November on the Isle of Skye ... Part 1

[Birma]

We're currently visiting the in-laws on the Isle of Skye and I've had a few opportunities to scurry off with the camera. Here are three from the trip so far.

All with TM 17-50/2.8, F11, ISO100

1/250


1/50


2.5, CPL, ND Grad


Others pics here http://s293.photobucket.com/albums/mm62 ... in%20Skye/

C&C welcome.

[paulmurphy]

Looks like you're gettig better weather in November than we 2yrs ago in August, I still thought it was a beautiful place and plan to go back, please post some more - the white cottages remind me particularly of Skye and we stopped in a very similar one in Lower Milovaig.

Hope you don't mind me posting a pic, this was our cottage looking out over Loch Poolteil



Best wishes

Murph

ps I know it breaks the 'photographic rules' but for the reflection shot I would be tempted to try a panoramic crop and make the image almost symetrical as the relection is so good

[David Kilpatrick]

They are great pix - prefer the first two for the weather conditions - but I do notice you are suffering from inclined horizons on all three - left hand dip. You might (like me, I do this too unless I really concentrate) benefit from a grid screen to help keep critical horizons and verticals level.

David

[Dr. Harout]

I agree. The shots are great though.

[KevinBarrett]

Wow, Birma, that third picture is breath-taking!

[bossel]

1 & 3 are great!

[Birma]

Looks like you're gettig better weather in November than we 2yrs ago in August, I still thought it was a beautiful place and plan to go back, please post some more - the white cottages remind me particularly of Skye and we stopped in a very similar one in Lower Milovaig.
<snip>
ps I know it breaks the 'photographic rules' but for the reflection shot I would be tempted to try a panoramic crop and make the image almost symetrical as the relection is so good

Hi Murph. You just never know with the Hebridean weather. We sat outside on Tuesday afternoon in t-shirts enjoying the summer sunshine, but we have also had week long poor weather during summer visits. You should definately make a return trip though. Out of season, if you can, often provides better weather.

I did try a shot similar to what you suggest. Here it is. In the end I liked the other shot a bit more.

ISO 80, 1/125 @35mm

[Birma]

Thank you to David, Doc, Kevin and Bossel.

Regarding the dipped horizons, a re-occurring problem . These shots were with a tripod so I can't even blame hand holding. The tripod has a spirit level on it, but it is a cheap tripod and not very steady or easy to adjust. (I do wish we had the same options of hot-shoe attachments that the other brands have.) I will have to investigate the grid screen, but I will also need to be able to adjust the camera on the tripod, perhaps an upgrade is called for. For this trip I will have to try and get the hang of the straighten tool in Elements.

There is wind and rain forecast for the next few days so here's hoping for some dramatic skies on Skye

[Dr. Harout]

Better. Keep up the good job.

[aster]

An interesting landscape Birma,

Very nice photos...and I'll look forward to your rain-clad future shots.

Good luck
Yildiz

[ianmiddy]

Wow, those bring back some great memories - was there last summer but only for a week and, as you said, the weather was somewhat 'variable' !

...certainly the water was calmer in your first shot than it was in mine, lol - there was a helicopter delivering power poles nearby, and he had a hard time controlling 'em:





obviously a popular shooting location - looking forward to seeing some more images...

Cheers

IDM

[KevinBarrett]

Don't helicopters usually try to AVOID power poles?

[alfake]

Birma: I really like your reflection photo (the first one) as it is. But I do think that, as Murph suggests, a slight crop could perhaps make it even better. My suggestion would be just to eliminate the foreground underwater rocks (in order to simplify a little more the already wonderfully simple image).
Alfonso

[Birma]

Thanks to Yildiz, IDM and Alfonso.

Love the 'copter shot IDM! I have often wondered how they got the poles out to the middle of moutain sides etc.

Here is another attempt at PPing the Tables shot.

[Dr. Harout]

Love the 'copter shot IDM! I have often wondered how they got the poles out to the middle of moutain sides etc.

Now they are pulling them back
BTW, nice shots IDM, love the chopper shot, they are like birds and cats, that is very photogenic.