Exploring Scotland's STUNNING Seascapes with the GFX100ii

Welcome to the start of my journey across Scotland's stunning seascapes! 🌊
In this video, you'll experience:
- My essential tips on how to make successful seascape images in any light
- Majestic sea views and vibrant Hebridean ocean colours
- The haunting beauty of the world's most ancient rocks
Whether you're a nature lover, adventure seeker, or simply looking to escape into the wild beauty of Scotland, this video is for you. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more travel adventures!
00:00 Introduction
01:23 1st Scene
01:59 1st scene analysis and images
04:58 2nd Scene - intimate rocks
07:22 3rd Scene - panoramic
11:34 Final Scene - my favourite
12:38 Learning summary & close
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[@Alister_Benn]

Do you have a favourite of the images? I do! 😂

[@brucepatt5572]

Alister, your personal engagement with photography as an integral part of your inner life is the most important reason for my subscribing-and for grabbing a spot on one of your May ‘25 workshops on Vancouver Island. Thank you for all that, and for forgoing much of the technical how-to content, which is readily available when I need it. Any place, any time, and any light can evoke meaning, and it’s worth the experience and challenge of capturing that whether or not there’s an image that comes close to capturing it. I’m lucky to live close enough to the coast of Northern California, and so that’s where I’m going next. By the way, a good friend here grew up on the Isle of Lewis, and I’ve been with him to other places in Scotland. You’ve got to love it when it’s wet, and I do.

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

I'm guessing it's the orange rock. 😉

[@Alister_Benn]

Maybe 😂

[@michaelmacmorran8787]

The third scene panoramic really stood out to me. The contrast in the sky reflected by the subtle contrast in the sea, the left leading line draws my eye to the sea stack in the back which is balanced by the cliffs on the right. The channel between the sea stacks and the cliffs makes we want to look deeper into the image and peaks my curiosity about what the sea offers around the bend. The tiny rock outcropping on the top of the cliff on the right adds energy and an almost playful quality to that area of the image that makes me smile.

[@anisab9506]

It’s so good to see you back in your outdoor office. I’m happy for you

[@Alister_Benn]

Yes, more of that next week ❤️

[@astridpreisz519]

Wonderful! Heartfelt and inspiring! I love to see these images from your new home! ❤

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so much Astrid ❤️

[@brianparks440]

I really enjoyed that, Alister. And if it helps the algorithms to tip in your favor I might add a few more comments-like nice hat. And what a location! I guess we all have to make the best of what our surrounding environment has to offer, but I love the simplicity of your local landscape. I have to go up to the alpine to get above our dark forests or drive a thousand miles. As for the images in this video I thought they were all quite beautiful and I thought each successive one was my favorite. The last few in particular, the sharp details in the rocks was magnificent juxtaposed to the softened wave action by lengthening the exposure time. I thought the lighting on the rocks was perfect. Those filters make all the difference

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks so very much for the lovely feedback. It is a truly beautiful coast and not in the usual island circuit, so we never meet anyone either!

[@roobarb7989]

Great to see you out and enjoying your new land/seacapes Alister. Can't wait to see your weekly adventures. I'm a sucker for a good pano and that red rock image... just stunning. (p.s it's Terry from Vancouver Island)

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you, me too. It is exciting to have all of this literally on our doorstep.

[@tTLM823]

Really appreciate your explaining the "why" behind each of your photos and the creative approach you take in each one. I have always loved square cut photos but sometimes the pano is the best choice. Cheers!

[@Alister_Benn]

Many thanks, I appreciate the kind feedback

[@swissheartydogs]

To slow down to simplify. Brilliant

[@Alister_Benn]

It works, and so good for mental health too ❤️

[@user-rq7gy1xf3m]

As a Scotsman living in New Zealand, this makes me homesick. great video by the way

[@JPHPhotographs]

It's really, really good to see you out of the office - away from the lectern and the microphone. The best moments seem, inevitably, to come when we are outside and alive in the world. The best images generally seem to follow. Cheers!

[@Alister_Benn]

Hey mate. Yeah, it’s been ages since I’ve done an outdoor video. I’m really enjoying living out here. Can’t wait to see you again and I’ve heard Margaret is coming too ❤️

[@JPHPhotographs]

'In for a penny, in for a pound' - We can hardly wait for the trio of Canada trips to come around again - this year's (2024) sessions were fantastic and inspirational!

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks man. Has the book arrived?

[@JPHPhotographs]

Thanks for asking and yes it has arrived. I have been on the road and have not had much time to take an in-depth dive into the set but please note we are very pleased with the offering thus far! It is a beautiful package and nicely presented. The photos are printed on heavy paper with a very nice feel and shows great color rendition. I hope to sit down with the set in the near future and experience all it has to offer. It looks like an outstanding body of work - and one you should be proud to share! Cheers!

[@Alister_Benn]

Excellent, delighted to hear it has arrived ❤️

[@georgemason2472]

Beautiful shots. Really enjoyed the b roll of the waves coming in at about 11:30. My photography would have been done about then and I would have had a sandwich and a glass of wine and got lost in the sounds!

[@Alister_Benn]

Awesome! Thank you! yeah, that's a cool spot there, I've already spotted some really cool comps. We'll be back!

[@QuietLightPhoto]

Nice stuff, Alister! keep going

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha, will do buddy

[@billbarraclough9653]

Wonderful to see you out and about again!

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you kindly! yes indeed. It has been too long. Having a few months at home is what I needed to be honest.

[@bergis65]

As usual quality content. It’s just so inspirational to watch. It engages me and makes my thoughts wander, often about the surroundings. Sometimes I feel a little ’location envy’, but that is of course fruitless, one has to find the unique things in the landscape one has, and not what others have :) - Keep up the good work! KjellB

[@Alister_Benn]

Wow, thank you! I really appreciate that great feedback.

[@martinoberstein8431]

Hello Alister, fine fotos from your new home. I‘m curious about what is going to come next. From this selection I like the one with the watercovered boulders mostly. Kind regards Martin

[@Alister_Benn]

We shall see - I'm excited to find out myself!

[@catepearce2138]

Hi, great photo shoot, and before breakfast, I am so jealous. So glad you took the opportunity to move and live the dream. Cheers

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha, yes, doing something amazing before breakfast is always a good way to start the day!

[@hooroadproductions8541]

Hi, love the longer exposure of the second image of the first composition. Some great ideas. Thanks

[@Alister_Benn]

Great, thanks. I liked that one too. Amazing how that scene changed when the sun popped out. As my mate Adam Gibbs says, it really is all about the light.

[@trevorhoward1285]

Hello Alister, I'm so glad to see these and all of your future images from this beautiful isle, if any one could do it justice photographically it would be you 🥳🥰 cheers Trevor (a pom in Oz) 😎

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so much 😀 That is super kind of you. Pom's in Oz! :-)

[@AreefAbraham]

Great video as always Alister. Looking forward to the workshop on the Isle of Lewis in October.

[@Alister_Benn]

Me too man. Can’t wait to meet you

[@TheDeterminedRunner]

Thanks for giving me some new ideas Alister 📷

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that, much appreciated

[@lonewolfphotography01]

Absolutely beautiful place to live, and those images are just sublime , thank you.

[@Alister_Benn]

Many thanks! I really appreciate that

[@marvinvaughnsantos4064]

The sea looks amazing!

[@brucepatt5572]

Alister, your very personal engagement with photography is the reason that I eagerly await your next video…and why I’m still mining past programs as well. I value your blend of technical expertise with the experience of seeing and feeling, and the challenge of bringing some small element of that sense of the place home. I’ve grabbed a spot on one of your workshops next May on Vancouver Island…I’m in Northern California and that’s so close by! What I’d really like to do is live with you for a week on Isle of Lewis. A good friend of mine here grew up on Lewis, and I toured some of your country some time ago. Maybe some day again. Meanwhile, I’m fortunate to have the Pacific Coast and will delight in that.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so much. Sounds fantastic and looking forward to meeting you next year.

[@trishfre2]

So lovely to see you smiling and enjoying your new surrounds, Alister. Loved all your images, but that reddish stone really stood out for me. Couldn’t help thinking how long it might have taken to reach the island as the other rocks, around you, seemed such a different colour.

[@Alister_Benn]

Many thanks. I am thinking that rock is also Lewisean gneiss, it is really variable and can be pink, or warmer in colour rather than the more ubiquitous slate grey with stripes.

[@trishfre2]

Alister, would that rock be similar to the western coast of Mull, opposite Iona. I remember visiting there back in 1986 and being quite taken by the pink colour of the rocks.🇦🇺

[@Alister_Benn]

No, I think those would be granite. Mull is a more recent volcanic island and was formed around the same time as the Isle of Skye and the other inner Hebrides.

[@trishfre2]

@@Alister_Benn Many thanks, Alister. My ancestors were from Mull and why we went there. Just loved the area!

[@Alister_Benn]

Ah, excellent, a beautiful island (I think they all are! ❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿❤️

[@mariamullin4031]

Beautiful photos

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so very much

[@irvenpenn2833]

Loving the weekly educational inspirational content. I have a lonely empty spot on my wall that’s crying out for the intimate rocks. Wonderful in so many ways 👍🏻👍🏻❤️

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so much mate. I am really enjoying getting out again and feeling inspired ❤️

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

Isle of Lewis will be an absolute cornucopia of compositions for you. I can't wait to see more.

[@Alister_Benn]

Absolutely, I’ve found a lot of knee places and see nobody else, it’s great 😊

[@brucepatt5572]

Alister, your personal engagement with photography as an integral part of your inner life is the most important reason for my subscribing-and for grabbing a spot on one of your May ‘25 workshops on Vancouver Island. Thank you for all that, and for forgoing much of the technical how-to content, which is readily available when I need it. Any place, any time, and any light can evoke meaning, and it’s worth the experience and challenge of capturing that whether or not there’s an image that comes close to capturing it. I’m lucky to live close enough to the coast of Northern California, and so that’s where I’m going next. By the way, a good friend here grew up on the Isle of Lewis, and I’ve been with him to other places in Scotland. You’ve got to love it when it’s wet, and I do.

[@gunsentry8349]

Love all the shots and your utilising the 45-100mm, I am about to purchase the lens.

[@Alister_Benn]

Good choice! It’s a real workhorse and really sharp

[@olirc]

Exquisite shots as always! Happy new (and rather splendid) home! 😍

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you! 😃 happy to hear that. We love it here

[@280bunny]

What a wonderful place to move to, very different to my position on the East Anglia coast! Really enjoyed the video. As a 'back' sufferer for 40+ years pleased to hear you are pain free, what did it for you?😀

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, we’re so happy. I’m actually going to make a video for the channel on how I’ve cured my back pain. It’s been kind of miraculous. I did an 8km trail run this morning with no pain and I literally couldn’t walk 6 weeks ago!

[@michaelmacmorran8787]

Great work as usual. You do a wonderful job reminding me to slow down and be present. I always want to see "more" and move too quickly between locations. This results me actually seeing far less than if I'd taken the time to connect and be present with the area that drew my interest in the first place. I'll be curious to see if you explore black and white with your third scene panoramic. That image really stood out to me.

[@Alister_Benn]

Yes, I hear you. There is so much to see and explore on this coast. It was interesting to not shoot for a month while exploring the new coast. I didn't just rush out with my camera to start making images. I went long walks, watched birds and seals, sat and looked. It was a nice integration to the new area without any pressure to "make art!"

[@ASMPHOTO]

Beautiful! Miss my Scotland! Thank You for sharing

[@Alister_Benn]

Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, we’re lucky to live here ❤️

[@billrisdon1]

You clearly exude the attitude of "being home." Bravo! The pixs are absolutely stunning. I look forward to the once aweek content. I know it is much more work, but we all benefit as long as you can produce it. Bill

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that, yes, this does feel like home. Ann and I are putting down roots.

[@grabshotphoto7396]

13:53 My mantra is "React and refine"

[@Alister_Benn]

I like that ❤️

[@andybamforth]

Lovely images, really liked the piano. The run of the rock formation and the building? On the headland.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks Andy, it's a cairn on the headland. I like that one too, I will go back there and shoot in different light for sure.

[@andybamforth]

Sorry Pano not piano🙄 auto spell strikes again. Ps Alister, at the moment I use a canon outfit. 5dmk 4 and a set of l series lenses. I'm finding them becoming very heavy to carry nowadays. I'm considering a om1 outfit (an om1 and the three lenses to replace my kit weighs in at just over the weight of the 5d and a 24-105 l lens) and using the high res function when printing larger images. What are your thoughts on this?

[@alandyer910]

Excellent! Thanks for bringing us along. I look forward to seeing more from the wonderful Isle of Lewis. And I loved the pano format image the best. Cheers from 🇨🇦!

[@Alister_Benn]

More to come! for sure... Yeah, the pano frame always makes things look so impressive. The squares feel a bit tame by comparison.

[@davidmill7289]

Fabulous images Alister. Particularly liked the final shot and “Red Rock”.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you, I appreciate that

[@esanford]

So energizing and motivating! The pano with the rocks... breathtaking....

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so much man, I appreciate that

[@LaPhotoAvenue]

Hi Alister, I have the exact same setup as you and was wondering whether you ever experience some issue with the tilt adapter and the viewfinder not turning. Despise setting the camera to sensor to ,manage the LCD and Viewfinder activation, sometimes the viewfinder does not switch on when my eye gets close to it, however the LCD turns off. It forces me to press manually on the viewfinder button to force it to turn on but activating the "viewfinder only" setting. This does not happen when I do not use the tilt adapter and plug the viewfinder directly onto the GFX100II. I did a 14h wedding a week ago (without the tiltadapter) and never did it fail on me. Meaning the viewfinder turns on when it detects my eye and the LCD turns off and when I step away from the viewfinder the latter switches off and the LCD turns back on. I look forward to getting your feedback. Cheers.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that. NO, I haven't had that problem, but I have had an issue with the viewfinder where it goes all grey like a tv on white noise static. I'm having to send the camera back too Fuji for them to take a look at it.

[@paullavin5449]

Lovely scenery and great photo opportunities. For my taste, you need to ditch those filters and stop turning the water to mush. But hey, each to his own.

[@Alister_Benn]

Next time 😜

[@alexlford]

You’ve moved to Lewis!!! Wow - I’m there with the family at the start of august! Im open to a tour guide for a day?!

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, we love it up here. I'm afraid I'm not day guiding at the moment, just too much on with other projects. Maybe at some time in the future I'll offer that.

[@alexlford]

Thanks Alister - really looking forward to getting out there. Keep up the great content! Cheers

[@JocelynSimard]

Very interesting video Sir, I would know the set-up of your head tripod please? thank you for your answer.

[@Alister_Benn]

Hi, I use an Arca Swiss C1 cube as a head. It's pretty amazing and makes small adjustments easier than with a bullhead.

[@JocelynSimard]

@@Alister_Bennthanks you very much for your fast answer

[@Razertw]

Seascape is my favourite sub-genre of landscape. But how do you deal with sea spray? I could never completely get rid of it (used isopropyl wipes) and some buttons and dials become permanently affected.

[@Alister_Benn]

Honestly, I try to not shoot straight out to sea into the wind. I'll shoot across the wind, and the days of dropping a 12mm prime a foot above the waves are over. That doesn't really inspire me as it once did. I like the calmness over the wildness. Then again, we'll see. I still have an old D850 which I don't mind getting wet.

[@Razertw]

@@Alister_Benn Yeah I spent a few months shooting at the coast of Portugal. Sometimes even with 20-30 meter waves. The sea spray was crazy, literally a fog. At first I didn't care, but later started using at least a big cloth over the camera. A little bit of spray is fine, but in conditions like this I'm just gonna use a rain cover in the future.

[@Alister_Benn]

@@Razertw yes, I am more careful with the GFX's than I ever was with a Nikon D850. I went through 5 of them in 8 years!

[@Razertw]

@@Alister_Benn That's pretty crazy. How did you managed to do that?

[@Alister_Benn]

Waves!! Stupidity 😂😂😂

[@Jackgrahamphotograph]

I'm on my way---any more house to buy?????--we need to get you on a Podcast!!--I'll email you-JG

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha Jack - thanks man... I'm about all summer, a good time to get together for a chat. Looking forward to it