Photographer Andrew Alexander gives us an insight into his photography and his favourite spots to visit in Scotland.

You can follow Andrew on Instagram @_aawild_ or via his website. 

How did you get into photography?

It really all began when I started going on log cabin and camping holidays in to the Highlands a few years ago. I’d spend my weekends on scenic walks and then I gained an interest in Munro ‘bagging’. It didn’t start as anything serious. I would capture my adventures with my Iphone, But I soon realised that I had a great enthusiasm and flare for taking photos, so about a year ago I got myself a nice camera. Having spent my life enjoying creative endeavours it really just felt like the right thing to be doing.

Do you have a favourite area in Scotland to photograph?

It’s got to be the Isle of Skye. Not only am I drawn to the island for its incredible landscapes but also through my family heritage. Every time I travel there it feels like I’m going home. The island is diverse, the people are friendly and the house prices aren’t too bad either!

What hidden gems in Scotland have you stumbled across that are now your favourite locations to shoot?

I’m not really sure about it being a hidden gem, but I suppose it certainly doesn’t get much coverage on social media. Plodda Falls and its surrounding forest in the Glen Affric area are really special to me. The first time I ever visited the area it had been raining non stop for what felt like weeks on end, the waterfall was absolutely ferocious and the Douglas firs were enormous. If there’s two things I love, its a good waterfall and really big trees.

Where have you never been that you would love to go in Scotland?

Definitely “The Stacks of Dunscaby” at John o’ Groats – that place looks incredible.

I’ve still to complete the NC500 but I should finally get round it by the end of the year so it’s a place I’m really looking forward to exploring.

What is one of your favourite photos that you have taken?

That’s a really hard one because I love looking back on lots of my photos, but it would probably be my Old Man of Storr sunrise photo. Not because I think its a great photo, but that shot is a constant reminder of a great weekend on Skye with great company.

We left Ayrshire on the Friday night after work, drove all through the night under a beautiful starry sky. Once we reached the other side of Fort William we were constantly pulling over to take night shots. Finally at 2AM, we got our heads down in Kintail and after a couple of hours we were up again to shoot a beautiful sunrise over the Kintail mountains.

The weather that whole weekend was incredible and after a rather sleepless night in the van at the foot of The Storr we arose to stumble up the the Old Man in the dark. It was just a great experience.

Where do you look for inspiration? Who are your top influences on Instagram?

First and foremost I look to Scotland for my inspiration. I feel so privileged to live in such a beautiful country with a great variation of landscapes and wildlife. If Scotland can’t inspire you – nothing will.

I love the work of so many photographers on Instagram – Alex Strohl and Andy Best are definitely two of the best. Their work is so clean! Then we have Scotland’s very own Colin Prior who isn’t much of an Instagrammer, but he is definitely an icon in the realm of landscape photography.

Thanks for your time! Before we let you go, what other social platforms are you active on besides Instagram? I’m sure our readers would love to know where else they can connect with you on the web.

You can catch up with me on my website: www.aawild.co.uk I’m regularly updating it with new content and there will also be selected prints available in the store soon. I also have some other big plans, but I can’t share them just yet! Thanks for having me.