Scotland Isle of Lewis and Harris

The Isle of Lewis and Harris is the largest island in the UK, yet it can be explored from corner to corner in just a few days. We’ll spend an entire week experiencing this land at the frontier’s edge of Scotland, so we have the time to photograph all this fantastic location offers.

The weather-beaten Atlantic coast hides some of the world’s most spectacular beaches and rock formations. The 5,000-year-old stone circles stand sentinel, and the photogenic, abandoned cottages scattered across the island provide a diversity of subjects that promise to pique every photographer’s eye.

To make the experience even more authentic, we will stay in an old family hunting lodge, getting a taste of life on these grand estates. The lodge’s catering team will prepare three meals daily for us, working around our schedule of being out at the best times of day for photography. This all-inclusive experience of lodging and dining in a luxurious Scottish manner promises to be just one of the highlights of this trip.

The Outer Hebrides can be a wild place, especially in winter, but this is why photographers flock here worldwide. These truly dramatic islands don’t look at home under clear blue skies and sunshine. We visit in March, just as winter gives way to the first signs of spring. There’s a good chance of snow-capped mountains, but regardless, the potential for great light exists all day at this time of year. Oh, and don’t be surprised if you run out of fingers when keeping track of how many rainbows you’ll likely see.

The days aren’t too long, and the low sun can provide the perfect light even in the middle of the day—with rays of golden light emerging from brooding skies.

The long evenings can be spent enjoying the Scottish Highland hospitality at our private lodge and discussing your photography with one of the pros…in front of a traditional open peat fire.

Our local guides will share their extensive knowledge of this Isle and their favorite secret locations, which they have scouted during their years of experience here.

Out in the field, we’ll be teaching pre-visualization, composition, and specific techniques like panoramas, long exposures for silky-smooth water and dramatic skies, and night-skies photography. We’ll also have our famous image reviews and Lightroom instruction in the lodge.

Read Karen Burke Lahr’s blog post about her experience on this workshop or you can read our trip report from our 2022 workshop.