Callanish Stone Circle, is the Scottish Stonehenge for many. Set on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean on the Isle of Lewis, the largest isle of the Western Isles it is one of the vibrant, impressive ‘sound’ circles still standing. Those that built it knew a thing or ten about sound, how vibration connected the many dimensions.
I arrived with trusty large format camera, a Linhof Press Camera, circa 1945. It is one of the most trusty travel
hardened pieces of kit I have had.... and rare. As I set up for this specific shot awaiting the light, alone except for the stones and heather moorland an old Trabant chugged to a halt and out stepped a youngster from East Berlin with the
exact same kit. We chatted and he fresh from college in Germany travelled Europe with 25 sheets of film and the
same number of polaroids. He showed me the few he had already taken. Each image I would have died for. He 21 and I late 40s.
A hardened, no expense spared advertising photographer with little concern for frugality face to face with a one shot one sheet master. In that moment he taught me about excess and waste. That day changed my life.
Light arrived, shots taken in the bag. I stepped into the circle, went up to the centre stone, sliced through by a shard of crystal and proceeded to ‘sound’ into the stone throwing each harmonic sound up to the top. When it hit the top the sound split and projected itself into each of the outer stones. Each harmonic echoed and re-echoed round and round, till there was a mighty orchestra of sound. I imagined it was all in my mind, my head. As I finished I turned. The young master stood outside the circle mouth wide open, transfixed. I asked what he heard. He replied “A whole orchestra of sound like no other.”
So I had not imagined it. He asked how I did it. I led him inside the circle showed him what to do and left him to
experience the same extraordinary magic. When he came out I told him this was my gift to him for what he gave me.
Having shown me the less is more principle. He learned more about himself in that moment than ever before.
We parted changed. I am certain his image of Callanish was equally, if not more magnificent than mine.
Such are the gifts we are afforded whenever we allow life to show us.
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