Caribbean vibes in Vatersay

Upon arriving on the Isle of Barra, I couldn’t help but smile at puns like “Welcome to Barradise” or “Barrahamas”. What initially sounded like a funny exaggeration soon started to make sense, however. By the time I was exploring the white sandy beaches of the small Hebridean island, it became crystal clear what was meant. Even more impressive was the neighbouring island of Vatersay, connected to Barra by a causeway. There, a Caribbean vibe was in the air – despite Scottish temperatures.

My first destination was Tràigh a Bhaigh – Gaelic for “East Beach”. Gently, the green hills nestled against the pale sand, whilst the turquoise water lapped quietly against the shore. To capture this atmosphere in my photographs, I took the shots from a distance. This made it possible to capture the perfect harmony between the beach and the surrounding landscape that defines this tranquil place.

Although Tràigh Siar – Gaelic for “West Beach” – sits just a stone’s throw away on the opposite side of the narrow strip of dunes, it has a completely different character. It faces the open Atlantic and therefore feels somewhat rougher. The atmosphere is energetic and powerful. To capture this feeling in my images, I photographed directly from the beach. This brought the rolling waves and the surf into focus, conveying the dynamics and movement that define this place.

When photographing on beaches, it is common to use an ND filter and work with long exposures. On Vatersay, I made a conscious decision against this to preserve the natural atmosphere. With a polarising filter, I simply controlled the reflections on the water to emphasise colour and clarity. A graduated filter helped to slightly darken the sky and balance the exposure. That was all it took – the setting itself was truly like “barradise”.