58.2000° N, 6.7400° W... To Catch the tail of The Sun

58.2000° N, 6.7400° W... To Catch the tail of The Sun

I first traveled here in 2000. I was at first too busy trying to make images. I brought every thing I had. from film to digital. This was because I thought I'd never return. Well I was wrong. Once home I felt that I didn't understand anything about this place other than what one sees in a post card. This was because I was in capture mode which is a frame work of limited time.

My next major visit, I encountered a rain from hell. The is it after that I encountered 100 mile and hour gale winds. I noticed the stones vibrate and kind of whistle. My hair was blown all over the place. I was exhilarated. so say the least for a few hours. Then it rained.

I tired Spring. The skies at callanish are strange and can play tricks on you.
It will appear as if the day will e great for shooting. You rush to have an early breakfast. You start eating and the rain come down so hard that you are convinced that going outside in it is useless. You slow down eating, scribble some notes about the day and for some strange reason it becomes quiet and you book become illumines. You look up and it is as if the rain never happened. You race out to your rented car and drive to the stone for fantastic cloud , set up and the rain opens up.

At callanish if you are not in the favor of the gods, your camera better be. You start looking for that little prayer box to put a coin in so your prayers can be answered.

I was so radiant from that visit, I got greedy and returned in the summer. That was really a mistake. The midges where out in a total eating frenzy. They are like
piranha, but with wings. They eat at one end and poop at the back end as they peel layer after layer off you eye lids. When the wind stops they are a black swarm which literally covers your head. You will need something like Avon oil to cover your face and scalp. Bug repellant is a joke.

Your only hope is to pray for a breeze. if not, and you see the swarm in the sky heading towards you. Run!.

So what's so special about this place for a photographer. It is to take that one special shot. For each of us there is that one shot. Then again there is real only one special time to shoot here if you are into nature as I was told many years ago.

Another man that roamed here, made this island his home. I had seen his work, and I was truly impressed. In his face was wisdom. HIs spirit was shared with the likes of Ansel Adams. Whatever he did there was true magic in color.

His shot took place after a rare snow storm, and for miracle sake, it was the gift of the gods. Within that eye of the storm was the stones covered in the field over a meter in snow , with snow drifts, plus the upper two thirds of the stone sat above in a vail of light mist and background fog. Only the head of the latter stone peaked above.

Now I wold call that, "The Shot". His work as a photographer has inspired me to return thinking I can catch similar with a this global warming.. But the trop is simple. It was a rare snow falling, a freak weather front. When the weather radar predicts bad weather. The ferries don't make the crossing. Here an approaching strong will empty a grocery store before it arrives. Shelter is a must.

I have come here enough to know that the old man who now has passed for at least eight years has shared his story with me , and I pass it on to you.

His spirit has allowed me a small taste of the magic from this sacred ground. I know he's waiting for me, as he will wait for a few of you that dare to try and be intone to this piece of land. And should you come back again and again and find it. Then it will be your time to join the sports as the guardians of the land.

F 8 and be their.


Three years passed and I returned to his home. It was boarded up, his wife left, and the warmth had left. I wish I could have spent anther day listening to his stories in his home.