richard small photography main gallery

08 October 2017

Loch Lubnaig is a freshwater loch near Callander in the southern part of the Scottish Highlands. Part of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park, it is beautifully located, lying between the mountains: Ben Ledi, Benvane and Beinn Each. We toured the area that day, a cold Sunday in October, taking in the stunning sights of Loch Lomond and the surrounding region.

As the afternoon drew late, sometime after 5pm, we stopped at the side of Loch Lubnaig for a look and to take some photos. I was ready to pack up for the day, but decided to grab one more shot before we left. I spotted these trees on the far shore, slowly being engulfed by the mist descending Ben Ledi. It turned out to be one of my favourite photographs. Sometimes it pays to stay for "one more shot".

21 July 2018

St Abbs is a small fishing village on the south eastern coast of Scotland, near Coldingham in Berwickshire. Originally called “Coldingham Shore”, it began life in the middle of the 18th century and was renamed “St Abbs” at the end of the 19th century by the then-laird, Andrew Usher. Today it is a popular site for scuba divers as well as hosting a small but busy harbour populated by local fishing, charter and dive boats as well as a Lifeboat station.

The coastline around the village and harbour is characterised by unusually clear waters, rocky islets and, apparently, spectacular underwater scenery.

We visited to capture some photos of this lovely spot, and the 45 second long exposure on this shot served to smooth out the waters and blur the clouds. St Abbs is a hidden gem!

30 September 2018

Hidden in woodland, about 5 miles to the south east of Loch Lomond, lies a deep gorge, carved out by Carnock Burn. It is called Finnich Glen. It is also commonly known as "The Devil's Pulpit", named after the mushroom-shaped rock in the heart of the glen. According to legend, the rock is where the Devil stood to address his followers. Other stories tell of ancient Druids holding secret meetings there, hidden from sight in the shadows cast by the imposing walls of the gorge. In places, the river appears to run blood-red, thanks to the sandstone rock below. The location appeared in the TV series Outlander as the site of the Liar’s Spring, where Dougal satisfied himself of Claire's honesty by watching her drink from the water. Finnich Glen is an eerie, yet beautiful place.

The decent into the gorge is tricky, as you have to navigate down a 70 foot, 200 year old broken stone staircase, trying not to slip. We visited on a Sunday afternoon, and stood knee-deep in the river, with camera mounted on tripod, as the autumn light provided illumination on the waterfalls at the western side of the gorge. The foreground gloom allowed this 6 second exposure, without the need for a filter on the lens, while a ray of light broke through just to add some extra magic!

02 June 2018

Kilchurn Castle sits at the end of a rocky peninsula on the edge of Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.

Built in the mid-1400s, it was the base of the Campbells of Glenorchy for 150 years, before being converted into a garrison stronghold after the Jacobite Rising of 1689. It was abandoned at the end of the 1700s. The castles five-storey tower house dominates the complex, with a courtyard, lower hall and barracks below. Once a fortress, it now lies in ruins.

On a somewhat rainy but very calm Saturday in June, we endured the terrible midges, as we set up shots from the far bank of the loch. Helpfully, the mist on the hillside served up some contrast between the tower and the background. But sadly the sun never showed. This 30 second long exposure was one of the shots, taken in the early evening. Another wonderful Scottish location, but if you visit, take some insect repellent!

27 August 2018

Every August the Edinburgh Festival draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city, to sample from thousands of shows, concerts, art exhibits, street and theatre performances and much more, each ranging from the cultivated to the quirky. It is an extremely busy, vibrant and somewhat chaotic time of year for the city.

As a finale to the Festival, a dazzling fireworks display launches from Edinburgh Castle to illuminate the city skyline, while an accompanying closing concert plays in Princes Street Gardens. This photo was taken from nearby Calton Hill, packed with onlookers, towards the end of the display. The tripod and 20 second exposure help capture the final bursts in one shot.

01 September 2018

Since 2014, the Scottish International Airshow has been held at The Low Green and beach in Ayr. Attracting over 100,000 visitors, this two day programme is packed with air displays from vintage and modern aircraft of all types, finishing with a breathtaking show by the famous RAF Red Arrows.

But the thrills start well before then. In 2018, a Swiss Airforce F/A-18C Hornet wowed the crowds with its speed, agility and thunderous noise. I wish I'd taken earplugs! We were in an ideal position on the beach to witness the show and this shot captures the F18 pulling up hard to vertical, with afterburners on full, as it generates massive amounts of air turbulence. Spectacular!

19 May 2018

Arbroath is a large coastal town in Tayside, Scotland. Home to the famous (and delicious!) Arbroath smokie, a type of smoked haddock, the first settlements in the area date back to the Iron Age, but the town was properly established in or around 1178 when Arbroath Abbey was founded. Much of the Abbey remains today, but it lies mostly in ruin.

Follow King's Drive to the east of Arbroath, and you’ll come to a lovely, elevated coastal walk above Seaton Cliffs. Formed in red sandstone and sculptured by the North Sea, it is a beautiful place to visit, and precarious too, if you venture off the path to explore the cliffs below.

That’s exactly what we did on a lovely Saturday afternoon in May. The sky was clear but the wind was up, causing the sea to swell and the waves to crash and spray. Two cormorants sat obligingly still for me for the 34 seconds it took to capture this shot.

20 May 2017

Gullane Bents is a superb, award-winning beach in the village of Gullane in East Lothian, Scotland. Backed by large, overgrown sand dunes the beach lies on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, the estuary of the River Forth, which leads out to the North Sea. With roots dating back to the ninth century, Gullane is a lovely location and is home to Muirfield, an exclusive golf course and frequent host to The Open Championship.

We are regular visitors to the beach, which is very popular with locals and tourists alike. With a mix of fine, golden sand and rocky outcrops, the beach enjoys shallow waters and views to the Kingdom of Fife in the north. This was my first outing with my 15-30mm f2.8 wide angle lens and I was keen to try it out. A pleasant Saturday evening in May at around 8pm, with the sun low in the sky, provided beautiful light to showcase this image of rock and seaweed, with sand and water beyond, and Fife on the horizon.

26 August 2017

Portobello is a coastal suburb of Edinburgh, approximately three miles from the city centre. The wide sandy beach and lively promenade have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with cafes, bars and sports facilities drawing visitors and locals to the location. Host to volleyball tournaments, the beach was also the main training ground for Scotland's beach volleyballers in advance of the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

We are frequent visitors to the beach as it is only 15 minutes walk from home. This shot was an attempt at something "artistic". Facing the Firth of Forth, the estuary of the River Forth, I set a fairly slow shutter speed of 1/8th of second and panned the camera to the left as I took the shot. This was the result. Not really a photograph in the traditional sense, more an abstract blur of colours, but I like it!

05 November 2017

Built in the mid-14th century, Tantallon Castle is a semi-ruined fortress located near North Berwick, East Lothian. Looking out to the Firth of Forth, with views of the Bass Rock, the castle is protected on three sides by sea cliffs, with the front side comprising a single, prominent curtain wall and gatehouse. Built by William Douglas, the 1st Earl of Douglas, the castle remained the property of his descendants for much of its history, despite several sieges. It was severely damaged on a few occasions, including in 1651 during Oliver Cromwell's invasion of Scotland.

Today, despite its ruined state, the castle is fascinating to visit, and you are able to climb several staircases to explore the upper levels, and find many scenic vantage points. This photo shows the front side of Tantallon Castle, with the gatehouse in the centre and the Bass Rock in view on the left, lying 1.5 miles out in the Firth of Forth.

02 April 2016

Łazienki Park (Polish for "Baths Park") is the largest park in Warsaw, occupying 76 hectares of the city centre. With the main edifice, the Palace on the Isle, just visible in the background, this is a photo I took of my girlfriend Anna as we toured the grounds on a warm afternoon in April.

22 May 2016

Returning from Kyle of Lochalsh, via Invergarry, on a route home from the Highlands back to Edinburgh, we stopped at the roadside (the A87) when we saw this vantage point. A beautiful scene with Loch Loyne in the midground and the snowcapped peaks of Spidean Mialach and Gleouraich, two of Scotland's 282 Munros (Scottish mountains with a height of over 3,000 feet) in the distance. The foreground shows a handful of the hundreds of rock piles scattered near the parking area. These are not true cairns and are no doubt built by tourists and travelers who have paused on their journey. Considered by conservationists to be nothing more than problematic landscape graffiti, where visitors succumb to the desire to leave their mark, these rock piles are increasingly common. Although we didn't add to the piles, we did elect to include them in photographs.

What many don't know (including me, until I looked it up!) is that, further along, a true cairn lies in the memory of Willie McRae, a Scottish lawyer, naval officer and politician who, in 1985, died nearby, in mysterious circumstances, from a gun shot to the head. The gun man was never found, and rumours of cover up, scandal and foul play exist to this day.

01 February 2018

A "supermoon" is where the Moon is near it's perigee - closest to Earth in its orbit. A "blue moon" is where a second full moon appears in one calendar month. A "blood moon" refers to the red colour as a result of a total lunar eclipse.

On the 31st of January 2018, we witnessed a "super blue blood moon" - this celestial trifecta occurring for the first time in 35 years. The last one to be visible anywhere on Earth, was in December 1982. If that isn't a photo opportunity, I don't know what is! The phenomenon was still in effect the following morning. Although it looks like night, this photo was actually taken at 8am on the 1st of February. The darkness comes from exposing for the bright Moon, rather than the whole scene. Using a long lens, I aimed at the Moon as it set behind the chimneys, which were about a quarter of a mile away from my position on Portobello beach. Haze, from the very low angle, robs the Moon of detail in the photo, but the view was still spectacular to see.

11 November 2017

This striking monument lies at the head of Loch Shiel, surrounded by dramatic Highland scenery, and is a tribute to those who fought in the Jacobite Risings. Less than a year before the Battle of Culloden, Prince Charles Edward Stuart - Bonnie Prince Charlie - raised his father’s Standard at Glenfinnan, marking the start of the 1745 Jacobite campaign. An army of 1,500 rallied to join him and they marched as far south as Derby before the retreat began that would seal their fate. In 1815, this 18 meter-high cylindrical monument was built, with the lone, kilted highlander at the top affording a reminder of the clansmen who gave their lives to the Jacobite cause.

We visited on a cold Saturday in November and made the short climb up to the Glenfinnan Viewpoint to witness this fabulous sight in one direction, with Glenfinnan Viaduct visible in the other. It's not just for sightseers though. Look closely and you'll spot the wedding party in the foreground.

30 April 2017

A few months before their wedding, my brother Alex and his then-fiancée Heather asked me to take some photos of them. (This was well before before their excellent, professional wedding photographer, Claire Tennant, was booked to take the official pictures of their engagement and wedding.) Eager to practice with portrait photography, I agreed, and we visited The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh one Sunday in April, knowing it would provide several lovely locations and backdrops. My girlfriend Anna helped a great deal on the shoot, particularly with location ideas and posing, and we got some pretty good results. This one is my favorite!

18 April 2016

Portobello is a coastal suburb of Edinburgh, approximately three miles from the city centre. The wide sandy beach and lively promenade have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with cafes, bars and sports facilities drawing visitors and locals to the location. Host to volleyball tournaments, the beach was also the main training ground for Scotland's beach volleyballers in advance of the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

We are frequent visitors to the beach as it is only 15 minutes walk from home. This photo captures the sun setting over the silhouetted houses on the promenade, the wet sand from a retreating tide providing a golden reflection.

17 May 2017

Portobello is a coastal suburb of Edinburgh, approximately three miles from the city centre. The wide sandy beach and lively promenade have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with cafes, bars and sports facilities drawing visitors and locals to the location. Host to volleyball tournaments, the beach was also the main training ground for Scotland's beach volleyballers in advance of the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

We are frequent visitors to the beach as it is only 15 minutes walk from home. This photo taken at 22:40 on the 17th of May 2017 was technically at nautical twilight. Also known as "blue hour", the sun is at a significant depth below the horizon. The residual, indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue shade while the street lights in the distance contrast in a pleasing yellow glow.

09 December 2017

This is our cat Cleo. She's an Abyssinian, born in July 2017, so when this photo was taken, she was only a 5 month old kitten. Now an adult cat, she's not a great deal bigger and looks very much the same as this. Abyssinians, or Abys, are domestic short-haired cats with distinctive "ticked" tabby coats, where the individual hairs are banded with different colours. They are a popular breed thanks to their intelligence and playful personalities. They tend to develop "dog like" attachments to their owners, following them everywhere, and "helping" with whatever domestic task is on the agenda. Cleo is no exception. She does like to sleep, but for the rest of the time, she's very active, and constantly on the lookout for something to play with or eat.

This photo was taken with her perched on her cat tree, at close range, with a f1.4 aperture on a 50mm lens, causing a very shallow depth of field. Too shallow perhaps. Her near eye is what I focused on but her far eye is out of focus because the DoF was so shallow. Some photographers might consider this a flaw. I guess I do too, but I still love the photo because it captures both her features and her willfulness.

04 July 2017

Anna and I were practicing studio portraits at home, using a dark backdrop and a single speedlight. The goal here was to experiment with "Rembrandt lighting". This is a technique where, using minimal equipment, an illuminated triangle under the eye of the subject is shown on the less illuminated side of the face. Named after the Dutch painter Rembrandt, who often used this style of lighting in his portraits, it is a fairly common approach in studio photography and is supposed to yield results that are both natural and compelling.

Studio portraiture includes a number of skills that we’re both still learning, but I was quite pleased with how this one turned out. Anna's shot of me, on the "about" page was from the same session.

19 June 2018

The Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) held a series of photowalks at five laboratories around the UK in June 2018. I attended one of them, at the UK Astronomy and Technology Centre (UKATC), located at The Royal Observatory in Edinburgh. As well as being an interesting experience, it was also a photography competition, where the photographers could enter five of their best images for judgement.

For the most part, photos taken on the day were of scientific and laboratory equipment but we were also given access to the Crawford Library which houses around 15,000 books, pamphlets and manuscripts dating from the thirteenth century to the end of the nineteenth century, including first editions from Apianus, Copernicus and Newton.

This photo was one of my entries, an “artistic" angle of an early medical text, which was one of several books laid out for display during our visit. (It managed the runner up spot in the competitions public vote.)

Credit: STFC / Richard Small