Notes and Images from a Small Island (Practice 11 Day 1)

Although I am currently engaged in a project on the edge of the sea (Practice 10), I am keen to make sure I capture the water lilies at Loch Cill Chriosd, as I may not get the chance next year when I will be getting close to submission, and the end of my PhD.  Furthermore, these ephemeral and tender plants are not very resilient in the harsh and sometimes cold summer weather.  I wonder whether the flowers will open this year, given the lack of sunshine, the cold water and the prolific growth of the reeds.  So, time is of the essence . . .

The loch is largely still with the occasional gust of wind moving the tender stems of the reeds.  Like last time, my work is about catching a glimpse of the yellow/cream heads in between the dense vegetation.  These flowers are truly ephemeral, from day to day and moment to moment and unfortunately, their all too short emergence coincides with the tourist “summer” season, when visitor numbers swell the permanent population by around eight times.

The infrastructure of the Island is poor, and the single-track road that leads to the loch, and skirts the eastern and southern edges is in poor repair.  Unfortunately, the best vantage point for my work is along the verge of the road.  I have barely half a metre to set up my tripod and ensure I am safe against the many passing cars driving too fast, speeding on to the next place on their bucket list, without a passing glance.  While I normally have the loch to myself and the road is quiet, it is difficult to drift into a creative flow when I am forced back to consciousness by inconsiderate motorists.  Whilst these conditions do not last long, and I normally avoid them, by going to other locations during this season, I do feel under pressure to capture the Being of the loch, reeds, and water lilies at this time.  Without these images, my work at this beautiful place is incomplete and has a gap in temporality.

In spite of these difficulties, I am pleased with the images I produced reflecting the changing light and weather overhead.

A gentler period of weather for my visit today reflected in the tranquil waters of the loch and the less frantic movement of the reeds surrounding the water lilies.