Seal Viewpoint – Isle of Harris

Not far along the winding roads of Harris, we came across a small sign that simply said “Seal Viewpoint.” You’d miss it if you blinked, but pull over and take a moment — and the name makes perfect sense.

Across the rocks and seaweed, a small group of seals were stretched out, completely unbothered by the wind, the waves, or us watching quietly from the roadside. They blend into the landscape until they move — a flick of a tail, a turn of the head — and then you realise how many there are.

It’s a reminder that out here, the wildlife doesn’t perform for you. You have to slow down, watch, and let the place come alive on its own terms. Between the sound of the water and a rainbow breaking across the bay, it turned into one of those unexpectedly perfect stops.

Sometimes the best parts of a trip aren’t planned — they’re the small pauses where nature does its thing, and you’re lucky enough to be there for it.

See more island wildlife and coastal moments in my Places and People collections.

Urban Seagulls.

Urban Seagulls

Seagulls are so familiar in coastal towns that they're easy to overlook photographically. These two black and white images take a closer look at how they occupy man-made environments — not as visitors to the urban landscape, but as permanent residents entirely at home in it.

The first shows a gull perched against a backdrop of concrete and steel, the hard geometry of the structure contrasting with the softness of the bird's plumage. The second places one near a fairground ride — an unlikely combination that works because both belong to the same seaside world.

Shooting in monochrome suits this subject well. Without colour, the focus shifts to form, texture, and the relationship between the bird and its surroundings. Gulls are bold, adaptable, and largely indifferent to people, which makes them easier to photograph candidly than most wildlife.

Both images were taken in the Angus and Aberdeenshire area of Scotland — locations where the boundary between town and coast is never far away.

For more wildlife and coastal photography, explore the Places gallery.