[iGiDK]

After a solid 4 hours kip I made an impulse decision to head north to Rannoch Moor in time for sunrise.

The skies were pretty clear during the drive up so initially I thought I'd try and fire off a few frames at Loch Ba, and hopefully capture a little mist on the water with a nice pink sky.

Unfortunately the sunrise didn't look like it was going to be great due to a band of cloud on the eastern horizon, unfazed I decided to shoot on the other side of the A82 at Lochan na h-Achlaise.

This first shot was taken just as the sun was beginning to light up the hills, I turned the CPL to darken the reflections in the immediate foreground - comparing this with a few of my other frames I quite like how this darkened area adds a little more depth to the scene.

I'm getting into the habit of shooting both vertical and horizontal frames of the same scene (if time permits). This vertical composition is my favourite photograph from the morning:

17mm | f/11 | 0.3sec | ISO-100 | ND Grad | CPL

A little while later, the sun began to illuminate my scene, again here is another vertical composition that appeals to me.

I'm quite drawn to how there are differing types of clouds visible here, and the way in which the banded clouds add a diagonal shape in both the sky and reflection.

13mm | f/16 | 0.5sec | ISO-100 | ND Grad | CPL

CC most welcome

Thank you for looking

[IAN P]

Excellent shots,top one just gets the honours

[vulkan75]

both brilliant but the 2nd one is outstanding

.......I really have to go to scotland

[cedmondson]

Definitely the first for me. I love the austere look of it, just lifted by the hint of pink, particularly in the reflections. Very nice indeed

[Biscuit761]

Superb, am off to ebay to order some ND Grads !

Bill

[booyaka]

lovely stuff

[iGiDK]

Originally Posted by IAN P

Excellent shots,top one just gets the honours

Thank you very much Ian

Originally Posted by vulkan75

both brilliant but the 2nd one is outstanding

.......I really have to go to scotland

Cheers mate, Scotland welcomes you

Originally Posted by cedmondson

Definitely the first for me. I love the austere look of it, just lifted by the hint of pink, particularly in the reflections. Very nice indeed

Thank you very much for the kind comment

Originally Posted by Biscuit761

Superb, am off to ebay to order some ND Grads !

Bill

Oh no, first I corrupted onefivenine and now you!

go to studiokitdirect.co.uk, that's where I get my commission

Originally Posted by booyaka

lovely stuff

Cheers Chris, hope all is well mate, it's been a while

[Holowlegs]

Hello there

These are both top pictures. The water in the second one is something else, top class stuff


Cheers Holo

[iGiDK]

Originally Posted by Holowlegs

Hello there

These are both top pictures. The water in the second one is something else, top class stuff


Cheers Holo

Thanks a lot mate, it's such a peaceful place I love it there - the water was like a mirror at times

[springtide]

Fantastic shots both of them! #2 is my fav!

[Paulie-W]

Great shots. I really like the blueness of the first one

[DJC013]

Very nice indeed !! My vote goes to the first picture !!

[dazza74]

Can't decide on a favourite, a couple of real stunners.

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

It's a beautiful wee spot there. I like the both and you did well to come up with two compositions I've not really seen of that, extremely heavily photographed, area. Nice!

[bodoman]

Beautiful location and certainly done justice to with these 2 photographs, top marks for your effort and skills

[stevegreen]

#2 is beatufully peaceful. Very nice.

[Tobers]

Both beauts Dave.

Can I humbly suggest that you do some landscape orientation shots as well. I often do one landscape and one portrait of a given scene and then select the best of the two. It's pretty simple to twiddle the camera and spin the grads and just use the same settings.

I say this as I feel there's a lot of sky in both at the expense of the land & water to the left & right of your current framing. I know you're into portrait style, but I'd really like to see a wider view compared to a higher view.

Feel free to ignore me though - most do.

[onefivenine]

Very nice shots Dave, really sharp and punchy.

[rkingphoto]

It's nice when it's frozen too!

[U'R'ss]

Very nice

[TarMoo]

I prefer the horizontal version of the 1st photo of Lochan na h-Achlaise on your flickr page. They all look very impressive and tranquil.

[Liquid101]

Nice shots - very clean and sharp. Great light.

[iGiDK]

Originally Posted by rkingphoto

It's nice when it's frozen too!

Wow, like that frame the ice really adds to the scene well - can you post your website address? (can't make it out in your border)

[iGiDK]

Originally Posted by Tobers

Both beauts Dave.

Can I humbly suggest that you do some landscape orientation shots as well. I often do one landscape and one portrait of a given scene and then select the best of the two. It's pretty simple to twiddle the camera and spin the grads and just use the same settings.

I say this as I feel there's a lot of sky in both at the expense of the land & water to the left & right of your current framing. I know you're into portrait style, but I'd really like to see a wider view compared to a higher view.

Feel free to ignore me though - most do.

Thanks for the comment Andy, got a couple of horizontal compositions up my sleeve as well

17mm | f/11 | 0.8sec | ISO-100 | ND Grad | CPL

18mm | f/16 | 0.4sec | ISO-100 | ND Grad | CPL


...and another composition where I have gone for a mono conversion

22mm | f/11 | 1/10sec | ISO-100 | ND Grad | CPL

Originally Posted by rasputin

I prefer the horizontal version of the 1st photo of Lochan na h-Achlaise on your flickr page. They all look very impressive and tranquil.

lol you beat me to it

Cheers for the kind comment mate

[IAN P]

Whoa,those horizontal views are even better than the vertical,good stuff indeed

[rkingphoto]

Originally Posted by iGiDK

Wow, like that frame the ice really adds to the scene well - can you post your website address? (can't make it out in your border)

www.rkingphoto.co.uk

[iGiDK]

Cheers Robert, your images of the Glenfinnan monument & Ben Vair are fantastic

[onefivenine]

Yep the horizontal ones win for me! Smashing.
Great one there from rking too!

[rkingphoto]

Originally Posted by onefivenine

Yep the horizontal ones win for me! Smashing.
Great one there from rking too!

Thank you!

[moob]

As usual, your landscapes are outstanding. It is your fault I'm gonna have to go and buy the Sigma 10-20.

At least it will give me an excuse to get up north again - brilliant location.