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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Flickr: 2013 in one frame

12 Photos, 12 months.  A snapshot of 2013

Selected from my Flickr photostream, one to represent each month in 2013.  Linked through to Flickr below.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Thanks for looking.  Please leave a comment below if you have time.

Photo of the Month: November 2013

Burn of Sorrow, Ochil Hills

14th November 2013, Burn of Sorrow, Ochil Hills

Behind the historic town of Dollar, Clackmannanshire, lies picturesque Dollar Glen, a wooded gorge through which flows the Burn of Sorrow.  Footpaths, bridges and walkways lead through the glen becoming progressively steeper as they climb out of the gorge to converge at the impressive Castle Campbell, behind which are more paths which lead into the Ochil Hills.   Behind the castle lies the Glen Of Sorrow, a steep sided glacial trench through which the Burn of Sorrow flows from its source in the Maddy Moss.  This is sheep territory.  There are no paths but once in the glen the terrain is easy except for one narrow section avoided to the east.  The burn is delightful as it tumbles down the glen twisting and turning as it does.   You are unlikely to meet anyone once in the glen giving a sense of solitude more akin to The Highlands.

Technical Info:

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

EXIF: ISO-100 / 1.5 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: October 2013

Glen Lyon, Perthshire

29th October 2013, Glen Lyon

Glen Lyon, at 34 miles, is the longest enclosed glen in Scotland. Sandwiched between Loch Rannoch and Loch Tay, it is remote with few settlements. In winter there is only one way in and out. At other times a single-track hill road can be used as an alternative from Loch Tay which climbs to over 500 metres before descending into Glen Lyon at Bridge of Balgie. It is a glen of contrasts. East of Bridge of Balgie it is very picturesque, especially in the Autumn for its colour.  West of Bridge of Balgie is more rugged hill country with a few farms and large hydro electricity schemes.

Technical Info:

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

EXIF: ISO-100 / 1/8 sec @ f/11, 1/4 sec @ f/11, 1/15 sec @ f/11, blended
Lee filters: 0.6 Soft GND

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

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