What: The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival
When:  30th April 2025 to 5th  May 2025 
Where: Speyside, Scotland

Why: Now celebrating its 26th year, the Spirit of Speyside organises some of the world’s premier whisky events, welcoming visitors to the beauty of Speyside from across the globe each year. The Festival is a true mecca for the curious beginner and the whisky connoisseur alike. Festival events take place throughout Speyside, the biggest whisky producing region in Scotland, located in the Moray area in the North-East of the county between Aberdeen and Inverness.

With 28 villages and towns in Moray Speyside, many of the 51 distilleries will throw open their doors including a number that are usually closed to the public.  Characterised by rolling patchwork hills, a terrain that epitomises the whisky produced and the meandering River Spey that lends its waters to making some of the world’s finest whisky, this Festival has it all. 

The event will kick off with an industry dinner on Wed 30th April, co-hosted by Speyside Distillers Ltd followed by the annual ceilidh on 2nd May for visitors to the Festival. Both events will take place for the first time at the Macdonald Highlands Hotel, in Aviemore.

SSWF 2025 Event Listing Imagery – Dallas Dhu Distillery: Drams from the Archives

Cabrach Land of the Wild

Build your own Whisky Cask at Dallas Dhu Distillery’s Cooper’s Workshop

 A Selection Of Events

Spirit of Speyside Whisky School – a 3-and-a-half-day programme where visitors can explore the history, science, and craftsmanship behind Scotch whisky.

Whisky & Waves – join Murray McDavid at their beach huts in Findhorn where you can paint the scenery and sip on drams.

The Cabrach Land of The Wild Spirit – Speyside’s newest distillery for an intimate tour.

The Malt Master Tour hosted by Brian Kinsman – tour the Glenfiddich Distillery with Brian and enjoy a tutored master class with the man himself. 

The Mastery of the Macallan – six-course tasting menu served in the new TimeSpirit restaurant and a guided production experience through the distillery with a tutored tasting.

Cask Confidential – an exclusive Glen Moray & Whisky Talks Experience – hosted by Fraser Campbell with a panel of special guest speakers.  Find out about new releases.

Henry Angus, Chair of the year’s festival said, “Last year was record-breaking and the spotlight was firmly on Speyside.  This is the most populous whisky region with the greatest array of distilleries at any festival globally.  It brings together whisky fans, distillers and visitors that love this beautiful part of the world.   From masterclasses to music, from quizzes to fireside gatherings, from culture to history the calendar is full of opportunities to share the water of life with fellow whisky lovers, aficionados and people that just enjoy a dram.”

Tickets for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2025

The Festival runs from 30th April 2025 to 5th  May 2025 and is ticket only.

You can apply here for tickets to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2025

The post Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2025 appeared first on The Travel Magazine.

How about an “advanced” shooting technique that’s easy enough for anyone to master in minutes? What makes this method so cutting edge isn’t because it requires special skills, but rather because it delivers eye-catching effects that stand out from the crowd.

The topic of this tutorial from the Better Pix YouTube channel is a unique form of motion blur that’s created by zooming during a longish exposure while slightly moving the camera. All you need to get the job done is whatever camera you own, any zoom lens in your arsenal, and the tips described in the next three minutes.

Our unnamed instructor puts it like this: “In this video you’ll learn how to create motion blur in the camera and not cheating with post-production tricks.” We recommend having your camera and lens handy as you watch, so that you can try it yourself as the simple steps are explained.

You may have tried zooming in or out while capturing a shot, but today’s approach includes a unique twist that accentuates the effect. That’s because it involves shifting the camera up-and-down, side-to-side, or in a circular motion as you zoom. The magic is accomplished while shooting handheld.

You’ll learn the best way to brace your camera as you move the camera while zooming. Our instructor covers the necessary settings and suggests this as a starting point; “I recommend a shutter speed of 1/8—1/15 second while zooming the lens during that slice of time.”

As you’ll see, this technique involves a bit of experimentation with shutter speed, ISO, and aperture depending on prevailing light levels and the specific subject at hand. In other words, there’s no right way to achieve a variety of compelling effects. Just play around with the suggested variables until you capture a photo that really strikes your fancy.

The finer points of this simple approach are best understood by watching the following video demonstration, so we won’t bother summarizing them here. We’re pretty sure that you’ll be inspired to get out there and see what you can create.

And if you’re thinking about investing in new gear, be sure to watch the recent video we featured with another knowledgeable pro who explains how to determine if the camera you own is the right choice for your style of photography—or if it’s finally time to invest in something new.