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Join landscape photographer

Margaret Soraya on a
photography retreat and
catch the shot of a lifetime

Calmly The weather conditions only

click
add interest to a day of taking
photographs on a remote Scottish
beach

Margaret loves the movement

of water in her shots. She finds
spending time in the Scottish wilds
soothing. “It’s my reset button.”

By Karen Carruth
There’s something calming
about purposefully taking time
to stand behind a camera and
take a photograph. If you are
not an expert, and I’m certainly
not, the thought process of
tricking your camera into
capturing something vaguely
resembling what you want is a
test of patience and quite a lot
of fiddling with dials.
For me, it’s good for the soul,
I can’t think of anything else at
that time, which does nothing
but good for a busy mind.
I’m invited to spend a day
with Margaret Soraya, who runs
photography retreats in remote
locations around Scotland. My
efforts to convince the boss that
five days on a Hebridean beach
was work, incredibly, just didn’t
wash, so I was allowed out for
one day.
Margaret does two lovely
things for you, she gives you all
the time you need to find your
way around your camera to
Margaret setting up a shot in her favourite environment, a beach get the shot, and she feeds you
really well.
14 / CLS
First a little background.
Margaret has several strings
to her photographic career,
she runs the retreats that
I’ll talk about shortly, she
runs a specialised elopement
photography service for those
that want to run away to the
Scottish wilds to be married –
where it’s just the couple, the
landscape and a commitment
of a lifetime, she, of course,
photographs ‘normal’ weddings
and she has her landscape
photography business too.
This lady loves to be out in the
wilds of the world, she craves
it, needs it, and she appreciates
every moment of it.
Today, on my mini retreat, I’m
meeting her at Drumnadrochit,
near Inverness, where she stays
with her two boys.
We start off by the great
unveiling of my camera
equipment, you can borrow
from Margaret if you wish, but
most people bring their own,
then we head off into the woods
by a fast-flowing stream.
Margaret exudes calm, we
wander down a wooded track
taking little snaps along the way.
Me taking standard shots, she
taking the camera and pointing
out the sun making reflections
on a leaf and snapping a little
beauty. Clearly composition
matters, right enough.
She loves this, sharing her
knowledge and she does it with
a gentle hand, guiding you to
make the right decisions.
We talk about her own work,
often images of roaring, crazed
seascapes. Foam and waves
crashing across the screen. She
loves the sea, always has. And
she spends as much time as
possible near it, or in it. Surfing
or paddle-boarding, and wild
swimming gives her the chance
to get in and be part of the cycle.
“It’s the movement, the
excitement and the ever-
changing landscape. I find it
soothing, and I think it is my
reset button.”
Which is why she decided
to start running photography
retreats, called Quiet
Landscapes, whisking people
off to remote beaches in the
Highlands, in the Hebrides or
maybe Islay next year, to spend
some quality time getting to
know their camera, learning
about photography by doing it
all day, and also enjoying top
quality accommodation on an
all-inclusive basis. You basically
turn up with your camera (and
maybe a few waterproofs)
and immerse yourself in
the landscape and find your
photographic style.
Margaret tells me: “The idea
behind the retreat workshops
is to take people away from
their real lives, give them time
to think. I respond to that and
I believe other people do too,
it enables them to be more
creative.
“The most important thing is
that we allow time for people to
spend two or three hours at each
location, to slow down, and not
feel rushed.
“I travel the islands constantly,
so I’ve found lots of lesser
known locations, I draw on that
experience in these lovely little
hidden gems for people on the
retreats to capture some unique
images.
“We are not going to the
really well-known locations, so
we have the chance to do some
unique work in these beautiful
locations.”
Spending quality time with
like-minded people brings an
easy friendship among the
participants and the tutor.
“I really do care about all the
participants that come on the
retreats, and its one of the things
I really want to do is to help
them use their own intuition
to bring out the style in their
own photography that they are
looking for. They don’t know
where to find it, so they look at
other photographer’s work, its
teaching them that it is within
themselves, and when they see
that they start to create their
own unique work.”
Since I’m not allowed up to a
week on a beach, we spend an
CLS / 15
art

Calmly Margaret has a collection

of her work for sale in a
2020 calendar, available
from her website

click
afternoon together. I have many
questions that really, I had no
one else to ask. Why does my
camera do this? Why can’t I
do that? How does she get that
effect? She answers everything,
explaining it clearly. I’m having
a great day.
We then head off up to a
hillside to capture some scenic
shots, and irritate some sheep
who don’t fancy being papped,
but stand nicely for photos.
Our meeting today replicates
the 1-2-1 retreats that Margaret
offers, usually on a two-day
basis. And tonight I am to stay in
the Hideaway, which is a superb
little cabin situated out back of
Margaret’s house.
It’s like a retreat on its own for
me, being a busy mum, working
all week, having a night on my
own is truly bliss. A wooden There’s no denying the power of the waves in this shot, she has no fear of getting in to take the shot, she loves
clad mini house, with double surfing, wild swimming and paddle boarding
bed, little kitchen, ensuite
shower room and a TV, and a
cupboard full of goodies to tide Margaret particularly loves
you over. I say tide you over, I’m capturing elopment wedding
invited to join her for dinner at ceremonies. The personal nature
her house, which is what would of just a few people making a
commitment makes for a very
happen on the 1-2-1, where all special experience
meals are included.
A fabulous roast chicken
with all the trimmings and a
home-made pudding are most
welcome after a day outdoors,
as is the relaxed chat about
Margaret’s work and her travels
in the islands.
Then it is into the cosy cabin,
with furry blankets to cocoon up
inside for the evening. (I don’t
get away on my own often, you
can tell).
She talks about the retreats took herself off to do a first aid rugged coastline of the Hebrides.
she has taken in Harris, Lewis, certificate and she is a qualified She is delighted with the Retreat dates:
Orkney, Loch Ness, and Glen lifeguard, just in case. compliment that the invitation to
Coe, and she is thinking about The photographers that come exhibit has offered. February 8 -15, 2020.
doing one on Islay next year. along to the retreats often come I ask her about her elopement St Ives, Cornwall.
Margaret is a huge advocate in couples, and she already has work. Seascape and waves, Staying at
of taking time to be remote, it’s had repeat business, and always “I love doing the elopement Una Resort in St Ives.
good for your health she is sure. gets terrific feedback. weddings, they are so personal.
She works with Paul Sanders, “I feel a real affinity and You can get married anywhere March 1-7, 2020. Photography
a fellow photographer from connection with the islands. now in Scotland, and now that retreat in the Orkney Islands.
Kent. She says they work well I often shoot elopement people know that I do this type Fully booked – wait list for 2021
together as he is also a gentle weddings there, then I stay of work, they often ask me for
character and gives people the in my campervan and travel suggestions where they should March 10-16, 2020 –
time they need to enjoy the around for a week or so, taking get married, as well as whether Photography retreat in Glencoe
landscape as well as working on photographs. I never tire of being I will take the photographs. It’s and Loch Ness.
their photography. near water, I spend half the year a privilege to be involved, with
Photography retreats aren’t at home and half on the islands, just the couple on their day, September 12-18, 2020.
not all at once, of course.” looking to do their own thing, Photography retreat in the Outer
new, but she wanted to offer Hebrides, staying at Lews Castle.
something slightly different. When I visit, the arrangements out in the wilderness.
Add a luxury element to them, are being made for her work to “What I really enjoy is
One to one, by arrangement.
she finds that people pick the be shipped down to Bosham watching the transformation
1-2-1 retreat inclusive of two
retreat by the location. She Gallery in Chichester, where during the retreats where people
nights accommodation at the
has just started running ladies she will be having an exhibition gain confidence, they are happy,
Hideaway, all inclusive, with
only workshops which she entitled Quiet, until mid- and they have a terrific feeling
one and a half days personalised
hopes to expand. She takes her December, which will feature of achievement. It makes me feel
tuition around Loch Ness.
responsibility seriously, she many of her images of the wonderful.”
16 / CLS