A Fresh Focus

SPRING is just around the corner. And while I’ll miss the thrill of winter climbing and hillwalking, I’m looking forward to longer days, light nights and mornings when there’s no need to scrape the car.

Another who I know loves the spring is photographer Keith Fergus – whose beautiful work you’ll know well from these pages.

Keith tells me the light is at its best in spring. The air is often crisp and perfectly clear, while the sun – still relatively low in the sky – casts its rays at an oblique angle, throwing long shadows and creating areas of wonderful contrast and texture in the landscape.

It’s the main reason we at The Scots Magazine have decided to hold our second Photography Workshop weekend at this time of year. Running on the weekend of May 18-19, and once again under the expert guidance of Keith, it will be based on the banks of Loch Lomond – one of the most scenic parts of the country, as you can see from Keith’s picture above.

It’s a lovely area at any of time of the year – but especially so in spring. Young green leaves are just uncurling on the branches of the ancient oaks, birch and ash that make up the dense forest along the shore. Underfoot, the ground is coated in a lush carpet of bluebells. It’s a breathtaking setting that lends itself to the most incredible photography.

I was at the last workshop, held in the autumn at Crieff, and saw first-hand how much people enjoyed it – and also how much they learned and improved their photography. It was a fantastic weekend and I’m very much looking forward to the next. For more details – and booking information – turn to p126.

And on the subject of photography, this month is the last chance for you to enter our Photographer of the Year competition. The theme this issue is “urban” and we’ll look forward to seeing your best shots of Scotland’s rich built environment. The quality of entries already received for this year’s contest is exceptional. The winner will be decided by a public vote… and it’ll be no easy task! Details of how to enter are also on p126.

@Scotsmaged