Coalescence
Are all things interconnected?
Does nature work in harmony to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts?
Coalescence is the joining, combining or uniting of things to become one mass or community and I like to think of nature as a great example of this. This idea is one that seems very relevant today as humanity becomes more and more disconnected from the natural world. Despite our growing apathy we are still part of the whole and everything we do has an impact.
In the far north west of Scotland there is a place that invites connection. A place as old as time with a beauty that captivates the heart.
Rugged mountain peaks rise like sentinels above the landscape, their familiar outlines shaped by centuries of wind and ice. They feel like the guardians of this place, all knowing and as solid and dependable as the rocks that define them. Beneath their distinctive peaks lochs and rivers weave ribbons of blue through an earthy pallet of moorland and bog, and at the edges turquoise seas ebb away from white sandy beaches towards distant horizons.
This landscape is Assynt and it is one I feel a deep affinity with. While the geology here may hint at permanence the elements that make up this environment are constantly changing. There is a strong association between all things in Assynt and it is this that I have sought to explore within this body of work.
The glinting light reflecting from the surface of the lochs speaks of the same forces that shaped the rugged peaks. The constant flow of the rivers link the uplands to the sea whispering of time, change, and resilience. Everything here is connected, nature working in harmony to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. It is this coalescence that I have sought to depict with my camera.
In each image I have tried to honour, not only the visual beauty of Assynt, but the living relationship I share with it. Each frame is an observation that has moved me in some way and prompted me to press the shutter.
I have focused on the elements and scenes that have inspired me and have linked them all together in a visual flow based on pigments found in the landscape. Combining wider scenes with smaller details and linking places through the medium of colour, these images speak of my connection with these lands.
They are expressions of belonging, of listening to the landscape when it speaks and of love. They are my way of tracing the invisible lines that bind the mountains to the sea, the light to the shadows, and my soul to this magical place.
These images were taken over a period of three weeks in March / April 2025 when the UK was experiencing its sunniest April on record and its driest spring in over a century. During this time wild fires burned around Stac Pollaidh creating the black landscape that you see in some of these images.
Coalescence was published as a limited edition zine in 2025 and there are now only a few copies remaining.
