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[Donald]

From France to Loch Lomond.

The old-timers on here may recall that every year I spend an extended weekend in a cottage on the southern shore of Loch Lomond, in the west of Scotland. This year it was this last weekend.

Photographically, my goal was to learn how to make images with my newly acquired Singh-Ray thin Vari-ND filter (a friend got it for me from B & H in New York when she went there on a shopping trip last month). More of this later!

But as I was just looking around and planning shots, I could see what was about to happen as one of the numerous little boats that belong to a fishing club was heading back across the loch after a day out on the fishing grounds at the south-east corner of the loch.

So I got myself set-up and waited for the fisherman to get into the right place for my shot. The ND was on, hence the relatively slow shutter speed (see below).

As always, I do appreciate your views.


Canon 40D, EF 24-70 f2.8 L @ 70mm. ISO100. 1/45 @f11

[Bobobird]

Ok this is what we have here -
A big white square blob with some words.
A big blob of some dark grey matter
A big blob of even darker grey almost black matter
A tiny black blob of something
A heavily shaded and speckled mixture of black, white, grey
A heavily unshaded and less speckled mixture of black, white, grey
A slightly heavier shaded and speckled mixture of black, white, grey.

Pretty unappetizing eh?

But give a good cook these ingredients and he fires up a great meal, in this case an image.

I really like this.

Btw where is the "more about the VND" ?

[Donald]

Btw where is the "more about the VND" ?

It's coming. It's coming.

I have a couple of images that I feel are made by having the Vari-ND. Still finishing them.

Thanks for your kind words Bobo.

[JPS]

Hi Donald,
What a fantastic shot.
I look forward to seeing more using this filter.
It would be interesting to know how this shot was improved using the filter, compared to one where the filter was not available. This would be a great example to us all on why; at some point it would be worth buying such a filter.
Not sure if I’m making sense, but what I’m trying to say is why did you use it for this shot and what were its benefits in this situation.
This is a good opportunity to learn about these filters, I think.
Kind regards

[Polar01]

Donald: I am with Bobo, however I do not like it, I love it. Keeping going to that dark side.

Cheers:

Allan

[Donald]

It would be interesting to know how this shot was improved using the filter, compared to one where the filter was not available.

John

Thanks for your comment.

I don't think this image was affected at all by having the filter on. It was just a case of it was on, I didn't have time to take it off and I knew I could get away with keeping it on. All that has happened here is that the shutter speed has been taken down to 1/45 rather than being up at around 1/500th, if I hadn't had the filter on. In other words, things were moving that slowly (water, boat) that there is no blur/softening effect induced by having the filter on.

On the other hand, the other images that I'm working on do, I think, show the impact of the filter. It allows me to to extend the shutter time to achieve the sort of effect I wanted on water and clouds, whilst still retaining a a narrow aperture to allow for maximum depth-of-field. I'll post these up over the next few days.

Donald: I am with Bobo, however I do not like it, I love it. Keeping going to that dark side.

Allan

Thank you. It's nice to do something sort-of different now and again.

[Arlen]

I like it a lot, Donald. The overall effect is to put a spotlight on that boat, which together with the remaining tonalities, makes for a very striking image.

[jiro]

Sometimes, it's the shot that has the least elements that creates the strongest appeal. Loved the simplicity, Donald. If you would be so kind to indulge me, my friend... with all that reflection from the sea, where exactly was the sun located?

[TheArcane]

I do like the photo, though I do have one question. Are the edges of the mountain really that smooth, or were they smoothed out during processing?

[ucci]

Well, I don't care what the rest of them say! Sniveling toadies! I personally hate you Mr Donald. Why? Because your posts are so brilliant, because they set such a high bench mark for the rest of us to achieve and that your work induces a lack of confidence in some of us. Just when we think you couldn't get any better, you bloody well confound us all by doing so! You are a very mean man! I hope your porridge curdles! Okay, having said my piece, time to make my peace. Beautiful art from the Master!
old ucci

[RockNGoalStar]

Hi Donald, I echo everyone else's comments on this. It's really unique and I can't stop looking at it. Very creative.

One thing that upsets me ever so slightly is the small kink in the horizon just above left of the boat. I think, to maintain the simplicity of the image I personally would have levelled this off so that the horizons were a log straight line intersecting the image from left to right. Others may disagree, but I just find it a little distracting.

Still a brilliant, brilliant photo.

We were going to spend our summer holiday this year in Scotland, staying on the lochs and see various other places. I can imagine that a lot of it is a photographer's paradise. We (the wife) decided that Sri Lanka would be a better holiday destination, so we're going there instead.

[Steve S]

Nothing more i can say , that hasn't been said already. Very well done donald.

[Donald]

I like it a lot, Donald. The overall effect is to put a spotlight on that boat, which together with the remaining tonalities, makes for a very striking image.

Thank you. As the boat started to pass the cottage in which I was staying, I could see exactly where it would be a few minutes later - exactly as it is in this shot. So I just composed the shot and waited for the boat to reach that spot.

Sometimes, it's the shot that has the least elements that creates the strongest appeal. Loved the simplicity, Donald. If you would be so kind to indulge me, my friend... with all that reflection from the sea, where exactly was the sun located?

Thank you Willie.

The shot was taken at 7:06pm on a Scottish summer evening. So the sun is still pretty high in the sky. It's at about 2 o'clock; i.e. above me and slightly to the right

I do like the photo, though I do have one question. Are the edges of the mountain really that smooth, or were they smoothed out during processing?

From this distance, they do look that smooth, those ones in particular. These have been crafted by ice, so unless they were made from the hardest of rock, they tend to be relatively smoothed out.

I hope your porridge curdles!

If it does, you just throw in another haggis to counter the effect!

One thing that upsets me ever so slightly is the small kink in the horizon just above left of the boat. I think, to maintain the simplicity of the image I personally would have levelled this off so that the horizons were a log straight line intersecting the image from left to right.

I saw that one as well, Tommy and rightly or wrongly decided to leave it. That is, in fact, the end of one of the small islands that are dotted around the southern end of the loch. I think in the version above it looks as if you are looking at one land mass. But in bigger versions you can faintly see that there are the mountains behind and an island in front of them.

We were going to spend our summer holiday this year in Scotland, staying on the lochs and see various other places. I can imagine that a lot of it is a photographer's paradise. We (the wife) decided that Sri Lanka would be a better holiday destination, so we're going there instead.

You're lucky that the choice was down to 2 of the most wonderful places in the world!!

We were fortunate enough to visit Sri Lanka twice (both over the Christmas/New New Year period), the last time being in 2002, 2 years before the Boxing Day tsunami hit, wiping out one of the hotels that we had stayed in. It is a staggeringly beautiful place.

[Ollokot]

Hi Donald,
I like this and want to echo the response's the image has recieved.
Btw where is the "more about the VND" ? as Bobo says, one of these is on my wish list, whenever the wish can be fulfilled,and would be interested in your thoughts on the filter.
Best Wishes Pat

[Benjy]

Hi Donald,really like it,usual standard from you... great...by the way I will know the angler as I work in the angling club,cheers

[Donald]

I will know the angler as I work in the angling club,cheers

Bernard, have a look at this one.

[rpcrowe]

Donald, I love everything about this image. The monochrome conversion is beautiful and the position of the boat really makes it.

There is only one thing missing: you missed Nessie! No wonder you didn't get a shot of it. You were shooting the wrong Loch!

[Mike Buckley]

Just when I was getting the impression that Donald prefers low-contrast images, he posts this one. In addition to what everyone else mentioned, I really like the layers; their simplicity adds interest without providing distraction.

[Donald]

Just when I was getting the impression that Donald prefers low-contrast images, he posts this one.

Keep a look out. They're coming along in the next 24/48 hours. These are the ones in which I started getting serious about trying to understand my new Vari ND filter.

[Donald]

The monochrome conversion is beautiful and the position of the boat really makes it.

This is one of those times when it seemed to me there was absolutely no alternative but to strictly apply the rule of thirds. It just felt it had to be that way.

You will find, I think, that the fisherman's head is right on the thirds intersection.