I organized a photo trip with friends in the beautiful Scottish Highlands a few years ago. We spent one week in the Glencoe region and a second on the Isle of Skye. The Highlands are truly a photographer's paradise. I relied mainly on the Landscape Photographer's Guide for both regions to plan the trip, having bought the eBooks on LPM's website.

During our week in the Glencoe region, as suggested by LPM, we headed for Loch Achtriochtan.

Having arrived at the designated spot, I was struck immediately by its beauty: details of the natural elements, the contrasts, and the diagonal lines leading down to the loch. The massive clouds covering the scene were remarkable.

To compose this image, I set up my tripod and camera with a wide-angle lens and installed an ND filter to smooth any wind ripples on the water's surface. I envisioned a long exposure to decrease texture on the water surface while increasing reflections and augmenting the clouds' impact. Once again, I used my live time feature on my camera to perform a perfect exposure (ETTR). It took 25 seconds.

We found the Scottish Highlands wonderful to photograph. There are so many places containing all the important elements of composition: lines, curves, textures, patterns, shapes, colors, and frames. There are numerous great opportunities for images under giant light-box skies with their even, soft lighting. Always be prepared to stop and park safely when driving a vehicle in the Highlands. On several occasions during our trip, as a joke, we asked each other, "Do we have to go back home?"