Thank you for visiting my blog.
I’m a full-time professional freelance photographer and writer based on the Black Isle near Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland. I specialise in wedding and events photography, landscape photography workshops, writing, public speaking, and a wide range of commercial photography assignments. I conduct myself professionally, am very reliable and am also fully insured.
Please do not hesitate to contact me to make an enquiry or booking. I will be delighted to hear from you.
A bit about me…
I was born in Perth in 1985 and spent my childhood holidays caravanning throughout Scotland; walking, cycling and island hopping. I picked up my first camera when I was six years old and have never looked back. My love of writing has developed more recently but the foundations were there from a young age, as I always enjoyed writing short stories and I have kept journals for many years.
I fulfilled a lifelong ambition in 2013 when I re-located from the Central Belt to the Black Isle near Inverness with my husband Mark. In my spare time, I love nothing more than exploring the Highlands and Islands, walking, cycling, camping and caravanning, reading, learning Scottish Gaelic and enjoying the antics of my guinea pigs!
I’ve enjoyed a wide range of successes over the years, with my career highlights to date including being featured on the prime time BBC show Countryfile and writing a regular column for the popular outdoor activities website, Walkhighlands.
Landscape photography is my favourite pastime but I’m thrilled to have turned a passion into a profession, and have branched out into many other avenues, with wedding photography and commercial work now occupying most of my time, in addition to landscape photography workshops.
Click here to be re-directed to karenthorburn.com
Karen Thorburn
Tel: +44 (0) 7761985752
Email: karen@karenthorburn.com
© Karen Thorburn
Wow, if I didn’t love Scotland already, this would draw me into its web. Reminds me of the film Local Hero whose images were the reason for my first visit back in the early 80s. Great pictures! And thank you for the follow.
Thanks very much Geoff. ‘Local Hero’ is great film! I hope you’ve enjoyed many more trips to Scotland over the years. You’re welcome and thank you for following me back!
I think “Local Hero” is a great film too! 🙂
so glad to have found your beautiful photographs of scotland(my native country but not my home-too wet and cold!) thank you for your recent follow, i really appreciate it!
anne
Anne, thank you for your message and for following me back! I’m glad you’re enjoying the photographs. I’m a bit of a fair weather photographer so you’ll manage to avoid the cold and wet on here!
Thanks so much for following ZimmerBitch. I am loving your blog — though it is making me a wee bit homesick!
I’m glad you’re enjoying my blog – maybe it’ll inspire you to plan a trip to Scotland!! Thanks for following me back – I’m sure I will enjoy your posts too.
I’m due another trip; one that will include more of the Highlands than I managed last time. My family is in Fife, so I tend not to get much further from “home” than Dundee or Edinburgh.
Fife is lovely but you can’t beat a trip to the Highlands!
That’s true. 🙂
It looks like you have a fantastic blog Karen, with some amazing photography, I’ll definitely be checking out some of your posts over the Christmas 🙂
Thanks very much Andy. I hope you enjoy reading a few of my posts over Christmas and I’m sure I will enjoy reading yours! I expect you’ll see a few familiar places, particularly from my walk around the Fife Coastal Path last year. Have a lovely Christmas and New Year! 🙂
Did you do the charity walk around the coast path, I imagine that would have been great fun Karen 🙂
Hope you and your family have a Wonderful Christmas and a Very Happy New Year too 🙂
Andy, it was a brilliant adventure – great fun but also mentally and physically challenging walking long distances on consecutive days. I was thrilled to raise over £500 for Cancer Research UK and it really spurred me on when my feet were hurting! I had a lovely Christmas, thank you, and am looking forward to the New Year celebrations! I hope you’re having a brilliant festive time too 🙂
Well done Karen for raising all that money 🙂
Glad you had a good Xmas, and I’m sure you will have a wonderful Thursday night/Friday morning!! 🙂
Fabulous photography on one of my favourite subjects – I look forward to seeing more.
Thank you Robin. I’m looking forward to getting out with my camera again when there’s an improvement in the weather! Northumberland is a lovely part of the world too and I look forward to following your posts.
Beautiful description,Karen :). I love your photos. You have an amazing blog here. Nice to meet you!
Thanks very much, Monica. It’s nice to meet you too and I’m sure I’ll enjoy your blog as well. 🙂
🙂
Hi Karen, I’ve been looking through your photos and they are so beautiful 🙂 Thanks so much for following my blog, Le Chic En Rose, and I’ve signed up to follow you too. I live in a very different Perth on the other side of the world but funnily enough have Scottish ancestors who I traced to Perth in Scotland in the 18th century! Will look forward to seeing more of your posts and lovely photos, best wishes Rosemary 🙂
Hi Rosemary. Thanks very much for your lovely comment and good wishes! I’m glad you like the photographs. I will enjoy following your adventures from the other side of the world. It’s nice to think that you live in Perth Australia but have connections with my home town, Perth Scotland! Best wishes, Karen
You are amazing photographer. Thanks for following my blog! Most welcome!
Thanks very much. I’m delighted that you like the photographs. Likewise – thank you for following me too!
You are always welcome!
So glad to have found you and thank you for the follow. Your pictures…what can I say that hasn’t already been said…so beautiful. Your love of Scotland and the island’s shine through your words and images. Patsy
Thank you, Patsy. It’s a pleasure to share my love of Scotland with others. I will enjoy your blog too – Sherkin Island sounds idyllic!
Why am I so late in thanking you for following my blog? (Better late than never…) You personify so much that excites me: northern latitudes, island-hopping, the colours & textures & sounds of these places — “Last Places” as Lawrence Millman called them, in his amazing book about travels through the north.
Thank you, Penny, and don’t worry – it can be a challenge to keep up-to-date on WordPress! Thanks for bringing Lawrence Millman to my attention. I’ve just added ‘Last Places’ to my Amazon wishlist. I would like to visit Iceland and so I’m sure I’ll enjoy reading about your trek as well as fining out about what you’ve been up to more recently too.
Thank you for mentioning Lawrence Millman, I’ve just ordered ‘Last Places’, very much looking forward to this book. 🙂
The Highlands and Islands are gorgeous. We have some really beautiful scenery at home, we don’t need to go abroad. I am originally from North of Aberdeen, near Peterhead, but now stay just outside North Berwick. My hubbie and I regularly take trips to the Highlands, Inverness, Tain, Orkney, Fort William, Mull of Kintyre, Skye and areas surrounding them. We are lucky to have friends in some of these places. I always feel to relaxed when i’m surrounded by gorgeous views and peace!
We’re fortunate to live in such a beautiful country! I’m glad you appreciate the Highlands and Islands too and manage regular trips north and west. You stay in a lovely part of the world too though. I have happy memories of East Lothian from my Edinburgh years. North Berwick is a nice spot. I love walking along the coast to Yellowcraig, visiting the Scottish Seabird Centre and the view from the summit of Berwick Law is superb!
East Lothian is pretty awesome. I am about a mile from Yellowcraig beach and we regularly take walks there. We are very fortunate to have gorgeous scenery on our doorstep. It can feel like we are on holiday all the time. We have only been here since about 2007, so there are still hidden gems for us to explore.
That sounds idyllic. I feel the same way about living on the Black Isle. I’m less motivated to head off on holiday nowadays as I’m so happy just spending time here. Enjoy those hidden gems!
I will do, I might even incorporate some adventures into the blog! I do love the Black Isle. We were there in the summer, went to Chanory point to see the dolphins, so amazing and I couldn’t believe how close you could get and hubbie enjoyed the Black isle brewery!
Sounds like a great plan! I’m glad you enjoyed your trip to the Black Isle and am delighted the dolphins made an appearance for you – it can be a hit or a miss!
Gorgeous blog! We left Scotland three years ago after living in Edinburgh for over six years (and nearly two in England before that.) Of course, your beautiful images make us so homesick! They capture everything about the Scotland and the Scottish landscape, except the accent! Lovely! Have fun! 😊 Gigi
Thanks so much for your lovely comment and apologies for the slow response (I’m not sure how this slipped through the net). I’m glad my images bring back happy memories for you and I hope you manage to visit Scotland now and again! 🙂
Ah, what a nice thing to say. 🙂
great pictures you have i love these
Thanks very much. I’m delighted you like the photographs. You might want to check out karenthorburn.com for a few more!
Hi Karen! Thank you for following my blog. I’m so glad it led me back to yours. You take incredible photos and have a gorgeous blog! Looking forward to more posts and exploring your blog further 🙂 – Faye
Thank you very much Faye! Sorry for the delayed response – I’m not sure how I missed your comment until now. I hope you’re still enjoying my blog and I will enjoy exploring yours too. 🙂
Wow it looks like I have a lot to read here when I have finished my final exam in a couple of weeks. Scotland AND Photography – my two favourites (alright, the kids too ;)). Thank you for following me!
Thanks for your comment and apologies for the very slow reply – I’m not sure how this slipped through the net! I hope your final exam went well and you’ve enjoyed catching up on some reading! 🙂
Hi Karen, I’am very happy becouse you are following my blog, I like very much photography but I’am not as professional as you. I’ll learn a lot following your blog and watching your pictures. Thanks a lot!
Hi Joseph. Thank you for your comment and apologies for the extremely slow reply! It’s always a pleasure to connect with other photographers. I’m enjoying checking out your images too! 🙂
Your photos are amazing! thanks for the follow. 🙂
Thank you Anne and apologies for the delayed response! 🙂
I hope you don’t mind, but I listed your blog in a post of mine today. If you do mind, just let me know.
https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/25758731/posts/979392234
I’m delighted to be mentioned in your blog! Thank you and congratulations on your award. 🙂
Pleased to meet you.
And you! Thanks for checking out my blog.
I loved your profile
Thank you! I’m enjoying looking through your blog too. I visited Morocco in 2008 and loved it – lots of inspiration for artists and photographers.
Browsing through your blog we’ve found so much interesting stuff to read prior to our extended journey to the Highlands and the Hebredies next year. Your photography is outstanding, Karen!
Best regards,
Dina
Thank you very much for your kind words, Dina. I’m absolutely delighted that you’ve found some inspiration for your Highlands and Hebrides trip!
Hi Karen. It is so nice meeting you. Wow, Scotland! Such a beautiful place. A couple years ago I spent a month in Ireland touring it from North to South and East to West and everywhere central. Fell in love with the area and the people. Scotland is on our bucket list. It is going to be great fun following along with you and seeing the world through your eyes and words.
Hi Tom and Audrey. It’s lovely to meet you too. Thanks for dropping by my blog! I’ve never been to the States or Ireland but I hope to visit both at some point in the future. I expect parts of the Highlands and Islands will be similar to Ireland in many ways, so I hope you’ll fall in love with Scotland too when you tick it off your bucket list. I’ll enjoy following your posts too.
Sounds great Karen. We just know we’ll love what we read and see on your site. We are already enchanted by it.
Now there’s a coincidence – I’m just in the throes of writing a story set in Scotland, and then you visit my blog. 🙂
Thanks so much for following me – your photography is wonderful.
Kindness – Robert.
That is a coincidence! I hope the writing is going well. Thanks for your kind words Robert.
Most welcome, Karen. 🙂