Over the last two years I have been working on various photographic projects on the North East Coast as part of the RSA Morton Award. Love Letters From Aberdeenshire was inspired by the tenacity, joy and sorrow of the people I encountered while I was there. Becoming close friends with the contributors, who were always open and willing to collaborate, I was allowed the unique opportunity of documenting their lives from day to day.
Inimitable characters, deeply rooted in Aberdeenshire’s traditional landscapes, culture and oral history, form a picture of contemporary Scotland, which subvert the romanticised connotations often associated with the highlands and its small rural towns.
An Elvis impersonator, a Scots traveller and an ex-serviceman speak candidly about their romantic stories. Economic hardship and often social isolation have framed the lives of the characters and yet these men still celebrate the good times in the face of adversity.
Reminiscing from the comfort of their homes, boardings, and caves, this project is a tribute to them via the glimpse into their philosophy of life in the form of a series of short love letters.
