Scotland has some of the most breathtaking settings for photography anywhere — Skye, Ayrshire, Perthshire and more — and Kelburn Castle, on the Ayrshire coast near Largs, is one of the loveliest. I shot this frame there with a couple who had travelled all the way from Thailand for a portrait session, on a day that also took us to The Waterside nearby. A lovely day from start to finish.
Here's what I saw when we arrived: a carpet of deep red leaves under the blossom, and the perfect spot for a portrait. The only catch was the light — the sun was coming from the wrong direction, flat and unhelpful. This is where years of working with off-camera flash pays off. Rather than fight it, I exposed for the natural light first, then added a touch of my own to lift the couple off the background. That's what makes them stand out so cleanly against all that colour.
I never want a portrait to look flat or lifeless. Drawing on years of editorial and fashion work before I ever shot a wedding, I aim for images that are creative and natural at once — the kind you'll want on your wall for decades. If you'd like portraiture like this for your own day, anywhere across Ayrshire or Scotland, get in touch.
Location: Kelburn Castle and estate, Fairly, Largs KA29 0BE.
Keywords: ayrshire wedding venue (2), kelburn castle.