle on the trip, please get in touch with our team to discuss.

Colin Prior is one of the UK’s leading landscape photographers. His spectacular panoramic images capture the beauty and eternal quality of the world’s wild places, especially those of his own native Scotland.

He brings to his work a strong personal vision combined with supreme technical mastery of his chosen medium. Each photograph uniquely captures fleeting moments of nature that will never repeat themselves.

Colin is also a patient and skilled photography coach and enjoys helping clients improve their skills on these trips.

The information below is intended simply as a guide to help you achieve the most enjoyment from this tour.

Cameras: All brands of cameras and lenses do the same thing; they look outwardly into the world and record what they see on different-sized sensors. What differentiates what they see is not the camera but the person looking through the viewfinder. So, what will help you gain the most from this tour is familiarity with your own camera’s layout and menu structure. There is no shortage of tutorials on YouTube to aid you in this process, and it is essential that you take the time to understand how to control the most salient features of the camera.

Camera bags: Camera bags come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important that your bag comfortably holds the equipment you wish to carry over uneven terrain and that its design or lack of it does not affect your balance. Backpacks distribute weight evenly between your shoulders and hips and are normally supplied with a rain cover.

Lens: Lenses are a personal choice. Many landscape photographers will choose to shoot with a 16-35 mm, 24-70 mm, or 24-105 mm lens. Shooting with zoom lenses makes a great deal of sense as it reduces the equivalent number of prime lenses that would otherwise have to be carried. Many photographers complement their wide-angle zooms with either a 70-200 mm or 100-400 mm lens. If you enjoy working within the landscape, a 90 mm or 100 mm Macro lens opens myriad possibilities.

Filters: Under certain circumstances, filters are indispensable. Graduated neutral density filters control contrast locally and come in a range densities and graduations. The dynamic range of modern sensors has mitigated the need to use filters on many occasions and accordingly, I carry only two – a 0.6 (2 stop) filter with a soft graduation and a polarising filter which I used judicially.

Tripods: Despite image stabilisation allowing the hand-holding of cameras down to very low shutter speeds, there is still no substitute for a good tripod in landscape photography. The emphasis should be on a relatively lightweight model that is easy to carry, but with one caveat: that it is more vulnerable to strong winds. One important factor when considering a tripod is that you can work comfortably with your camera at eye level – many u2018travel tripods’ reach their maximum height well below this height and are stressful to use. Carbon fibre tripods are lighter and more expensive than those made from aluminium but do the same job.

Backup and storage: It’s always a good idea to have your images in more than one place. Ideally, you may wish to bring your laptop back up and select your best images for the critique session at the end of the tour.

Wet weather protection for your camera: This isn’t essential, however, most digital camera don’t like moisture that much and it makes sense if you have some sort of cover – if it was raining heavily, it is unlikely that we would be photographing for long, however, a random shower or constant light drizzle can sometimes be problematic. Whilst there are specialist solutions available, having a polythene bag to hand would do the job.

Lens cloth: A lens cloth is useful for removing rain or sea spray that has gotten onto a lens.

A remote release is crucial to ensure sharp images, whether cable, Bluetooth, or app.

Spare batteries: make sure that you don’t run out of juice.