A solitary canoeist was enjoying himself this evening, powering his way up Loch Voil into a golden sunset.  He rounded a headland, to see a large bloke lying prone on the shore, pointing a camera and long lens across the loch. At the other end of the scene, a Black-Throated Diver is floating serenely on the water.

Now this scenario on its own is not particularly unusual: it’s getting increasingly difficult to move anywhere in the Highlands without either tripping over an Exuberant Packham displaying on a log or flushing a flock of Diminutive Strachans from a stand of reeds. What does make this more worthy of note is that, in this instance, the photographer has a large cat sitting attentively on his head. Friendly “Good evening”s are exchanged and all parties continue on their way.

As a photographer, it’s not often that I want to be photographed. Tonight was one of them.