regis

Great shot Gianluca. Simply - perfect use of a HDR technique and perfect control over the whole light in this scene. I really like it.

Another shot from my "Lost World" serie. The same place (The Old Man

of Storr), the same time (4:45 am). Technical info : Canon EOS 20D +

Canon EF-S 10-22mm @10mm, f/10, HDR technique : t=1s, 1/2s, 1/15s,

1/60s. Large version highly recommended.

Jon-Michael - this photo was actually taken at dawn :) You can find some sunset ones in my gallery as well.

Loch Scavaig, Isle of Skye. Please - see the large version.

Yes Zbigniew - early wake-up & drive to the parking place, quick rush to the top (1h) - just to be there before the sunrise (4:40). Thank you for your comment.

Hello Jerry

 

I can agree with your suggestion about frame but I don't like the idea of cropping the photo. What do you mean about the sentence: "... make the horizon on the water horizontal ..." ?. Is in not horizontal actually ?? - try rulers in PS and you'll see. Thank you for your comment - Piotr

Another shot from this amazing location (Trotternish range, Isle of

Skye). Please see the larger version !!!.

Glen Shiel, Kintail Forest - Scotland. Larger version highly

recommended !!!. Your comments much appreciated.

Very nice composition. Colours seems to be a bit oversaturated for my taste - but it is not a problem. The worst thing is the sky - it looks completely artificial and honestly I don't like it. There must have been too much post-production in it, which is a pity because it would be a great photo with some more natural look.

Another shot from the location of Old Man of Storr, Trotternish

Range, Isle of Skye. Larger version strongly recommended as the

gallery resizing algorithm seems to be loosing all the details !!!.

Your comments / critiques much appreciated.

Majestic "Old Man of Storr" at dawn. Please see the larger (1200px)

version. Your comments/critiques much appreciated.

Michael - I used "hyperfocal" focusing method, which for my lens (Canon 10-22), selected focal length (10mm == 16mm after crop) and chosen f-stop (f/10) was something like 0.7 meters, therefore my point of focus was set on the big rock in the foreground.

I had to choose 2-stop grad ND because with a weaker one (0.3) I got some loss of information in the highlights (observed on a histogram). Camera was set on a tripod as the shutter speed was relatively slow - 1/4 second. The idea of exposure bracketing and further blending is really fine (I do it on some occasions), but with slow shutter speeds and clouds, water etc. moving fast there is always a risk that something will not match perfectly. I must say I really like my 10-22 lens - it gives me a lot of fun playing with a perspective. If only it had some tilt & shift capabilities - it would be my perfect one ;)

Thank you for your comments.

 

Uwe - if you go A87 towards Kyle of Lochalsh and pass the bridge, take the first turn left. There is a small parking - a place is called "Ardelve Point" (very popoular one - you can't miss it)

 

You can see it on the map :

 

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=187500&y=826500&z=3&sv=187500,826500&st=4&ar=N&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&ax=185320&ay=826640

Hello Peter

 

No HDR at all !. Just a single exposure. Basic settings in Raw Shooter + only minor levels Correction in Photoshop (as usual - Canon seems to add to much yellow colour into the file). Frame, small unsharp mask - that's all I did.

Taken last weekend at Trotternish, Isle of Skye. Please see the

larger version. Your comments are very welcome.

Thank you very much for all your comments / critiques. I was away for a couple of days (another photo trip) so I had no chance to answer your questions. A lot of discussion has been done here, and I am very happy to read all your opinions.

 

When it comes to cropping this image I was a bit confused about it. Personally I like Tom�s version � where the Castle is moved slightly to the right, but on the other hand I would miss that magic light on the right side - so I left the original version.

 

Another thing is the sky. I forgot to mention in my technical info that a polariser has also been used with this photo � and I think it must have been a reason for an uneven brightness of the whole sky. I know it is a �risky business� to use polarisers with such a wide focal length (16mm) but I was really tempted to get that warm colours on the foreground rocks � so excuse me for that.

 

Finally � Dave�s question about the post-processing done here. Well � most of my work is usually done in a RAW-developing programme (in this case it was Raw Shooter � which gives me a lot of flexibility with the all important options I need). Exposure, WB, Shadows/Highlights contrast etc was done within RS. Later on (with Photoshop) I did some regular levels correction and curve adjustment. Because of the used ND-Grad filter, some part of the castle was darker, I did some local retouching around this place - that is why I haven�t said it is purely un-manipulated photo. Some of you may say it�s cheating, but for me it�s not 100% true. There is no such filter on the market that would always fit to every scene � and digital darkroom can come in help to such situations. Thank you very much for all your nice words � and for your critique as well. Best regards � Piotr.

This photo was taken about 30-40 minites after a wonderful sunset

over the loch. At this time the Sun was hidden behind the mountains,

but still some remaining light was pretty much useful - such an

opportunity I couldn't waste :). I went for a long (about 15sec)

exposure, added a 0.9 Grad ND SE filter not to "burn out" the sky

and here is the result. Hope you'll like it. Please see the larger

version !!!.

A little different approach to this famous and beautiful viaduct.

 

!!! Please see the larger version !!!

Your comments on this photo very appreciated.

 

Please see the larger version.

One of the most beautiful and spectacular castles in Scotland. In a

superbly romantic setting amid silent, tree-clad hills, Eilean Donan

Castle possesses a rare and dream like quality.

 

The castle sits on an island between three lochs; Loch Long, Loch

Alsh and Loch Duich. It stands on the remains of a Pictish Fort and

was once inhabited by the religious hermit, St. Donan. Hence the name

Eilean Donan (Island of Donan).

 

It was built during Alexander II's reign (1214-1250). Alexander III

gave the castle to Colin Fitzgerald, the predecessor of Clan

MacKenzie.

 

In 1719 the castle was defeated by the four English frigates and fell

to ruins for 200 years

 

-----------

 

The weather that day was nothing but perfect. Gentle evening sun-

light done the right job and let me took this shot.

 

 

!!! Please see the larger version !!!

 

Your comments are very appreciated

Your comments very appreciated.

 

!!! Please see the larger version !!!

The weather in Scotland can often be very disappointing, but

sometimes it creates a remarkable combination of sun-light and

clouds texture. I was really amazed to see such a beautiful

spectacle that day.

 

Taken from Dunure beach in South Ayrshire. The ruins you can see is

Dunure Castle.

 

!!! Please see the larger version !!!

 

Your comments/critiques very appreciated.

All comments appreciated.

 

Please see the larger version.

Absolutely stunning place !!!. Beautiful shot - perfect light, sharpness, composition. Well done Paul.