Balmoral Castle

The image was taken at the Royal Family's Balmoral Castle in Ballater, Scotland. This location is a privately owned holiday home by the Royal Family, but it is open to the public on select days (varying each season). Balmoral is located midway between Ballater and Braemar, just off the A93. The nearest railway station and airport are located in Aberdeen, approximately 50 miles East of Balmoral. You can refer to https://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables to plan your trip, but you will need access to a car to get to this location. Once you're on the castle grounds, follow the GPS coordinates to get to the exact spot where I took the featured photo. This viewpoint will be on the side of the castle in the garden behind the rose trees.

To capture the flowers in full bloom, visit this location in the late spring or summer. For information on when Balmoral will be open to the public, refer to the website: https://www.balmoralcastle.com/visiting.htm

You'll be able to capture the magical charm of the castle during any time of the day. I prefer the late afternoon sunlight, which will cast a soft glow on the estate.

Drones and other large equipment are not permitted when visiting the castle. Please make sure to follow the rules when you are at this location and only photograph the areas where pictures are allowed to be taken.

What makes this location so unique is the classic architecture. Make sure that you're capturing as much of the castle as possible in your frame so you can highlight how interesting each small detail of the estate is.

Instead of taking your photo straight on, I suggest shooting from an angle. You'll be able to capture the structure of the towers, while also incorporating the depth of the gardens.

Explore the rest of the castle! Having been in the Royal Family for centuries, there's a rich history to be explored. And, if you're visiting for longer than a day, the grounds have accommodations so you can stay overnight.

Balmoral Castle is actually within the confines of Cairngorms National Park and partly within the Deeside and Lochnagar National Scenic Area. Cairngorms is the largest park in the UK, covering over 4,528 sq km (1,748 sq miles) of Scotland's natural land.