Alex McGrotty Photography & Film

07/05/2026

Shooting at sunset in the Highlands is a game of minutes. The low sun over Loch Alsh creates incredible long shadows on the pier, but you have to work fast to catch that golden glow over the Cuillin.

13/04/2026

It’s been a while since I’ve done any street photography. Mostly because where I live, there’s only one street. So when I headed over to Inverness to visit family recently, I couldn’t resist the opportunity.

I decided off the cuff to play around with dragging the shutter, which blew the highlights in places but I like how it came out. Combined with minimal editing to keep everything as organic as possible, it reminds me a bit of shooting on film. For me that’s what street photography is all about - minimal editing, and a few imperfections here and there. Simply capturing life as it happens.

In one frame, while I was waiting for someone to pass through a patch of light halfway up the Market Brae Steps, a lady jumped in front of the camera, poked her tongue out, did a little dance and we both had a laugh before she walked away.

There’s a slogan that was created for the 2014 Commonwealth Games - ‘People Make Glasgow.’ I think it’s far more accurate to say that people make Scotland.

10/04/2026

Being a photographer in the Highlands be like…

10/04/2026

Eilean Donan Castle, Highlands.

Built in the early 13th century, positioned on the boundary between Norse and Scottish territories, giving it a strong defensive role against Norse expeditions. Later a stronghold of Clan Mackenzie, it was caught up in the Jacobite rising of 1719, when it was shelled by Royal Navy ships.

A castle with over 700 years of history - from medieval stronghold to Jacobite conflict to modern restoration.

Not long after this frame, the Highlands did their thing and wiped the entire backdrop clean.

09/04/2026

I was trying to do a promo video for the new chest mount I just bought. I’m thinking I probably shouldn’t tag them in this one 👀🤦‍♂️

For the record, this was 100% user error/carelessness, it’s actually a fantastic bit of kit 👌

05/04/2026

04/04/2026

Plockton, Scotland. Also referred to as “The Jewel of the Highlands,” and the place I called home when I first moved up here. It’s also known as one of the most beautiful villages in Scotland, although if you arrive during winter or early spring, when colours are still muted and sparse, it can, at first glance, strike you as barren and rugged, especially during the harsher months, when severe storms frequently roll in from the Atlantic.

It reminds me of the first day I arrived here - what I remember most was the utter silence. I remember someone closing their front door and it echoing across the bay. And I filmed a short clip speaking to camera, and felt compelled to keep it to a whisper.

But if you arrive in summer, you’ll see why Plockton earns its crown.

Palm trees grow here thanks to the mild microclimate created by the Gulf Stream, and it’s home to what is most probably one of the most picturesque beer gardens in the world.

04/04/2026

Just before I took Shiel Bridge 🗡️🪓🔥

02/04/2026

I edit my work to reflect how a scene makes me feel - the subjects I photograph don’t need a powerful edit, they’re already naturally beautiful, which is why I take the photo in the first place.

But I also value edits where the scene simply presents itself as it is, and lets its natural beauty speak for itself.

One is expressive, the other is observational, and both are equally as important to me.

Here’s another look at Duncraig Castle - surrounded by deep greens, sitting above Loch Carron, still slightly stylised but naturally striking with a more observational approach.

01/04/2026

What started off as a wildlife photography trip in Plockton ended up with me photographing the Royal Scotsman instead.

I spotted it crossing the bay and changed plans instantly, following it back and eventually caught up with it in Kyle.

It was a dreich day - rain, low light, and far from ideal conditions. With some guests still on board, I couldn’t go on myself, so I had to shoot the interiors from the outside, which meant dealing with reflections and water droplets across the glass, but I quite liked the subtle drop in saturation. The rain softened the light inside, creating a natural diffusion, while the droplets added a bit more depth and atmosphere to the images.

The Royal Scotsman is Belmond’s luxury sleeper train, launched in 1985 for scenic journeys through the Scottish Highlands. Known for its Edwardian style interiors, private cabins, dining cars and observation lounge, it runs seasonal routes through the Highlands and regularly passes through places like Kyle of Lochalsh.

Royal Scotsman, A Belmond Train

31/03/2026

I don’t know if I’ve stared at this for too long, or because I’m tired but this doesn’t look anywhere near as epic on here as it does on my Mac. But I’m fed up of working on it so up it goes. Might delete and re upload at some point.