September Around Auchencairn

[David]

Hi All - Here's a short photo essay based on walks around the village of Auchencairn in South West Scotland. The shots were taken with a Canon 5D Mk 2 fitted with the Canon EF 24-105 mm 1:4 IS L lens. Post-processing was via Canon's DPP and then local contrast enhancement in the Gimp.

We start off with the Harvest Moon:



and follow up with a view across a recently harvested field to Bengairn:



The local bramble bushes provided a study in RGB:



The walk continues down to Rascarrel Burn, with a view over to Cumbria:



Turning left along the coast we have Rascarrel Bay itself:



and the shore at the far end of the Bay:



Time here for a composition in rock, positive and negative space:



and a spot of boulder building:



Moving on we encounter some crab apples with a hungry fly:



Brambles also provide fast food for flies:



On then to Torr Point with its incredible display of orange lichen:



Finally, back across the lush fields of Torr Farm with Bengairn in the background:



Comments and crits are, as always, welcome.

Cheers

David

[Dave Humphries]

Hi David,

A very good series, nicely processed too - although it is essential to F11 the browser and view the series bigger in the Lytebox or they may look soft if only seen at the 700px in the post, however, I prefer to see them big like this.

There are no bad ones and I can't really suggest any improvements on compositions without getting picky and then it would only the non-landscape shots - and I suspect they are the shape they are because of being in the series.

Exposures are good, as is WB on most, but I did wonder if the first two are just a little too 'golden and saturated', but I stress, in an effort to avoid saying "they're all wonderful" (which they are) and leave it at that, I am trying to verbalise the odd 2% issues I see. That said, if I had done them, even this "2%" would warrant me going back to do them again.

I don't know how you got those stones to balance though

Well done,

[David]

Hi Dave - Thanks for the comments - very helpful as usual. The point about white balance is interesting and important. Those first two shots were taken early morning and I guess there is a difference in light quality and composition at different times of the day. The third shot was taken at the same time, but I had to work on that to get some of the leaves to appear less dark, so the white balance would change.

Regarding the stones, there was a clip on a recent edition of "Coast" with Neil Oliver featuring a man on who produced ephemeral art by balancing oddly shaped big stones on one another. The results could be quite startling. The key seems to be to have the top stone assert balance through the lower stones so that the whole structure is stable (well, at least until the next wave comes along). It's quite compelling when you try it.

Cheers

David

[carregwen]

The shots were taken with a Canon 5D Mk 2 fitted with the Canon EF 28-105 mm 1:4 IS L lens.

David

I'm a bit confused here. Did you mean the 24-105mm L lens, which is f/4? I have one myself. I'm not being picky, it's just that it might confuse people.

The shots are pretty good. Only thing I would say is the light looks a little harsh in some of them. What time of day was it.

[David]

Rob - 28 edited to 24 - thanks! The first three shots were taken about 8 am one morning, the others on two different days, late morning and early afternoon. I wondered about whether some seemed harsh, but decided to let them stand as they are. Thanks for the comments - always useful.

David

[Donald]

David

What these show us is just how beautiful the south-west corner of Scotland is. So many people travelling north from England by-pass it as they speed over the border and head north at great speed for Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Highlands. Indeed the Highlands are dramatic; the north-west in particular (e.g. Torridon and the over-the-hill road from Achiltibuie to Lochinver and the North Lochinver estate ) is dramatic and spectacular. I love the Orkney Islands.

But standing equal to all these is that south-west corner. It's been too long since I've spent time there.

[Peter Ryan]

Nice journey David and I did look hard at the balancing rocks.

[David]

Donald, Peter - Thanks for the comments, much appreciated. Certainly the SW of Scotland is an extraordinarily beautiful region. While parts of me would like to see the area attract more attention, most of me is quite happy that the cars keep going up the motorway!


David