My trip capturing the Highlands through the lens of a war correspondent

Times

16-05-2025

A five-day photography retreat in the Highlands isn't my usual kind of holiday. On a Venn diagram connecting amateur photographers and outdoor enthusiasts, I would be somewhere far outside the circumference of both circles, sipping margaritas on a beach.
That said, my reluctance to leave my comfort zone has left my Instagram looking a little stale, which is why I find myself kneeling on the wet, rocky shoreline of Loch Duich. Rain blurring the lens, wind biting my nose, borrowed Canon DSLR pointed towards a young bagpiper silhouetted against brooding storm clouds. I'm surprised to find that I am loving every second.
'Get lower,' our guide, Paul Hackett, tells me. Hackett is used to going to extreme lengths for the perfect shot. A retired photojournalist, he has found himself in the thick of wars, riots and uprisings during his 30-year career. Later that night he will pass around a selection of his best images, including photos taken inside a hotel in Tripoli where he was held hostage by armed Gaddafi soldiers.
Base camp is Spean Lodge, an elegant five-bedroom, 18th-century house in Spean Bridge that has been recently purchased by Hackett. The gardens are curated by a landscaper from Kew Gardens, and there's a roaring fire where we dry out every evening and review the day's work over a dram (or three).
The lodge has a history of entertaining kings and nobility, but it definitely isn't stuffy. Personal touches make you feel at home; the art on the walls is gifted by Hackett's friends, and home-cooked meals are prepared by Jackie, Hackett's sister, helped by two young Ukrainian refugees who Hackett has sponsored. Highlights include baked Scottish salmon topped with sundried tomato, parmesan and goat's cheese breadcrumbs, and a white chocolate and berry cheesecake.
Hackett leads our intimate four-person group on daily 'assignments' to some of the Highlands' most picture-perfect spots. We summit the Old Man of Storr on Skye, clamber up slippery rocks to capture the spray of Steall Falls, and snap the winding stretch of Glencoe road made famous by James Bond in Skyfall.
The itinerary isn't just a bingo card of iconic Highland landscapes, though. Hackett also arranges local guests to bring each location to life. At the wildly beautiful Camusdarach beach the stablehand Chloe gallops her horse through the waves, trailing a sparkling shower of sea spray that adds dramatic flair to our images. In Glen Coe two young Highland dancers jig on the rocks to the delight of passing tourists as we scramble to capture the swings and flings of their colourful kilts.
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Hackett also enlists the help of two photographer friends, Kieran and Abby, which means we amateurs are almost outnumbered by professionals. Each session turns into a one-on-one crash course in photography basics, and I gain the confidence to switch the automatic setting off on my camera, and start fiddling around with foreign functions like shutter speed and aperture. My images quickly progress from wonky, poorly lit holiday snaps to professional-looking images that capture the untamed beauty of the Highlands.
It's hard not to be infected by Hackett's enthusiasm. The retreat combines his love of photography and nature: as we trek through valleys and over hills, he stops to marvel at the scenery, pointing out potential shots, like a single pine tree backlit on the slope of a mountain, or the way the sunlight dapples the heather in the glen.
Back at the lodge, entertainment is provided by more of Hackett's friends, including Kieran Docherty, who presents an intimate photo series documenting his father's battle with terminal illness. There is also an atmospheric performance by the storyteller Tony Bonning, who entertains us with eerie Scottish folk tales.
It's a full-on schedule, and each night I sink into the king-size bed in my cosy en suite bedroom overlooking the River Spean and fall into a dreamless sleep. By the final day I am utterly exhausted. On the train home I flick through the photos on my camera and think of scenes I didn't manage to capture. Then I remember some advice doled out by Abby — the best shots are imprinted on your mind, whether you had a camera in hand or not.
Jennifer Kennedy was a guest of Spean Lodge (B&B doubles from £170, speanlodge.com). The next photography retreat runs September 19-25 and costs from £2,150pp, full board, including all excursions, tuition and two A2 prints of your work (highlandretreats.uk)