Category Archives: Scotland

Well it would have been rude not to!

Buachaille Etive Mòr

As the title suggest this is one of the most photographed locations in Scotland and Glencoe in particular, Buachaille Etive Mòr, pretty much a pyramid as viewed from the A82.

Other photographers would have you believe it’s a difficult place to get to, well it isn’t, its about 50m from the road side and there are tripod holes everywhere!. First of quite a few I did there, spent an hour trying every angle I could think of and standing in the rapid downstream. To the left is a 20′ drop of torrent so you have to be fairly steady on your feet when clambering about.

Particularly like the mist caressing “The Beuckle” as climbers call it!

One big thing to mention is the dreaded midges, I used a head net, you look a fool but it certainly works, since then I also discovered “Smidge” it’s about the best anti midge spray you can put on and it smells lovely too.

Wellies are a must too and I eventually managed to talk Jo into have some Muckboots so we went to Dumfries where I bought her some….she’s now a convert, gotta love em!

Ah well on with the week, busy doing prints for clients then it’s off to post my ABIPP Submission a whole 8 days early, I am very efficient aren’t I? Still gotta sort out my book print which should be sorted today too and I’ll have that in 10 days ready for December’s Assessment.

Have a great week all

Adrian

Glen Etive – The Bike Shack

Glen Etive - Bike Shack

What a fantastic walk down the Glen we had, it’s some distance though and not for the fainthearted, carrying my kit too which always weighs a ton! my eyes light up when I saw this site, talk about the perfect composition laid out ready for you , I took loads of different angled shots then I noticed a black cloud above my head…..oh yes midges, millions of the little blighters and there’s me in a bloody T shirt, my arms started burning soon followed by my head, covered in bites….so nobody tell me this is an easy profession, I still have the scabs to prove it isn’t!
Still a bloody great walk and I love the shot

Have a great weekend

 

Adrian

Sunset Moon

Sunset Moon

It’s Thursday already and I have so much to get ready, nearly got my ABIPP book ready, sending to printers this morning, portfolio complete and ready for the assessment 6th December, thing is you have to submit the electronic version 25th Oct then you cannot change this. Jo has been checking and double checking my spelling and grammar on my write ups, I was always terrible at spelling.

This shot is at Dumfries.  A wonderful sunset with large moon made all the more colourful with the use of 2 filters, a Lee  sunset and Heliopan polariser, this was then adjusted in PS cs5 with more saturation and a real good clean up to get the sea spray off the shot, may not look like it it but it was a gale force wind and quite a tricky spot to be in.

 

Anyway I love the colour of this, album art work???? maybe

Adrian

Glencoe Mist – Loch Leven

Glencoe Mist - Loch Leven

Well here’s the first of many from my Scotland and Isle of Skye trip, there will be plenty of misty wet shots, no choice in the matter, never seen as much rain..lol

Loch Leven which has a caravan site part way down “Invercoe Caravan Site” is the ideal spot for a stop over or to explore the surrounding beauty of Glencoe, I must admit I would love to get back in the winter if anyone fancies it?

This shot was so calm and serene, I just sat on the Loch bank, super wellies on and the waters lapping gently round my legs. Using my skyblue filter to add the tint it took 26seconds of exposure and produced this mirror image of a beautiful place.

 

Off to argue with Apple now re my dodgy iPhone 4, it’s developed a fault and o2 insurance won’t cover it, they’ll be getting ditched when the contract runs out….do Vodafone buy out contracts?

 

many many more to follow

 

Adrian

Back at Last

Dumfries Sunrise

Well we’re finally back from our Scotland trip, who could have imagined that when the UK seemed to be basking in a glorious summer we would be in the worst weather Scotland was experiencing in years, gale force winds and torrential rain and sleet for 13 days out of 14 with the exception of a couple of sunsets and 1 sunrise.

Mustn’t  grumble though as we did have a fantastic time and visited some wonderful places. Isle of Skye was a let down for me, although it does have some amazing coastline and the obvious rock sticking up it doesn’t do it for me, highlight was the walk to Neiste Point with Stormy and building a little rock tower in memory of loved ones past.

Also fell over a rock on a night time return and busted a finger and my knee, could have been worse as the tide was raging and I was so close to falling in, great shot to follow on this.

Anyway loads of shots to follow, this on was actually the last, taken on the morning of coming home and it was the only sunrise to make an appearance.

 

loads to follow, have a great Sunday

 

Adrian

it’s nice to be dry for a change

Monumental Rays

Monumental Rays

 

One that didn’t make it onto the sales site due to the blow out white, pity as I really like it, but hey that’s life, tried burning it out but it just not having it, will have to wait for our next trip and have another play.

Shot is Neilson’s Monument near Rinngford, Kirkcudbrightshire. James Beaumont Neilson (June 22, 1792 – January 18, 1865) is a Scottish Inventor whose hot blast process greatly increased the efficiency of smelting iron….so there you are!

Its a lovely walk up from the tackle shop and cafe at the bottom of the walk, but do beware if you have a dog with you there are electric fences everywhere, Stormy got stung with one, she didn’t half let out a yelp.

Anyway this wont get through to sales its just to show the comp and of course I love those rays.

Meeting with other togs later for lunch, should be a good catch up.

Adrian

 

Pebble Beach Sunset Crown

Pebble Beach Sunset Crown

Morning all

just been to the docs and now need a scan on my head and coccyx of all things..lol talk about being topped and tailed! ooohhh bet its going to hurt! Wussy that I am, or so I am told.

Anyway this little beauty is from a sunset session on good old Anglesey, there are very few decent pebble beaches due to nature of the island’s slate and volcanic structure, but you do get these little gems popping up from time to time especially if you wait for the right conditions. The pebble bank is only 15-20′ wide and catching the sea and the sunset at just the right time has taken me a few seasons now…think I got it ok.

 

I feel a canvass coming on for the dining room if Jo will let me, few more to process for the vid to music then its back to some local work and hopefully a commission, will tell all later.

all the best

 

Adrian

Sunset Rays

Sunset Rays

Still processing shots from Scotland and this was making use of my Lee Star filter, a really useful piece of glass you can angle and create the rays to suit your shot, believe me its not quite that easy you do have to play quite a bit with it to get the right image meanwhile the sea is coming in and the light is fading fast, still I think I got this about right.

Liverpool bound this morning, hope my day goes well, Stormy’s not impressed she’s not coming with me and I must admit I really don’t like leaving her, she;’s had her morning dinner and slice of toast! we did go for a sunrise walk this morning and what a beauty it was, mist rising off the local fishing lake and salmon pink skies above

Adrian

Sea Through

Sea Through

well firstly excuse the pun couldn’t resit…..

Its Thursday and raining so that must mean I need to be outside today, who is this person and his laws called sod?

Anyway this is yet another sunset from Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries Scotland, I still have loads left to process, I’ll get round to them when I’m bored. The area like Anglesey has much to be explored and I can spend many a happy hour shin deep in the sea waiting to catch that beautiful sun rise/fall across the horizon.

Well its big car and caravan cleaning day today ready for Anglesey, hate it but love seeing things clean, Stormy’s getting really lazy and wouldn’t get up for a walk this morning, I think she could hear the rain and thought better of it, she is way too clever for 11 months old.

 

Adrian