Notes and Images from a Small Island (Practice 10 Day 5)

It was a stormy day yesterday, but I glimpsed the only ray of sunshine as I walked Freddie on the beach.  There was a moment when the sun shone, the sea was a Mediterranean blue-green colour, hailstones were being blown across the beach by a strong southerly wind and sea mist was hanging over the water.  Unfortunately, wet dogs and cameras do not mix and so I did not have the means to capture the ephemeral moment.  As Freddie and I retraced our steps the hailstones blew straight into our faces and stung our eyes and I was thinking about what might have been.  We were soaked and the rain continued for the rest of the day.  But the dramatic change in weather is what makes Skye so stunning.  The weather and light can change in a moment. . .

So today, although the weather does not look encouraging, I decide to return to the spot where the weather conditions combined for a perfect storm yesterday.  Armed with the cover on my camera I set up keeping a lookout for a break in the clouds and rain.  I decide to take some wider landscape shots looking across the water to the islands of Pabay, Scalpay, Longay, Raasay and the Crowlin Islands.  They are shrouded in mist but peeping out at times.  As I look at the skies behind me, there seems a possibility at least that the sun may break out from behind the clouds, so I stand and wait.  As the light starts to improve some tourists come over to chat and half an hour later I am still to take my first shot and have missed some opportunities!  I work quickly when the light emerges.

I am reminded of the seascapes of Hiroshi Sugimoto as I gaze at a lifeless horizon.  While he often frames the horizon across the middle of his images I play around with different proportions of land, sea and sky.  I use a long lens because it brings the middle and background closer to give a more intimate shot.  It is not a day for “keepers”, but I have tried out some ideas and will be ready when that next shaft of light reveals itself!