With thanks to Sharon (Daisy Mae)

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks to Sharon's thread today about her current trip through villages in Scotland, I was able to determine that a few of my images were captured in Plockton. I have been trying to figure that out since I cataloged the images years go. These are scans of slides captured there in 2002.

C&C encouraged, as always.

[FrankMi]

Hi Mike, from this set it is obvious that you have an excellent eye for capturing a compelling composition! I'll bet the original slides looked even better when projected on a screen. I've had very poor luck digitizing old slides and many have changes color so much that it likely isn't worth trying. Sad. Color slides were fantastic in their day.

[DanK]

Very nice images. I particularly like the first. The second looks like it could use a tad of punching up, perhaps vibrance alone or vibrance and contrast. The third seems out of balance to me--too much mass and space devoted to the rocks--but is otherwise a striking image.

[Polar01]

Mike: All three are great images, but I like the 3rd one the best, just love the details in those rock in the foreground, guess it must be the geography lover in me.

Cheers:

Allan

[Daisy Mae]

Loving that mist Mike!

[Mike Buckley]

Such diverse reaction that I'm happy to respond individually...

Frank: I actually prefer showing digitized scans on a television compared to projecting film slides on a screen (or for that matter, projecting digital files whether scanned or digital captures on a screen). That's for many reasons. I would like to think my post-processing often renders a better result than the original slide. I prefer the television's true black that surrounds the image. I also dislike that using a film projector requires the room to be dark (not so when using a digital projector or a television).

I think the reason my slides haven't changed color in 30 years (or at least I don't think that has happened) is that I took great care to store them in slide boxes to keep them constantly in the dark and I also made sure the temperature never got overly warm.

Dan: You mentioned that you'd like to see more pop in the second image. Though that's understandable and many I'm sure would agree with you, it's a choice rather than an oversight that I postprocessed this image to have a somewhat muted look. When you mention that the third image devotes too much space to the rocks, I'll take that as a compliment, as that is exactly the look that I was going for. I always appreciate disagreement about stylistic preferences and your articulate comments are especially enjoyable.

Allan: Glad you like the rocks with the lichen. You might find it interesting that I once had the great pleasure of coming upon about 20 geologists in Nova Scotia who had come from all over the world to see the geology there. Better yet, they asked me to take a group picture, so I positioned them on a ledge above the rocks and shot upward from beneath the rocks. The image requires an understanding of why they were there, but with that understanding it tells a great story.

Sharon: Getting my wife up in time to see the mist was often much more of a challenge than figuring out how to capture it. (I write this when she's NOT looking over my shoulder.)

[Digital]

Nice images Mike. I especially like the one of the country road. Bruce

[Donald]

For those of us who grew up in that sort of environment and landscape (I'm from slightly further south than Plockton), these do capture the essence of the north-west Highland of Scotland. And that, to me, marks their success as images.

[Muriel]

Very nice pictures. One thing about this site is that I can sit here in Oregon USA and travel all over the world. It is just a beautiful ongoing world tour. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Bunty Plumchip]

I think these do exactly what I would aspire to do- show it how the eye sees and the brain would like it to look. I love the understated mood of #2- it would be so tempting to exaggerate the tones and colours, but the way you have captured it is showing the very essence of understated beauty.
I have learned much from seeing these shots. Thanks for digging them out and sharing them.

[dje]

Great shots Mike. Love the mist and the colours in the first one in particular.

Dave

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks also to the last batch of responses. I'm going to respond to specific responses, not just because I am grateful, but also to shed light on my thinking. Whether you agree or disagree with my thinking, I'm happy so long as your convictions make sense to you.

Muriel: Nobody loves travel images more than I, especially when making decisions about where to visit. Your comment really touched me in the nicest way imaginable.

Dave: It's particularly interesting that you especially like the first image. For some odd reason, I cataloged its quality only as a keeper. When I reviewed it again today, which is years after I cataloged it, I decided that it deserved an upgrade.

For those of us who grew up in that sort of environment and landscape (I'm from slightly further south than Plockton), these do capture the essence of the north-west Highland of Scotland.

I wouldn't pretend to understand the essence of the area, as I visited it only for a few days, which is regrettable. To that extent, I think it's reasonable to say that I got lucky. On the other hand, the images do indeed reflect the essence of what I perceived the area to be in the few short days that I was fortunate enough to be there. In that context, Donald, you paid me the highest compliment that I can imagine. Thank you!

I love the understated mood of #2- it would be so tempting to exaggerate the tones and colours, but the way you have captured it is showing the very essence of understated beauty.
I have learned much from seeing these shots. Thanks for digging them out and sharing them.

I am throwing you kisses through the Internet, Carolyn. In this world of digital photography when the temptation is so strong to increase saturation and contrast, it is SO nice to see that you are putting the spotlight on any images, much less mine, that exhibit restraint.

I actually didn't "dig them out." I am going through 29 years of images and deciding which ones to convert to B&W. I'm displaying those B&W images in order of when I convert them. I decided to post these color images only because Sharon's images helped me identify the location of my own images. So thank her, not me.

[Polar01]

Mike to you happen to have the photo of those geologist, as the leader of that pack may have been one of my best friends' brother-in-law that guy has and I mean has walked over ever inch of Nova Scotia.

Cheers:

Allan

[Mike Buckley]

Nah, Allan, I tossed it. Seriously, click this little thingy: Geologists

[terrib]

Mike, I just want to say that I wouldn't change a thing in any of these photos. I really enjoyed spending time with each of them. The color detail in the first one is great and those clouds coming in like fingers are really interesting.

One thing I learned is to click on the photos and page through them rather than just scrolling down to see them one after the other. On the second photo, I was scrolling down and first saw the house and wondered "what the heck is he doing with the house hidden back there". But then I clicked the picture and looked at it in it's entirety. I love that stone wall along the road and as I follow it, I want to know what's hidden up there. It's a beautiful image.

And I love all the rock in the third. I just want to wander all over them and explore the crevices for sea urchins and such.

Thanks for showing these.

[Mike Buckley]

Such a thoughtful and thought-full post, Terri! Thank you for taking the time to provide such detailed comments.