In good weather there are spectacular panoramic views of Rum, Skye, and the mountains of Lochaber on the mainland.

View of Rum from Eigg, wth the Bay of Laig on the left.

Although small in size, Eigg has arguably two of the most dramatic and photogenic beaches in Scotland – the Bay of Laig and Singing Sands. With the island of Rum forming a perfect backdrop and amazing rock formations on both beaches, it is a dream location for any landscape photographer!

If you can drag yourself away from the mesmerising sight of the Rum Cuillins, there’s plenty of abstract images to be found amongst the geology of both beaches.

As well as its magnificent view of Rum, the beach at Laig Bay is renowned for its fabulous sand patterns which form as the tide washes over it.  The sand is a mixture of quartz/black basalt and white, crushed shells, which combine to create an ever-changing visual effect.

Be prepared for all types of weather – after all, this is the West Coast of Scotland, where you can experience all the seasons in one day!  We had a mixture of blue skies, an overnight storm, hailstones and two rather good sunsets.

For any photographers considering a visit, www.isleofeigg.net is a great resource and lists all the accommodation options.  The Bay of Laig and Singing Sands are in the northern part of the island, in Cleadale, and there are several B&B’s and self-catering cottages in that area.  I would really recommend staying in the Cleadale area, unless you are prepared for a long, and dark, walk back to your accommodation after the inevitable sunset and twilight photography sessions!    We stayed in  small self-catering log cabin, run by Jackie and Mike, who couldn’t have given us a warmer welcome and were even on hand with a first aid kit when I fell off my bike!

We could happily have stayed on the island for longer than the three days we had booked – photographically there is at least enough material for several years worth of image-making!   A truly special place.

Inevitably perhaps, increased opportunities to exhibit my work has involved spending lots of time preparing for each event and in recent months I have really struggled to find any time at all for photography. It was therefore extremely therapeutic to finally get my camera out earlier this week and make a few images.  Gale force winds, stormy skies and a low tide combined to create rather dramatic conditions down on the beach at Hoylake.  At low tide the beach stretches a good mile out from the shore before it reaches the sea and aside from a couple of solitary boats, there’s nothing to get in the way of the sand as it whips across the landscape.

Hopefully these images convey a little of what it felt like to be out on the windswept sands with just an old fishing boat for company!

For most of my life I have lived a stone’s throw from the coast and living here on the Wirral peninsula, surrounded as we are by the sea, it is this coastline that I am generally drawn to when it comes to making images.  Our west coast weather is pretty changeable and from a photographic point of view  we are spoilt with some wonderful light, dramatic skies and stunning sunsets.

I’m sure that this year will find me once again heading down to the beach to seek inspiration amongst the sand patterns, reflections and rock formations.  We have a trip planned to the small Scottish Isle of Eigg in April which I’m really excited about.  Laig Bay, with it’s dramatic rock formations and spectacular views across to the mountains of Rum, has long been a popular location for landscape photographers and will be a treat indeed.

However I hope this year will also see me having the time to explore new subjects and take on new photographic challenges. I have just started work on a new personal photographic project, ‘Amongst Trees’ – a chance for me to move away from my comfort zone of the beach and explore our local woodlands.  I  hope to be able to post some images very soon!

The opening exhibition features work by two photographers, Mitch Epstein and Chris Steel-Perkins.  Mitch Epstein’s work, “American Power” examines the role of energy in the United States and his large format prints are certainly striking.  Upstairs is “The Pleasure Principle”, a portrait of England in the 1980′s by Chris Steele-Perkins.

As well as a full programme of exhibitions, the gallery has various photographic workshops planned, including a series covering large format film photography later this month.  For details check out their website at www.openeye.org.uk.

The new Open Eye Gallery building at Mann Island

The image below was made just after sunrise this morning, out on the Estuary at Meols.  Most of the boats that are usually moored there have been brought in for their winter maintenance, but a few remain, waiting patiently for the tide.

"First Dawn of Winter", Meols

I’m not sure I’m much of a writer –  I feel much more comfortable making images than talking about them!  However, I feel it’s now my turn to pass on some of the tips I’ve learned on my photographic journey so far, and a blog is probably the easiest way to do just that…

So, a few (hopefully useful) photographic tips, the occasional tutorial and the opportunity for me to post some of the images that don’t make it onto my main portfolio site.