Sustrans Scotland

Sustrans Scotland, a charity dedicated to making walking, wheeling, and cycling accessible for everyone, is at the forefront of creating healthier, more connected communities across Scotland. With over 250 active projects north of the Border, Sustrans aims to transform the way people get from A to B, creating liveable neighbourhoods and promoting sustainable travel. In October 2022, they asked McAteer Photo to partner with them to build a visual narrative and refresh their image library with photographs that show the diversity and impact of their work in Scotland.

Our assignment began with a straightforward request: to capture images of new Central Belt infrastructure and routes in use, reflecting the rich diversity of Scotland’s population. As our client refined their brief, the project scope, geography and timeframe expanded significantly. Our location shoots took us from the urban landscapes of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling to the more remote beauty of Orkney, Inverness and Peebles. The goal was to produce a wide-ranging collection of images that showcased the infrastructure and the people who use and benefit from it.

Given the scale and complexity of the project, detailed planning was crucial. We conducted advanced recces of the selected locations to create logistics plans and shoot lists, and sought permissions where necessary. Diaries had to be flexible as some infrastructure was still in development. Model selection was a critical aspect of our pre-production process. We worked with the client to assemble a diverse group of 112 people, each representing different ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds.

Our photography focused on three key elements: the infrastructure, the people using it, and the surrounding environment. We depicted real-life, familiar scenes: people walking and wheeling (using bikes, adapted bikes, scooters, wheelchairs, and skateboards), to foster audience recognition and empathy. For each location, we created wide-angle shots to showcase the scale and design of the infrastructure, and close-up images that highlighted detail and interaction.

In addition to this lifestyle collection, we undertook drone and ground photography across multiple ‘Places for Everyone’ locations, including Edinburgh, Broughty Ferry, Bowling, Stirling, Glasgow, and Kinloch Rannoch. Drone video footage provided an aerial perspective of the routes, emphasising their connectivity and integration with the surrounding landscapes. This footage is compiled into short films by Sustrans Scotland’s in-house Creative.

A third aspect of the commission was the production of a short video to promote the South City Way in Glasgow, a fully segregated cycle route connecting Queen’s Park to the city centre. The script focuses on the tangible benefits the route has brought to local communities and features local stakeholder voices who have witnessed its positive impact firsthand.

Following each shoot, we undertook extensive post-production to ensure the images and video aligned with Sustrans’ brand and messaging. Photographer Colin Hattersley joined us for the Edinburgh lifestyle shoots. Alan McAteer photographed all other locations, and Lesley McAteer produced the project and directed each shoot.

This 2 year collaboration between McAteer Photo and Sustrans Scotland resulted in a rich visual archive that illustrates the impact of Sustrans’ work across the nation. The resulting substantial collection of images and videos will serve as a tool for promoting individual projects and support Sustrans in engaging with stakeholders, communities, and policymakers, demonstrating the benefits of their initiatives.