Canonical URL: https://natureslens.co.uk/2018/11/17/shetlands-puffins/ # Photographing Shetland’s Puffins of Fair-Isle Published on November 17, 2018 [![A Group Of Puffins On One Of The Headlands Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-group-of-puffins-on-one-of-the-headlands-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-group-of-puffins-on-one-of-the-headlands-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg) Fair Isle is a truly unique place to photograph Shetland’s Puffins. It’s unspoiled, natural & very remote, which brings me to the first stage of this trip: getting to this tiny Island that sits between Shetland & Orkney! [![A Solitary Puffin Photographed During A Natureslens Puffin Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-solitary-puffin-photographed-during-a-natureslens-puffin-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-solitary-puffin-photographed-during-a-natureslens-puffin-photography-holiday.jpg) [![A Solitary Puffin On One Of The Headlands Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-solitary-puffin-on-one-of-the-headlands-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-solitary-puffin-on-one-of-the-headlands-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) It’s a fantastic adventure to get to Fair Isle & in my opinion, really adds to the excitement of this photographic holiday. [![A Puffin Against The Pink Sky Of The Setting Sun Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-puffin-against-the-pink-sky-of-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-puffin-against-the-pink-sky-of-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) [![A Pair Of Puffins Against The Pink Sky Of The Setting Sun Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-pair-of-puffins-against-the-pink-sky-of-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-pair-of-puffins-against-the-pink-sky-of-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg) The first part is getting to Sumburgh in the Shetlands. I decided to fly from Edinburgh on Logan Air which is a great airline. From there on in, NaturesLens takes over & it’s a small seven-seater plane that flies you to Fair Isle in around 15-20 minutes. Our hosts greeted us upon arrival & then took us on the very short drive to our lodgings, which was to be our base for the week. We enjoyed some refreshments as the staff gave us a great introduction about the island & what to expect & see during our stay. We headed to our very comfortable rooms after the briefing to unpack. Our group then met back in the reception area to go out & meet the tiny inhabitants of this island, Shetland’s [Atlantic Puffins](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/atlantic-puffin/). We encountered one of the colonies after a short walk. They seemed unconcerned by our presence, so we spent a little time photographing them until it was time for dinner. [![A Puffin Backlit By The Setting Sun Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-puffin-backlit-by-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-puffin-backlit-by-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) [![A Puffin In Flight Against The Golden Light Of The Setting Sun Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-puffin-in-flight-against-the-golden-light-of-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-puffin-in-flight-against-the-golden-light-of-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) [![A Pair Of Puffins Against The Golden Light Of The Setting Sun Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-pair-of-puffins-against-the-golden-light-of-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-pair-of-puffins-against-the-golden-light-of-the-setting-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins.jpg) The meals at the [Fair Isle](https://natureslens.co.uk/discover/europe/scotland/) Bird Observatory are great & varied. If you have any special dietary requirements, they can accommodate you. Just make sure you let [Pui Hang](https://natureslens.co.uk/about/pui-hang/) of NaturesLens know. The photography sessions are typically carried out in the morning light & evening light, both at sunrise & sunset, but we found that during some of the days, especially when it was raining, (it is [Scotland](https://natureslens.co.uk/discover/europe/scotland/) after all!) that we managed to get some fantastic images of the water beading on the Puffin’s feathers. So whatever the weather, you can achieve strong images. [![A Puffin Huddles Against The Rain Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-puffin-huddles-against-the-rain-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-puffin-huddles-against-the-rain-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) [![One Of The Puffins Shaking Off The Rain Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/one-of-the-puffins-shaking-off-the-rain-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/one-of-the-puffins-shaking-off-the-rain-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) [![A Fair Isle Puffins Shaking Off The Rain Photographed During The Shetland Puffins Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-fair-isle-puffins-shaking-off-the-rain-photographed-during-the-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-fair-isle-puffins-shaking-off-the-rain-photographed-during-the-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg) We tried to keep our distance so that we did not block a Puffin from walking back to its burrow. However, this didn’t stop these curious ‘clowns’ of the sea from approaching us. On one occasion, I was sat down watching the world go by & a Puffin came up to me & decided to have a go at my boot! [![A Close Encounter A Curious Puffin Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-close-encounter-a-curious-puffin-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-close-encounter-a-curious-puffin-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) [![A Group Of Puffins On One Of The Headlands Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-group-of-puffins-on-one-of-the-headlands-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-group-of-puffins-on-one-of-the-headlands-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg) It was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry. Photographic kit wise I took my 300mm F2.8 (which I used the most of the time with some extenders on occasion), a 70-200mm & my 17-40mm. I found these Focal lengths to be perfect on a full frame camera. Waterproof clothing is a must as laying down & sometimes crawling along the ground is going to get you wet & dirty! I used over trousers & a top from Decathlon. They are very light & cost around £20 so if they get ruined it’s no big deal. [![A Pair Of Puffins Against The Golden Light Of The Rising Sun Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-pair-of-puffins-against-the-golden-light-of-the-rising-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a-pair-of-puffins-against-the-golden-light-of-the-rising-sun-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg) [![Puffins Against The Setting Sun On One Of The Headlands Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/puffins-against-the-setting-sun-on-one-of-the-headlands-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/puffins-against-the-setting-sun-on-one-of-the-headlands-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-photography-holiday.jpg) You can always find photographic opportunities even if the shot you had planned doesn’t work out. One morning, we decided to head to the colony before breakfast, to try & get some sunrise shots. The sun went into a cloud bank just as it rose. Luckily, there was a short period where there was a beautiful red streak in the sky. We took a few shots before going back to the excellent cooked breakfast that awaited us at the Observatory. One afternoon, we photographed the [Great Skuas](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/great-skua/) in flight, which was great fun & for some, it helped them practice tracking birds in flight. Since they are much bigger, it was easier to get them in focus, so it was a great way to hone those skills needed to capture the faster, more erratic [Puffin](https://natureslens.co.uk/for/puffins/)! Another thing I tried was some fill flash photography. I had some success with some sunset shots & I am looking forward to giving it another go next year. All I can say is the variety of shots on offer, that is achievable, is just notable! [![An Arctic Tern Photographed With A Slow Shutter Speed Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/an-arctic-tern-photographed-with-a-slow-shutter-speed-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/an-arctic-tern-photographed-with-a-slow-shutter-speed-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) [![Backlit One Of The Puffins Making A Landing Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/backlit-one-of-the-puffins-making-a-landing-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/backlit-one-of-the-puffins-making-a-landing-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) [![One Of The Puffins Making A Landing Photographed During The Natureslens Shetland Puffins Of Fair Isle Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/one-of-the-puffins-making-a-landing-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/one-of-the-puffins-making-a-landing-photographed-during-the-natureslens-shetland-puffins-of-fair-isle-photography-holiday.jpg) After our last morning session, we had to board the boat back to the mainland. We were fortunate to have very calm seas that day, so the journey was smooth & relaxed. If you are drawn to [puffins](https://natureslens.co.uk/for/puffins/), [seabirds](https://natureslens.co.uk/for/seabird/), & island-based photography, explore our current [Atlantic Puffin](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/atlantic-puffin/) & UK wildlife photography holidays. 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