The wind still whistles across the cliffs. Puffins – perhaps fewer in number these days - still gather on grassy ledges.
Just as seabird numbers have shrunk, the fishing boats have grown bigger. Still, they nose into familiar harbours, while the crofts and farms cling to the landscape as they have for generations.
At first glance, much of Shetland seems timeless.
But viewed through the lens of John D. Rattar, another image unfolds – one that without his keen eye and commitment to capturing life on the edge of the map, might otherwise have slipped quietly into past.
There’s the woman, bent almost double, tending to a steaming sheep’s pudding that’s been boiled on her small cast iron stove.
The man wearing a bunnet and a warm coat, with sprinkles of grain slipping through his fingers onto the quern below, forever frozen in time.
Young coopers, arms folded, posing, ready to take on the world – perhaps dreaming of moving away to build new lives further afield - and the weary and wise pipe smoking islander in his clashing Shetland pattern knits, with more days behind him than lie ahead…
They were captured by Shetland-born self-taught photographer John D. Rattar in an era long before talk of tunnels to Shetland and television detective dramas, when photography was new, equipment was clunky and basic, and the challenge of getting the shot - particularly when it involved dangling at the edge of a cliff to photograph puffins - was even more demanding.
Now to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, a fresh perspective of his pioneering work is being unveiled at Shetland Museum and Archives.
'A Time to Keep' offers a new appreciation of Rattar’s work: for although his images have been part of Shetland homes for generations, few beyond the boundaries of the islands are likely to be familiar with either him or his work.
Combining dramatic large-scale prints, original photographs and personal objects, the exhibition aims to reveal the artist, explorer and visual historian behind the camera.
Included in the exhibition are some of his lesser-known portraits, wildlife studies and landscapes – demonstrating the breadth of his work and the daring lengths he’d go to for the perfect shot.
Born in Fethaland at the northern tip of the mainland in 1876, Rattar's father died at sea when he was just six weeks old.
He was raised by his mother and eventually moved to Lerwick, where he began his working life as apprentice joiner.
It was a time when photography was in its infancy and Rattar became hooked.
Despite being entirely self-taught and working with modest equipment during an era when photography was technically demanding and cumbersome, he became one of Shetland's finest photographers.
Exhibitions officer, Karen Clubb says Rattar was a pioneer whose work extended far beyond simply recording landscapes.
“J.D. Rattar was one of Shetland’s most respected photographers, leaving an extraordinary visual record of the islands and their people,” she says.
“Driven by patience, curiosity and an unwavering commitment to his craft, he travelled the length and breadth of Shetland, his car often carrying a small boat so he could reach remote lochs and capture landscapes from unique viewpoints.
“He achieved remarkable success despite working with modest equipment and in often challenging conditions.”
Throughout his career, Rattar photographed every aspect of island life, from bustling fishing stations to crofting, textiles, children at play and historic events. His camera also captured candid portraits, dramatic shipwrecks, wartime scenes and wildlife, with Rattar often going to extraordinary lengths to achieve the perfect image.
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“His photographs reveal both technical skill and a deep affection for the islands, preserving moments of everyday life, changing landscapes and traditional ways of living,” she adds.
“He was documenting life in Shetland when few others were doing so. His images feel natural and unposed, and in many ways he was ahead of his time.”
Rattar’s passion for photography frequently took him far beyond the beaten track.
He climbed to inaccessible cliff edges – bulky camera equipment on his back - to photograph birds’ nests at Noss.
He explored the caves of Papa Stour by boat and travelled to Mousa to capture the wreck of the Sunniva.
The exhibition, A Time to Keep, explores his images in themes of land, sea, work, play, textiles and historic events, revealing the diversity of his work and offering viewers a glimpse of places and lives they would never otherwise have seen.
As well as showcasing his work, the exhibition explores his life and way of working, including a reconstructed bird hide and sounds of Shetland birdlife to illustrate his passion for wildlife photography.
Shetland museum’s senior curator of collections, Carol Christiansen said the exhibition encourages visitors to look beyond Rattar's most familiar photographs: “People will recognise some of his most iconic images, including Johnnie Jamieson and the young lass carrying the milk pail in Law Lane, but we've also selected portraits that many people won't immediately recognise as Rattar’s work.
“There are photographs where we don't know the identity of the people pictured, which adds a wonderful sense of mystery and invites visitors to imagine their stories.
“Rattar was operating at so many different levels.
“One day he might be photographing a tiny newly hatched bird or a nest of eggs, and the next he would be documenting a bomb crater or a shipwreck.
“He was an explorer of Shetland in every sense - geographically, culturally and artistically. He noticed something special about these islands and their people and preserved it with extraordinary sensitivity.”
Alongside the photographs, the exhibition explores Rattar's own life through family photographs, personal items and archive material, offering a glimpse into the quiet, gentle man remembered by those who knew him as patient, honourable and deeply devoted to his craft.
The photographs are part of The Shetland Museum Photo Archive is a unique online archive, containing over 60,000 images depicting Shetland life, heritage and culture dating back to the 1800s
Karen hopes the new exhibition ignites renewed appreciation for both the photographer and the islands he documented.
“I hope people come away thinking this was a man who was working ahead of his time.
“He wasn't simply taking photographs. He was preserving Shetland's story for future generations.”
A Time to Keep: Celebrating 150 Years of J.D. Rattar, opens at Shetland Museum and Archives on Saturday and runs until 11 October. His images and others related to Shetland can be viewed at The Shetland Museum Photo Archive
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