Category Archives: Uncategorized

Trophy Hunting

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the hermitage in autumn

the hermitage in autumn

Technical: Canon 5DMk3, 17-40 lens at 22mm, 25 seconds at f/16, ISO 100. Polarising filter and a 2 stop NG soft grad.

Conditions: Mid afternoon. Slight breeze with hazy cloud cover.

If you are looking for some clear advice on landscape technique I would recommend the ebooks of Darwin Wiggett. He has one in particular called “Trophy Hunting” in which he discusses the pros and cons of making images at well known and sometimes over-used locations. This is a day when I must confess to setting out to “bag” a certain shot. My 10 year old son and I had a budget of 4 hours to make the 2 hour round trip and make the shot. Darwin talks about finding a new angle, a new way to imagine the scene. I didn’t do that. I did what every one else does because there was such a pull on my preconception neurons that I was dragged into a creativity black hole. I could not imagine it any other way. So I took the shot just as my son fell into a large pool of water and hence did not notice I had stuffed up the focus. Oops. Guess we will be coming back here some day for some more trophy hunting.

One picture can be many images.

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Storm clouds over Taransay

Storm clouds over Taransay

Technical: Canon 5D3, 17-40 lens at 27mm, 2.5 seconds @f/16, ISO 100. 3stop hard grad ND filter on the sky. RAW file processed in Lightroom and PS CS6.

Conditions: Late evening with the sun obscured behind storm clouds. Strong swell and moderate wind.

I was initially attracted by the star-like pattern created in the sand as the waves washed in and out. I was very focused on that and was cursing the clouds that had covered the warm evening sunlight and left the scene “dull”. On reviewing the picture after 4 months I see a completely different image. The main character of the show is that dark brooding storm cloud and the sense of imminent change that it brings to scene.

Took this image on Bruce Percy‘s excellent workshop.

Look After Your Golf Balls

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mist reeds and rock

mist reeds and rock

I’m such a tart for still water and mist. Slightly rushed morning and it shows in the composition. Need to remember to slow down. Reading some of Guy Tal’s ebooks (guytal.com/) at the moment and the heart of his methodology is “slow down and think”. Somebody forwarded me a picture and story today about a philosophy professor with a mayonnaise jar, golf balls and pebbles…worth looking up. It made me sit down and post this picture today as a way of making amends. wife and kids away on holiday without me as I have to work, parents off to Jerusalem and I was too busy to say goodbye properly. My life is all pebbles and sand at the moment and I need to pay attention to some golf balls.

Technical: 5Dmk3, 24-70 lens at 40mm, 1/6th sec at f/11, ISO 100. Polariser and 2 stop hard ND grad on the sky.

Conditions. Shortly after sunrise. Very still, clear skies and a light mist rapidly burning off.

What is it about film?

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On a nostalgia trip with my father-in law’s 1968 Kodak retinette 1B and some kodak 400CN film. Grainy and low res but there is a wee thrill you get from film that digital lacks. Pottery courtesy of uigpottery.co.uk who were kind enough to let me have some unfired pieces. The lack of glaze removes the sharp highlights. Need to find something more interesting to shoot though!

Last week I acquired a Zeiss Ikon rangefinder with a 35mm f2 biogon lens. I have no idea why I bought the thing. I know it’s going to be a lot of hassle with processing and scanning film. What is it about film that leaves rationality behind and seduces? One aspect of film is the discipline of considering every frame before releasing the shutter. I think I need that at this point. Perhaps it will improve my visual thinking in the end. Not sure if this will be a pointless diversion or the start of something more interesting but I’m looking forward to discovering some new ways of thinking about photography. That can’t be a bad thing.

Bass Rock from North Berwick

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Equipment: Canon 5DMk2, 40mm, 4″@f/16, ISO 100. Hard grad filter on sky to balance exposure and a full ND filter to prolong the exposure.

Conditions: About 2pm as the tide was coming in over the lido (outdoor sea swimming pool). Windy and some swell.

Some days I wish I had a proper panoramic camera…

Torridon, Scotland. Cloud, rain, midges and just a little magic.

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Loch Clair, Torridon, Scotland

Loch Clair, Torridon, Scotland

Equipment: Canon 5Dmk3, 24-70L @46mm, 1/5″ @ f/11. 2 stop ND hard grad on sky. Tripod, remote release. Head net and total body coverings (midges were a nightmare).

Conditions: 5.30am, very still with clear sky and mist rapidly burning off.

Loch Nan Tri-eileanan, Torridon, Scotland

Loch Nan Tri-eileanan, Torridon, Scotland

Equipment: Canon 5Dmk3, 24-70L @ 38mm, 2 seconds @ f16. 2-stop ND hard grad on sky. Tripod, remote release.

Conditions: Sunset, very cloudy in the west with a brief blast of light just as  the sun set. Moderate wind (hence the movement in the reeds). Hellish midges. I mean clouds of the wee brutes!

Just back from Torridon after a couple of days shooting with Niall Henderson. Very mixed conditions with the weather. Midgies were ferocious as always. This pretty little lochan was a nice find on the slope up to An Ruadh Mheallan. There is a name, Loch Nan Tri-eileanan, think that translates as the loch of the three islands and applies to the biggest of this collection of lochans. the setting sun is lighting up Ben Sheildaig and Beinn Damh across on the South side of Loch Torridon. Not the best composition in the world. The short period of light meant that there was no time to consider alternatives, especially when being eaten alive by the midges.

This image feels special to me despite its short comings. I had no intention to be in this spot at this moment. I was just following my nose across the hill looking for interesting erratic boulders and just stumbled across it. The light was dull and flat and I was about to leave when the sky suddenly lit up. A place to go back to for sure.

The first image above was taken that same morning at Loch Clair. This is a more well known location and  the perfect stillness of the morning left a mist hanging in the dawn light. Perfect. Many thanks to Douglas Griffin for his fantastic advice on locations. Check out Flickr posts by Douglas and Bruce Percy for amazing images of this location.