A Photoshoot at Dunrobin Castle
Capturing Highland Craftsmanship at Dunrobin Castle
There’s something about the Scottish Highlands that never quite feels ordinary. Maybe it’s the way the light changes without warning, or how you can experience four seasons in a single afternoon. Perhaps it’s the landscape itself — dramatic, quiet and filled with stories that feel woven into the land.
When my photographer Niamh and I planned this photoshoot at Dunrobin Castle, we didn’t want to create a fairytale from scratch. We wanted to capture something that already existed naturally within the Highlands: atmosphere, heritage and a quiet kind of magic.
As the founder of Thistle & Cloth, based in Sutherland in the Northern Highlands, my work has always been deeply connected to place. Part of my vision is not only to create handmade Highland wear, but also to showcase this often overlooked corner of Scotland. The landscapes here seem to complement tartan naturally — the colours, textures and movement of the cloth all feel tied to the surrounding hills, coastline and changing skies
Why Dunrobin Castle Was the Perfect Setting
For a tartan photoshoot in the Scottish Highlands, Dunrobin Castle felt like the perfect location.
The castle is grand, of course, but not in a cold or distant way. There’s softness there too — the formal gardens, the sea beyond the grounds and the way the building rises naturally from the landscape rather than dominating it. It feels connected to the Highlands around it, much like tartan itself.
On the day of the shoot, the Highland weather stayed true to form. We dodged heavy rain showers throughout the day, with occasional bursts of autumn light breaking through just long enough to catch the movement and texture of the fabric. In many ways, that unpredictability made the photographs feel even more authentic. The Highlands are never overly polished, and that honesty is part of their beauty.
Handmade Highland Wear Designed to Move
One of the things I love most about photographing handmade garments is seeing them come properly to life.
The dresses moved exactly as they were intended to — structured but never stiff — while the tartan trews became one of the main focal points of the day. The trews represented the culmination of my year-long Heritage Crafts bursary, making the shoot feel even more meaningful personally and professionally.
Even the castle’s billiards room became part of the story, helping to showcase the precision of the matching tartan lines at the bottom of the trews. Those small details matter enormously in traditional kiltmaking and bespoke Highland wear. They are often the things people don’t consciously notice at first glance, but they create the difference between something mass-produced and something genuinely handcrafted.
Attention to Detail in Traditional Kiltmaking
I spend a huge amount of time focusing on detail. Ironically, “attention to detail” was one of the favourite phrases shouted by corporals during my military experience, but honestly, I think traditional kiltmaking deserves the phrase just as much.
Creating bespoke tartan clothing is about far more than simply sewing fabric together. Every line of the tartan must align correctly. The structure, balance and movement of the garment all need careful consideration. These are heritage skills that take years to refine properly.
In today’s world, where fast fashion dominates much of the clothing industry, there’s something incredibly important about slowing down and making garments with intention. Thankfully, slow fashion and appreciation for craftsmanship are beginning to come back into focus, and traditional Highland dress sits naturally within that movement.
More Than a Photoshoot
Although this was a fashion shoot at Dunrobin Castle, the garments themselves were never designed simply for photographs.
These are pieces made to be worn and remembered — for weddings, celebrations, important milestones and moments that matter. Tartan has a remarkable ability to hold memories within it. Over time, garments become tied to stories, people and places in ways that feel deeply personal.
That’s what made this photoshoot feel special. It wasn’t about creating fantasy or perfection. It was about capturing something real — handmade Highland craftsmanship grounded within the landscape that continues to inspire it.
Because up here in the Scottish Highlands, that’s often how the best stories are told.