Thorough Research
Some landscape photographers like to visit locations without having done much previous research; the idea being that the unpredictability can produce some surprisingly outstanding results.
However, for some locations, and particularly how to get there, thorough research is definitely advised, as I found out on a recent trip to the most northerly point of Scotland.
Spending a week in the area of Durness in Sutherland, on one of the days I had decided to travel to Cape Wrath, which required a short ferry journey across the Kyle. However, it wasn’t until I arrived at the crossing point that I discovered it was a passenger ferry only, which meant no car to get to the location once I got to the other side. The private local minibus was not going to allow as much time on location as I’d planned, which was a big disappointment. Nevertheless I decided to go ahead with it – and I am so glad I did, as the whole experience was still unique and utterly worth it.
The day may not have turned out quite as expected but, at the time, there was no other option other than to make the best of it. Had I done my research, I certainly would have been better prepared. Unpredictability doesn’t always bring the right sort of surprises!

Dimitri Vasileiou, Editor of LPM
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