THE TWILIGHT ZONE
Amateur photographer Sylvan Buckley finds light in the darkness of Scotland’s night skies
Photographer Sylvan Buckley proves that Scotland is just as bonny in the dark
Receiving a camera from his wife for his 40th birthday set amateur photographer Sylvan Buckley on course to change his career. In just two-and-a-half years, former factory worker Sylvan has enrolled in a photography course at Ayrshire College and has started building a portfolio of breathtaking images, capturing the magic of the Scottish landscape.
Sylvan’s new-found love of photography has also reignited his childhood hobby of hillwalking, and he tries to get out and about to capture Scotland’s natural beauty when he can. ‘As a teenager I did a bit of hillwalking but over the years it became less possible so I fell away from it, but photography gives me a reason to get out and get photos,’ he says.
Amongst his favourite places is Glencoe, ‘a dream come true for landscape photography’, as well as Portencross, close to his home in Ayrshire. ‘I’d like to get up to Skye and Harris this year; Skye to capture the iconic landscapes and Harris to photograph the wide sandy beaches.’
His most striking works to date are his astral photographs, stemming from his hobby of stargazing. ‘I had a telescope and just picked up a couple of things here and there.’ Long nights of waiting for the perfect shot have paid off and Sylvan is beginning to build a following on social media around his dramatic pictures. ‘I’d love to make my career in photography, but for now I still consider myself to be a hobbyist.’