Recent Trips: Scotland, Faroe Islands, Iceland

Photography was secondary on this North Atlantic adventure, which was a good thing since our weather and the light were not very good. I met friends in Aberdeen, where we boarded our expedition cruise ship, and continued to the Orkney, Shetland, and Faroe Islands and to Iceland. I had only one photography goal on this trip—photograph a puffin with fish in its mouth. Truth be told, I had one other photo I wished for, but not a goal I prepared for. I hoped to randomly encounter and photograph a man in a kilt on the street in Scotland. Not posed or planned.

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Aberdeen, Scotland. This square is located in Castlegate, named after the site of the castle gates destroyed in 1308. In other words, this is a very old square.
North Atlantic Puffin, Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland. Photo goal #1--puffin with fish (sand eels) in its mouth!!
Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland. The most remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom, with a population of about 60.
Vagur, Faroe Islands. Known for its rugged basalt cliffs, Vagur is popular for its New Year's celebration in which the villagers burn a "viking" boat in the town square.
Ring of Brodgar, Orkney Islands, Scotland. It is the only major henge and stone circle in Britain which is an almost a perfect circle. A henge is a prehistoric circular or oval earthen enclosure.
Vestmanna, Faroe Islands. Historically Vestmanna was a traditional farming village. Today tourism is very big, for boat trips to the sea cliffs.
Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire. A ruined medieval fortress with surviving buildings dating to the 15th and 16th centuries.
Vestmanna Sea Cliffs, Faroe Islands. The cliffs are said to be the crown jewel of Faroese tourism, drawing visitors from around the world.
North Atlantic Puffin, Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland. Puffins are often called "clowns of the sea."
Vestmanna Sea Cliffs, Faroe Islands. The sea cliffs are nearly 2000 feet tall, and extend for over 3 miles.
And there he was, walking down the street in Aberdeen with his bride, for wedding photos. Photo wishlist--random man on the street in a kilt:)
Elduvik, Faroe Islands. Turf roofs are a perfect match for the Faroese weather.
Tindhólmur, Faroe Islands. A craggy islet known for its spiky shape, Tindhólmur is apparently a backdrop for the recent movie "How to Train Your Dragon."
Vestmanna Sea Cliffs, Faroe Islands. Lodging cabins are used when the villagers bird hunt or climb the grass-covered steep cliffs to drive sheep into sheepfolds.
It wouldn't be a trip to Scotland without a visit to a whiskey distillery.....
Vestmanna Sea Cliffs, Faroe Islands. I read that there are more sheep than people on the Faroe Islands.
Aberdeen, Scotland. For a minute I thought I was in Venice Beach, California.
North Atlantic Puffin, Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland. Puffins breed in burrows on islands in the North Atlantic.
Elduvik, Faroe Islands.There are more turf-roofed houses in the Faroe Islands than any other place in the world.
Elduvik, Faroe Islands. The village has a population of 12.
Vestmanna, Faroe Islands. The first settlers of Vestmanna were afraid of pirates! There were lookouts on the hills in the summer months.
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Iceland, along the south coast of the mainland.
Surtsey, Iceland. This uninhabited island was the result of a 1963 volcanic eruption off the southern coast of Iceland.
Aberdeenshire Fishing Village. Settlements in this area have been dated to 2000-1800 BCE.
Happy Hour with neighbor's in the Footdee community in Aberdeen. Situated at the harbor entrance, this former fishing village has been mentioned in sources from the 14th century onwards.
Tindhólmur, Faroe Islands. A photo of the bad weather that followed us. Unfortunately we were unable to land at Tindhólmur.
Farm Shed, Orkney Islands. Neolithic Orkney used to have a significant amount of woodlands. The trees were cleared out with livestock grazing, farming, and possibly the effects of climate change.
North Atlantic Puffin, Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland. This puffin is sitting in its burrow. There is no such thing as too many puffins on a web page.
Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland. Not too far from the puffins.
Heimaey, Iceland. This almost makes me want to take up golf:)
Vagur, Faroe Islands. Rowing is the national sport of the Faroe Islands. Traditional wooden boats, handcrafted according to ancient traditions, are used in races.
Bird colonies on cliffs near Surtsey Island, Iceland. In case you are interested, the birds are primarily the Northern Gannet.
Heimaey, largest island in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago off the south coast of Iceland. In 1973 the lava flow from a nearby volcano destroyed half the town. See where the lava ends and the city begins?
Surtsey, Iceland. The volcanic surface, heavily eroded through the years, is a continuum of abstract designs.
Torshavn, Faroe Islands; capital of the Faroe Islands and largest city. The Vikings established their parliament in 850 AD in Torshavn on the Tinganes Peninsula, a stone's throw from this marina--what a difference several hundreds of years makes:)
Tindhólmur, Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands can be brutally windy, with showers on most days.
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