Around the World in Analogue: Scotland

Scotland is a captivating country that combines rugged landscapes, historic castles, and vibrant cities. The majestic Scottish Highlands boast stunning mountains and picturesque glens, while the Isle of Skye enchants with ethereal landscapes. Throughout the country, a deep sense of tradition and heritage permeates the air.

In this edition of Around the World in Analogue, LomoAmigo Dana T. shares an overview of her travels on her recent trip to Scotland, visiting fellow analogue photographer Sarah. Dana tells us how she photographed the trip as well as her tips and tricks for analogue photographers interested in taking their film photography abroad.

Name: Dana T.
Instagram: the.sweetest.hours
Cameras: Diana F+, Diana Baby 110, Pentax Auto 110, Nikon F2, and Yashica Mat 124G
Film stocks: Color Tiger 110, LomoChrome Metropolis 110, Lomography Color Negative 400, and Lomography Color Negative 800

I have wanted to visit Ireland and the UK for years, and finally got the opportunity when my friend Sarah invited me this year. Sarah and I met through Instagram and our shared love of film photography.

Over the last two years we hosted a video series where we interviewed various female film photographers from around the world (these videos are still available to watch on Sarah’s Instagram page. )The first photographer Sarah interviewed was me! And then we started hosting the interviews together on Instagram live, asking photographers about their background, favorite cameras and film, and their creative processes.

I stayed with Sarah on this visit for ten days, and we spent a few days at her cottage, and five days on a road trip, travelling around Scotland and visiting different landmarks and national parks. We visited Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, Glencoe, took a ferry to the Isle of Skye, the Glenfinnan Viaduct (also known as the bridge from the train in Harry Potter films), and ended our road trip at Cairngorms National Park.

We also visited the “fairy pools” on the Isle of Skye, which are crystal clear pools of water that come off the mountains. We both took a dip in one of the pools and words cannot describe how incredibly ice cold that water is!

My tips would be to make sure you buy some “Smidge” or invest in a midge net, as these tiny bugs can swarm you, cover you in itchy bites, and be a huge menace. I would also say that many destinations are quite far apart, and the roads are very narrow and windy, so be prepared if you are going to rent a car.

My other tips would be to invest in a good rain jacket, and bring lots and lots of film! (Per Sarah’s recommendation – 400 speed film is the best because it is often overcast). The views are gorgeous, and there are so many wonderful spots to see. Many places in the UK are travelable by bus or train, and if you don’t plan to drive, scoping out the different train stations or bus stops may be a great way to get around.

On all other accounts Scotland is extremely safe and probably the most unpredictable thing would be the weather!

While I did bring multiple cameras that I was very comfortable with, this trip was my first time trying out the Diana F+ so it was a bit of an experiment for me! The plastic lens and heavy vignette around the edges gives the frames a soft, dreamlike quality that I love. I also had fun experimenting with double exposures.

I brought the Diana Baby 110 because I am a huge 110 film fan, and I love the lo-fi, tiny square frames it produces. Overall, I wanted to experiment with these cameras and see how they would capture the vibrant greens of the Scottish landscapes and I was not disappointed.

I used a variety of Lomography films (Color Negative 400 & 800, Metropolis, Tiger 110). I think Lomography Color Negative 400 and 800 made the vibrant greens and yellows of the Scottish landscapes pop so much, and the cooler tones from Metropolis complimented our moody, overcast ferry ride to the Isle of Skye, and looked great with the textures of the bridges and castles we visited.

Thank you, Dana, for sharing your tips and experiences with us! Make sure to check out her Instagram for more of her work.

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written by eloffreno on 2023-07-04 #gear #people #around-the-world #travel #adventure #road-trip #traveling #abroad