Glencoe - A Landscape Photographers Favourite

Ask any landscape photographer which areas in Scotland are on their must shoot list you'd be hard to find a photographer that doesn't have Glencoe on that list. You might argue that there are better areas in Scotland to photograph, or areas that have been photographed less, but Glencoe resolutely remains a go to location for those armed with anything from a mobile phone to a large format film camera.

It's close proximity to Glasgow makes it relatively easy to get to but what really attracts photographers are it's many stunning viewpoints, many of which are on or close to a road. You'll find plenty of rivers and lochans to photograph, but the main star of the show has to be the mountains which dominate the area. I don't how many times I driven up onto the plateau at Glencoe, but each and every time the view takes my breath away.

Favourite or Best Glencoe Viewpoint

I would of course never proclaim that any particular Glencoe viewpoint is the best. The term best is very subjective and will vary from photographer to photographer. Even if you ask just one photographer, the answer you will most likely get is "it depends". Time of day, time of year and weather all play role in selecting which viewpoint is best for that moment in time.

There is one viewpoint in Glencoe that I keep coming back to you. It's a viewpoint that I will make the effort to photograph on just about every visit I make to Glencoe. With the exception of a small window in the winter where the sun rises from an awkward angle, it is my go to viewpoint. The viewpoint I am referring to is the view of Buachaille Etive Mòr (Stob Dearg) from the side of Beinn a' Chrùlaiste.

**Buachaille Etive Mòr Sunrise #1, Glencoe, Scotland** - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 28mm, f/8, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.

It's not the easiest of viewpoints to reach. With a full camera backpack on, the all up hill walk takes me 45 minutes (on a good morning). The walk isn't particularly technical (unless its snowy or icy), but it is a bit of a lung buster (depending on your fitness). Despite the effort required, I have never stood on the side of that mountain, watching the light from the rising sun illuminate the peak of Stob Dearg regretted. Sure, I've been cold, wet and hungry sometimes, but it's never taken away from the enjoyment of that special moment.

**Buachaille Etive Mòr Sunrise #2, Glencoe, Scotland** - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 41mm, f/8, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.

A 5 Minute Photo Adventure in Glencoe

So it should come as no surprise that on my recent visit to Scotland and to Glencoe I did that very thing. I set the alarm (very early), drove to Glencoe, and marched myself up to what is possibly my favourite viewpoint in Glencoe. If you want to know why I did this, then grab yourself a cup of coffee and watch the 5 Minute Photo Adventure video I made that morning.

Bonus Location - Lochan na h-Achlaise

My route home that morning took past another one of Glencoe's finest locations, Lochan na h-Achlaise. Normally by this point hunger would have me driving straight home for breakfast, but when I saw the reflections on Lochan na h-Achlaise there was no way I couldn't stop to take a closer look. It was late in the morning (relatively speaking to sunrise) so I already knew I probably wouldn't get any great photographs, but I had to at least try.

**Lochan na h-Achlaise Reflections #1, Glencoe, Scotland** - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 59mm, f/11, 1/60 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters CPL.

The most interesting thing about stopping there wasn't the stunning reflections but the fact that as I was walking along the lochan I met another photographer from Exeter! I travel all that way and I bump into someone from Devon! It's a small world for sure.

**Lochan na h-Achlaise Reflections #1, Glencoe, Scotland** - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 46mm, f/11, 1/60 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters CPL.

I hope you enjoyed this short blog post and video. What are your favourite Glencoe locations and what you most like to shoot next you are there? What's the furthest you've travelled only to bump into someone from your local area? Let me know in the comments below.