Photoclubalpha

Hate to show all these touristy shots but what the heck. It is beautiful St. Andrews.
Get ready for many posts of St. Andrews, Edinburgh, and their surrounding golf courses. Took over 400 images. This will take a while.
BTW, most shots will be with the a900 and the Zeiss 24-70 (both of which were rented for the trip).
Enjoy.

Hi Jbtaylor,

You've been to some nice structures indeed. Looking forward to seeing more from the trip with the A900 and the CZ 24-70mm.

The first one is a very good shot of the specific architectural structures. Even the rock structures on the shore are visible and the bird-in-flight adds a sense of freedom to this waterfront.
The details of masonry in the second photo are so fine that I wonder how they stood the test of time and the elements all this time.
I think the third image has an intriguing vantage point but the horizontal top bar seems to be in line with the baseline of buildings in the distance and that's kind of confusing. Maybe holding the camera a little higher would result in a better frame...I'm not sure but I enjoyed the photos all the same. The integrity of these historic places always amazes me as they seem to be conserved nicely.

Thanks for sharing,

Yildiz

Thanks Yildiz.
Regarding the a900 and the 24-70, I must admit that I see the difference and like it very much. The lens was an outstanding performer. It makes the a700 shine as well.
You are correct about the 3rd image. It is just enough off that one cannot help but notice it. However, I kept it for the other parts of the image.
Now continuing with the gateway / doorway theme, I present the following;

Hi jb, very interesting to share your walk around St. Andrews Will you ever recover from the 900 plus 24-70 combo or are you now 'smitten'

Thanks Birma. I send the unit back tomorrow. I will miss it.
Have not finished thinking about it yet but here is what I have so far.
The camera- it is fun to use but heavy. The resolution knocked me over when I looked at some of the images last night on my home computer. More computing horsepower would be required if I were to get one. The noise is there at 800, more so than the a700. All in all, the a700 is more versatile but the a900 resolution is really addictive. I will probably get one once they are discontinued (Sonystyle demo).
The lens- simply put, it was magnificent. It is the walk around lens for me. I have strong hands (thanks to golf) and I can manage it quite well. I would want one of these even if I don't get the a900. The next shot is with the a700. As you can see. it still looks damn sharp. I am starting to regret buying the new Sigma even though I like what it does for me.

Hi Jbtaylor,

The photos with the CZ 24-70mm are indeed sharp. The last photo speaks out the quality.
I like the parted gate in the first photo of the second series; opening to a poetic courtyard and garden. The second one almost reminded me of autumn with its solemn mood somehow. And I love the blue, simple-looking door and the clean yet worn/weathered appearance of the stone wall around it.

You got the theme of gateways and doorways right...

Yildiz

Thanks Yildiz.
More doorway, gates, and alley images coming at you. The country has more than it's share.