Mark Shannon Photography

17/05/2026

Bluebells 2026

I'll be going back to this location next year with my main camera to make a better job of this uninterrupted carpet of Bluebells.
It's difficult to find such a large expanse without ferns growing through and disrupting the pattern - but this is one of maybe 2-3 areas I've found recently. I liked this one with the huge, lone Beech tree in the background. No flowers were damaged when taking the shot.
I only had my phone with me, the light wasn't the best and I’m not actually sure if I like it much - but it will do for now...

11/04/2026

Benyellary to the Merrick

It's been a while since I last posted but I had to share this image which was taken a few days ago as I went up to the Merrick on my mountain bike. As I hit the summit of Benyellary through poor visibility, the thick fog slowly gave way to patches of sunshine and windows of beautiful blue sky.
I climbed down to this ragged rock jutting out from the side of Benyellary and waited for some sunlight to sweep across the scene, bringing it out of the shadows to contrast against the dark heather of the hillside. I felt it created a nice balance with the bright sunlight that was creeping along the valley floor and up the Merrick slopes.

After 10-15 minutes, the thick fog descended once more, and I made my way down the saddle and onto the slopes of the Merrick. I wish I had my big camera for this scene, but my bike and gear was heavy enough!

23/11/2025

Kirroughtree Beech

Soft afternoon light was glowing through a row of Beech trees at Kirroughtree Forest, Dumfries & Galloway a few weeks ago.

Best viewed with night mode off on your device, so that the colours don't appear too warm...

09/11/2025

Drifting Away

A yellow Sycamore leaf drifts away gently as the sunset sky is reflected on the surface of the Black Loch, Castle Kennedy Gardens. This was taken with my phone from up on the wooden bridge, giving me the opportunity to get an unusual angle on the subject.

02/11/2025

Autumn Gold

Golden leaves of a lone Birch tree reflect in the dark waters of the Bruntis Loch at Kirroughtree Forest Park yesterday.

Best viewed with night mode disabled on your device, to ensure the correct colours are seen.

30/10/2025

Autumnal Acer

An abstract image of a Japanese Acer at its peak autumnal colour near Castle Kennedy Gardens. This was absolutely amazing to see and stand under and I used my iPhone 14 Pro to take the image. Looking up towards the soft sunset light creates an amazingly subdued backlit glow, showing the intense colour with a subtle hint of translucency in the leaves.

Best viewed with night mode disabled on your device, to preserve the correct, beautiful colours.

19/10/2025

Autumn Gold 🍁

I had the good fortune of picking from hundreds of these leaves that lay on the forest floor at Kirroughtree 🍂 - but this one stood out the most. In lieu of my main camera, I had to use my iPhone with the close up lens to get this result. I'm very surprised at the sharpness and quality that the phone is capable of, despite being an older model.

Best viewed with night mode disabled on your device - the image will look too orange and warm otherwise.

05/10/2025

Misty Morning

My favourite spot at Loch Trool on a cold, misty morning...

25/05/2025

Killantringan Lighthouse

One of the best views in the Rhinns of Galloway.
You can even stay at this lighthouse by getting in touch with Killantringan Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage. I'm not in any way affiliated with this business, but I'm not sure if many people know that it is a lovely holiday destination for a quiet break away - so thought I'd mention it here.

11/05/2025

I can’t believe it’s been a year since this photo was taken! That Aurora was absolutely breathtaking and is something I won’t ever forget!

Coresewall Lighthouse Aurora

There is nothing quite like it when an "impossible" shot you have in your mind's eye for quite some time, appears out of the blue - and stays around long enough to ensure it is captured on camera.

Words can't adequately describe the experience of seeing such a strong display of Aurora Borealis so far south here in Scotland, stretching farther down than I've ever seen before. It *should be* nearly impossible to capture the Northern Lights from the direction in my photo - and to have them fit the balance and composition of the scene so well - but as luck would have it, I was able to get something quite special!

As you've no doubt seen already everywhere else, last night was one of the strongest geomagnetic storms on record and it was simply amazing to sit in the darkness and look up, seeing all of the colours with the naked eye, swirling and drifting directly above, fading in and out silently.

It was also amazing to have some good fortune with the viewing conditions being near enough ideal to see such a strong show: clear, dark-ish skies, little wind and pretty much no strong moonlight present to wash out the sky. All I had to do was trust the Aurora forecast and be there.

It was also a pleasant surprise bumping into Dynamic Scotland Photography at the same location and getting to have a wee blether about aurora and photography. Be sure to check his work out.

I don't know what else to say, other than this experience is something I'll remember for the rest of my life. Breathtaking.

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The Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel