Young photographer charmed by Shetland's wildlife

For a 23-year-old like myself, moving to the Shetland Islands to live and work may seem like a bizarre thing to do, right? Wrong!

Avoiding the stereotypes and misconceptions that Shetland is a place to settle down later in life, these islands are full of opportunities no matter what your age or interests. Plus, being surrounded by stunning scenery, incredible fauna and a welcoming, tight knit community, I see no reason not to consider a new life on this beautiful archipelago.

The story of how I ended up living in Lerwick has involved a journey around the world – from the Aussie outback to America.

I became interested in the natural world at a young age however it wasn’t until my teen years that photography was thrown into the mix. Back home in Staffordshire, England, I loved to photograph woodland birds and owls, in particular, Tawny owls.

As time went on and I travelled more, I became more aware of new species and that’s when my focus began to shift towards seabirds and Scottish wildlife. From time spent on the Isle of Mull and Skye, I knew I belonged in Scotland, but the West Coast never seemed remote enough. Nor did I feel like it had the abundance of wildlife I could photograph year-round.

In 2018, a work colleague transferred to Shetland, a place teeming with wildlife and that’s when I knew where I wanted to be. Since then, the thought of moving never left my mind…

Then the Covid-19 Pandemic intervened. A cancelled trip to Australia meant I was able to use my refunded money to book a holiday. With international travel being restricted, Shetland seemed like the perfect choice.

Through June into July, I spent just under four weeks solely in Unst exploring Hermaness National Nature Reserve photographing puffins and northern gannets. I was also lucky to watch orca as they passed through the Bluemull Sound.

It quickly dawned on me that I had fallen deeply in love with Shetland and by the end of my trip, I was reluctant to leave. Along the way, I spoke to several Shetland residents whose “just do it” attitude towards my thoughts on relocation prompted me to make my decision.

After only being home for a few weeks, before I knew it, and before I had time to stop and process what was happening, I had accepted a job transfer to Lerwick.

Boarding the NorthLink ferry in Aberdeen, my car packed full with my belongings, I had the biggest smile on my face and I couldn’t have been happier…

I knew once I had moved to Lerwick and started to work that things might have felt different compared to what it was like in summer, but it didn’t.

Working meant I was able to socialise and make new friends and I loved that. As I expected, everyone was more than welcoming and it was a smooth transition from my old job. What I love most about working in Shetland is that no matter what kind of day I have had, good or bad, there is always the possibility of spotting an otter, or if I'm really lucky, cetaceans as I head home.

I can honestly say moving to Shetland has been the best decision I could have made in life. For my photography, my work life and also my mental health.

With miles of coastline at my disposal, my day-to-day life is now spent scouting for otters and photographing seabirds.

The possibility of also photographing orca makes life very exciting.

The bonus of also having a newly-built skatepark in Lerwick and climbing wall in Aith means that I always have something to do. And, if the weather is really bad, there are plenty of places to grab a drink or a bite to eat.

Living on Shetland isn’t for everyone, but I urge anyone who is thinking about moving here to make a trip beforehand and if you’re anything like me, you won’t want to leave… You will unknowingly catch the Shetland-bug and won’t be able to shake it off!