Photographer documents island life in new Barra book

The Barra Collection, by David McKeran, captures everyday life on Barra - one of Scotland’s most remote island communities.

The book was inspired by the works of Margaret Fay Shaw who photographed the Outer Hebrides in the 1930s and 1940s and depicted a disappearing way of life on the islands.

McKeran, a former finalist in the Scottish Portrait Awards, whose work is mix of portrait, urban exploration and landscape photography, made a number of trips to the island to document the island in the 21st century.

He said: “I always look for people, objects and places that have a story to tell. My aim was to capture the essence of the people of Barra and modern island life in the Outer Hebrides. I made several visits to the island over the last couple of years and met many remarkable characters. This book not only tells the individual stories of the islanders, but also how they fit together into the overall story of modern-day Barra.

“I found the islanders very welcoming and really enjoyed being invited into some of the community activities, like meeting with the members of the Mòd choir, the volunteers at the Garadh a Bhagh a Tuath, (community garden) and the team at the Buth Bharraigh (retail and visitor hub).

“The Barra people have a strong sense of pride in their island and a feeling of being fortunate to live and work in such a unique place. This pride comes across as a deep sense of community. 

“I found many things special about Barra, but I’d put the islanders themselves, the people of Barra (Na Barraich) at the top of my list.”