tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56723045839596371792024-03-14T02:42:49.826-07:00Islandscape Blog - Notes From A Small IslandIslandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-36313731185309865162014-12-26T05:06:00.002-08:002014-12-26T05:06:14.858-08:00Looking Back at 2014: Ten Images of the Year 1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0aRmzC4kTB4/VJG4o8ZfZcI/AAAAAAAAA8U/dox7mIfZ-So/s1600/_MG_0894%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0aRmzC4kTB4/VJG4o8ZfZcI/AAAAAAAAA8U/dox7mIfZ-So/s1600/_MG_0894%2Bcopy.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Squall, Sound of Mull</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With less than a week left until the bells will herald 2015, I thought I'd post my favourite ten images of 2014. It will be an eclectic mix and they will not necessarily be my best images of the year but those which are most meaningful to me.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The image above was taken above Ardnacross a few miles outside Tobermory. It is one of my favourite views but not one which I photograph very often. It will be familiar to anyone who has visited Tobermory and I never tire of driving across the Gualan Dubh and then seeing the Sound, Salen Bay and the mountains of Ben Talladh and Dun da Ghaoithe laid out before me. This image also epitomises my passion for photographing in what some term 'poor' weather and also for big skies.</div>
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-37759028075683569182014-12-18T11:25:00.000-08:002014-12-18T11:25:38.548-08:00The Ninth Wave: Love and Food on the Isle of Mull<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ppJRonLTnm0/VJGCTC6OPSI/AAAAAAAAA7A/ToLj148MRsU/s1600/_MG_1494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ppJRonLTnm0/VJGCTC6OPSI/AAAAAAAAA7A/ToLj148MRsU/s1600/_MG_1494.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of my major projects in 2014 was to provide landscape, food and portrait photography for Carla Lamont's wonderful cookery book/memoir, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1780272448/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_GGAKub1D4D21Q" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Ninth Wave: Love and Food on the Isle of Mull</a>, published by Birlinn.<i> </i>Carla and her husband John own the award winning Ninth Wave Restaurant in Fionnphort on the Ross of Mull. This was a wonderful project for many reasons. Firstly, despite living on Mull I have to admit not to knowing the Ross particularly well and so being commissioned to provide landscape photography of the area was just the driver I needed to explore this understated area of Mull. Secondly, whilst Carla wanted the atmospheric landscape images which I so love producing, I knew that the food photography and portraiture would take me out of my comfort zone. Not only can I rarely resist a challenge but I firmly believe that in order to develop as an artist, you need to continually push at your creative boundaries, otherwise photographic stagnation is inevitable. Finally, I have a huge appetite, particularly for Middle Eastern and Asian food so this was the ideal commission. And when Carla and I met for a planning meeting, I was not only excited by her story and vision for the book but I also knew that we would make a great team and have a good deal of fun.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We certainly had a lot of fun amongst the hard work. I made repeated trips down to the Ross to build up a portfolio of landscapes and we had four exhausting days of food photography. I also got to go out on John's fishing boat. The book was published in early November and we were both very pleased with the results.</div>
<div style="font-style: italic;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4R8kbn___MI/VJGCIqbpvuI/AAAAAAAAA6g/6gPIBGMQc28/s1600/Final%2BCover%2BNinth%2BWave%2B(FLR).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4R8kbn___MI/VJGCIqbpvuI/AAAAAAAAA6g/6gPIBGMQc28/s1600/Final%2BCover%2BNinth%2BWave%2B(FLR).jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
To portray the Ross, I not only sought out the big vistas but also some vignettes to give a real sense of this part of the island. I particularly enjoyed photographing the various signs found along the roadside.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0lN5uYV8wG0/VJGCPuCqTwI/AAAAAAAAA6o/LFe7hXA8WTw/s1600/_MG_1031m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0lN5uYV8wG0/VJGCPuCqTwI/AAAAAAAAA6o/LFe7hXA8WTw/s1600/_MG_1031m.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cumulonimbus over the Ross</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZElM4CV93q4/VJGCQodINkI/AAAAAAAAA60/NY4yxkkjEkc/s1600/_MG_1006m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZElM4CV93q4/VJGCQodINkI/AAAAAAAAA60/NY4yxkkjEkc/s1600/_MG_1006m.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sign, Pennyghael</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ws_Mq_cGvw/VJGCT9G9lYI/AAAAAAAAA7I/vMYEVLUPlD4/s1600/_MG_1511%2Bcopy.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sheep near Bunessan</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ws_Mq_cGvw/VJGCT9G9lYI/AAAAAAAAA7I/vMYEVLUPlD4/s1600/_MG_1511%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i></i></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3KDSv8dKgoA/VJGCaEZluYI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/gNZAq-kp-GE/s1600/_MG_0985m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3KDSv8dKgoA/VJGCaEZluYI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/gNZAq-kp-GE/s1600/_MG_0985m.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ardvergnish</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The portraiture ranged from the formal images, for example for the book cover through to the environmental. I much preferred the latter although of course the former is a necessity.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MS1Xi9HnUjM/VJGDj-UkYlI/AAAAAAAAA7s/y6gOb1DZ84s/s1600/_MG_5176%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MS1Xi9HnUjM/VJGDj-UkYlI/AAAAAAAAA7s/y6gOb1DZ84s/s1600/_MG_5176%2Bcopy.jpg" height="640" width="470" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-krssRY5khgU/VJGDQI_PCdI/AAAAAAAAA7k/UVoHkApsg4c/s1600/_MG_3704%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-krssRY5khgU/VJGDQI_PCdI/AAAAAAAAA7k/UVoHkApsg4c/s1600/_MG_3704%2Bcopy.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-style: italic;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qh-T8S5BdeA/VJGD3VKBe3I/AAAAAAAAA74/BCp4FeBY5LI/s1600/_MG_2267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qh-T8S5BdeA/VJGD3VKBe3I/AAAAAAAAA74/BCp4FeBY5LI/s1600/_MG_2267.jpg" height="516" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
And finally there was the food. Carla had put together a range of props, dishes and backdrops to show off her exquisite cuisine. She had a clear vision for how she wanted some of the dishes to be presented and photographed but for the others we experimented. All of the images were shot using natural light together with reflectors and diffusers.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDqo87Ec0tg/VJGB4ayjGGI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/SldJ9sTjKs4/s1600/Persian%2BLamb%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDqo87Ec0tg/VJGB4ayjGGI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/SldJ9sTjKs4/s1600/Persian%2BLamb%2B2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Treshnish Lamb, Persian Style</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DHz1J7KSSEs/VJGCazjG4sI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/DeAtGEkIHaI/s1600/_MG_1441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DHz1J7KSSEs/VJGCazjG4sI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/DeAtGEkIHaI/s1600/_MG_1441.jpg" height="640" width="554" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trout Ceviche with Shiso</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The book was officially launched at a series of events on Mull and Iona. It has just been named as one of the <i>Herald</i>'s <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/books-poetry/reviews/the-best-cookery-books-of-2014-x.114275429" target="_blank">top cookery books</a> by food writer, Cate Devine. It's well worth a read: as well as Carla's sumptuous recipes, her story is very, very funny too.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eX6OvsdREyE/VJGD21hqyXI/AAAAAAAAA70/rpsSd7oU1U8/s1600/10708714_10205314630612071_2872681610358405480_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eX6OvsdREyE/VJGD21hqyXI/AAAAAAAAA70/rpsSd7oU1U8/s1600/10708714_10205314630612071_2872681610358405480_o.jpg" height="370" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Book launch at An Tobar, Tobermory. Photographer nervously clutching glass of red wine.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-30312377450929320062014-12-17T05:13:00.000-08:002014-12-17T05:13:23.646-08:00Long Time, No BlogOnce again I have neglected my blog for several months. It's not because I don't like blogging - I do, not least because I enjoy being able to write prose without the constrictions and restrictions of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The reason for my absence has been a busy spring, summer and autumn. Winter looks to be similarly busy. Whilst workshops are few and far between, I have an increasing number of commissions as well as seasonal print sales, and of course, this is my favourite time of year for my own personal photography. So with apologies for my absence, here are a few shots from the storms of last week, including the 'weather bomb' which turned out to be more of a squib.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ozP9gDAc6Y/VJF_vW6fyfI/AAAAAAAAA58/j4tsFEjRN4U/s1600/_MG_7618m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ozP9gDAc6Y/VJF_vW6fyfI/AAAAAAAAA58/j4tsFEjRN4U/s1600/_MG_7618m.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdGXPC7VzI0/VJF_vuM_Z7I/AAAAAAAAA6A/6T1YJfDU1v4/s1600/_MG_7788mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdGXPC7VzI0/VJF_vuM_Z7I/AAAAAAAAA6A/6T1YJfDU1v4/s1600/_MG_7788mono.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvlnkLtw0YY/VJF_wBCO8DI/AAAAAAAAA6M/4_BVz-yGDKs/s1600/_MG_7626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvlnkLtw0YY/VJF_wBCO8DI/AAAAAAAAA6M/4_BVz-yGDKs/s1600/_MG_7626.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-79624030508942644762014-03-03T05:06:00.000-08:002014-03-03T05:06:01.768-08:00Searching for that Elusive Image (Part 3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w5sdEHdpL-k/UvZY3m3HU0I/AAAAAAAAA1k/5dMKWCpt1gw/s1600/_MG_0941-2m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w5sdEHdpL-k/UvZY3m3HU0I/AAAAAAAAA1k/5dMKWCpt1gw/s1600/_MG_0941-2m.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Storm Light from Killiechronan</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
They say that good things come to those who wait. Good things can also come when you least expect them. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few weeks ago, I was heading towards the Ross of Mull where I am working on a book commission. As I drove onto the single track at the top of the Gualan Dubh about three miles from Tobermory, I could tell that there was extremely promising light over Ben More and its outliers. Checking my watch, I decided that there was enough time for a quick diversion to Loch na Keal before resuming my journey to the Ross.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I quickly set up at my familiar spot at Killiechronan just in time to see rays of light start to appear above the hills on the other side of the loch. As they danced across the flanks of the mountains, I have to confess to laughing with joy as I fired the shutter.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So do I finally have the photograph which I have previsualised and searched for for months? Well almost. The image I had envisaged had the rays more directly over the peak of Beinn Ghraig but I'm certainly not complaining about the photograph above. It's 99.9% of what I wanted. Moreover, as with many pursuits, the thrill is in the hunt and I still have an excuse to return to one of my favourite vistas on the island.</div>
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-38110320017171926292014-02-06T02:23:00.000-08:002014-02-06T02:23:27.105-08:00The Commando Memorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ECzlkJXEl34/UvIhyYVo1jI/AAAAAAAAA0A/jC0sAclttew/s1600/_MG_0758m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ECzlkJXEl34/UvIhyYVo1jI/AAAAAAAAA0A/jC0sAclttew/s1600/_MG_0758m.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ictLWyWqAkA/UvIh1Ei_kKI/AAAAAAAAA0U/LIVKIn3KPZU/s1600/_MG_0794m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ictLWyWqAkA/UvIh1Ei_kKI/AAAAAAAAA0U/LIVKIn3KPZU/s1600/_MG_0794m.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
High above the village of Spean Bridge about ten miles north of Fort William is what must be one of the most spectacularly sited war memorials in the world. The Commando Memorial is a tribute to those men who trained in the area during the Second World War before heading off on special missions in Europe and beyond, many of them never to return. Its proximity to the A82 makes it a popular viewpoint and the views are indeed stunning. Laid out before you are the Grey Corries, Aonach Mor and Ben Nevis.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Osw4xFQ1uIU/UvIhyn0OZjI/AAAAAAAAA0E/rQzAblmKjbc/s1600/_MG_0763m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Osw4xFQ1uIU/UvIhyn0OZjI/AAAAAAAAA0E/rQzAblmKjbc/s1600/_MG_0763m.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This is a place I have often stopped off at and yet never seriously photographed - usually because I am en route to somewhere else. Last week I put this right and having spent the night in Fort William, I got up early and headed up to Spean Bridge just before sunrise.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0qvWCzj9RA/UvIh11N1uNI/AAAAAAAAA0g/vCYoI4AZUNY/s1600/_MG_0807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0qvWCzj9RA/UvIh11N1uNI/AAAAAAAAA0g/vCYoI4AZUNY/s1600/_MG_0807.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a>It was bitterly cold and I had foolishly forgotten my thermals, gloves and hat as I had just been on business in Edinburgh, And yet I stayed for two and a half hours, transfixed by the changing light. There was also just enough cloud movement to deploy the Lee Big Stopper for some of the images.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Jkt8TOjXAo/UvIh3jRO8KI/AAAAAAAAA0o/S1DuoTem-uY/s1600/_MG_0815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Jkt8TOjXAo/UvIh3jRO8KI/AAAAAAAAA0o/S1DuoTem-uY/s1600/_MG_0815.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There is something quietly heroic about the statues and their chiselled faces which represent the Commandos who trained in the hills which surround the memorial. The nearby memorial garden is a reminder that their successors are still making the same sacrifices. There are poignant tributes to those who have fallen in recent conflicts. I am always moved when I visit the garden.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hjidkac2oRY/UvIjPoQc3nI/AAAAAAAAA1U/Ar-xCPHTQVc/s1600/_MG_0779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hjidkac2oRY/UvIjPoQc3nI/AAAAAAAAA1U/Ar-xCPHTQVc/s1600/_MG_0779.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Interestingly whilst I was there some Japanese tourists arrived and were taking photos of each other with their iPads. Their exhilaration and sheer joy at being in such a beautiful place was very plain to see in the poses they struck with Ben Nevis as a backdrop and their laughter which seemed to echo around the place. The blanket of silence which descended on them as they looked around the small memorial garden also told its own story.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I have just printed up some of the photographs to pass to an elderly gentleman here in Tobermory who was one of the first Commandos and trained in the area. I hope that he likes them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MnLRvpVOTzE/UvIh4cs8DPI/AAAAAAAAA00/5_lxs-1m1h8/s1600/_MG_0816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MnLRvpVOTzE/UvIh4cs8DPI/AAAAAAAAA00/5_lxs-1m1h8/s1600/_MG_0816.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zxYrEGnFkdg/UvIh5rDCHRI/AAAAAAAAA08/yTIhaJIXyFk/s1600/_MG_0817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zxYrEGnFkdg/UvIh5rDCHRI/AAAAAAAAA08/yTIhaJIXyFk/s1600/_MG_0817.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSKb0T-TWNM/UvIh8WQeQgI/AAAAAAAAA1E/B5qbjKc9kv4/s1600/_MG_0827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSKb0T-TWNM/UvIh8WQeQgI/AAAAAAAAA1E/B5qbjKc9kv4/s1600/_MG_0827.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-85500980765456918022014-02-05T03:13:00.002-08:002014-02-05T03:16:20.691-08:00Searching for that Elusive Image Part 2<span style="text-align: left;">My quest for that storm light image at Killiechronan continues. A couple of days ago, I looked out of the window in Tobermory and could seem some wonderful light to the south. I quickly grabbed my kit and headed out. As I drove down towards Salen, I could feel my excitement growing - this could be the day. But as I turned right and drove towards Gruline at the head of Loch na Keal, excitement turned to dismay as suddenly, the clouds dispersed and I was left with bright sunshine and clear blue skies. At the moment, we are not seeing much sunlight at all here on Mull (wind and rain have been our constant companions for the last two months) and my disappointment with the sudden appearance of sunshine and blue skies felt like a betrayal of everyone living on Mull. Nevertheless, clear blue skies are rarely the friend of the serious landscape photographer and they certainly weren't my pal that day.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: left;">I knew that I should just turn around and head home to continue what I had been working on at the computer. But there was something which made me hesitate, a small bank of cloud behind the mountains which seemed to be slowly building. Still feeling pessimistic, however, I decided to wait for half an hour. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, it came: a long cloud formation and within minutes it had planted itself across the sun, creating those shafts of light that I have been craving. They still weren't quite in the right place, but I felt a little more satisfied than on previous visits I've made this winter.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-align: left;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DAaA7iyejBo/UvIcZtZhcgI/AAAAAAAAAzo/U5zBUz7GGQc/s1600/_MG_0654m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DAaA7iyejBo/UvIcZtZhcgI/AAAAAAAAAzo/U5zBUz7GGQc/s1600/_MG_0654m.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="text-align: left;">
</span>Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-48181728910366593872014-01-26T06:16:00.000-08:002014-01-26T06:17:33.321-08:00Searching for that Elusive Image<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yuvsYRYp47o/UuUWDAaaqGI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/mII7HX-zwQI/s1600/_MG_0396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yuvsYRYp47o/UuUWDAaaqGI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/mII7HX-zwQI/s1600/_MG_0396.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Silver, Killiechronan</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The first few weeks of 2014 have been spent searching for an elusive image which I have had in mind for some time. The vantage point is one of my favourite locations, Killiechronan. I have often photographed what I call storm light from this wonderful place but the image I've been thinking about - no, more than that, obsessing about, has shafts of light falling down from dark storm clouds and falling on the peak and flanks of Beinn Ghraig. Beinn Ghraig is one of Ben More's outliers and its close proximity to the head of Loch na Keal seems to make it seem so much bigger than its 3000 foot neighbour. I have been making repeated visits to Killiechronan, often in bitingly cold winds (my new Seal Skinz mittens have been in much use) but I haven't quite got what I wanted. I have experienced some lovely light and done more experimentation with my Lee 'Big Stopper' 10 stop ND filter. Perhaps I'll never get that elusive image but I am certainly enjoying striving for it.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9bCa7IACboU/UuUV7GpgItI/AAAAAAAAAzM/QUy1kC48NP8/s1600/_MG_9602mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9bCa7IACboU/UuUV7GpgItI/AAAAAAAAAzM/QUy1kC48NP8/s1600/_MG_9602mono.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vfo0GD1MUSg/UuUV64G4GLI/AAAAAAAAAzI/QYW_UDEwhnE/s1600/_MG_9629mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vfo0GD1MUSg/UuUV64G4GLI/AAAAAAAAAzI/QYW_UDEwhnE/s1600/_MG_9629mono.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-donQaMARxB8/UuUWDHhPCcI/AAAAAAAAAzc/bBjADwXitCQ/s1600/_MG_0454m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-donQaMARxB8/UuUWDHhPCcI/AAAAAAAAAzc/bBjADwXitCQ/s1600/_MG_0454m.jpg" height="411" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-73239304071240974972014-01-02T08:53:00.000-08:002014-01-02T08:53:06.720-08:00Hogmanay FireworksSince the millennium, Tobermory has welcomed in the new year with a spectacular fireworks display which starts as the bell of the town clock signals midnight. 2014 was marked with yet another great display, organised by a small band of local volunteers and funded by donations from local businesses and individuals.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXLB1O2vHK0/UsWVWdI0XuI/AAAAAAAAAyo/SBDAI0yKRKs/s1600/_MG_0187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXLB1O2vHK0/UsWVWdI0XuI/AAAAAAAAAyo/SBDAI0yKRKs/s640/_MG_0187.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
These multiple exposures were taken using a bulb exposure of several seconds to capture a succession of fireworks. In order to prevent over-exposure, I deployed a black card in front of the lens between bursts.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LL6Djr-pnJk/UsWVWiteWOI/AAAAAAAAAys/wMoU1eUllpc/s1600/_MG_0190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LL6Djr-pnJk/UsWVWiteWOI/AAAAAAAAAys/wMoU1eUllpc/s640/_MG_0190.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-64382172847566262702014-01-01T06:48:00.000-08:002014-01-01T06:49:17.199-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Images of the Year 10For my final image I've chosen one of my final photographs of 2013, taken as the light faded on Hogmanay. As so often happens, I'd gone out with a particular image in mind and ended up with something quite different.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D0z409g6Vm0/UsQpDhfzq5I/AAAAAAAAAyY/74KXHiivOaw/s1600/_MG_0162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D0z409g6Vm0/UsQpDhfzq5I/AAAAAAAAAyY/74KXHiivOaw/s640/_MG_0162.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hogmanay Storm, Kellan, Loch na Keal</i><br />
<br />
<div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I'd hoped to catch the last sunset of the year from Acharonich looking out towards Balmeanach, Inch Kenneth and Iona, but the weather closed in earlier than forecast and the wind picked up to a Force 8 from the south east causing quite a swell in the sea loch. Kellan is one of my favourite locations at Loch na Keal, not least because of the lava formations here. With high tide approaching and a strong storm surge, I have to confess to being hugely pleased with the conditions, Ironically, these weather and tidal conditions for this particular location have been on my photographic shopping list for some time, I just hadn't expected to find them on Hogmanay.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Bliadhna Mhath Ur!</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-11212126098131301002013-12-31T12:50:00.001-08:002013-12-31T12:50:40.682-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 9Photographing water in all its forms is a real passion of mine. This is the Eas Fors waterfall on the west coast of Mull. 'Eas' means waterfall in Gaelic and 'Fors' means waterfall in Norse. So yes, this waterfall is like New York, New York - so good they named it twice.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L6Mcoi2D96M/UsFk-S_U7MI/AAAAAAAAAyI/6itrSVCUkOA/s1600/_MG_8753+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L6Mcoi2D96M/UsFk-S_U7MI/AAAAAAAAAyI/6itrSVCUkOA/s640/_MG_8753+copy.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Eas Fors Waterfall</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This image took a bit of scrambling to make. There isn't much space at the top of the waterfall and you have to scramble over a tree and some rocks. I'm not the most agile of folks but it was well worth a bit of a climb to get this.Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-63763490108580646172013-12-30T12:21:00.001-08:002013-12-30T12:21:21.674-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Continuing the sheep theme, this is most definitely one of my favourite photos of the year. I was actually out for a cycle ride along the south shore of Loch na Keal when I saw the sheep being herded along the road in the distance. I made a quick u-turn and headed back to the Land Rover and grabbed my kit and awaited the guys from Knock Farm to come towards me with their charges.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_DxAdqNSxB0/UsFjp9S4kyI/AAAAAAAAAx8/jZXxQkD9vlY/s1600/_MG_8215mono2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_DxAdqNSxB0/UsFjp9S4kyI/AAAAAAAAAx8/jZXxQkD9vlY/s640/_MG_8215mono2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Knock Boys at Work</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Why do I like this image so much? Firstly, I like the way in which the line of sheep seem to echo the clouds above and the cliffs in the distance. Secondly, it's because to me this photograph captures the real Mull - local people hard at work working in and looking after this wonderful landscape.Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-57992681032206370422013-12-30T04:11:00.000-08:002013-12-30T04:11:12.975-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 7<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Yes, it's those boats again which must be some of the most photographed wrecks in the country. Most of my workshop guests love photographing these boats and it's true that there is so much material there: from wide angle shots such as the image below to close ups and abstracts from the wonderful textures of peeling paint and rust on the hulls. If I am honest, this is not my favourite location on the island. Perhaps it is because they have been photographed so many times before that it is difficult to find a new angle, a new interpretation. Perhaps (and this is possibly the real reason) it is because I have never given them the time to properly work this location. Regardless of my ambivalence about the Salen boats, this is one of my favourite images of them which was taken in July.</div>
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fL4Ll0QS3kg/UsFgJxT67HI/AAAAAAAAAxo/qRrj37xtsmE/s1600/_MG_7872mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fL4Ll0QS3kg/UsFgJxT67HI/AAAAAAAAAxo/qRrj37xtsmE/s640/_MG_7872mono.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fishing Boats, Salen Bay</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Perhaps it's the brooding sky which makes the image? Actually, I rather think it's the sheep.......Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-75398036452525268452013-12-27T12:20:00.003-08:002013-12-27T12:20:53.475-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Loch na Keal is one of my favourite locations for photography and this year I have been experimenting more with my Lee 10 stop ND filter, the 'big stopper'. This image was taken during a workshop over the summer during a strong Force 8 Westerly wind. I was fortunate that there was a high tide too. In this photograph, I like how the fingers of the Gribun cliffs in the background and the rocks and shore in the foreground seem to echo themselves..</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--JpUmWRMkmU/UrzETb65NDI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/GXz8D1LAVRg/s1600/_MG_7682adjustedmono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--JpUmWRMkmU/UrzETb65NDI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/GXz8D1LAVRg/s640/_MG_7682adjustedmono.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Force 8 Westerly, Loch na Keal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-82194187447644409212013-12-26T15:59:00.002-08:002013-12-26T16:09:54.946-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 5Like so many other things, after a bitterly cold winter and spring, the bluebells were late this year but we were treated to such a vibrant display as the bracken was late in growing too.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5LzN_PEgv6M/UrzEpGcvyGI/AAAAAAAAAxY/PyMnw4Ee8oM/s1600/_MG_7259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5LzN_PEgv6M/UrzEpGcvyGI/AAAAAAAAAxY/PyMnw4Ee8oM/s640/_MG_7259.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebells, Gruline</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This was taken in the small wood at Gruline at the head of Loch na Keal. There is nothing quite like shafts of sunlight creating pools on the forest floor and the scent of the bluebells was heavenly.Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-10760300518641872692013-12-26T05:52:00.000-08:002013-12-26T05:52:02.309-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 4This is one of my personal favourites of the year: <i>Mist, Cill Mhoire</i>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I2nDjjwefbc/UrSEVyQ5J2I/AAAAAAAAAw0/fwS52DlJT2g/s1600/_MG_6149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I2nDjjwefbc/UrSEVyQ5J2I/AAAAAAAAAw0/fwS52DlJT2g/s640/_MG_6149.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mist, Cill Mhoire</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had wanted to photograph the standing stones at Cill Mhoire in the mist for sometime. In late March my chance arrived as the north of the island was shrouded in fog for a couple of days at the end of the month. On the first day of fog, I was unable to get over to Dervaig. The following day, I awoke to a second foggy morning but with a commitment in Tobermory at 10am, I knew that I would be pushed for time. Nevertheless, I grabbed my gear and headed out. As I drove along the Mishnish lochs, I could see that the rising sun was starting to burn off the mist but the woods at Cill Mhoire were still thankfully shrouded in fog. I can remember checking my watch as I jogged into the forest and realising that I had just 10 minutes before I had to head back to Tobermory.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I knew that I had to work quickly and that my composition would also need to take account of the sun which was gaining height and beginning to burn off the mist. Composition and exposure can often be very challenging in woodland and even more so with the clock ticking down. I opted to shoot into the sun as I loved the shadows falling across the forest floor and resorted to bracketing my exposures (which I very rarely do). At the time I wasn't particularly satisfied with my hurried composition but as the days passed I began to like the diagonal lines of the stones. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-8129491254216498872013-12-24T02:28:00.000-08:002013-12-24T02:28:43.334-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 3My third image of 2013 is one for the ladies and shows the actor Damian Lewis (<i>Homeland, Band of Brothers)</i> at the helm of the Tobermory lifeboat during the summer.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mwkZxsMQmUM/UrSDhYzkQlI/AAAAAAAAAws/L6IoHYXCad4/s1600/P1000160lowres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mwkZxsMQmUM/UrSDhYzkQlI/AAAAAAAAAws/L6IoHYXCad4/s640/P1000160lowres.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actor Damian Lewis takes the helm of the Tobermory RNLI Lifeboat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Damian was over on Mull making a new film, <i>The Silent Storm</i>, and jumped at the chance to come out with us on a training exercise. A thoroughly nice bloke and I can genuinely say that I got my kit off with Damian Lewis - in an RNLI yellow oilskin kind of way!<br />
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-3233376286245665392013-12-23T15:18:00.001-08:002013-12-23T15:18:55.925-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 2For my second image of 2013, I've chosen this image of the Post Office Tower in London. I very rarely do urban landscapes but the Post Office Tower holds very fond memories for me as when I was an undergraduate at the London School of Economics (LSE) many moons ago, I lived in Fitzrovia, quite literally just across the road from this iconic building of the London skyline.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DDfSMUaqt60/UrSBMnal3bI/AAAAAAAAAwg/NRgdW3dcYc4/s1600/P1010762lowres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DDfSMUaqt60/UrSBMnal3bI/AAAAAAAAAwg/NRgdW3dcYc4/s640/P1010762lowres.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fog, London</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The night before I had tried to scout out various vantage points for photographing the tower but what had seemed promising as I had simultaneously been visiting various student haunts of the hostelry variety turned out in the cold light of morning not to have much potential after all. I was just heading back towards my hotel in Euston when I suddenly looked back from this junction of a side road and the Tottenham Court Road. Not only was the London fog attractive but I really liked the strong lines of the building in the foreground. This was taken with my trusty Panasonic Lumix LX5, a great little camera for urban forays.<br />
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-67328116940192425202013-12-22T02:21:00.000-08:002013-12-22T02:21:10.183-08:00Looking Back at 2013: Ten Images of the Year 1It's only ten days until the bells at the Tobermory clock tower will ring in 2014 and I thought I'd post ten of my favourite images from 2013. The first is very aptly from January, a winter sunset at Calgary Bay.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rwm5IAMahGM/UrR6Eqm1XPI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/EzoMuOTbqaw/s1600/_MG_5458-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rwm5IAMahGM/UrR6Eqm1XPI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/EzoMuOTbqaw/s640/_MG_5458-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Winter Sunset, Calgary Bay</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Calgary is one of those locations which I struggle with photographically. As much as it is a beautiful place with its wide expanse of sand and crystal clear water, wide angle images often don't quite work. However, I have always been attracted to the marram grasses at the top of the beach. They make excellent foreground interest and their textures make them an excellent subject in their own right.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On this January afternoon, I knew that the sun would set close to the Treshnish Headland in the distance. There was a strong westerly gale blowing, so strong in fact that it was impossible to use a tripod and with both my equipment and I being sandblasted, I was only able to make a few shots before having to retreat to the shelter and warmth of the Land Rover. I have to admit that I was rather relieved that the sun sank into a bank of cloud out over Tiree so that I didn't have to venture back out into the brutal and bitter wind.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-5454528486827255622013-12-19T10:17:00.001-08:002013-12-19T11:06:59.198-08:00Mull's Missing Species<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pez1P52vaQc/UqRsJ5yUJjI/AAAAAAAAAu0/1ib85g7B7fA/s1600/_MG_9720low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pez1P52vaQc/UqRsJ5yUJjI/AAAAAAAAAu0/1ib85g7B7fA/s640/_MG_9720low+res.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ruin, Crackaig</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There is no question that the Isle of Mull is famed for its wildlife. Sometimes known as 'Eagle Island', it is often referred to as a wildlife watching Mecca. Its varied wildlife both on the land and in the waters which surround the island are undoubtedly a draw for many visitors, particularly with Mull having featured so frequently and prominently on programmes such as <i>Springwatch</i> and <i>Autumnwatch. </i>The comparative ease with which it is possible to see otters, white tailed sea eagles, minke whales and basking sharks can give unforgettable life experiences.<br>
<br>
But there is one species which seems to have dropped off the radar. It hardly ever features on tourism business websites or on documentaries and yet it has played a huge part in shaping Mull as we know it today. Even the BBC's acclaimed series <i>Hebrides: Islands on the Edge </i>only mentioned it as an after thought and then only in the context of its relationship with other creatures. What is that neglected species? Whisper it quietly, for that species is man.<br>
<br>
The influence of the human species is everywhere on Mull. The island has a tremendously rich history as you will see if you wander into the wonderful <a href="http://www.mullmuseum.org.uk/" target="_blank">Mull Museum</a> on Tobermory's Main Street. And you don't have to wander far from the roadside to discover remnants of Mull's history and its people: standing stones, stone circles, duns and brochs are resilient and powerful legacies of those people who came before us. Perhaps the most poignant reminders of Mull's past are the ruined townships. Some like Crackaig (above) and Inivea stand proud on soaring cliffs, high above the shore. Others may be discovered in forestry plantations, giving up their secrets amidst the sitka spruce. I often tell workshop guests that at its height, the island had a population of more than 10 000 people before the clearances, compared to 2 800 at the last census.<br>
<br>
Mull's people continue to shape the island. There are strong communities, north and south. There are farmers and estate workers who not only continue to produce some of the best food in the world in the face of crushing economic pressures and supermarkets which want to pile it high and sell it cheap, but they also act as guardians of the landscape. There are the fishermen who set their creels in the spectacular waters around the island and deliver world class shellfish: indeed, one of my favourite sounds on the island is not the call of a buzzard or a sea eagle but the engines of the creel boats leaving Tobermory before dawn. There are lots of other entrepreneurs too, who despite rising fuel and other costs, continue to run successful businesses on the island, some of which are tourism-related, some of which are not. Mull's children receive their education in first rate schools from committed teachers, and I would doubt that there are many other places in the UK which benefit from such responsive primary health care. Moreover, Mull has a very rich cultural landscape in addition to its physical one. There are musicians, writers, actors and artists everywhere.<br>
<br>
As in the past, Mull's people continue to make the island a vibrant, thriving community. 'Eagle Island'? I don't think so.<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uoHHkypl5tk/UrM10JiW4pI/AAAAAAAAAv4/dx44yByPaK0/s1600/_MG_8215mono2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uoHHkypl5tk/UrM10JiW4pI/AAAAAAAAAv4/dx44yByPaK0/s1600/_MG_8215mono2.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Knock Boys at Work</i> - one of my favourite photographs of 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<br>Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-48415088324789739462013-12-16T12:02:00.000-08:002013-12-16T12:02:12.456-08:00Visit to an Old Friend<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZqbhcW8OeM/Uq9XjlmDQvI/AAAAAAAAAvM/EcWc0Ws85vI/s1600/_MG_9728mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZqbhcW8OeM/Uq9XjlmDQvI/AAAAAAAAAvM/EcWc0Ws85vI/s640/_MG_9728mono.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rubha nan Gall with Lee Big Stopper 10 stop ND filter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall is one of my favourite places on Mull. Rubha nan Gall means 'headland of the stranger' and the name may come from its location as it must surely have been an excellent look out point for Muileachs to monitor boats transiting the Sound of Mull. The lighthouse itself was built in 1857 by David and Thomas Stevenson, uncle and father to Robert Louis Stevenson respectively. With its spectacular views over to Ben Hiant, Loch Sunart and Ardnamurchan, Rubha nan Gall is also a fine location for landscape photography. Whilst it is an excellent location all year 'round, for three months of the year (May, June, July), the sun sets directly behind the lighthouse. A few days ago, I decided to take advantage of a high tide and a gale force wind coming from the south east to revisit an old friend.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P4zJP_3D6tM/Uq9XkxwUVjI/AAAAAAAAAvc/tCIDQVacsaA/s1600/_MG_9745mono2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P4zJP_3D6tM/Uq9XkxwUVjI/AAAAAAAAAvc/tCIDQVacsaA/s640/_MG_9745mono2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rubha nan Gall with Lee 3 stop ND filter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I took some images using the Lee Big Stopper 10 stop ND filter but it was a struggle to keep the camera and tripod steady in the wind so very long exposures were not an option. As I experiment more and more with the Big Stopper, I am beginning to prefer shorter exposures of around 10-15 seconds which leaves some definition in the clouds. Of course much depends on the prevailing weather, light and cloud conditions.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The waves weren't quite as high as I'd hoped but nevertheless it was a wonderful photography session and I hope to visit my old friend again soon.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XBRv7v3o2To/Uq9Xj4HRM9I/AAAAAAAAAvQ/BXFn6hPQf0A/s1600/_MG_9744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XBRv7v3o2To/Uq9Xj4HRM9I/AAAAAAAAAvQ/BXFn6hPQf0A/s640/_MG_9744.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kilchoan ferry punching its way through the weather to Tobermory, Captain James Henderson in command. James tells me this is the second oldest ferry in the CalMac fleet and a joy to sail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nC8HphbmRXo/Uq9Xi4XFwkI/AAAAAAAAAvE/78V8wk_sxx8/s1600/_MG_9735mono-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nC8HphbmRXo/Uq9Xi4XFwkI/AAAAAAAAAvE/78V8wk_sxx8/s640/_MG_9735mono-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rubha nan Gall with 3 stop ND filter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-2327439342084106212013-11-04T09:34:00.001-08:002013-11-04T09:34:38.646-08:00Essential Photographic Equipment<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iRekbcGKdY4/UnfarK2PjqI/AAAAAAAAAtc/pOX6DdIbEc4/s640/blogger-image-751782838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iRekbcGKdY4/UnfarK2PjqI/AAAAAAAAAtc/pOX6DdIbEc4/s640/blogger-image-751782838.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Wellington boots can be invaluable to the landscape photographer. Whilst I have to admit I prefer walking boots for walking over rough ground, a decent pair of wellies can enable the photographer to get alternative compositions by standing in a burn or at the water's edge on the coast (never forgetting of course that personal safety is paramount). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Wellies are also useful for transiting bog or mud and my new boots saw some serious action yesterday at Gorten on the south east coast of Mull during a one to one workshop with John. John is an Islandscape regular and indeed attended one of my first workshops five years ago. Fortunately, he is also a gentleman and chose to help me as I sank slowly but inexorably into the mud rather than stand laughing and reach for his mobile phone camera. Not my most dignified moment during a workshop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We were blessed with great light in between the showers and I'll post some images shortly.</div>Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-17259817339485676082013-10-28T09:24:00.003-07:002013-10-28T09:24:51.139-07:00Jewels of Nature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7P5qtO-_F1c/Um6D4Ff_T3I/AAAAAAAAAsw/r8j07PlDfuM/s1600/_MG_9193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7P5qtO-_F1c/Um6D4Ff_T3I/AAAAAAAAAsw/r8j07PlDfuM/s1600/_MG_9193.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm going to be honest and admit freely (which I do to guests during workshops) that as much as I adore wandering in woodland and forest, I struggle to photograph trees. Woodland is challenging compositionally as the photographer has to essentially marshall order out of chaos. Yet despite being repeatedly frustrated with my images of trees, I keep responding to the earthy scent of the forest floor and the draw of stumbling over moss covered tree roots and ducking under branches swathed in lichen by going back to the woods time and time again. We are fortunate on Mull that we have abundant woodland. Much of it is Forestry Commission land, planted with sitka spruce for commercial harvesting, but we still have much native woodland, including my favourite area for self-inflicted photographic frustration, the ancient oak woods at Scarisdale. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've just finished running five workshops in six days. We had great light, except for the final day when the heavy rain sent us into the forest with umbrellas and abundant lens cloths. These images were taken close to the spectacular falls at Druimfin which have been in particularly good condition the last couple of weeks, not least as they are adorned with autumnal foliage. Within earshot of the thundering roar of the falls, however, I found myself drawn to this pocket of woodland where the early morning raindrops hung off the branches like jewels. I'm still frustrated with my images but they will serve as a reminder of a beautiful autumn morning on Mull.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And talking of trees, a few weeks ago I got hold of a copy of <a href="http://peaklandscapes.com/" target="_blank">Dav Thomas</a>' recently published book, <i><a href="http://withtrees.co.uk/" target="_blank">With Trees</a></i>. This book has, quite rightly, been highly acclaimed in the photographic media. It is a beautiful collection of woodland photography by an artist at the top of his game, a book which I know I shall be returning to time and time again as the images offer up something new on each perusal. And yes, I shall continue to venture into the forests here on Mull and elsewhere with my camera. No doubt, continued frustration will ensue but as with many things in life, the only way you can improve is to keep on plugging away.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-laAKLG-fHQw/Um6G-9yWbtI/AAAAAAAAAtA/lN-N6PZ-he0/s1600/_MG_9192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-laAKLG-fHQw/Um6G-9yWbtI/AAAAAAAAAtA/lN-N6PZ-he0/s1600/_MG_9192.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>More Jewels of Nature</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A6aGdeU-Vdg/Um6G_mIo-RI/AAAAAAAAAtE/zqjSPBZTBSw/s1600/_MG_9181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A6aGdeU-Vdg/Um6G_mIo-RI/AAAAAAAAAtE/zqjSPBZTBSw/s1600/_MG_9181.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Upper Falls at Druimfin in their autumnal glory</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-3315374383570438302013-10-06T13:24:00.000-07:002013-10-06T13:24:40.697-07:00Eorsa<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5J33ziEtz4w/UlHEjZTYgSI/AAAAAAAAAsg/OayEE7U4mjU/s1600/_MG_8884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5J33ziEtz4w/UlHEjZTYgSI/AAAAAAAAAsg/OayEE7U4mjU/s640/_MG_8884.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Storm Light over Eorsa</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is one of my favourite vantage points for photography. High above Loch na Keal, these cliffs by Acharonich command views across to Ben More and its outliers as well as Gribun rocks, the Balmeanach peninsula, and, further afield, the Ross of Mull and Iona. The uninhabited island of Eorsa often plays a supporting role, taking up a mid ground position with Ben More dominating most images. However, on Friday, the hills were shrouded by low cloud and so Eorsa got to occupy centre stage for once. </div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OCrvpnR3F64/UlHEjPvs3MI/AAAAAAAAAsY/snBWAhZgaY8/s1600/_MG_8885mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OCrvpnR3F64/UlHEjPvs3MI/AAAAAAAAAsY/snBWAhZgaY8/s640/_MG_8885mono.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Storm Light over Eorsa - slow exposure using the Lee Big Stopper</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-27049470983032603232013-10-02T11:44:00.001-07:002013-10-02T11:44:14.835-07:00Working a Location - The Five Rs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w6hmHugpCbQ/UkxoB5Eml3I/AAAAAAAAAr8/PFX0qe_grzY/s1600/_MG_8613mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w6hmHugpCbQ/UkxoB5Eml3I/AAAAAAAAAr8/PFX0qe_grzY/s640/_MG_8613mono.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XIRplHiCYOM/UkxobREcTgI/AAAAAAAAAsI/2BsdyqODl_o/s1600/_MG_7599+mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XIRplHiCYOM/UkxobREcTgI/AAAAAAAAAsI/2BsdyqODl_o/s640/_MG_7599+mono.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Killiechronan, one of my favourite locations at Loch na Keal</i></div>
<br />
There are no guarantees of success in landscape photography but you can increase your chances of capturing a great image by making repeated visits to a location, preferably one near by to your home. I spend a lot of time at Loch na Keal, a large sea loch which almost bisects the Isle of Mull, not only for workshops but also for my own personal work. Why Loch na Keal? Well with seventeen miles of coastline, mountains, cliffs and waterfalls, the sea loch is a fertile source of inspiration. Moreover, the west-east alignment means that Loch na Keal frequently has weather fronts from the Atlantic sweeping through it, bringing dramatic lighting conditions. I know that I am blessed to have such a wonderful location a mere 30 minute drive from my home in Tobermory.<br />
<br />
I also know that not everyone is fortunate to have such a place like Loch na Keal on their doorstep but even in urban areas, it is usually possible to find a location within touching distance, a place where if you suddenly see changing light through the kitchen you can drop everything and head out with the camera bag.<br />
<br />
So here are the five Rs to help you work a location:<br />
<br />
<b>Revisit Repeatedly:</b> visit during different seasons, at different times of the day, in different weather and different lighting conditions.<br />
<br />
<b>Relate:</b> understand what draws you to a location and what it is that you want to convey about it.<br />
<br />
<b>Retreat:</b> self imposed exile for a time can make the photographic heart grow fonder.<br />
<br />
<b>Rejuvenate:</b> seek out new compositions, new angles.Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672304583959637179.post-75922971011961942192013-08-28T09:53:00.003-07:002013-08-28T09:53:33.800-07:00Foreground Interest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4KE9-h9XL0/Uh4qaBci17I/AAAAAAAAArg/0R4RF4ahHds/s1600/_MG_8215mono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4KE9-h9XL0/Uh4qaBci17I/AAAAAAAAArg/0R4RF4ahHds/s640/_MG_8215mono.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Monday saw me dust off my bike and go for a cycle ride along Loch na Keal. My objectives were two fold. Firstly, to get some much needed exercise and secondly, to identify some new locations. It can be easier to spot locations with photographic potential from a bike or on foot than from a Land Rover.<br />
<br />
After a couple of miles I spotted the Knock Estate guys moving some sheep along the road. A quick u-turn was called for and I pedalled back to the eastern end of the loch and waited patiently to make this image. Now that's what I call foreground interest.<br />
<br />
The second image below shows the burn which runs from the shore at Killiechronan and acts as a lead in line to the distant cliffs at Gribun.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yBANODgyORA/Uh4q19-suuI/AAAAAAAAAro/FuTWlawfXfA/s1600/_MG_8195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yBANODgyORA/Uh4q19-suuI/AAAAAAAAAro/FuTWlawfXfA/s640/_MG_8195.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />Islandscapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169617246384917975noreply@blogger.com0