Richard Rankin celebrates new photography collection with Instagram Q&A

Richard Rankin took to Instagram Live to discuss his new collection of Scottish photographs

Outlander fans are aware that many of the actors on their favorite show are multi-talented.  Richard Rankin is among that group.  He acts, he sings and plays guitar, and he’s an excellent photographer.

Photography is a true passion for Richard.  He absolutely loves it.  When asked whether he preferred photography or acting, he expressed confusion and later declared that acting might have “taken a hit” and become his hobby.  We’ll hope he keeps up with his hobby for a long time to come though.

Rankin released a new collection of photos of Scotland on Nov. 27 entitled Fàilte gu Alba, which means “Welcome to Scotland” in Gaelic.  The title was inspired by the big welcome sign you pass when driving into Scotland from England; the sign has the Gaelic translation on the bottom.  The collection contains 31 photos available in a mix of proofs and limited editions for serious collectors as well as more affordable prints in varying sizes.

Richard Rankin did an Instagram Live Q&A on the rrankinphoto account on Nov. 28 to thank his fans for their support and to talk about the new collection.  Fàilte gu Alba took hundreds of hours of proofing and editing; he does all of that himself along with packing the artists and trial proofs for shipping.  “They’re fragile AF!”

Richard Rankin discussed cameras, the photography and editing processes, photo names, and more

Richard said that coming up with names for his photos is not his strong suit.  I disagree.  The Colours of Skye triptych photos were named for Greek mythology.  Breath of the Wild derives from his favorite Zelda game.  His titles range from the simply descriptive Cows!, to the fanciful Princes, Wizards, and Immortals, to my personal favorite – Scottish AF.

Rankin has been doing a lot of photography during the pandemic.  The whole Fàilte gu Alba collection was shot two or three months ago.  He traveled all over Scotland to take photos.  When he went to the Isle of Skye, he was “overwhelmed” by the stunning scenery and landscape.  He found that the Isle of Harris was somehow different from the rest of Scotland and really enjoyed shooting there.

He said that the hardest shot to get in this collection was Pish Day, Braw Lighthoose.  It was a three-second long exposure shot taken on the Isle of Scalpay, but it took him a really long time to get.  There was a torrential downpour, and he got soaked through his waterproof clothing.

The Dark Sentry and Scottish AF, both of Eilean Donan Castle, were taken within an hour of one another.  He’d shot the castle ten days before but stopped again on his way back due to a beautiful sunset.  He was shooting the water, but then he noticed the play of light on the castle and wanted to capture it.  Then, he just had to get the sunset from the other side.

Richard Rankin is definitely a talented photographer, and he has many beautiful photos available in Fàilte gu Alba and his other collections.  If you can’t afford to get a couple prints, don’t despair.  He said that a coffee table book is in the works.

Are you a fan of Richard’s photography?  Which of his photos are your favorites?  Tell us in the comments below.

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