The Cuillins from Elgol

Across Loch Scavaig the Peaks of the Cuillins from Elgol on the Isle of Skye

This viewpoint of the main ridge of the Black Cuillin of Skye seen across the waters of Loch Scavaig is very popular indeed and instantly draws the eye of any photographer, and I have seen numerous images of various compositions, including and excluding the rocky foreground, at dusk and dawn, and in good weather and bad. However, what I had never seen was an image that illuminated the mountains to an extent that it provided good detail of the mountain form and relief of the main ridge and, at the same time, included the neighbouring peaks of Marsco and Bla Bheinn across the great divide of Glen Sligachan.

And so, encouraged by some beautiful clear and relatively warm spring weather towards the end of March, I headed out to Elgol specifically intending to capture such an image. At this time of year the altitude of the sun is still low enough to produce good directional light even in the early afternoon, and I was further fortunate enough to find that the high spring tide and calm weather provided the right conditions on the rocky shoreline to produce an interesting foreground.