Journal
Escape to the West
by Iain MacLennan The allure of fresh air, clear skies and breath-taking landscapes provide a strong attraction that any photographer would find difficult to ignore. Equally, finding untouched and beautiful wilderness has become increasingly challenging in our ever connected modern world. The west coast of Scotland however, is one of the last few places within the UK that manages to achieve that raw sense of disconnect whilst still remaining within a reasonable drive to civilisation. With an unlikely convoy consisting of a 1998 Land Rover Defender and a similarly aged soft top Alfa Romeo we set off west from Glasgow, in search of turquoise blue waters and soft white sands. Driving the old West Highland Way through Glencoe is a must if routing towards the coast. Glen Etive and the striking Buachaille Etive Mor are impressive as you pass through and well deserved of the fame garnered from their feature in “Skyfall”. On reflection relying solely on an “intensive” recce of the coastline with Google satellite maps (and just a little bit of local knowledge) was probably not the best method of planning a weekend trip. Nonetheless we traversed west with a Landy full of whisky, beer and BBQ in hope of finding that perfect spot. Close to our target area we were hindered by roads and terrain unsuitable for the low profile of the mighty Alfa. With a quick shuttle run system in the 4x4 we managed to move the squad (and more importantly the booze!) cross country in to where we hoped we would find our untouched beach.After a short walk in we were not left disappointed. The headland opened up to reveal the most stunning and pristine cove, complete with glinting blue waters and even a small white sand beach. Tents pitched, we were straight into the water with our tinnies of Tennent’s in hand to celebrate our unlikely success. Watching the sun set low over the islands of Eigg and Rum was one of the most spectacular scenes I have ever witnessed in the UK. Turbulent dark clouds mixing in with the piercing sunbeams of the fiery red sky provided the perfect backdrop in which to share a dram or two with friends not often seen.Darkness fell and the sky eventually cleared to reveal the majesty of the Milky Way stretched out above, thousands of stars visible in the light pollution free skies. Fortuitously Mars was in its perihelic orbit and close enough to shine extremely bright in the night sky. This is what any landscape photographer craves for! Unsurprisingly it turns out that setting a tripod and capturing long exposures are much more difficult after half a bottle of the finest Scottish single malt… Iain is a serving British Army helicopter pilot with a passion for photography. Checkhis work on Instagram at @imagesbyiain.
Best of the Month - Vol. 16
Sooo we just checked and we're exactly two thirds of the way through 2018... It's okay though because at Tens it's summer FOREVER, and we're still chilling by the pool so grab a towel and an icy drink to sip on. August has been full of wonderful stuff, and we've put together some of it right here for you to consume with your summer cocktail of choice. Enjoy! Best of the Web "Hey Google, tell me something good." Google assistant now delivers that GOOD news to broadcast a wee bit of hope within your home / office. Because it's not ALL bad. The New York Public Library is ingeniously using Instagram stories to share classic novels. The design is so well thought out, and they include animated slides! Go check out the first highlight on Alice in Wonderland over on their Instagram page. Scotland just became the first country in the world to offer free sanitary products for all students, following a new initiative to help banish period poverty. Lego unveils sustainable bricks made from sugarcane as brand continues eco overhaul. We're pretty sure they're still not edible though, unfortunately. This one's pretty self explanatory... it's called Swimply and it's like Airbnb for swimming pools! A company called 'Plastic Whale' in Amsterdam is now offering canal boat tours with a catch (literally). As part of the tour, you take part in plastic fishing for litter in the canal. We're very on board with this. Tens Soundtrack Here are some of our office favourites, mostly new, some old. Who else should we be checking out? Visit our profile on Spotify to check out our previous months' soundtracks. Who To Follow Here are some of our favourite accounts to follow on Instagram. If you know anybody that we should be following, let us know! This month we've got @darius.music, @sarahmaxwellart, @sashasa_a, @rkrkrk & @minusthesun. #TensMoments At Tens we put our community first, no matter what it is that we're up to. Here's where we share some of our favourite photos with Tens from the last month. We love seeing your tags with Tens, so be sure to tag us in them for your chance to be featured! Photos submitted (in order) by @nomad_nonsense, @ilsignorfranz, @ggalaska, @natgeobell, @nclrnld, @jackcrapa & @asherhodara. ~ What things have you discovered this month? Are we missing anything? Message us on Facebook with suggestions!
Scotland's Top 10 Wild Swimming Spots
By Calum Maclean I am an obsessive outdoor swimmer, and I’m always on the lookout for new places to swim. I’ll swim anywhere: the sea, frozen lochs, dark caves. Tens asked me, @caldamac, to pick out my Ten Best Natural Swimming Spots and my picks are unashamedly biased towards the Highlands of Scotland! The water in Scotland is generally warmest around September, so jump in now! In no particular order... Achmelvich Beach, Sutherland In the far-north west of Scotland, down the end of a winding little single-track road: crisp clear water, sea air and white sand. You can paddle about in the bay, or even swim around the coast to explore the rocks. Beware: even on a sunny day, it’s usually cold! Allt Daraich, Isle of Skye A short walk from the road at Sligachan, away from the hordes of tourists you’ll find bright blue/green pools that invite you to slip straight in. You can slide down waterfalls, jump off rocks, hide from the midges under water. The Cuillin mountain range gives the most incredible backdrop. River Feshie, Cairngorms Very easy access for great jumping and underwater fun. At Feshiebridge there’s a deep pool directly under the bridge, and a shingle beach to walk in. But my favourite spot is hidden about 100m upstream! A deep pool that channels up to a small waterfall, with jumping and diving potential. In summer, laze on the hot rocks with friends. Glencoe Lochan It’s winter, so what? I like to swim all year and if you start in summer, you get used to the cold…(well, almost). Glencoe Lochan is a small and sheltered, and you might even have to crack some thin ice to get moving. Cold water is good for you! Or so I’ve been told… Loch Coruisk, Isle of Skye As you travel in by boat, hills seem to fall straight into the sea all around. Loch Coruisk is surrounded by mountains, protected from the wild waves. Shout in joy and hear your echo reverberate around the mountain amphitheatre. Swim out to the rounded islands: they make for the best diving boards as the land disappears instantly into the water. Spend a whole day here. Tràigh Mhòr, Tolsta, Isle of Lewis Take a roadtrip to The Hebrides in summer: if you get the weather, you’d not want to be anywhere else. The sun barely sets, there are beaches all over and water that demands to be swum in. Tràigh Mhòr stretches out far into the distance: if you want a long swim, here’s the place. Clear water: beautifully cold.Image by John Matrix at Bike List. Sandwood Bay, Sutherland Wild, expansive, ever-changing. Sandwood Bay can suffer the brunt of some wild sea weather, coming in off The Minch. This is why it’s not always a place for the nervous swimmer! 4 miles from the road, the surf here can crash onto the shore, and rips pull the water back out. I love playing in the surf, slipping under the waves and letting it batter me into the sand when I miss-time it! One of my very favourite places in all of Scotland. Isle of Arran The sea between the Isle of Arran and Holy Isle is teeming with wildlife. Anemones, urchins, fish. There’s a “No Take Zone” between Lamlash Bay and Holy Isle, meaning that sealife thrives. Crossing to islands is a bit like munro-bagging for some swimmers, and what better one to tick off. Take a snorkel Loch A’an, Cairngorms Last time I swam at Loch A’an, it felt as though I was having a spiritual moment…I just hope it wasn’t hypothermia setting in! The most direct route is to a walk over a mountain - Càrn Gorm - and back. On a sunny day the water must be some of the clearest I have seen, with sand and soft grass tickling my feet. The perfect spot to camp overnight. River Douchary I have to admit, many of my favourite swim spots are far from roads. The River Douchary is about 8 miles inland from Ullapool: a long walk or cycle. But it’s worth the effort: there’s a series of stunning waterfall pools, a natural canal channel and clear water to plunge into. The best bit? You’ll probably have it all to yourself. You can follow more of Calum's adventures on instagram at @caldamac. Safety disclaimer: Always take your time getting in, go with someone else, and check out the depth before you jump!
Making Of - Our New Poolside Set
From moodboard to pool party - behind the scenes of our new photography set 🍹
Best of the Month - Vol. 15
It's half-way through summer, the global heatwave is hitting us good and we're still drunk by the pool. It's a vibe. Here is a bunch of stuff we've found recently for you to look at, listen to and read about. Best of the Web Watch the unboxing of a sealed 18 year old Apple iBook G3. This baby had a whopping 6GB of hard drive space 😂 In Russia it’s illegal to display the LGBT pride flag. So during the World Cup these 6 football fans formed a hidden rainbow flag with their football jerseys, to protest Russia’s discriminatory laws in plain sight. Check out The Hidden Flag for more. Two giant hands seem to suspend a golden pedestrian bridge which recently opened at the Bà Nà Hills mountain resort just outside of the city of Da Nang, Vietnam. The 500-foot bridge rests in two outstretched palms which have been weathered with cracks and moss to give the appearance of age. Wingsuit Pilot Luke Rogers and fellow wingsuiter Chris Byrnes dive into an epic cloud cave on their jump with Skydive Ramblers in Toogoolawah, Australia. Ok we literally have no words to describe how incredible this is. Just watch. Tens Soundtrack Here are some of our office favourites, mostly new, some old. Who else should we be checking out? Visit our profile on Spotify to check out our previous months' soundtracks. Who To Follow Here are some of our favourite accounts to follow on Instagram. If you know anybody that we should be following, let us know! This month we've got @programzero, @rosie_matheson, @michael_mccluskey_, @doyenneskateboards & @briannamadia. #TensMoments At Tens we put our community first, no matter what it is that we're up to. Here's where we share some of our favourite photos with Tens from the last month. We love seeing your tags with Tens, so be sure to tag us in them for your chance to be featured! Photos submitted (in order) by @equiphogram, @matwss, @steffiholtz, @morabito92, @ronmcquade & @se.ph.ora. ~ What things have you discovered this month? Are we missing anything? Message us on Facebook with suggestions!
Heatwave ~ by Enzo Iriarte and Marty Bell
Saturday at The Parc del Laberint d'Horta in Barcelona with some styles from our new collection and a Nishika N8000 🔥
Best of the Month - Vol. 14
Drag, LimeWire, Nile Rogers, dogs & much more. Freshly picked 🍊.
Video: Tens 2018 Behind-the-Scenes
Shooting a sunglasses campaign in -15ºC? Seems legit...
Best of the Month - Vol. 13
70s babes, a Crayola makeup range and an avocado lost in NYC - check out volume 13 of our best of the month.
