Through the Lens: Exploring the Culture, Life and Legacy of the River Spey
A Highland photographer is embarking on a 10-day documentary expedition by open canoe along the River Spey, aiming to capture the imagery and stories of the environment, culture and community that lie along its course.
Setting off from Spey Dam on Sunday 6 July 2025, loaded with camera kit, camping gear, and food, Ed Smith will spotlight the river that flows through his hometown of Kingussie. As well as documenting the culture and economy around the River Spey, Ed will focus on the evolving landscape and identity of the region, an area undergoing notable environmental and economic development.
Ed’s full canoe descent of the Spey is the first stage of a year-long, multi-stage journey. Capturing analogue images, video, and interviews, Ed aims to explore how the river continues to shape lives, livelihoods and local culture. Ed will then embark on an autumnal bike ride along the Spey, followed by a contrasting winter canoe descent in January 2026, with a final bike ride in the opposite direction, from sea to source, in April 2026.
“This is more than just a photography trip,” Ed explains. “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 Ed’s own upbringing as his father, David first introduced him to the River Spey during a shared descent when Ed was just 10 years old. Now 39, Ed will undertake this new journey in the very same canoe they used together.
Ed plans to meet 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.
“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,” Ed says. “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.”
Ed 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, Ed 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 in the Highland Council Area 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 sq. km (1,300 sq. miles) and, on its route to the Moray Firth, it passes through the towns of Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore, Grantown-on-Spey, Charlestown of Aberlour, Craigellachie, Rothes, and Fochabers.
This is not the first time Ed has documented his work for a wider audience. As the owner of Eleven41 Gallery, 35 High Street, Kingussie, Ed has exhibited numerous documentary projects alongside fine art prints, with award-winning and shortlisted work also exhibited further afield. Ed 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 Ed has lived and worked in the area, many taken during the harsh yet stunning winter months.
To follow and support the year-long project, connect with Ed on Instagram @edsmithphoto, visit www.edsmithphotography.com, or get in touch directly at 07772 170 970.
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