My First Year of Weddings, Elopements and Proposals on Skye -

It’s that time of year when the days are short on Skye and it is time to catch up on my admin and reflect on my first year in business here. I still have one wedding to go and then I shall be relaxing until the new year and then preparing for what I hope will be an even busier 2019.

Moving to Skye was a big step. I gave up an established portrait and wedding business in Hampshire, built almost entirely on word of mouth recommendations, to start again in a world where no-one knows me, and where the work comes mostly from people eloping to the island. I am so lucky that two incredible photographers here, Rosie at Love Skye Photography and Lynne at Lynne Kennedy Photography have been wonderful and have recommended me to couples when they are busy or who want a package more suited to my style of work. I have shot with both of them on their own weddings too and am delighted that we are working together in so many ways. I cannot thank them enough for their help. I have also had to up my game on my website and marketing to generate enquiries via Google and the like. Yvette at Lemonade Design has suffered my lack of internet savvy and we have come up with a website that I hope you are finding easy to use, and that gives you all you need to know (please let me know if not!). I have also rebranded with a new logo and a softer feel to my site with her help. I am also excited that I am working with some really great wedding professionals and am starting to build some firm friendships and great business contacts for the benefit of my customers. They are listed here and they are all talented and supportive people.

Island life is a bit like living in a small town that is very spread out! It is not without its challenges but as my knowledge of the island grows I feel confident that I am able to give prospective brides and grooms an understanding of where the best spots are, and help them plan their day. Skye has so many wonderful locations and special places. I used to joke with Rosie before I moved here that she had it easy, as there are no bad back drops for wedding portraits here, although, to be fair, the weather has its way of keeping you on your toes! The lack of pollution makes a brilliant sunny day a photographic challenge and the sideways rain gives an interesting, if not dramatic, perspective. Getting to know the sheltered spots has been fun, and there are still so many more to explore. With incredible places to marry here, The Quiraing, The Old Man of Storr, The Fairy Glen, The Fairy Pools, Sligachan, Dunscaith Castle, Elgol, Loch Coruisk, Eilean Donan Castle….. I could go on and on, I consider myself very lucky indeed to work in some of the best locations in the world.

My first year on Skye? Challenging, very rewarding, great fun and worth the move for sure. I haven’t mentioned the other great people I work with here, my customers! Whether they come to propose, elope, marry in front of friends and family or just have some holiday photos to cherish, they have been fantastic: without exception, fun and good company, and I am looking forward to meeting many more interesting people in my second year. Thank you to everyone I have worked with for making my first year on Skye a memorable one for all the right reasons.

Here are just a few of my favourite pictures from 2018.

This is a picture I took whilst working with Rosie of Love Skye Photography, so the credit should go to her. It was a fun shoot and though the weather was so terrible that the celebrant was blown off her feet and we were all wet through to our underwear everyone had a smile on their face for the whole day.

This proposal was arranged via email, and went so well to plan and I got away with my casual, “Hi, don’t mind me, I am just trying to photograph the sheep” right up until the ring appeared!

A fab boat trip around Loch Duich with a picnic and everything. I love boats and so this was not like working at all!

I really enjoyed this shoot at Ashaig. For a flat sandy beach there seemed to be so many different shots to be had, but this little car suited Karsten and Lisa so well.

This couple had such a romantic story as to how they came to be together after years of being friends that met annually at reunions of their time in Korea. It would make a great film.

I just love a good proposal!

I don’t just photograph weddings and elopements and was thrilled when local artist Julia Christie, asked me to photograph her for her website. I love her work and am flattered that she likes mine!

An early morning shoot where everything just seemed to go right…

What can I say about these guys… just super!!! We had a really fun afternoon and I could have carried on photographing them for hours (although they were from California and freezing to death here!)

I love the expressions on the faces of this couple when they shared a wee dram for the quaich.

Drew and I exchanged many, many emails on this proposal, and it nearly didn’t happen when the rain was so horrid that Nicole really didn’t want to get out of the car, and Drew had to use all his best persuasive powers to get her to the right spot. I had friends staying with me and I had to drag them out of their warm beds to use them as decoys!

This was a beautiful and moving christening in a burn running by the cottage that this couple were staying in when they realised they were in love. They returned to the same cottage to christen their daughter Skye.

I just love this picture of a friend of mine. I shoot art nude for personal projects and wanted to work with some ‘real people’ as opposed to models, on Skye. This woman has climbed every one of those mountains in front of her and when I asked her to wade out to the rock through the freezing sea, she spontaneously stood up and threw her arms open like this. I think she enjoyed the shoot more than I did! I got in as well and had my photo take to prove that I don’t ask anyone to do anything I won’t do myself … and boy, it was cold!!!

This photo shoot was a 60th birthday treat that Gary planned for himself. he had brought a special bottle of beer to toast the occasion and we had great fun on tour of the south end of the island, which he had not visited before.

An early start to catch the sunrise at Eilean Donan castle for Bridget and Ryan, and a wonderful opportunity to have the whole place to ourselves for a magazine editorial style of shoot. Lynne recommended me and came along to help, and it was the first time we worked together on a project.

The weather was shocking for film maker and actor Patrice and singer Lucie, who had travelled all the way from France to marry in secret. I really like the reaction to being pronounced married in this one.