Scotland • Dmitry Lelchuk and Sirio Magnabosco

After already owning two photo books from Mare Verlag and having reviewed them here, it’s only natural that I keep an eye on the series. I love the Nordic countries, and Scotland ranks very high on my travel wish list. A photo book that entices with such a cover deserves a closer look—and anyone who has skimmed through this post will quickly see that the photographs inside are equally worth a closer look.

For this photo book, Mare sent two photographers to Scotland, a country deeply shaped by the sea. As with the volume on Iceland, this book captures both the land—with its unique scenery, fjords, islands, castles, highlands, and the ever-present sea—and its people, whose rough and somewhat distant demeanor gives the country its distinctive character. The result is a blend that conveys an impression of Scotland in its entirety, avoiding glossy landscapes or photoshopped, tourist-friendly imagery.

Born in Minsk, Dmitrij Leltschuk focused on the people, while Sirio Magnabosco, born in Verona, dedicated himself to capturing the country’s remarkable landscapes. Both are acclaimed photographers who have worked for well-known magazines such as Geo, Der Spiegel, arte, The New York Times, and Vanity Fair. Accordingly, the quality of this book is exceptional. They spent many weeks in Scotland on several occasions and spared no effort to capture the spirit of the country through their photographs.

The book opens with a short foreword by Nikolaus Gelpke, the publisher, followed by a longer one by Katja Scholtz, Mare Verlag’s program director. In it, she gives a brief overview of Scottish cultural identity, which for a time faced repression but has recently experienced a revival. The foreword serves as a pleasant introduction but doesn’t reach the depth and fascinating background insights offered, for example, in Antarctic Wilderness: South Georgia.

The photo book opens with the following image, and I must say—it’s one of the most beautiful. Typically Nordic, a panorama reminiscent of Iceland. It’s simply a pleasure to gaze at such scenes: strong contrasts, slightly muted colors, and a wide view into an apparently barren yet diverse distance.

Those who know me are aware that I love landscape photography and rarely photograph people or reportages—and my taste in photo books follows that same direction. That’s why Sirio Magnabosco’s work particularly captivated me. You can tell immediately that he took the time to explore the landscapes, studying each spot carefully before picking up the camera. His images are clear, putting the subject front and center, evoking a deep longing for this rugged yet beautiful country.

It also becomes clear that Scotland is at its most beautiful not when the sun shines but when the sky is overcast, the weather cool, or even in winter. The traces of Ice Age glaciers are visible not only in the fjords but throughout the vegetation, and I love the rocky meadows lying before the coast—lifeless and vast, yet somehow inviting. The silence of these places is tangible—a unique stillness found only in the North, broken only by the cawing of birds and the constant sea wind.

One of Magnabosco’s most beautiful photos shows a small village in Aberdeenshire, right on the coast. It immediately reminded me of The Green Ray by Jules Verne and how Hélène explored the Hebrides there. That’s exactly how I imagined those small towns. It’s also striking that many of the beautiful landscape photographs were taken on the Isle of Skye—a destination that should be on every Scotland itinerary.

Photographer Dmitrij Leltschuk portrays the people of Scotland, whose lives are closely tied to the sea. Fishing is one of the region’s major industries, and the theme of seafaring appears again and again. The people appear as rugged characters—the essence of fishermen, shipyard workers, craftsmen, and shepherds, always photographed in their natural environments. This comes across strongly in Leltschuk’s photos. Sometimes, however, his message doesn’t fully reach me, and I catch myself turning the page quickly. For instance, he photographs a couple living far from any settlement—an odd image that somehow doesn’t fit the tone of the book. Others, however, are fascinating in their own way: one shows a man in a coastal village with the sea behind him and no one else around. Anyone who’s ever been in a small northern village on a Sunday knows that feeling—oppressive yet calm and peaceful. Or the image of a worker in a smokehouse, which looks simple and old-fashioned, as if from another era. Leltschuk has certainly discovered some true Scottish originals and captured them impressively.

The pages of the book have no captions, allowing the photos to make their impact without distractions. The captions are found in the appendix. While the landscape photos stand strongly on their own, many of Leltschuk’s photos only gained meaning for me after reading the captions.

I also noticed the use of HDR—a slightly higher dynamic range—which I hadn’t seen in the other Mare photo books. Of course, these aren’t the over-the-top HDR images you find online, which I usually dislike. Here, the effect is subtle and well executed, making the images beautiful to look at, though perhaps a bit too noticeable overall for my taste.

In terms of presentation, this photo book maintains the same high quality that defines the entire series, matching the other Mare volumes. The print quality is consistently excellent, and the overall design is harmonious. The endpapers, for instance, pick up the color tones of the cover and the beautiful linen binding—small details that may seem minor but are subconsciously appreciated.

The binding and linen cover are crafted with the same meticulous care as the other Mare photo books I’ve reviewed. You can leaf through this one repeatedly without worrying about wear and tear.

Conclusion: Once again, Mare Verlag delivers a beautiful, high-quality, and professional photo book from one of the great northern regions. The landscape photographs are consistently impressive, conveying a unique atmosphere and providing pure viewing pleasure. The reportage-style portraits of people are powerful but didn’t always capture me personally—my heart simply belongs to landscape photography. Still, as a whole, the book creates a vivid portrait of this rugged and untamed land. Photographs to dream by—with a guaranteed touch of wanderlust.

Book Information: Scotland • Dmitrij Leltschuk and Sirio Magnabosco • Mare Verlag • 144 pages • ISBN 9783866482401