Kingussie photographer getting snapshot of Spey at a moment in time
A Kingussie-based photographer is nearing the end of a 10-day documentary expedition by open canoe along the River Spey.
Ed Smith is aiming to capture the imagery and stories of the environment, culture and communities that lie along its course.
Setting off from Spey Dam on Sunday 6 July, loaded with camera kit, camping gear, and food, Mr Smith is spotlighting the river that flows through his hometown
As well as documenting the culture and economy around the Spey, he will focus on the evolving landscape and identity of the region.
Mr Smith’s full canoe descent of the Spey is the first stage of a year-long and multi-stage journey.
Capturing analogue images, video, and interviews, he aims to explore how the river continues to shape lives, livelihoods and local culture.
He will then embark on an autumnal bike ride along the Spey followed by a contrasting winter canoe descent in January 2026.
A final bike ride in the opposite direction is then planned from sea to source in April 2026.
“This is more than just a photography trip,” Mr Smith explained. “The River Spey is a vital artery through the Highlands, rich with history, industry and community.
“While it’s renowned for fishing and watersports, its deeper value lies in the way it has influenced local economies and shaped generations of communities.”
The self-funded documentary project also connects with Mr Smith’s own upbringing as his father, David, first introduced him to the River Spey during a shared descent when the photographer was just 10 years old.
Now 39, Mr Smith is undertaking this new journey in the very same canoe they used together.
He has been meeting a wide cross-section of people along the way, from whisky distillery owners, hoteliers and conservationists to school pupils and local families.
He aims to capture a visual snapshot in time, offering insight into how communities are adapting amid modern pressures and opportunities.
Mr Smith said: “There are major conversations happening right now around the future of the Spey, from the recent re-introduction of beavers to a proposed hydrogen plant, environmental debates and rural development.
“I want to tap into those, not just to document them, but to encourage wider engagement with the combination of both understanding and questions they raise.”
Mr Smith also hopes to unearth as-yet-untold stories and reflect on the diversity of life along the Spey, from young people forging their futures to families rooted in centuries-old traditions.
On completion, he plans to present the project’s photography and film through an exhibition and book, celebrating the vibrancy of the River Spey and inspiring new conversations about its role in the future of the Highlands.
The second-longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in the UK, the River Spey rises in the Monadhliath Mountains to the west of Laggan and flows 100 miles (160 km) east and northeast into Moray, where it joins the sea at Spey Bay.
It has a catchment area of 3,367 square kilometres (1,300 square miles).
This is not the first time Mr Smith has documented his work for a wider audience.
As the owner of Eleven41 Gallery, 35 High Street in Kingussie, he has exhibited numerous documentary projects alongside fine art prints, with award-winning and shortlisted work also exhibited further afield.
Mr Smith also published his first book in 2023, a ‘personal and unique’ perspective of the Northern Cairngorms.
‘Northern Cairngorms’ captures a collection of almost 70 wilderness, mountain and environmental images depicting the six years that he has lived and worked in the area, many taken during the harsh yet stunning winter months.