If I had to pick my single favorite spot on the globe, it would be Scotland’s Isle of Skye. I have been fortunate in my travels to visit many exciting, beautiful places. And of course, many new destinations remain on my “to do” list. But no matter where I go, northwest Scotland, especially Skye, always draws me back. For me, it’s not just a vacation—it’s a pilgrimage.

Upon my first visit to Skye in 1999, I shot roll after roll of film with my little point-and-shoot. At the time, I considered my work stunning, exceptional, and even artistic. During the years since, I’ve developed a slightly different perception of the photos I took during that trip. They weren’t all awful, but it’s safe to say that none ever will be exhibited on my website (or anywhere else).

Then I returned to Skye in October 2007, carrying about 13 kilos more camera gear than I had during my first visit. And this time, I captured some worthy images, a few of which I am pleased to present here. Hopefully, it won’t be eight more years before I get back to Scotland. Already, I can hear the Highlands calling….

OK, Jim, that’s a really nice story. But what about the photo?

Oh yeah, the photo. On our final day in Skye, John and I drove from the “capital,” Portree, to the Cuillen Hills in the south. One of our stops was here, at Loch Cill Chriosd, near the B8083 road between Broadford and Elgol. The dramatic clouds and landscape created a perfect reflection in the loch’s still and silent surface. If you flipped this image upside-down, the only feature that would distinguish the bottom from the top is the small patch of reeds poking up from the water. (Considering the prodigious volume of alcohol consumed by this point of our trip, it’s surprising that I wasn’t flipped upside-down.) You will see more of this location later.