A Tent Above Glencoe: A Chilly Sunrise Worth the Wait
Alan O’Connor didn’t just chase the sunrise—he braved the cold for it. High above Glencoe, in the Scottish Highlands, his temporary home was a lone tent pitched against a snowy backdrop. The reward? A golden-orange sunrise breaking through the frost-laden peaks, painting the landscape in a soft, ethereal glow.
“Braving the freezing temperatures high above Glencoe to catch sunrise,” O’Connor shared, referring to his night in the crisp, unforgiving cold. The scene, though frigid, radiates warmth—an ironic contrast that makes the image all the more mesmerizing.
A Bridge to Nowhere but a Sky of Wonders
John Cuthbert set out for the aurora borealis but got something unexpected instead. Standing at Belhaven Bridge, often dubbed the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ due to the way it appears submerged at high tide, he waited in the cold night, hoping for the Northern Lights.
They never arrived. But something else did.
As dawn broke, a stunning palette of purples, blues, oranges, and yellows stretched across the sky, reflecting perfectly in the still waters below.
“This image is a prime example of life,” Cuthbert explained. “I was expecting a good aurora display, turned up as darkness fell, and hung about all night. It never appeared, my hopes dashed. But then as the first light of dawn appeared my eyes widened, for I was rewarded with a sunrise that took my breath away and put a smile on my face.”
A Relaxed Seal’s Moment of Bliss
Not every great picture requires an exhausting wait. Sometimes, nature simply hands it to you.
For 13-year-old Kiran Simpson, a trip to Aberdour Beach in Fife turned into an unforgettable encounter. A lone seal, stretched out on a rock, basked in the sun in what’s commonly known as the “banana pose”—flippers and tail curled upward in perfect relaxation.
“It was a calm, sunny day when I saw a seal chilling on a rock right near the shore,” Simpson shared. “It looked so comfy, in the classic banana pose, like it was just lounging. I sprinted back to the car to grab my camera because there was no way I was missing this. I love how relaxed and peaceful the seal looked, even with me nearby.”
A single moment of tranquility, frozen in time.
A Fiery Start to the Day in Skye
Some sunrises are quiet. Others are bold, dramatic, unforgettable.
On the Isle of Skye, Kate Masson found herself witnessing a morning spectacle at the Quiraing, one of Scotland’s most photographed landscapes. Rugged, ancient, and otherworldly, the area comes alive under the right light.
That morning, the glow of the rising sun bathed the hills in a fiery orange hue, turning the scene into something almost surreal.
“Morning sunrise taken at the Quiraing,” Masson noted simply. “Peaceful and beautiful.”
Sometimes, a few words are enough. The image speaks for itself.
