Behind The shot With Michael Houghton
One photographer. One image. The story behind the shot.
A fortnight in mid winter on the Outer Hebrides. There's no place on earth I'd rather be!
Our first visit to the Isle of Harris was in March 2015 and we fell in love with the place; we've been back to the Outer Hebrides most years since. It gets under your skin, into your soul and always feels like home when you return. Harris is special; it's difficult to put your finger on any one thing in particular. It's a combination of the bleak rugged lunar like beauty, the gorgeous west coast beaches, the amazing light, the ever changing weather, the solitude, the quietude! It all combines to make for an unforgettable experience. It doesn't matter if you're a photographer or not; it all applies! But for photographers it's a bit like being a child in a sweet shop!
This was a trip to savour! A week on Harris followed by a week near Uig on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. Normally you’d be grateful for a few dry days at the end of January out there; this was exceptional! A couple of hours rain all fortnight! Yes, it was cold and windy but there were lots of sunny periods. I think this image sums that up perfectly!
It was captured on a cold bright morning at low tide, walking through the marram grasses at Luskentyre; between the dunes and the huge expanse of sand. The low light was streaming across the Bay illuminating the beautiful marram and beyond was the unmistakeable curvaceous top of Ceapabhal, silhouetted in the distance. It seems you can see Ceapabhal from most of the west coast of Harris and I have many images of it from our visits. This is one of my favourites as it doesn't reveal its full glorious shape; it retains an air of mystery and asks questions as to what lies in the distance. I love the shapes and curves of the grasses as they bend on the breeze, the gaps between provide the shadows and add depth to the image.
