Trip to the Hebrides, Scotland.

Paul Goutiere · Mar 19, 2010

The Wife and I are going to Scotland to visit the outer Hebrides. We want to see the standing stones. I want to see some really old castles as well. I like to take interior shots where and when I can.

My Wife will be sketching and taking pictures with her digital camera.

I'm thinking that I will take only film equipment but since I can't take the whole fleet I'm gonna try to go light......as light as I can. Much of what we will be doing could be on foot and since I've never been to Scotland I don't know what to expect. I don't travel much, you could say I'm a little clueless in this regard.

I have:
Hassy 501CM w/ 80mm
Hassy 150mm
Hassy SWC

Nikon F3HP, F2, F4
50-135 zoom
24mm prime.

Leica M2 and M4-P
Voigtlander 15mm
50mm
35mm

Small tripod
Film etc.

My first instinct is to take the 501CM and the two Leicas and the three lenses. The 15mm might be nice for interiors etc.

But I dunno anyone have an idea?

benjiboy · Mar 19, 2010

It's vey wild and beautiful up there but make sure you and you're wife take some warm wind proof waterproof clothes the weather up their can be foul even in the Summer. I think I would just take the Leica gear if you will be on foot .

SWphoto · Mar 19, 2010

I think Bruce Percy has some info on his website you'd enjoy (certainly on his podcasts in itunes)- wonderful photos and commentary:

Dead Link Removed

Paul Goutiere · Mar 19, 2010

benjiboy said:
It's vey wild and beautiful up there but make sure you and you're wife take some warm wind proof waterproof clothes the weather up their can be foul even in the Summer. I think I would just take the Leica gear if you will be on foot .

We will be renting a car, for the duration of the trip, but we like to hike. I suspect we will be packing camera gear in the car then take whatever we need at the time for hikes.

coigach · Mar 19, 2010

Sounds like a great trip.

I'm in the Scottish Highlands a lot and can help with loads of practical advice - feel free to PM me. All my landscape photos are taken in the Scottish Highlands.

A few useful pointers in the meantime:

Scottish weather (particularly the west coast) is notoriously fickle - you might get rain, wind, sun at any time of the year. More often than not on the same day . You might be lucky, you might be unlucky - you can't really guarantee anything...
What time of year are you thinking of visiting?

The most reliable weather forecast by far is MWIS, the specialist climbers forecast:
http://www.mwis.org.uk/

For an accurate guide that Scots would actually use themselves try this book (It's not really a standard guidebook but more a list of decent food places and interesting things to do / places to visit):
http://www.amazon.com/Scotland-Best...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269034063&sr=1-1

Hope this helps,
Gavin

PS - Schlapp, an APUG member from the Isle of Lewis, might also be able to help?

PPS - see the last comment on this photo
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Keith Pitman · Mar 19, 2010

Just take the Hasselblad. Too much gear and you'll distracted. Keep it simple.

tony lockerbie · Mar 19, 2010

No, just leave the cameras and take me! I'll bring my Leica.

Paul Goutiere · Mar 19, 2010

kapitman said:
Just take the Hasselblad. Too much gear and you'll distracted. Keep it simple.

We get 44 lbs (20 kilos) , checked luggage and 11lbs. (5 kilos) carry on. This has to last us the trip.

Rain gear, warm clothes, good shoes, weight of luggage itself, camera gear (tripod??), light clothing, trinkets to appease the natives etc. etc. etc. all add up.

johnnywalker · Mar 20, 2010

I find it more difficult to pack for one with the 20+5 kilo limit than for two with the 40+10 kilo limit. Not that the latter situation arises much in my case.
I assume by trinkets you mean you're taking some good Canadian Rye Whiskey for the locals?
Whatever else I took I'd take the Hassy and the small tripod.

Paul Goutiere · Mar 20, 2010

johnnywalker said:
I find it more difficult to pack for one with the 20+5 kilo limit than for two with the 40+10 kilo limit. Not that the latter situation arises much in my case.
I assume by trinkets you mean you're taking some good Canadian Rye Whiskey for the locals?
Whatever else I took I'd take the Hassy and the small tripod.

Once upon a time, when the Rockies were much lower, and the sun set in a different place, I only had one camera. Life was easier then; I just took the one camera.

I think you are right. Let the Wife take the digital thing, I'll take the 'Blad.

Paul Goutiere · Mar 20, 2010

coigach said:
Scottish weather (particularly the west coast) is notoriously fickle - you might get rain, wind, sun at any time of the year. More often than not on the same day . You might be lucky, you might be unlucky - you can't really guarantee anything...
What time of year are you thinking of visiting?

We will have a window of opportunity to visit in mid/late June 2011.

coigach said:
For an accurate guide that Scots would actually use themselves try this book (It's not really a standard guidebook but more a list of decent food places and interesting things to do / places to visit):

We will order the book! Thank you.

What gear would you take?

macrorie · Mar 20, 2010

I am not sure I would carry equipment from two 35mm systems with me unless I really wanted to cover different media like E-6 transparencies, color negative and b&w negative. However, if you are going to rent a car, and you really should, and if your wife is willing to carry a camera or two as well as the sketching equipment....It would still be a lot to juggle if all carried at once. I think at least one moderate telephoto like the Nikon 50-135mm lens would prove useful for isolating spectacular parts of the coastal scenery in the Western Isles (btw, I love that lens).

If you get to Skye, do not miss the view of the Black Cuillins from Elgol. Skye is full of spectacular vistas. Be ready for single lane roads that require frequent stops in pull-offs to let on-coming cars pass. The earlier comments on the weather are spot on: it is common for conditions to change in either direction quite quickly. Midgies can be very distracting, depending on the wind conditions: do some research on ways to avoid them (I have been lucky and have experienced them on few occasions, but they were memorable).

You probably know this, but always carry all of your film in carry-on baggage, it may very well be spoiled by scanning if in the hold baggage.

BarryWilkinson · Mar 20, 2010

I would take the hassy and try to borrow a tripod from a UK/local photographer. There may be less of a midge problem in the Outer Hebrides especially in June but the west coast mainland can be very bad. You may need one of these and some gloves

36cm2 · Mar 20, 2010

Posted wirelessly..

I would definitely go with Hassy plus tripod. Incredibly beautiful, moody, rugged landscapes await. If you don't mind shooting slowly, I'd also bring something to protect your camera if it's setup on your tripod. That way you can wait out mistings and catch some of the gnarley clouds that roll through. Enjoy!

Peter Black · Mar 20, 2010

Paul, I'd have agreed with others on taking the Hassy, but it looks like you are using an SWC in place of a wideangle and that is a complicating factor as you will definitely want/need a reasonable wideangle. I'm also wondering what you intend to do about processing? I'd have said there was no chance of getting MF film processed at all (although there are mailorder labs), but 35mm C41 print film processing should be available. While I'm open to correction, I'd say the Hebrides were just about a film-free zone as far as film and chemicals are concerned, so be prepared to take everything with you.

Paul Goutiere · Mar 20, 2010

Peter Black said:
Paul, I'd have agreed with others on taking the Hassy, but it looks like you are using an SWC in place of a wideangle and that is a complicating factor as you will definitely want/need a reasonable wideangle. I'm also wondering what you intend to do about processing? I'd have said there was no chance of getting MF film processed at all (although there are mailorder labs), but 35mm C41 print film processing should be available. While I'm open to correction, I'd say the Hebrides were just about a film-free zone as far as film and chemicals are concerned, so be prepared to take everything with you.

What would you say to my shipping all film separately, then having it shipped back as well?

Peter Black · Mar 20, 2010

Paul Goutiere said:
What would you say to my shipping all film separately, then having it shipped back as well?

This is beyond my knowledge as I don't know how much x-rays the film might be subjected to. If you are shooting Ilford, there is no need to have it jetting over the pond just to jet back again, and reliable UK delivery should be OK.

Keith Pitman · Mar 20, 2010

Paul Goutiere said:
We get 44 lbs (20 kilos) , checked luggage and 11lbs. (5 kilos) carry on. This has to last us the trip.

Rain gear, warm clothes, good shoes, weight of luggage itself, camera gear (tripod??), light clothing, trinkets to appease the natives etc. etc. etc. all add up.

It's like the speed limit: just because you CAN go fast, doesn't mean you have to. Pack light, take one type of film, make good pictures.

Paul Goutiere · Mar 20, 2010

Peter Black said:
This is beyond my knowledge as I don't know how much x-rays the film might be subjected to. If you are shooting Ilford, there is no need to have it jetting over the pond just to jet back again, and reliable UK delivery should be OK.

OK! What would be closest supplier of Ilford? Who could supply some good Fuji 120 film and processing? Kinda like to do what I can there.

Any ideas?

coigach · Mar 21, 2010

Paul Goutiere said:
We will have a window of opportunity to visit in mid/late June 2011.

We will order the book! Thank you.

What gear would you take?

You might be in midgie-zone at that time - wee biting beasties that like being near water, like windless damp days, esp at dusk and dawn. You might be better in the Hebrides than some other places because of the extra wind! June-ish to September-ish is the midgie season.

Gear-wise, I'd probably take the Hassy system, tripod and one Leica with the three lenses.

As for processing + xrays, I've been mailing unexposed 120 film from the UK to a lab in the USA for years now (see www.dr5.com) and never had a problem with x-ray fogging. Send it Royal Mail Airsure for Tracked delivery:
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?catId=400033&mediaId=400034

Forget about finding film stockists on your travels, you'll have to mail order film. With a bit of planning, I'm sure you could arrange film to be sent to your hotel / b+b ahead of your visit for you to collect. I buy all my film here:
http://www.discountfilmsdirect.co.uk/

and this is a great lab for processing (my local lab here in Edinburgh), am sure they'll do mail order if you email them to check:
http://www.amimage.co.uk/

Cheers,
Gavin

Peter Black · Mar 21, 2010

Paul Goutiere said:
OK! What would be closest supplier of Ilford? Who could supply some good Fuji 120 film and processing? Kinda like to do what I can there.

Any ideas?

Gavin's experience of shipping to dr5 sounds promising, so maybe x-rays aren't a problem. I haven't used the film supplier he has linked to, but APUG member Matt5791 runs a film supply company and is linked to a processing lab. I'm sure he'd be willing to send your film by special delivery to make sure it gets there on time, and it would certainly be worth a PM to ask.

http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/

coigach · Mar 21, 2010

Peter Black said:
Gavin's experience of shipping to dr5 sounds promising, so maybe x-rays aren't a problem. I haven't used the film supplier he has linked to, but APUG member Matt5791 runs a film supply company and is linked to a processing lab. I'm sure he'd be willing to send your film by special delivery to make sure it gets there on time, and it would certainly be worth a PM to ask.

http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/

Good call Peter,

Forgot about this company. Will use in future - good prices and good to support fellow APUGer...!

Cheers,
Gavin

BarryWilkinson · Mar 21, 2010

Another recommendation for Matt. Helpful and prompt service.

Paul Goutiere · Mar 21, 2010

So; Info so far:
-Midges and weather are a concern.
-Film and processing available from good sources. (Better than Canada!!)
(>> I think, in 120; FP4, Fuji colour neg. film.>> In 35; Velvia 100, maybe Provia 400x)
-Take Hasselblad system, my choice yes!
(501CM, SWC)
-Take Leica stuff, as well, my choice yes!

I find it interesting that no one, so far, has suggested the Nikon SLRs.

BarryWilkinson · Mar 21, 2010

I was in the Outer Hebrides in May last year. I took my Nikon 35mm kit but I drove there from home (2 days!) so I could pack everything I thought I might use including LF. I hope to go back this June but by air.

Trip to the Hebrides, Scotland.

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