St Kilda & Shiants Seabird Photography Expedition

St Kilda & Shiants Seabird Photography Expedition - in collaboration with Hebridean Adventures

A Seabird Photography Expedition like no other across the Outer Hebrides, in collaboration with Hebridean Adventures

Forty miles west of the Outer Hebrides, St Kilda rises abruptly from the Atlantic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site defined by scale, exposure, and constant movement. Paired with the basalt cliffs and dense seabird colonies of the Shiant Isles, this small-group expedition offers rare access to two of the most significant seabird locations in the British Isles, including the immense Gannet colony of Hirta. With time, flexibility and a strong emphasis on observation, this is an opportunity to work slowly and capture images that are considered, creative and complete.

Expedition Highlights

• Dual locations: St Kilda and the Shiant Isles in a single voyage

• Extended time around Hirta and the St Kilda sea stacks

• Close access to vast gannet colonies at Boreray, Stac Lee, and Stac an Armin

• Dense seabird activity: puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, and shearwaters

• Small group size (maximum 8 guests) for tailored, in-field tuition

• Flexible vessel positioning for optimal photographic opportunities

• Golden evening light, calm morning seas, and changing Atlantic conditions

• Creative techniques including high key, low key, and in-camera multiple exposures

• Strong emphasis on producing finished images in camera

• £100 per guest donated to the Scottish Seabird Centre

There are few places where seabirds still gather at this scale. At St Kilda, the numbers are almost difficult to process. Tens of thousands of Gannets circle the sea stacks in continuous motion, rising, folding, and dropping through the air before striking the ocean at speed. From the water, the cliffs of Boreray, Stac Lee, and Stac an Armin become vertical arenas of movement, where every layer holds something to observe. This expedition is designed to stay with that spectacle, rather than move past it. Extended time around Hirta allows for a slower approach, working with shifting light, changing weather and the rhythm of the birds themselves. The aim is not simply to witness scale, but to begin understanding it: how movement patterns repeat, how light defines structure, and how small moments sit within something much larger.

The Shiant Isles offer a different density. Here, the cliffs are closer, more enclosed, and filled with Auks. Puffins move constantly across the slopes, while Guillemots and Razorbills line the rock faces in tight formations. It is an environment that rewards attention to detail as much as it does wider compositions.

Throughout the voyage, the flexibility of the vessel allows us to position carefully, adjusting for light, wind, and behaviour. Some of the most productive moments come in quieter conditions: early morning calm, or evenings when the light softens and the cliffs begin to hold shape. You will work with Rachel’s distinctive creative techniques including high key and low key imagery, in-camera multiple exposures, and motion-based approaches such as intentional camera movement and shutter drag. Central to her teaching is a commitment to creating images in camera, refining light, composition, and timing in the field, rather than relying on post-production. Tuition is tailored and responsive. Guidance is given in real time from technical decisions such as exposure and autofocus, to the more important process of seeing: recognising behaviour, anticipating movement, and positioning yourself with intent. This is an expedition built around opportunity, but also restraint, encouraging you to slow down, refine your approach, and produce work that feels deliberate rather than incidental.

About Rachel

Rachel Bigsby is a wildlife photographer specialising in seabirds, known for work that balances visual impact with behavioural depth. Her images are shaped as much by observation and fieldcraft as they are by composition and light, an approach developed through years of independent study and time spent volunteering with seabirds in remote coastal environments. She is the winner of the 'Natural Artistry' category in Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Portfolio Winner of Bird Photographer of the Year. Her work has been published by organisations including National Geographic, and she is a Nikon Europe creator and RSPB ambassador. Rachel has photographed extensively across the Antarctic, subantarctic islands, the Falklands, the Arctic, and the British Isles, often working in challenging marine conditions. Alongside her photography, she lectures internationally, with talks hosted by institutions such as the Royal Geographical Society and the Natural History Museum. As an IAATO-certified expedition guide, licensed powerboat operator, and advanced first aid professional, she brings a high level of operational experience to her workshops. This ensures that participants are supported not only creatively, but practically, allowing them to focus fully on their work in the field. Her teaching combines tailored, in-field tuition with an emphasis on observation-led photography, helping participants develop a personal visual style while working with light, movement, behaviour and creative technique in a deliberate and considered way.

👉 For full itinerary details and booking information, please visit: https://www.hebrideanadventures.co.uk/cruises/focus-on-st-kilda-2027/

For more information about the vessel, click here.