I have always had the intention to produce an annual write up and review of my photographic year, as looking back at my photos can provide not only a reminder of what I have captured it can also provide a record of how my photography might have developed. Previously, new photograph opportunities have often quickly arisen and the moment for reflection passes; this year I will achieve my aim!

I want to divide my review into 3 blogs; one showing my favourite camera photos, one showing my favourite drone photos and finally, a review of my year and a look forward to the year ahead and what I’ll be hoping for.


My camera and drone have journeyed to The Outer Hebrides, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Germany and northern Spain this past year. My Outer Hebrides trip was specifically a photographic tour whilst my visits to European countries was concentrated more on visiting friends and places with photography fitting in whenever possible.

My 10 favorite camera images

It's inevitable that many of my favourite photos will come from the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. The trip with my brother, was to concentrate on photography and drone flying in a remote area whilst enjoying the uniqueness of island life. I have hundreds of photos to draw from, however have managed to eventually select the following images, in no particular order.

Luskyntyre Beach, Isle of Harris

I had spent a lot of time without success on local beaches at home, looking for water swirling around rocks to provide an interesting feature. As soon as we arrived at Luskyntyre Beach on the Isle of Lewis, I found the image I'd had in mind.

Eilean Donan Castle, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland

A gem of a find as we sought to get away from tourists. We took a road going uphill and searched for a place to stop to eat our sandwiches. Imagine the surprise when we looked over a thick hedge and found a fantastic perspective of this iconic monument and people like ants way below us!

Red Roof Bothy, Loch Shieldaig, Scotland

It was many years ago that I saw a photo of this isolated bothy and promised myself that I'd locate and visit sometime. It wasn't the best time of day to show off the area to its best with a photo, however the thrill of seeing it all in reality overcame any technical photography issues.

St.Thomas Church, Jamnick, Slovenia

A dull, cloudy day and we were en route to meet friends. I'd seen an image of this church, however didn't think there would be time to search for it. I really liked its style and location and was thrilled when we were negotiating mountain roads in the mist, to realise that the church was actually on our route. It was raining and mist swirled around the church, however I was really pleased how the image turned out.

Torrox Costa, Spain

I had been playing with the editing of B&W images to make them more dramatic. This image is a favourite for two reasons. Firstly because I found out that my fish eye lens can be used as a normal wide angle lens due to editing options and secondly, because I found a B&W style which created mystery and focus which I really liked.

Malcesine, Lake Garda, Italy

En route to Slovenia, we stopped off at Lake Garda and met with a photographer friend. It was great to spend time with someone as passionate as I am about photography and look for photo opportunities together. I chose this particular image because there was snow on the mountain in the distance, the clouds just floated into the scene and the location was magical.

Fireworks, Almuñecar, Spain

To get into a position to capture any photos of fireworks was a feat in itself. The display was on a beach so not a stable surface on which to place my tripod. There were added difficulties with people and tall palm trees, not to mention trying to get the correct camera settings with the different light intensities from the fireworks. It all came together however and I was pleased with the results.

Alcaucin, Spain

I spent time in the mountains dog sitting, away from everyone and everything and able to indulge my photography whims. Working out during the day what might happen at night was often thwarted by cloud, especially as I tried to capture the full moon. I wasn't disappointed as the moon at first eluded me however, because I was able to capture beautiful mountain scenes where the moon played a part.

Calabost, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

The magic of our temporary home on the Isle of Lewis was particularly evident on moonlit nights. The only light pollution came from a small light from where we were staying, left on to guide us home from our nightly walks. It was quiet and still and well worth carrying my tripod around to enable the capture of shots such as this one.

Torre del Mar, Spain

I love this image because it reminds me of the beauty of where I live. I only had my iPhone to take this photo, however it captured well the atmosphere early in the morning as mountain mist began to rise.

My 10 favourite drone images

Neptune's Staircase, Fort William, Scotland

The wind was blowing a hoolie when I launched my drone to capture the 8 lochs forming Neptune's Staircase on the Caledonia Canal. I was apprehensive and didn't fly for long, however I managed to get the image I was after.

Luskyntyre Beach, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

It was a project by a photographer whose work I enjoy, which inspired a trip to these islands and this location in particular. I wasn't disappointed and loved exploring different perspectives available with the drone.

Sayalonga, Spain

Aware of all the restrictions on drones in this area, I gently edged my drone away from me until I could see the village below. I can still feel the thrill of the capture which included the peak of Maroma, the highest mountain in the province.

Torrox Coast, Spain

My first time over water and sending my drone away from me. I loved being able to see this rock formation from the sea side and be high enough to enjoy the patterns made by crashing waves.

Callanish Stones, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

To be on the safe side, I launched my drone from outside this site. I'd hoped for a sunny day when shadows of the stones would be displayed, however I was happy with my image and the confidence I was gaining.

Sayalonga, Spain

My first attempt at a vertical panorama whilst dealing with steep drops and height limits. It was a signifiant achievement for me to go for it and I shall return to seek out alternative perspectives when the weather is different.

Lake Vinuela. Spain

The second vertical panorama I've taken with my drone. At this location there are restrictions because of a local airfield and I can only fly over half the lake and no more than 80m high. I liked what I was able to achieve, regardless.

Highland Road, Scotland

A location en route to Fort William which just appealed as a place to fly my drone. The higher my drone went, the more I could see a composition I liked which entailed sending it away from me. I was getting better and flying with more confidence.

Feeder for Lake Vinuela, Spain

This area has been my drone training ground. Early morning there's rarely anyone around and if there's water around I can fly along, above and look down with my drone to try out different manoeuvres. The added bonus is the wonderful views.

Ullapool, Scotland

An instance of stopping in a layby of a busy road and flying my drone out over water to get more of a feel of the absolute beauty of the area.

2024 Year in Review

Perhaps the title sounds a little pretentious, however when I was going through all my images for the year, I was impressed by just how much I had done; there's definitely plenty to review and take forward. There's no doubt that I have spent a lot of time learning and gaining confidence with my drone this past year. It's one thing to have an experienced drone operator on my shoulder to guide me through the process and give me confidence, however it's another scenario when I'm on my own. The part of Spain where I live is somewhat of a nightmare to find a place to fly away from restrictions, however I have found some areas and try to visit regularly so that I don't have to keep starting from a low point.

It's not enough to just launch my drone however, when it's in the air I want to capture images as well as fly. Composition is something I have concentrated on this past year. I subscribed to a Drone Photography Masterclass run by a photographer who I have followed for years, Nigel Danson (who had a 30 day project on Luskyntyre Beach I mentioned earlier) and Jeroen van Nieuwenhove, a Danish photographer and drone operator based in Iceland. I have found it extremely helpful and is pushing me to explore greater potential with my drone photography.

I decided to approach my camera photography in a slightly different way this year. I don't always carry my camera with me nowadays, preferring to take it and my gear when I go to specifically shoot at certain times of day or night and have time to think about images. It's why I enjoyed my quiet time in the mountain, thinking about why and what I wanted to try to capture and having the time to think it all through. Looking at my images afterwards I was able to judge whether aspirations were met. It was a useful and satisfying learning experience. I also make greater use of my iPhone to take the more casual photos of everyday life and activities. This approach seems to work as I continue to improve my editing skills and can enhance poorer quality phone images to an acceptable level!

I am looking forward to the coming year for my photography. I have a couple of Norweigan trips with a photographer friend booked as well as a month's family trip to the UK/Ireland and a summer break in northern Spain walking the Camino de Santiago. My camera, drone and I can't wait!

As a PS, I want to include this video made by my brother at the wierdest place I've ever stayed whilst travelling. We were in Scotland and it was spooky yet interesting as were the people! It also includes a homage to our late brother; the voice at the end is uncannily his!