A Return to the Isle of Skye
I took Sharon on her first trip to Scotland in 2013, and we both fell hard for the Isle of Skye. So much so, we returned in 2017—drawn again to its wind-lashed coastlines, shifting skies, and quiet, evocative light.
A View from Kyleakin
Both times, we stayed at The White Heather, a B&B in Kyleakin, the former ferry landing before the Skye Bridge opened in 1995. On this particular day, Scottish weather was doing what it does best—changing by the minute.
I walked no more than a hundred feet from our room and found myself with a clear view of Castle Moil and the wide sweep of Loch Alsh. Sunlight pierced the clouds here and there, illuminating fragments of water and hills like a moving spotlight.
The Drama in Monochrome
Back home, reviewing the frames on my screen, I knew immediately this one belonged in black and white. The cloud formations—ranging from glowing white to charcoal grey—felt more like brushwork than weather.
A lone boat in the lower left corner drew a comment from a collector at a recent show. Would the scene be better without it?
Why the Boat Stays
I told him: not for me. That boat gives scale, humanity, and just the right tension to the scene. If I’d thought it didn’t belong, it wouldn’t be there. After all—I’m not a photojournalist. I’m composing something closer to memory than fact.
A Note on Composition
This image also brings to mind one of my favorite creative anecdotes. When a 15-year-old Steven Spielberg met legendary director John Ford, Ford told him:
“When you come to the conclusion that putting the horizon at the bottom or the top of the frame is a lot better than putting it in the middle, then you may someday make a good picture-maker. Now get out of here.”
Limited Edition Details
Available in a Limited Edition of 15, with 2 Artist Proofs.
