Overview
This kind of tour which just concentrates on one species is a specialist trip, but we feel that is the way to work with certain subjects. We have travelled to many Puffin colonies throughout Europe, and we believe Fair Isle represents one of the best for this sort of approach. We will look to be working with these beautiful birds in the best light and certainly the best setting that we could hope for. The Puffin’s chicks will have hatched in their underground burrows and so the adults will be carrying beaks full of fish with the added bonus of standing in carpets of pink thrift; it just couldn’t get any better. With the main colonies in locations that work with both morning and evening light along with a variety of settings and backgrounds the chance to build a varied portfolio is as good as it can be. These beautiful islands are well known to us with a multitude of visits from our very first year, and this wealth of experience will guarantee that we will go to the best locations, at the best times, in the best light.
Itinerary Open +Close -
Day 1: We plan to arrive at Sumburgh Airport on Mainland Shetland in the afternoon from where it is just a short transfer to our hotel where we will settle in for a good dinner and in anticipation of the photography to come.
Day 2: After breakfast we will set off to the nearby harbour for our ferry to Fair Isle, a journey of approximately 2 hours: there should be a new boat in place for 2027 too. Fair Isle is one of the remotest inhabited islands in the UK with a population of around 60 people. We will be met at the harbour and will then transfer to the bird observatory which will be our base for the week of puffin photography. We will head out to the puffin colony as soon as we have settled and after dinner will look forward to our first full evening of photography.
Day 3: We have designed this trip to really concentrate on photographing puffins: we think this is one of the best colonies in Europe to do so. The colonies on Fair Isle are not huge by comparison to other locations; it is not the remotest colony either. It is though without doubt one of the finest locations in Europe to get images of this beautiful bird. The setting and quality of the light is what sets it apart allowing for morning and evening photography and the chance to experiment with front and back lighting too. We will be mainly working in the very early mornings or late evenings if the weather conditions are in our favour or throughout the day if we have cloudier conditions.
Days 4 – 8: The days will follow the same pattern, and we will be visiting the various colonies that are dotted around the island. The main colonies that we intend to visit are within walking distance of our accommodation, but we will have the option of trying a couple of other locations, which are slightly further afield. Fair Isle is also an excellent place for other subjects like great and arctic skua, wheatears and meadow pipits so if you do need a break from the puffins there are always other subjects to work with.
Day 9: Our last morning on Fair Isle for the puffins and then we must catch the boat back to Mainland Shetland. We then transfer back to Sumburgh Head hotel to settle in for our final night and a chance to reflect on our puffin encounters.
Day 10: We will catch our respective flights out of nearby Sumburgh Airport back to our chosen destinations and will arrange transfers to the nearby airport to meet up with them accordingly.
What our customers say
“An amazing location”
“Fulfilled all expectations”
“The guides were very friendly and helpful with lots of photography tips”
“I really didn’t expect to come in such close proximity to the Puffins”
“It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to have any guide more friendly and helpful than Ellie. Undoubtedly she loves Fair Isle and puffins, it was a pleasure to listen to her advice and in the photographic downtime chat on wide and varied photography topics.”
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