When Kathy Browning goes on vacation and travels, she doesn't get much rest and relaxation. That's because more often than not, she spends most of her time behind a camera.
A Laurentian University professor who instructs aspiring visual arts teachers in the Bachelor of Education program, Browning said she's been taking photographs for more than five decades.
In 2014, she held an exhibit at Artists on Elgin of her photos from a trip she took to Ireland. She'll be taking Sudburians on another tour of Celtic lands from Jan. 10 to Feb. 3, when Stopciati Gallery hosts an exhibit of Browning's photos of Scotland.
The photographer said she took 10,000 photos of Scotland's landscape and architecture during the two-week trip she took to the country with husband Nick Dubecki in 2014.
“It was like the camera was a prosthetic device on my head,” Browning said. “I was constantly photographing. To do that kind of photography is quite exhausting, but I'm only there for a short period of time.”
These aren't just your average holiday snapshots, either. Browning said she paid a lot of attention to things such as light and composition.
Upon her return home, she spent many hours choosing the best photos, editing them on her computer and printing them with help from Dubecki, a giclée (fine art) printer with 40 years' experience.
She's had 17 of the photos professionally framed by John Stopciati, the local artist and framer whose studio she's using for the exhibition.
During her trip to Scotland, she visited large centres such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, but spent most of her time on the Isle of Skye.
Part of the appeal of visiting Scotland was the country's beauty, but she said she also wanted to visit because she has Scottish heritage. She had similar reasons for visiting Ireland.
“I've always liked images that I've seen of the Scottish landscape, because I like things that are really rugged,” Browning said. “It's just very beautiful there.”
She said she hopes her exhibit encourages people to visit Scotland themselves. Even if they can't, though, her photos allow people to travel there vicariously.
Browning said she hopes to visit New Zealand next. “It's also very rugged,” she said. “I just love the landscape.”
An opening reception for Browning's exhibit takes place from 2-4 p.m. Jan. 14. Browning will be on hand to answer questions, and refreshments will be available. Stopciati Gallery is located at 153 Applegrove St.
