Innse Gall (Isles of the Gael)

[bakubo]

You are really getting some very nice shots there. Enjoy your holiday!

[Birma]

Thanks Yildiz, Greg and Henry .

We are now back on Skye after, thankfully, a very calm ferry crossing back from Harris. A couple of days here before heading back South .

A whole week on Harris and we hardly left the sqaure mile around our rented cottage, but I never tired of the photographic opportunities. Here are some more of the results.

Back to the start of the trip - taken during the ferry crossing to Harris.

Sky Hook by Birm, on Flickr

The funnel and Red Ensign flying on the ferry taking us to Harris.

MV Hebrides by Birm, on Flickr

[Birma]

More from "the beach"

Sunset Clouds by Birm, on Flickr


Horgabost Mist by Birm, on Flickr

[Birma]

Something a bit different.

My humble hommage to the wonderful paintings of Andrew Craig (see http://www.skoon.com/gallery.asp?artser=1 ).

Luskentyre Blues by Birm, on Flickr
I highly recommend the Skoon Art Cafe as well .

A calm, but misty afternon, a house on the small neighbouring isle of Taransay is just visible over the green waves lapping at Luskentyre.

House Over The Waves by Birm, on Flickr

[Greg Beetham]

I like them all Birma especially that one with the wave. It looks like you could take a camera out in that place in the morning put it on a tripod and take a photo every hour of the same thing, and they all would be very different one from the other.
Greg

[aster]

A rather tightly-framed set as opposed to the wider scene coverages we got from you lately.

I like the the giant breaking wave and its colour against a misty background where we see a solitary cottage in this wilderness, as the only element that pertains to civilization. Probably where you stayed?

I'll have to wait for the night to enjoy your brighter shots, because the light coming through the window completely wipes out the subtle colours and details of your Andrew-Craig-hommage shots. : )) It looks good so far though.

Yildiz

[Birma]

Thanks Greg and Yildiz .

I like them all Birma especially that one with the wave. It looks like you could take a camera out in that place in the morning put it on a tripod and take a photo every hour of the same thing, and they all would be very different one from the other.
Greg

That is certainly what it felt like to me Greg, and why I can't wait to go back again. If I have a photographic muse then it is Harris .

I like the the giant breaking wave and its colour against a misty background where we see a solitary cottage in this wilderness, as the only element that pertains to civilization. Probably where you stayed?

The cottage is on the neighbouring small island of Taransay, just a short hop from where we were. I don't think any one lives year round on Taransay anymore. They made a TV program set on Taransay in 1999/2000 about a group of people 'castaway' - one of those reality, fly on the wall, documentaries. That cottage in the picture is the only one remaining that is still roofed etc. I think it was the old school when the island was last properly inhabitated back in the 1970s.

[Birma]

Pretty much the last set of the pictures from Harris (although a few more to come from Skye hopefully).


April Lamb in the Dunes by Birm, on Flickr


April Lamb by Birm, on Flickr

Both with A700 and Beercan. (The Beercan had an unfortunate tumble on to the floor on Thursday. It seems to be ok. The force of the fall seems to have been taken by the attached UV filter which is slightly bent, but still comes off the lens ok. I know that anything in front of the lens is probably a bad thing from an IQ point of view, but I still like the assurance of some protection. I will also need a new UV protector for the Tamron 17-50/2.8 as the wear and tear due to flying sand and rain has seen to the front surface of the current one.)

[Birma]

In Tarbert Harbour, waiting for the ferry back to Skye.


Three Boats by Birm, on Flickr

The (world?) famous Harris Tweed. There is certainly an effort to update the typical products produced from this amazing cloth. My wife bought a rather swish coat in an attractive purple, although I couldn't find an iPad case .

Harris Tweed by Birm, on Flickr

More A700 with Beercan.

[david antony]

Birma. Last year your trip north of the border was great. This trip is simply amazing & still on going, ;^) capturing so many interesting subjects & places superbly. Loving it all. Thanks for sharing.

[bakubo]

I am enjoying seeing all your photos very much. Thanks for posting! I have never been to that sort of place, but hope to someday.

These days with the U.S. dollar so weak it probably will be awhile before I go to the UK or Europe again. In the last week or so the dollar has appreciated with regard to the Japanese yen, but very weak with regard to the euro, British pound, Canadian dollar, etc. Still strong against many other currencies though. Naturally, it is a consideration when I think about places to go.

Toxic Dollar: Why Nobody Seems to Want US Currency

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42479791

[Dr. Harout]

We should exile Birma there...

[Birma]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your comments

DA, great to know you can see an improvement, I hope I can keep it up.

Henry, I hope you get to travel soon, even if the currency markets mean it will not be Europe as a destination.

Doc, I would love to get exiled to Harris, when can I start ?

Here are a couple from today on Skye.

It was a grey and hazy days and so I thought I would look for a waterfall instead of needing to include the flat sky in any shots. I saw a couple on the map that I had not visited before and set off this afternoon. The actual terrian was a bit trickier than it looked on the map - isn't that always the way ? After a wet foot, dunking the tripod, and banging everything across the rocks, I managed to get close to one of the falls.

Sumardale Waterfall by Birm, on Flickr

This was the view down the stream to Loch Harport and Ardtreck point beyond.

Sumardale River to Ardtreck Point by Birm, on Flickr

Both with A700. First with Tamron 11-18 and second with Tamron 17-50. Both with a slot in CPL filter. I need to get a bigger size really for the 11-18 as a bit of extra cropping was necessary.

[Greg Beetham]

That looks like it might have been an intrepid walk Birma, fairly rugged looking around there, and picturesque as well of course. I see the weather looks threatening, very overcast; what sort of cover do you have for the camera-lenses in case of rain? as I imagine it rains quite frequently there...
Greg

[Birma]

Thanks Greg. Luckily the only rain here yesterday was of the fine, misty variety. While walking to the falls I had everything in a backpack which has a rain cover should the rain get heavier. I just carried the tripod which did get pretty wet and will have to have some tlc when I get home. Once there I trusted to the A700 to shrug off the misty rain and I kept my hat loosely over the lens and filter until taking the shot. A microfibre cloth was needed pretty frequently to clear the front of any droplets. When I know the rain is going to be heavier I have been using a rain cover by Kata, but even this doesn't solve having to clean or additionally cover the front of the lens.