Photo of the Month: November 2014

Illumination, Callander Crags, The Trossachs

2nd November 2014, Callander Crags, The Trossachs

The waymarked Callander Crags walk behind Callander is fairly strenuous on steep gradients.  Officially it is closed, with a diversion in place, due to windblown trees blocking the path. Today was a dull and overcast day with thick cloud. We decided to ignore the diversion and use the original path to get to the crags but navigating through the trees was more like being on an assault course.  Hundreds of trees have been blown over as a result of a winter storm and it will take time to clear the fallen trees and re-instate the path. We arrived on the crags quite late in the afternoon to be greeted by thick cloud everywhere so decided to descend back to Callander on another path. But then quite unexpectedly the sun shone through a small gap in the clouds and illuminated everything with orange light.  It was quite magical and by working quickly I was able to record the scene before the sun disappeared for good. Loch Venachar is below the sun with Ben Ledi in profile to the right. 

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 1/4 sec / f/11 
Lee filters: 0.9 Hard GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

Shortlisted image - 'Landscape' award - Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year 2014

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Photo of the Month: October 2014

Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland

 8th October 2014, Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland Coast

Dunstanburgh Castle on the Northumberland Coast. There is not much of it left but its dramatic location on a prominent headland, part of the Whin Sill geological formation, means it is popular with photographers, especially at sunrise.
Lit by the late afternoon sun and with a high tide bringing big waves and a lot of sea spray, conditions were fairly dramatic. I didn't want to freeze the action in the waves by using a fast shutter speed. Nor was it possible to decrease the shutter speed to 1 second to create a sense of movement in the waves.  In the end I went for the opposite look and by using a Lee Big Stopper filter I was able to bring the exposure down to 45 seconds which has smoothed out the wave action and created ghosting over the rocks to suggest movement in the sea. Black and white development has increased the mood further.

 

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 45 sec / f/11
Lee filters: 0.6 Hard GND / Big Stopper (10-stop ND)

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe Photoshop CS5 with Topaz B&W Effects II plug-in

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Photo of the Month: September 2014

Ben A'an sunset

11th September 2014, Ben A'an, The Trossachs

Ben A'an lies in the heart of The Trossachs within Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.  It translates as 'small rocky peak' which is very apt because from the viewpoint on the Dukes Pass, which carries the A821 over to Aberfoyle, it does look like a miniature mountain with a craggy cone-shaped summit, cliffs and steep slopes that descend west to Loch Katrine.  It has two summits; at 461m its east summit is higher, but it is the rockier west summit, at 451m, which gets the visitors for the view it commands over The Trossachs to Ben Venue and westwards along Loch Katrine towards the Arrochar Alps. I climbed up for the sunset and, like earlier in the year, had the summit to myself. At this time of the year the sun sets at the far end of Loch Katrine and lit up the summit rocks as it did so.

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 1/6 sec / f/16
Lee filters: 0.6 Hard GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

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Photo of the Month: August 2014

Slipway, St Monans Harbour

 7th August 2014, St Monans, East Neuk, Fife

I generally avoid photographing coastal scenes in the middle of summer when the sun has just past its zenith and beating down on all and sundry.  I had parked in St Monans to visit the Pittenweem Arts Festival just along the coast.  The tide had just started to ebb with the end of the stone slipway still wet which looked good in 'live view'.  To smooth the water I used a 10-stop ND filter and a Polarising filter helped with the glare. A shaded my lens/filters from the sun using a small pop-up reflector.  It sounds complicated but it only took a few minutes to set up.  To get the look I was wanting I used a Photoshop Plug-in called Topaz Adjust to bring out the textures in the stone and add some contrast.

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 30 sec / f/11
Filters: Lee Big Stopper (10-stop ND); B&W Polariser
RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in AdobePhotoshop CS5 and Topaz Adjust.

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Photo of the Month: July 2014

Heads and Tails, Cleish Hills

26th July 2014, Cleish Hills

Woke up at 4:15 a.m. as bright as a button.  Last nights weather forecaster had predicted that the eastern side of Scotland would be affected by a haar, or fog, which would roll in from the North Sea overnight. Looking out of the window there was no fog at all but I still got up and headed for the Cleish Hills.  It's a 20 minute drive on quiet roads, the final stretch being on the narrow hill road through Blairadam Forest. I glimpsed the fog just as I was coming out of the forest and my first reaction was to punch the air in triumph.  It was a sea of fog stretching to the horizon over much of the old county of Kinross-shire.  Poking through the fog were the hills around Loch Leven; Benarty and Bishop Hill with the dome of West Lomond behind.  With few clouds the red hues of the dawn sky subsided to blue once the suns disc had cut the horizon behind Bishop Hill.  The fog was still in shadow but eventually, as the sun rose higher, its light started to reflect off the fog which took on a yellow glow.  Just before 6 a.m. two horses appeared and came over to say hello.  Their profiles were caught by the light from the sun which was gaining strength rapidly as the minutes ticked by.  I was back home for 6:30am feeling elated.  Time for a brew before switching on the PC.

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 1/25 sec / f/11 
Lee filters: 0.9 Hard GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

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Photo of the Month: June 2014

Balvaird Castle

6th June 2014, Balvaird Castle, Perthshire

Balvaird Castle is a late medieval tower house built around 1500 on the crest of a low hill in the eastern Ochil Hills.  Because of its strategic position it commands views in all directions.  It is under the guardianship of Historic Scotland. I've visited the castle on an evening a few times through the spring but the light has never been right for what I wanted.  Tonight was different though and what I found really striking was the spectrum of colour in the sky; from deep blues to the fiery reds, oranges and yellows of the setting sun far to the North-West. Today was also the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy and it was a fitting location to be 'at the going down of the sun'.

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 1 sec @ f/11 x 3 frames, stitched

Lee filters: 0.6 Hard GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

Commended image - 'Landscape' category - SLPOTY 2014
 
Featured in Scottish Field Magazine - Scotland through a Lens - Mar 2015


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Go Local - The Kelpies, Helix Park, Falkirk

The Kelpies are monuments to the heavy-horse heritage of the industrial central belt of Scotland.  Modelled by master sculptor Andy Scott using two Clydesdale horses as models, they stand on a loch basin of the Clyde and Forth Canal at The Helix, Falkirk.  Each horse head is 30metres high and weighs 300 tonnes.  The plates are made of highly polished stainless steel which means that they reflect whatever light falls on them.  Click on the links to learn more about these sculptures which have only recently been open to the public.

I visited for the first time tonight.  The official car park closes at 8:30pm and a barrier is lowered over the access road at this time so if your not out be 8:30pm then your car is in for the night.  There are alternatives to parking in the official car park but they involve lengthy walks.  I found a parking area on the main A905 road near the bridge over the River Carron and accessed the loch basin via the towpath along the new section of canal that has been cut parallel to the river and which goes under the motorway.  The M9 hems in the site on its eastern side but it also means that passing motorists get an incredible view of the Kelpies. More of an issue is the electricity power supply pylons and cables to the west which, for some photographers, will distract from the clean aesthetics of the sculptures.  Notwithstanding this the sculptures are mighty impressive and from any angle the definition and detail that the artist has captured in the heads is incredible.  The sky was developing nicely when I left home but by sunset the cloud cover was too extensive over to the north-west where the sun sets at this time of the year.  In contrast the clouds moved away after sunset leaving a clear sky.  Being only 12 miles from home, I'll be back.

 
With The Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift that lifts boats between the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal, Falkirk now has two of the most iconic canal visitor attractions anywhere in the world.

Photo of the Month: May 2014

Pittenweem harbour, East Neuk, Fife

18th May 2014, Pittenweem, East Neuk, Fife

Pittenweem harbour in the East Neuk. It has the largest fleet of commercial fishing boats in Fife as well as a fish market and some of the oldest buildings in the East Neuk.  I have spent many hours here photographing along the quayside.  On this particular evening the inner harbour was like a millpond as the sun was setting on a brooding sky. A graduated neutral density filter added some definition to the sky and the final image was created by stitching together two overlapping frames. 

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 2.5 sec @ f/11  x 2 frames, stitched

Lee filters: 0.6 Soft GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

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Photo of the Month: April 2014

Rotary Club, Glendevon

10th April 2014, Green Knowes Wind Farm, Glendevon

A 40 minute hike uphill from the road through Glendevon to reach a line of 19 turbines strung out along the ridge.  The blades make loud whooshing sounds when you stand anywhere near them and the gears and bearings make strange grating sounds too when the brakes are applied.  They seem to stop and start in unison as if they are being controlled.  It was quite an eerie atmosphere when I got took this about 30 mins after sunset in the fading light. I used the dry stone dyke and the shadows created by the grasses to lead the eye.  

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 15 sec @ f/11 
Lee filters: 0.6 Hard GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

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Photo of the Month: March 2014

Eilean Donan Castle

 15th March 2014, Eilean Donan Castle

Saturday morning and we were returning from a few days in Plockton, only 10-miles from Eilean Donan Castle.  Eilean Donan is one of the most iconic castles in Scotland.  Its stunning location where three lochs meet, and with the main A87 trunk road passing within metres of the castle, means it has been photographed a million times. Today, a heavy and misty sky helped to set the mood but there was still light spilling onto the scene which created a lot of contrast.  The final image was blended and stitched from 4 overlapping frames.    

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 35/2 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 1/15 sec @ f/11  x 4 frames, stitched
Lee filters: 0.6 Hard GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

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Photo of the Month: February 2014

Seafield, Kirkcaldy, Fife

16th February 2014, Seafield, Kirkcaldy, Fife

The Fife Coastal Path at Seafield, Kirkcaldy.  This is one of the most interesting areas in Fife for the photographer who likes to seek out their own compositions along a particularly rugged section of coast. Below Seafield Tower, the sandstone rocks have been eroded by the action of the sea creating little rock pools. I have used this composition before in less favourable light. Sunset is about 30 minutes away with the soft pastel sky stretching over the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh on the other side. 3 frames were taken in portrait format and stitched together in software. 

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 4 sec @ f/11 x 3 frames,stitched
Lee filters: 0.6 Soft GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

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Photo of the Month: January 2014

The Watcher, Pettycur Harbour, Fife

8th January 2014, Pettycur Harbour, Fife.

Pettycur, on a headland south of Kinghorn, has a harbour for both pleasure craft and small fishing boats.  It has a single stone pier which provides a haven to moor boats in the sandy and tidal Pettycur Bay.  The pier is lined with sheds and workshops, lovingly cared for by their owners.  One is a smokery and another sells fresh crab.  Staircases lead from the pier down to the boats moored in the bay and there are creels and fishing gear at the far end of the pier. When I arrived it was raining quite heavily. When the rain moved away I made my way down the sand to the boats which were beached at the far end of the pier.  They were lying at all angles. The sun set and an incoming tide soon covered the sand. I was concentrating so much on one boat, Island Lass, that I didn't notice the figure standing on the pier until after I had pressed the remote release. 10 seconds later the shutter closed and he hadn't moved. Perfect.

 

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 10 sec @ f/11, 20 sec @ f/11, blended
Lee filters: 0.6 Hard GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

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Photo of the Month: December 2013

The Cobbler from the Allt a' Bhalachain

17th December 2013, The Cobble, Arrochar Alps

The Cobbler.  On OS maps it is also called Ben Arthur which is really the anglicised form of the gaelic ‘Beinn Artair’.  At 884m / 2900ft it falls short of Munro status by 100ft but what it lacks in height it makes up for in character.  It is one of the most impressive peaks in Scotland with three distinct and craggy summits which take on the shape of a cobbler at his last when seen from the A82 road above Arrochar at the head of Loch Long. A constructed path zig-zags up the hillside through an area of forestry, by-passing the original tramway route. Above the forest the path joins the old tramway path and continues from there, following the Allt a' Bhalachain to reach the Narnain Boulders. 

Technical Info:

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D mkII
Zeiss Distagon T* 21/2.8 ZE lens

EXIF: ISO-100 / 6 sec @ f/11 
Lee filters: 0.9 Hard GND

RAW File converted to TIFF in Canon DPP, developed in Adobe PSE9

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