Show Notes

This was a day where everything that could go wrong did. I made a couple of mistakes and that affected my entire trip. I learned a valuable lesson and I wanted to share my experience in the off chance that it may help someone else.

I have been getting very annoyed by the weather here in Scotland, every time I go out it is not what was forecast for that day. This was one of the worst experiences I have had with the weather. The forecast showed nice weather, sunny with clouds and a light breeze. 

So I assembled my camping gear with the idea of completing a walk that I have been trying to do all year. I knew the walk would take me about 2 and a half hours, so I was sure that I had enough time to get to where I wanted to go and set up camp even though it was early afternoon. 

I began my walk with high hopes of the amazing landscape photography that I would accomplish but as I made my way the weather did a complete reverse and a heavy swell of rain swept across the landscape, propelled by strong winds. The rain soon dissipated but when that happened, I considered turning back. 

Knowing that I wanted to make a film and that I had tried walking this route before only to be thwarted by the winter weather, I pushed myself to keep going. I was determined to make this trip a success. 

I continued on the trail, and the winds just grew stronger. The light that was happening was amazing and that kept spurring me on, but time was running out. Filming myself had lengthened the trip by a significant amount and I was only just going to make it to my location before sunset. 

I finally arrived and immediately began to set up my camp in a spot that looked perfect, but what normally takes me 10-15 minutes to erect my tent, actually took me closer to 40 minutes, as the wind was batting the tent. The ground was also not as good as it looked, the soil was shallow and big rocks were underneath it and so pegs were being whipped out of the ground by the wind lifting the tent. 

I eventually got my tent erected but I sat there looking at it flapping, billowing and I was worried the pegs would pull out of the ground in the middle of the night while I was sleeping in the tent. I felt dejected and I just wanted to go home. 

So, I made the tough decision and just packed away in a couple of minutes and marched back to my car, finishing my trek in the dark. 

If I had more time at my location, I may have been able to find a better spot to pitch my tent, more sheltered from the wind or with softer ground, but I didn’t have the time to scramble around in the dark trying to find a better pitch. 

I decided to head home because I didn’t feel like I had the necessary skills to withstand the weather. I was concerned the night would get even worse. As I made my way home, the search and rescue helicopter went passed me, and that made me feel like I made the right decision. 

Not the most inspiring video, I admit, but a valuable lesson for anyone: give yourself enough time and ensure that you can get yourself out if you feel like you need to. 

As I am learning how to make videos, with each new one I am proving and creating a better YouTube channel, so please subscribe and follow along on this journey!

About the Film

Just a little information about the film and how I made it, as well as some links to equipment.

I edited the film using the Free Version of DaVinci Resolve. It’s an incredibly powerful piece of software that I am still trying to understand and will possibly write an article about in the future.

The tracks featured in today’s film were licensed via a subscription with Epidemic Sound. (By following that link, if you purchase a subscription then I will be gifted with a month free for referring you to their services)

• Astral Roar by Lama House

• Between Bridges by Guustavv

• Fading Fast by Scipio

A short Kit List

These are affiliate links, which means if you follow them and make a purchase I will earn a small commission for referring you to Amazon UK. You can find out more about affiliate links here.

Main Vlog Camera is a simple Panasonic G80 with the kit lens, its a great little mirrorless camera that I got for the sole purpose of creating YouTube videos. It’s capable of filming in 4k and seems to do everything that I want it to.

Rode Mic, I got this little microphone to boost the audio quality from the inbuilt microphone.

Action Camera, I use this to film myself when walking. It’s a simple DJI Pocket Osmo camera that has a motorised 3 axis gimbal head, which means that I stay in focus and static while the landscape around me moves. It’s also capable of filming in 4k and the audio quality is quite good.

Voice Recorder, to boost the audio quality when it’s windy or I’m using the action camera I use this handy little voice recorder with a lapellier microphone to record audio.

For a complete Landscape Photography Kit List you can read through what equipment I take with me when I go out here.

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Written by Daniel Long

Daniel Long created DRL Photography as a place to showcase his work as a photographer. Daniel has learnt a lot about photography and wishes to impart this knowledge with you, although the world is an ever changing place and he always says “you can never learn everything.” So as he makes his way, he continues to learn knew techniques, skills and information about photography. He focuses on Landscape and Wildlife photography and Daniel has a special focus on Scotland, his home away from home. As well as writing about photography and taking pictures out in the field, Daniel offers guided photography days so he can share his knowledge and locations in an effort to give his clients the best opportunities possible. Have a browse around this website to see his images, guided experiences and articles about photography. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in contact.