Back to School

Dating back to the 13th century, Eilean Donan castle by Kyle of
Lochalsh has to be one of Scotland’s most photographed historical
buildings and has taken centre stage in many a strong movie, including
Highlander, The World is Not Enough and Entrapment. If it’s good
enough for Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery, it’s good enough for
me. But it is also over-photographed, and I looked to use the structure
on this occasion as mere backdrop. We just needed the right Highland
cow to lend some context in front of the camera. I wanted the frame
to just shout “SCOTLAND”. The castle and the cow coalesce well.
It has a back-to-school vibe about it. It’s not dissimilar to what my
school looked like when I was sent away to the Highlands of Scotland
aged eight. It was a harrowing experience for me. If we are a product
of our childhood, and I believe we are, then it’s no surprise that this
photograph should hold special meaning for me.