BIG WEATHER

Award-winning landscape photographer Damian Shields captures Scotland’s wild places when they are cloaked in the drama of winter weather

Damian Shields captures Scotland in all its winter glory

It’s often been said that there’s nowhere quite as beautiful as Scotland on a sunny day. But to Damian Shields, landscape photographer and deputy multimedia editor at The Herald & Times, there’s nothing quite as inspiring as Scotland in a storm. ‘I love big weather,’ says Shields. ‘Ever in abundance the further north you travel, standing in fast changing conditions witnessing the drama of nature’s theatre fills me to the brim.’

Shields grew up in Coatbridge but was always intrigued by the hills that lay just a short journey north of his urban home. Imagining the views and adventures that lay in wait soon led to the early travels that saw him fall in love with the landscape and nature. Starting out with charcoal and paint, Shields progressed to photography in 1992 and studied fine art photography at Glasgow School of Art.

Now with a raft of awards and exhibitions under his belt Shields is able to share the glorious drama and spectacular landscapes that he so loves far and wide.

“Imagining the views and adventures that lay in wait soon led to the early travels that saw him fall in love with the landscape and nature

“The further north you travel, standing in fast-changing conditions witnessing the drama of nature’s theatre fills me to the brim

Clockwise from left: TheShroud, the peak of the mighty Stob Dearg, the highest peak of Buachaille Etive Mor in Glen Etive, slowly becomes visible from the moor below;Snowdrifts in Strath Gartney, Trossachs;Holding on, taken on the cliffs at Yesnaby in Sandwick on Orkney; Dail cottage from Inverliver bay on Loch Etive.

Clockwise from above: First light on Glen Affric; An Tudair and Loch Affric from the classic viewpoint between Loch Beinn a’Mheadhoin and Loch Affric; Benderloch sunset, Argyll; Here it comes, Holm Manse from Lamb Holm, Orkney.