22 May 2019

Scratching Beneath the Surface

by | posted in: Landscape Photography, Mhor Skye Musings, Wildlife Photography | 4

 

The Isle of Skye is blessed with some of the best landscapes in the world.  Every year thousands of images are created of the Cuillin, the Fairy Pools, the Old Man of Storr and the Fairy Glen, to name but a few of the iconic vistas that attract so many visitors.  During their visits they will probably eat some of the local shellfish which again has a world wide reputation having matured in the rich and clear waters off the West Coast of Scotland.  The Skye rivers that rush down from the mountains through to the sea lochs around her coast create a rich, diverse and very important habitat.  Unfortunately it is one that is easily forgotten as it is out of sight.  As commercial pressures increase there is the battle between sea farming requirements and maintaining this delicate, beautiful but fragile environment.  I am not sure that all the impact studies that are carried out will necessarily stand the test of time when real impact can be measured.  It remains a high risk area because sometimes by the time the true impact is known the habitat is lost beyond short, or medium term, repair.

Perhaps if more people understood the environment that was beneath the surface they might be more prepared to want to invest in its future.  Alligin Photography has teamed up with Gill Williams, a keen photographer, open water swimmer and former police diver, to try a capture some of the great bio diversity that can be found within the rivers and lochs of Skye.  The images in this blog are just a few early images as we begin to build up a portfolio of work which we hope to publish in the future.

4 Responses

  1. Roger B
    | Reply

    A brilliant addition to the Alligin portfolio!

    • Geraint Ashton Jones
      | Reply

      Thank you for your kind words. Gill has been doing most of the hard graft so far. She is an ex police diver from Thames Valley although when the water is warmer………….!?!

  2. Richard Smith
    | Reply

    All of Gill’s photographs taken beneath the surface are really very special. It is interesting to see that many of the rules that I, as a photographer of the landscape above, apply equally below the surface like the reflections on the surface. (I’m used to seeing those reflections on the top side.) One appears to get more saturation of colour beneath the surface. Is there a polarising effect?

    • Geraint Ashton Jones
      | Reply

      Light behaves slightly different in the water and yes you do get some polorising effect at times. Mainly though the colour is slightly altered due to absorbtion of differning light bands depending on the water tyrpe and it’s. However simlar to being above water the depth of colour can be enhanced through being very careful with white balance and also with exposure. Generally the exposure is less than the camera would recommend. Geraint

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