A journey with a keen photographic eye through the wild side of the Scottish Highlands

In my opinion, a great virtue of a good photographer is the ability to draw beauty from everyday situations and scenes.

A silent ascent to a mountain without name in the Scottish Highlands
The beautiful landscapes of the Isle of Skye in northern Scotland, from a bird's eye view

There are places we may have seen hundreds of times that suddenly appear completely different and truly beautiful when a skilled photographer manages to present them in a unique way. As a photography enthusiast, I feel a sense of healthy envy for this ability. One photographer who possesses this gift is the American Kyle Kotajarvi; I am increasingly enjoying his videos, not only for his excellent photography but also for his great taste in music and even his skilled voiceover work.

Recently, VisitScotland—Scotland’s official tourism organization—released a magnificent video created by Kyle Kotajarvi, showcasing beautiful locations across the Scottish Highlands, such as Torridon, Assynt, Loch Coruisk, and the Bealach na Bà road:

You can see some screenshots from this lovely video here. We start with an old red telephone box—an essential element of a classic British landscape. I believe this one is located near Sanna, on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula.

A classic Clydesdale draft horse, a breed typical of Scotland and originating from the Clyde River valley.

Loch Coruisk, on the Isle of Skye. This location, boasting some of Scotland's wildest scenery, is the birthplace of a creature from Scottish mythology: the kelpie—a shape-shifting water horse said to inhabit lochs just like this one.

The Bealach na Bà is a winding road that crosses the mountains of the Applecross Peninsula. It is located in the Wester Ross area of ​​the northwestern Highlands. It is the third-highest mountain pass in Scotland, reaching an elevation of 630 meters.