ANNIE DELIN – JOURNALIST, WRITER, BROADCASTER Introduction I originally planned to do this photo shoot with Annie in early 2020, but world events got in the way. My series of portraits ground to a halt. More than four years have passed since I took the last one. Then I got a call from Annie a few weeks ago, asking about the selection of photos I was about to put on display in Glasgow – they’re from 1979/80, when Buzzcocks did […]
LAST POST The recent demolition of the old Post Office in Ardhasaig has prompted me to look back at some of the other Post Offices I’ve photographed in Harris and Lewis. Anyone heading up or down the main A859 road just north of Tarbert will be familiar with this classic corrugated tin building. It’s been rusting for decades, taking on the colours of the landscape as it slowly deteriorated. There are still plenty of people on the island who remember […]
Croft 36, Northton, Isle of Harris It’s been 20 years in the making, but Julie and Steve Olley are now running one of the most popular and “quirky” food establishments in the Outer Hebrides. A quick glance at some of the hundreds of 5 star reviews visitors have posted on tripadvisor will give you a flavour of what Croft 36 (Northton, Isle of Harris) is all about, and why so many people absolutely love it… Before setting off to Northton […]
Eilidh owns and runs Coralbox, a small but perfectly formed gift shop on the Isle of Berneray – a small island in the Outer Hebrides, 3 miles wide by 2 miles long. Eilidh stocks a range of arts and crafts, jewellery, scented candles, personalised gifts, greetings cards and photography, including items made by Eilidh herself. Approximately half her stock is made locally. Befitting its location, many of the items on display have a nautical theme. Eilidh offers high quality products […]
Introducing Chris – proprietor of the Butty Bus – a fast food establishment parked at Leverburgh Pier. Chris modestly describes it as ‘a greasy spoon on wheels’ and ‘the only cafe on the island with four Michelin tyres’. Chris comes from a long line of Harris folk. His family connections with the place go back generations. Born in Inverness, he moved to Harris for a brief period when he was 16, leaving shortly after to spend a decade working at […]
Shona is a primary school teacher. She teaches a range of subjects to children between the ages of 4 and 12 at Leverhulme Memorial School in Leverburgh, Isle of Harris. I dropped in on the last day of term while members of staff and the janitor were making final preparations for the long summer holiday ahead. Being one of the hottest days of the year, we opted to do the photo shoot outdoors in the sunshine, setting up on the […]
Stevie has worked for the mobile library service for twelve years. I caught up with him on one of his regular trips to Harris. The Western Isles Mobile Library Service supplies books to people who are unable to use a branch library because of distance, age or disability. There are normally three vehicles on the road, visiting communities in Lewis, Harris and the Uists. However, one of the library vans was recently retired, having reached the end of its serviceable […]
Ken has worked in the fish farming industry for over 30 years. He manages the salmon farm based at Loch Langavat, which is on the road between Leverburgh and Finsbay, Isle of Harris. He also oversees operations at Loch Huamavat – a couple of miles up the road from their Langavat base – which is where I took the photo above. I’ve driven past Ken and his workmates literally hundreds of times over the past 15 years. I’ve seen all […]
Angus Williams (left) has been running his drystone dyking business in Harris and Lewis for the last 12 years. The other members of Williams Stone Craft include his brother Owen (right) who runs Harris operations and Angus’s right hand man in Lewis, Murdo Sam MacLeod (centre). I took this photo at Saint Clement’s church in Rodel (Isle of Harris), where the boys are rebuilding and repairing sections of the boundary wall for Historic Scotland. Stone craftsmanship is in the blood […]
Above: Dr Naylor outside South Harris Medical Practice, Leverburgh. In the background, Roneval (the tallest peak in South Harris at 460 metres) and Charlie the horse checking out what’s going on. Dr Naylor moved to the Isle of Harris in 1989. His surgery in Leverburgh is one of the smallest practices in Scotland. He’s one of the UK’s few remaining single-handed general practitioners. In 2016, Dr Naylor was awarded an MBE in recognition of his ‘above and beyond’ commitment to […]