BEAUTIFUL OBSESSIONS INSPIRE BREATHTAKING IMAGES OF MAGICAL PLACES NOW

JIM RICHARDSON

Jim Richardson makes no secret of his obsessions. Quite the contrary, the acclaimed National Geographic photographer has taken tens of thousands of photos of the magical archipelagos off the coast of northern Scotland.

These extraordinarily beautiful, remote, rustic islands — the Hebrides and Orkneys — have been calling to him, like sirens, for over 20 years.

“I’ve long been captivated by these Hebrides islands, gradually besotted, enamored, even mad perhaps,” writes Richardson. “Now obsession has taken over.”

In his proposal to National Geographic for a story about these islands, Richardson points out their impressive history. "For countless millennia, the North Atlantic has raged and stormed against the oldest exposed rocks in the world,” Richardson writes. “This epic battle has forged one of the world’s great archipelagos.” 

I’ve been to these places and can personally attest to the fact that their raw, hyper-dramatic landscapes, matched by the unbridled passion for life exhibited by the people who call them “home,” instantly grabs one’s heart and never lets it go.

Richardson’s obsession plays out in the 14,976 pictures he’s taken, to date, of these wild islands. His obsession is further evidenced by the fact that he can remember the exact frame number of many of his photos. For example, he remembers the still, peaceful moment that preceded frame #9,068.

Beyond the lure of unparalleled natural beauty, the Orkneys and Hebrides also drew Richardson in with their unique views of human-created beauty. 

Some of the oldest settlements of Europe, can be found here. Of particular note, the Knap of Howar, a Neolithic farmstead on the island of Papa Westray, in Orkney, may be the oldest preserved stone house in northern Europe, with radiocarbon dating indicating human occupation from 3700 BC to 2800 BC.

Richardson, who has given seminars on agricultural legacy, documents these ancient farms, with the intention of preserving their historic and practical importance. 

The primitive homesteads, tombs, and other human constructions on these Scottish islands have also deeply intrigued Richardson. He has explored the abandoned homes of the village of Skara Brae, the barren tombs of Maes Howe, and other fascinating remnants of early civilization here.