Innse Gall (Isles of the Gael)

[Birma]

I have been looking for some ways to capture the grass growing in the dunes which has an amazing textures, and is almost 'liquid' in the wind.


The Grass Wave by Birm, on Flickr


Beach Walkers by Birm, on Flickr

[Juanito200]

What a wonderful set from a beautiful place Birma. Your shots of the beach and sky are magnificent.. I hope you have more to show us. BTW I'm glad to see your picture using the 10 stop filter. I have a 3 stop one, and finding it almost useless...One more thing to save up for I guess..

[caporip]

Great set Birma

I was up there on Skye for 3 days last november with friends at Dunvegan had fantastic weather. Am up again house sitting(!) for two weeks. Its a dirty job but someone has to do it. Last time I only explored the the North West corner of the Island but hope to do a lot more in July.

[Greg Beetham]

Ah ha! there is something in the water for sure Birma, sea birds are there for a reason. I like that second B&W, has a dramatic quality that I like in a black and white. I like the grass shots, but getting the wind blowing wave effect is hard I think if you haven't got a large field of grass, but if you do find a sea of grass, shooting 'with' the wind might help if the light is in the right direction, towards the light might be good.
Greg

ps. I couldn't log on to PCA for ages today.

[jbtaylor]

Looks like you have really hit your stride with the gear and the subject matter. So how does it feel to be "in the zone"?

[alphaomega]

Lovely pictures of Harris by Birma. The kind of light I remember from our visit in 2009. Don't want to steal Birma's "thunder" but allow me to chip in with a trio from my own collection. The first is my version of a Harris beach. The second is taken from a small place called Aird Asaig heading north from Tarbet towards Lewis and getting a grand view of the Harris Mountains. The final one is a general view of that centre of population on Harris called Tarbert. The ferry from Uig in Skye can be seen waiting to load vehicles for the return journey to Uig. Wonderful place with plenty of photo opportunities.

[Dr. Harout]

This whole topic should've been in "Welcome to my world" section.
It begun as a very good thread, gradually turning into a wonderful and an excellent one.
Keep them coming.

[Dusty]

If you guys keep post photos such as those from Skye, you're going to make me broke, because I'll have to spend the money to go there someday!

Or, maybe I'll just get a really large monitor and form all the shots into a slideshow!

Dusty

[Birma]

Thank you John, Caporip, Alphaomega, Greg, the Doc, JB and Dusty - all comments much appreciated .

Very nice pictures from Alphaomega and Caporip - very happy for anybody to contribute any pictures of the Hebrides, especially such crackers as these! I think I recognise where most of the shots were taken and so I must be getting to know my way around up here.

Some more shots from me. Wednesday was a very wet day, but is did clear up a bit at the end of the day for the last hour or so before darkness. I took some shots from a differnet spot, still around Luskentyre.


Across the Bay to Seilebost by Birm, on Flickr


Evening Sunshine by Birm, on Flickr

[Birma]

A couple of slightly different ones.

A longish (30 sec) exposure using a 10 stop filter - I like the effect of reducing the water to 'just' colour and the added drama to the clouds. There are also a couple of similar, but shorter exposures on my flickr stream. I think the 10 stop filter (Hitech) works better when you are sratring with relatively decent light. Much over 30 secs seems to really degrade the picture. (I had to use my hat to cover the slot filter and eye piece.)

Luskentyre Estuary LE by Birm, on Flickr

A b&w treatment from earlier in the week that made the 'second cut'.

Sandscape by Birm, on Flickr

Still A700 + Tamron 17-50/2.8.

[Birma]

Today started off with very promising weather and a morning on the beach was called for.


Blue Skies Over Taransay by Birm, on Flickr


Through the Dunes to Taransay Sound by Birm, on Flickr

[Birma]

It clouded over after lunch and so we went in search of other things to investigate.

A prehistoric standing stone called McLeod's Stone.

McLeod's Stone by Birm, on Flickr

It is fascinating to think that it has stood here for millenia looking done the West coast of Harris.

Stone's View by Birm, on Flickr

[Birma]

Another view in the darker weather of this afternoon, looking back across the bay to where we are staying.


Low Cloud Over Beinn Dhubh by Birm, on Flickr

Something a bit different from this morning - another shot with the 10-stop ND filter. I like the way it simplifies the picture, but not sure I am using it to its best effect yet, and also it is probably not everyone's cup of tea .


Seaweed on Luskentyre Beach LE by Birm, on Flickr

[aster]

Hi Birma,

Gorgeous samples of the many interesting spots ...

I think the varying light and weather conditions worked to your benefit; some drama and some cheer here and there. You must be walking a great deal to compile so many different views from different angles. : ) The walking hasn't done any damage to the feet though, as it appears in an other thread.

I like the spot the McLeod Stone stands and your experimentally evolving 10-stop-filter exposures; especially when the filter gives the restless water a gleaming pastel powder quality. I wonder how many other ways the filter can contribute to your photography but I like what I see, especially when there are rough rocks or gleaming sand around the water. Definitely a surreal, dreamy look.

Keep shooting and sending! So, glad that you provide a live stream of images while still there, thanks to Internet and mobile technology. : ))

Yildiz

[Greg Beetham]

I sortof like that one with the long exposure misty sea effect, although it could tend to be a little creepy...depending on how you look at it. Wow Birma I thought you'd found a croc when I first scrolled that seaweed clump into view ha ha, I wasn't looking directly at it at first. I also like those ones with McLeods stone, but I can't decide which one I like best.
All great stuff, I think there is still plenty of photos left in that place yet.
Greg