An unrivalled seabird photography expedition into the wild heart of the Outer Hebrides, in collaboration with Hebridean Adventures.
Far beyond the western shores of Scotland, where the Atlantic stretches uninterrupted towards the horizon, lie some of the most extraordinary islands in the British Isles. Here, immense sea cliffs rise from restless waters, abandoned settlements tell stories of lives once lived at the edge of the world, and hundreds of thousands of seabirds gather among landscapes shaped by centuries of wind, weather and isolation.
Expedition Highlights
Ten-day expedition aboard the intimate MV Hjalmar Bjørge, exploring the remote islands and wildlife-rich waters of the Outer Hebrides.
Two nights planned at St Kilda, allowing extended time to discover Hirta's abandoned village, extraordinary landscapes and remarkable seabird colonies.
Explore the magnificent sea stacks of Boreray, Stac Lee and Stac an Armin, home to one of the world's largest Northern Gannet colonies.
Discover the Shiant Isles, with exceptional opportunities to photograph Atlantic Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes.
Small-vessel and tender exploration, offering distinctive perspectives of dramatic coastlines, remote islands and seabird colonies.
Search for marine wildlife, including Minke Whales, Dolphins, Seals and the Seabirds of the North Atlantic.
Personalised tuition, including one-to-one guidance, practical field mentoring and constructive image reviews.
Explore fine-art photographic techniques, including high-key and low-key imagery, intentional camera movement, shutter drag and in-camera multiple exposures.
Beautiful anchorages, long summer evenings and time to appreciate the extraordinary landscapes of the Hebrides.
£100.00 per person donated to the Scottish Seabird Centre.
Travelling aboard expedition vessel MV Hjalmar Bjørge, join Rachel Bigsby for a remarkable ten-day voyage through the Outer Hebrides, with a particular focus on two of Scotland's greatest seabird sanctuaries: St Kilda and the Shiant Isles. A UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised for both its natural and cultural significance, St Kilda is a place of extraordinary beauty and haunting history. Weather permitting, you will spend two nights anchored beneath the towering cliffs of Hirta, allowing time to explore the abandoned village, discover the island's remarkable human heritage and photograph the wildlife that has reclaimed this remote Atlantic outpost. Beyond Hirta, the immense sea stacks of Boreray, Stac Lee and Stac an Armin support one of the world's largest Northern Gannet colonies. Thousands of these magnificent seabirds circle above sheer rock faces, their brilliant white wings contrasting against the dark Atlantic cliffs. Few places offer such an overwhelming sense of the relationship between seabirds and the ocean, or such extraordinary opportunities to capture their lives within a truly monumental landscape.
Further east, the Shiant Isles, affectionately known as the Enchanted Isles, offer an entirely different seabird spectacle. These rugged, uninhabited islands are home to immense colonies of Atlantic Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes. Exploring their dramatic coastlines by small tender, conditions permitting, we will seek intimate photographic encounters among the birds that bring these remote islands to life.
Between these extraordinary destinations, our journey takes us through the wild seascapes of the Outer Hebrides, where dolphins, Minke Whales, seals and countless seabirds may accompany our passage. Long summer evenings, sheltered anchorages and the ever-changing Atlantic light provide wonderful opportunities to embrace the quieter beauty of expedition life.
Throughout the voyage, Rachel offers personalised photographic tuition, sharing her extensive knowledge of seabird behaviour alongside practical guidance in the field. From mastering birds-in-flight photography and anticipating behaviour to exploring light, composition and creative storytelling, each encounter becomes an opportunity to develop your confidence and artistic vision. Drawing upon her distinctive fine-art approach, Rachel encourages participants to experiment with high-key and low-key photography, in-camera multiple exposures, intentional camera movement and shutter drag. With individual mentoring, image reviews and continued support, her teaching is designed to help you discover a more personal and expressive way of photographing the natural world.
Conservation remains at the heart of Rachel's work, and £100 from every guest's place will be donated to the Scottish Seabird Centre, supporting the protection and appreciation of the seabirds that make these islands so extraordinary.
More than a photography workshop, this is an invitation to experience the extraordinary lives of Britain's seabirds, explore islands steeped in natural and human history, and discover the wild beauty of the Atlantic from an entirely different perspective.
Ten days among the islands of seabirds, where wilderness, history and artistry meet.