Portfolio 2007

Enlightenment, Loch Vaa, Cairngorms, Inverness-Shire, Scotland

8th May 2006

One of those rare moments that has only happened to me once before whilst engaged in the art of photography - true enlightenment. A sense of calm, serenity, joy and gladness all at once. How did I get there? I was where I should be! Immersed in the environment, rather than using a long lens at a distance. Stood in the lochan with water spilling over my boots, watching the last light of the day spilling over a scene of classic Scottish landscape, archetypal Scottish landscape - water, rocks, trees. Already at one with this scene and really feeling it for a change, suddenly it hits me in a wave. The tears of joy are rolling down my cheeks. Sitting for a while after the light has died, soaking up the scene and my mood, a greater spotted woodpecker lands on a tree just in front of me. Totally unperturbed by me, he is with me for about five minutes looking for his evening supper in the rotten wood. Turning to leave after he has gone, I disturb a small chaffinch that is meters away. How does this happen? Like with the otters on Shetland, I am not only at one with the landscape, but the landscape is at one with me. This is enlightenment for me.

 

Technical details

Nikon D2X, Manfrotto 303SPH panoramic head, 12-24mm lens, 12 frames stitched with PTAssembler.