Show Us Jura: Life on the Scottish island captured in stunning photographs

Meanwhile, four professional photographers from the collective – Sophie Gerrard, Colin McPherson, Margaret Mitchell and Craig Easton – created their own photo stories about contemporary life on Jura.

A portrait of Rowan, a gillie working at Ardlussa on the north end of Jura. Credit: Sophie Gerrard.

A portrait of Willie Mack on the Isle of Jura, presented as a diptych alongside his handwritten testimony about his recovery from illness through the act of daily walking on ‘The long Road’. Credit: Craig Easton.

Young islander Rosie on land close to her home, symbolising the link between her childhood on the island and her family’s enduring connection to this place across generations. Credit: Margaret Mitchell.

Shian and Zoe do a self-portrait during Jura School Workshops May 2024 facilitated by Margaret Mitchell. Children in the Small Isles Primary School and Nursery did a series of self-portraits on the beach opposite their school building. Margaret set up a camera on a tripod with a long cable release which the children used to take their own photographs. Credit: Margaret Mitchell.

Margaret Mitchell spent two days working with the pupils at the Small Isles Primary School on Jura, where around 25 children from infant to P7 participated in activities including photographing the beach environment next to the school as well as making self-portraits of themselves using a camera and cable release with Margaret’s help.

Sophie made a series of portraits of islanders engaged in agriculture as part of her ongoing series Drawn to the Land which focuses on women in farming. She also worked with the people behind Lussa gin at their distillery at the north end of Jura.

Craig Easton focused his attention on a number of islanders, including local man Willie Mack, who has used the power of walking to recover from a serious illness. Craig made a series of collaborative portraits of Willie, who also contributed his own photographs to Show Us Jura.

Colin McPherson spent time with the after-school running club, a group activity for primary school pupils held each week at Corran Sands, just north of Craighouse.

Jura School Workshops, facilitated by Margaret Mitchell. Children in the Small Isles Primary School and Nursery did a series of self-portraits on the beach opposite their school building. Margaret set up a camera on a tripod with a long cable release which the children used to take their own photographs. Credit: Margaret Mitchell.

A photograph by participant Neil Gow from his story ‘Training for the Jura Fell Race’.Credit: Neil Gow.

A self-portrait by participant Neil Gow from his story ‘Training for the Jura Fell Race’. Credit: Neil Gow.

Colin documented the children’s efforts which were supervised by their teacher Jonathan Pye, as they kept fit against a backdrop of the famous Paps of Jura hills.All of the images were brought together in a show for the the community at Craighouse, the island’s main settlement.

‘Document Scotland was absolutely delighted with the response we received to Show Us Jura by the island community,’ Colin said.

‘The people who participated in the project, from primary-age school pupils to retirees all embraced positively the concept of the activities we ran over the week we were on Jura.

‘The photo stories and individual images made by the participants helped build up a picture of island life today allowing us a window on their world.