FOR the past ten years, a trio of photographers have swapped Tendring for Scotland to capture moody skies and mountain peaks.

Friends Rob Woolf, of Holland-on-Sea, Mark Rivers, of St Osyth, and Chris Davies, of Walton, are preparing for their annual week-long trip to the extreme north-west of Scotland in March.

Being off-season the numbers of tourists will be low and the temperature hovers just above zero.

The photographers, who have also visited Cornwall and the Lake District, plan to while away the daylight hours finding the best locations before settling down for evening sunsets and seascapes.

Computer technician Rob, 47, began experimenting with photography aged 16 before joining a small photography club ten years ago.

He later met Mark, 50, a boiler engineer at a camera workshop in Clacton and then Chris, 45, owner of Photovogue studio in Frinton.

They have taken stunning images of Tendring but are looking forward to heading north.

Rob said: “Scotland is rugged and some of the mountains look like they’re about to beat you up - it’s great - and it’s the mountains which makes the photos three-dimensional. 

“Here in Tendring you’re relying on a big sky behind the image especially if you’re on the seafront, or have to find some interesting clouds to bring the image to life because it’s the way the light hits the clouds which makes the image.

“Ideally you want a foreground, middle ground and something on the horizon as well to create interest all the way through the photo, and depth.

“But also Scotland seems to have an array of golds and rustic browns that you don’t seem to get at other photographic locations in the UK.”

Between them the photographers have decade’s worth of experience and are beginning to amass clients and buyers for their canvasses.

Both Chris and Rob have also exhibited their work at the Naze Tower and will return from Scotland with more seascapes for their collection.

"Our favourite night was scouting out an area at the northern tip of the Isle of Skye for a Northern Lights image," Rob said.

“We found a great bay with an abandoned pub and hotel halfway down which led to a rocky beach facing north - we waited for nightfall and then headed back there.

“After the lights show we laid on the ground just watching the stars and satellites, and even a huge moon disappearing into the sea.

“People said we were lucky to get the view after seeing Mark’s photo.”