HIgh Land Dew

This is a shot from last October when we visited Scotland for a few

days, the rain didn't let up for this shot, but in between wiping the lens

and sheilding the camera from the worst of the rain I managed to get

this one. No matter which way I processed it, I couldn't seem to get it

right, this was my last attempt, but I'd appreciate your thoughts and

opinions, Many Thanks

It looks like a very wet area experiencing even wetter weather.  From your description, I'd say you captured the "spirit" very well.  I don't know what your original looked like or what kinds of processing problems you were having.  To my eye, this has a slightly bluish cast, but that may be the best color temperature to have for this scene.

I like photos!!

Alf, great colours and effective shutter speed - a stunning landscape, whose moodiness and richness you've captured to perfection.  However, you might like to try one more version, this time with the image cropped so that the mountain is more to the left of the pic.  I suspect this would enhance the balance while maintaining the overall dynamic effect.  Cheers, Margo.

This is great. compliments -koushik

nicely done Alf....processing looks perfect to me for an overcast, rain drenched day.

Really beautiful work again, Alf!

Just excellent. The slow shutter and the clarity is wonderfully composed. I specially like the misty BG effect of the small hill. Amazing presentation.
All the best. Warm Regards.

Perfect in all, I love it a ot!

Wonderful image Alf. Very moody.  The cascading water is very well captured, i particularly like the way the greenery completely surrounds the stream. Nice colors and diffused light. Excellent image as usual Alf.  Thanks for your recent visit to my portfolio. Regards always -michel

Superb capture of the mood of the day.      Pat

If this is the mountain which stands at the top of Glencoe on the edge of Rannoch Moor then you have that kind of weather conditions thoughout the year. However, this is a fine elemental image with nice rich autumn colours, moving water in the foreground and a sky with the typical 'poor day' character. Great work anyway, Alf, thanks for sharing.

I wish I was there just to hear sound of flowing water...

Alf,

  Beautiful peaceful image with wonderful colors & water flow.  Thanks for sharing.  Take care, Patsy

Full marks for atmosphere!

Not sure about the composition. Maybe it's too balanced or the tree in front of the mountain/hill is a distraction. I wonder if two steps to the right and a slight pan to the left would have helped. (Maybe even a slightly higher viewpoint and a tilt down?)

That said: you depicted a beautiful piece of this world in an attractive manner. Well done.

Matthijs.

An effective shot of a muted dead rainy day with flat diffuse boring light, you created and caught the best result of this landscape scene. Framing and composing river scenes are also essentially very difficult and problematic, as well as somewhat taste-dependent. Impressive and inspiring shot of a difficult light condition and bad climate! Top marks and a big bravo.

Hamid.

Hello Alf,

Here are my two cents worth:

First of all, you are far more dedicated than me and I suspect many others.  I can't imagine going through that ordeal.   The shot is quite dark but I think that is necessary for the effect you are portraying.  I agree with Stephen in that it does seem to have a blueish tint however that is probably called for in this case.  If you were trying to make the viewer cold and depressed I think you have succeeded (lol).

I like the flowing stream with the longer shutter exposure (how long was it?).  The detail held up well for a time exposure.  I would be interested in knowing what ISO you used as well.

There were a few comments that perhaps the hill should be moved to the left to avoid it being to centered.  IMO the composition is perfect.  To me the hill is significantly to the left.  Also, the tree on the left next to the hill also adds to the balance.  I would not want to lose any of the shrubs from the sides and especially not from the foreground.

Lastly, I like the effect of just a faint hint of light around the top of the tree discussed above.  I want to thinkg that it is a slight patch of blue sky breaking through from behind the hill.

Of course all of this is just my opinion and thoughts.

Another nice job.  Thanks for sharing.

Cheers...

Jerry

You have done a great job considering the weather conditions. Viewing it larger certainly allows me to appreciate the image even better. Any additional processing would probably move it away from the current mood and the reality of what you encountered.

When I encounter a scene like this I try and 'work it' with a number of images. Even though this is really good. I might have moved to the right and positioned the large tree to the left of the mountain for another possibility. From that position I might have tried a portrait mode image - this would eliminate the sky on the right. The water looks fairly shallow and if i had water boots, I might have gone down in the water and gotten up close with some rocks for foreground interest and depth perception.

By making all of those suggestions you might think that there is something is wrong with your image and I can assure you that this is a very fine image 'as is'.  Reasons for the suggestion is that once a year I go out with some photo buddies and we are shooting the same subject under the same conditions and I am constantly amazed how different the images look. All very good but different. So when I am not with them, I try and see different apsects of the scene.

All the best

it looks and feels like a rough weather day at the Scottish moors, Alf... this picture, painterly, tho not impressionistic, yet still gorgeous, real, and transports us there... ;-} dp

Wonderful shot, Alf...lovely colors...nice use of slow shutter...my best

STEPHEN

Many thanks for your visit and positive feedback, much appreciated. The particular problem I had with the processing, was that no matter what I did, the image looked too saturated, the colours were so vivid on the original that they almost glowed, it sounds a bit far fetched but I believe it was a combination of the moisture and the time of year. I have toned down the colour quite a lot, (maybe too much), in order for the image to look authentic. And yes you are correct I did choose a slightly cooler temperature from the white balance, again in order to give it a more authentic atmosphere.

Best Regards

Alf

PEKKA

Thank you! I'm very pleased you approve.

Best Wishes

Alf

MARGO

Sincere thanks for your visit and for sharing your thoughts and positive feedback. I have had a look at your suggestion, and yes it's a good crop and it does work, I just wish that tree would disappear : - )

Best Regards

Alf

KOUSHIK

Many thanks for your visit, much appreciated.

Regards

Alf

THOM

I'm really pleased that the "Rainy day" atmosphere has worked, many thanks for your interest and feedback.

Best Regards

Alf

RUUD

Thank you, I'm very pleased you liked it.

Best Wishes

Alf

KAUSHIK

The shutter speed was something I was consciously aiming to get right in this shot (1/4 sec  @ f22) this was enough to give the water the smooth texture but still retain detail. The mist and rain were unavoidable elements that I tried to make the most of. Sincere thanks for your kind words and positive feedback.

Warm Regards

Alf

MAURIZIO

I'm very pleased you liked this one. Many Thanks.

Best Wishes

Alf

MICHEL

Sincere thanks for your imput, it is always well recieved and appreciated. I'm glad you noticed the surrounding greenery, there was numerous options to compose the shot without it in the foreground, and I did take a few, but they really don't stand up to this in terms of composition. I'm really pleased you liked this one.

Best Regards

Alf

PATRICK

Many Thanks for your visit. I'm really pleased I was able to convey the soggy scottish scene in all of it's damp glory : - )

Best Regards

Alf

EL

Your geographic knowledge is again very accurate, it is indeed that very mountain, quite a famous view point I'm told. And yeah your right again the weather there is potentially wet at any time of the year, I'm just determined to go there on a fine day, at least once........maybe this year I will get lucky. I'm really glad you appreciate the mood and colours, Scotlands scenery is always beautiful to me, even in the most appalling weather.  Sincere thanks for your interest and feedback EL.

Best Regards

Alf

GRIGORY

You are never far from water in Scotland, it's a fantastic place to visit.

Regards

Alf

PATSY

Thank you for your visit and posiitve feedback, much appreciated. Even in the most inclement weather, there is great appeal in the Scottish scenery.

Best Regards

Alf

MATTHIJS

Many Thanks for your interest and imput, much appreciated.

I agree with you about the tree, it is in the way, but 2 steps wouldn't eliminate it fom the image, and there was a ditch to the right that I would also have to avoid, in fact the only way get the tree further to the left of the mountain would be to lose the effect of the cascading water and move further upstream, there wasn't a higher viewpoint available, we were standing on moorland, which is very flat, apart from the obvious mountains, and I had my tripod at full height. It was a challenge to compose, particulary with the rain running down my neck and camera being covered up every few seconds, but I can see why you would make those suggestions, I would probably have suggested similar actions if I hadn't been there myself and knew the limitations.

Best Regards

Alf

HAMID

Many Thanks for sharing your thoughts and positive feedback.

It was a challlenge just making the shot, but processing it was even more of a challenge ( See my response to Stephen above)

Best Regards

Alf

JERRY

I enjoy just getting out and being there Jerry, no matter how bad the weather. In fact there is something about extreme conditions that I find really appealing as a photographer, with perhaps the exception of extreme bright sunlight.

I wasn't trying to make viewer cold or depressed, but I did want to convey the wet atmosphere, maybe I over emphasised it! lol

I was aiming to get the exposure right for the water flow, and the settings were as follows

1/4 sec @ f22, ISO 400, focal length 16mm.

I think I made the best of the composition, but Ideally I would like it better without the tree, or with the tree further left, but you have to work with what nature provides.

Your perception of the hint of blue sky is very accurate, although the weather seems quite inclement in this shot, it was subject to change within minutes, or travel 2 miles away and experience different weather again.

Your thoughts and opinions are most welcome Jerry, my sincere thanks

Cheers!

Alf

TONY

Many Thanks for your visit I always value your considered opinions.

I did try a couple of portrait shots which worked out ok (this is something you suggested once before and it stuck in my mind). Moving further to the right worked ok, in as much as it succeeded in framing the tree better, and more to the left, but what it also did was to eliminate the best of the cascading water.

I'm a brave man when it comes to getting my feet wet, I don't mind how cold or wet I get as long as I get the shot, but I think perhaps the image gives tthe impression of a shallow softly flowing stream,( probably due to the shutter speed)  fact is I wouldn't have stood upright in the flow for more than a few seconds because of the force, and it was maybe 3 - 4ft deep just below where I was standing.

It is interesting that you mention different aspects though, because there were 3 of us taking shots with a couple of yards of each other, yet every image looks different. So I can see exactly where you are coming from with your suggestions.

Cheers Tony

Alf

DONNA

Many Thanks for stopping by, it's always good to hear from you.

Yeah it was a bit rough, but very changeable too, a few minutes later and the scene could change dramatically. Maybe this is a photo to view on a hot summers day when you need to cool off : - ) I do agree with your painterly analogy too.

Really pleased you liked it Donna!

Cheers!

Alf

KALLOL

Many thanks for your visit and posiitve feedback, much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

Super beautiful!! I love it.

You said you thought the tree was in the way. It may be, but personally I like both trees in the shot. I see them as bringing color up into what could be a very dreary sky and mountain. they also help give some depth by setting the mountain farther back into the photo.   That is just my opinion for what it is worth

Pat

I think you've done very well considering the difficult conditions. I've worked in similar conditions, and ended up removing a considerable amount of water spots in post. I find it difficult to get good definition in this sort of overcast sky. If you crank on the curves too much you end up with a grainy sky, but do get improved definition. What I've done in these cases is bring up the contrast in the sky, and add a blurred layer over just the sky to get rid of the grain. You mentioned that you used a an aperture of f22. One suggestion I'd make is staying away from the smaller apertures as you do loose some definition when using them. All in all though I think you've really captured the true essence of the highlands. Well done Alf!

All the best,
Neil

alf,

how about a slightly tighter crop. not much to gain visually on the right side of the image. the boys just cannot win a game of football!

all the best.