About Roddy
I’m a freelance creative, based in Inverness in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland, but working on a range of projects, in a range of places.
I first picked up a camera back in 1997, and when living in London about five years later my addiction to the captured image really took off. A few years later I graduated with Merit from Glasgow Metropolitan College and began my freelance career as a photographer.
During my studies, I developed a working relationship with some of the leading Broadsheet Newspapers, with my press work being shortlisted for the title of ‘Scottish Young Photographer of the year for three consecutive years in 2006, 2007 and 2008. I travelled extensively in this period, and still do, with a couple of months of each working year normally spent on projects overseas.
As a photographer I find most satisfaction (and challenge!) in photographing a range of subjects in a range of places. People have always been my favourite subject, and I really enjoy meeting people from all over the world – sometimes when I’m travelling to them and sometimes when they travel to me.
I normally shoot a selection of commercial jobs each year – with whisky and agricultural clients being some of my main work. The bulk of my photography is set aside for weddings and portrait sessions – and I specialise in working with couples and families coming to Scotland from overseas. Sharing some of the favourite parts of this beautiful country while capturing memories in images is a very enjoyable job to have!
I also shoot a selection of travel projects – normally spending about 4-8 weeks of each year overseas. You can view some of my travel work in my travel portfolio here.
Before I became a photographer I studied Communication and Media and now when I’m not working on photography projects I also run a small marketing company called Tentmaker Creative – specialising in helping clients with marketing workload and in help with WordPress Websites.
I live in Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland, although my roots are spread all over the country – and I consider many parts of it to be home. I am married to Fiona, and Daddy to Ally and Lucy.
When you spend this much time in behind the camera, it can be a little hard to find pictures when I’m in front of it. If you’d like to know a little more about me, who I am and how I work, I’d be happy to connect over Skype.
View my other portfolios
My work is focused on capturing natural scences of people in places.
Weddings
Elopements
Travel
Kids and Families
Editorial
Commercial
Favourite images from the archives
Guishachan Gathering
Shot for The New York Times
This is another of those images that almost never was, but it has gone on to become the most ‘visible’ of any image I’ve captured so far – having gone viral online.
The Guishachan Gathering takes place every few years in the Highlands of Scotland by the remains of Guisachan House, the ancestral home of the Golden Retriever.
Over 400 dogs gathered for the event, (with their owners) coming from all over the world to celebrate this remarkable breed. Despite being in the height of summer, the weather was variable all day – but the dogs didn’t seem to mind – and when the dogs are happy, so are the humans.
I was asked to shoot the event for The New York Times, presuming it might make a small appearance in the travel section. I underestimated the love that people have for their pets (and other peoples) and the image appeared in multiple editions of the NYT including the international homescreen, was shared with multiple outlets including CNN, and went viral on social media with millions of people interacting with the post in various channels.
Click the image to see a larger version.