14SPRING 2015Scotland’s Finest Landscapes:The Collector’s EditionColin Prior is one of the finest landscape photographers,matching an eye for natural beauty with the instincts ofa mountaineer, capturing the most magical qualities of alandscape, and communicating something beyond words.“I’m motivated to create imagery that will inspire people,because I believe if I inspire people, I can take them on ajourney,” he says.From his early days, Colin has been intrigued by the waylight plays at dusk and dawn, and he goes to great lengthsto capture this; for example, climbing through the night withthe light of a head torch, carrying a 23.5kg pack, to be at thesummit before dawn. “Light turns a landscape from ordinary,to extraordinary. The idea that I could arrange the elements ofa landscape within the viewfinder of my camera to anticipatethe convergence of light and land excited me from the start.The results can transcend the landscape and transport theviewer to another state of mind.”His first significant shot taken from a Scottish mountainsummit was on a cold day in November 1990, with his fatherHugh. It was of the peaks of Glencoe as the sun set over BenStarav at the head of Loch Etive, and this image is the oneColin considers to be his ‘signature’. “It really awakened me tothe potential of shooting at elevation at dusk and dawn.”Colin often climbs alone, but many times he is accompaniedby his father, to whom he dedicates this collection of his work.Scotland’s Finest Landscapes is an edition of 200 of the verybest of Colin’s Scottish landscape panoramas, arrangedby region, and complemented by maps that pinpoint thelocations of every shot, insights into Colin’s methods, personalstories and anecdotes, and interviews with conservationists.It is a large landscape-format cloth-covered hardback in aclamshell box, an ideal present for armchair travellers andphotographers, and available from leading independentbookshops, specialist outdoor shops, and direct from www.colinprior.co.uk for only £75.00.Top right - Traigh Scarasta, Sound of Taransay, Isle of Harris, Western Isles.Middle right - River North Esk, Glen Esk, Angus. Below - Marsco and Garbh-bheinn, Red Cuillin, from Blaven, Skye, Highland.
TheGeographer 14- 15SPRING 2015
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