Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer - and often the supreme disappointment.
Ansel Adams
Glen Doll, near Kirriemuir, on the east coast of scotland, comes close to matching the splendor of the west coast mountain ranges.
That time of year around march, when the seasons begin to change and you can sense spring is around the corner
The autmn colours around Glen Doll, near kirrimuir on the east coast fo scotland, is the nearest type of mountains we can compete with the west coast for splendid locations
Spital of Glenshee after a long hard winter
The change in the landscape around aberdeen takes a new turn, with the arrival of autumn, when landscapes change within a few weeks
Modern Combines change the landscape outside Alford under a dark stormy sky
Fabulous skies are the greatest part of autumn landscape photography
Loch Muick, where as you will see later, i spend a lot of time at. I wanted to capture that fine line in seasons, where one day changes the look of an area, bringing in the new season. In this case, i was looking for the end of winter and the arrival of spring and the colours of new growth. The spiral in the water caught my eye again and using a Lee little stopper, and a 0.9nd graduated fliter, i held back the exposure of the skies to give my foreground the correct exposure. It was a 3 sec exposure, which gave me the spiral in foregorund. This is just foam swirling around the pool.
A memorial for my cousins husband Danny Bryan, who died of cancer. I wanted the right location for this memorial and image, so Loch muick, down by the shore on a wet windy horrible day, just kind off suited the mood. “The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”
I watch the skies a lot, as it makes a differance to my photography and i dont often rush out at night, just as i see the sky change. This day i did though, as i could see on the horizon that the the sun would dip below the clouds into a clear patch of sky, which would illuminate everything in the sunset colours. The only place near enough i could think off was this bridge at Potarch near Banchory in Aberdeenshie. As the skies in the background were dark and omnibus, and with the sun setting in the West, lighting up the bridge, i knew the little fishing hut could be lined up under the arch, to give more interest to the shot. I used a Lee little stopper filter (6 stops) and two graduated filters (0.6 & 0.9) to darken the skies down so i could expose for the bridge correctly. I liked the way the foam in the water swirled around giving this spiral look in the foreground, so an exposure of about 8 secs was required for this effect.
Driving out to Lochangar a few days ago, i stopped to stare at this view up towards Lochnagar, which you can find below that rough looking rocks. Having once tried to find my way up there, i never managed to find the right path and it took me over the other side of that mountains into the most spectacular valley, where the path lead all the way to Crathes and Balmoral castle where the queens takes her holidays on occasion. On this day though, the clarity of the air and crisp blue skies, was creating a traffic jam on the single road out to Loch Mucik, where you start this walk, as people stopped to take photos amd just chill in the pure clean energy that seemed to be in the morning air that day. If you havn't been out here before, then its worth the drive from aberdeen, with a picnic, some study shoes and an open mind, as it has the best scenary on this side of scotland.
Sometimes when you photograph the same place every day, you have to find a new view point, so here, the weillies are on out at Loch Muick and im trying to walk along the shallow river to find a new viewpoint.
Its always nice to have a leading line to draw the viewers eye into the scene. Though on this occasion at Loch muick, i wanted something to draw your eye up towards Lochnagar, which is the pointy peak you see just off centre. Unfortunetly, the river wasnt that helpfull as it wound in every direction, except the one i wanted. This was as close as i could get. A litttle blur of the water, using a Lee little stopper and a ND grad filter to hold back the exposure for the skies and this was my result.
Loch muick, a place i spend a lot of time, but becoming more difficult to find something new to photograph. It was empty this day and looked stunning in the snow, so i decided to walk to the boat house at the other end of the loch. I didnt realized how hard it would be when i was knee deep in snow, but i got so far, i couln't turn back, and hoped it would get easier further on.........but i fell through the snow and my feet were wet, so not much chance of that. I roughly knew where the path was, and looking over the loch from this position, it just felt so peacefull. The contrast between the crisp snow in the foreground and the black of the water, with the mountains in the background, just appealed to me, so i set up tripod and made this photo. I dont know what it is sometimes when i see a scene, but i feel it inside me and i have to take the photo, so later in years to come, i can always remember the feeling. I suppose when im out and about, its just about finding that calm and when i find it, i have no problems anymore.
Another scene from Loch muick. Its an 8 mile hike around the loch and certainly worth it with your camera bag as many great locations around here to photograph.
Trying to find my way up towards Clachnaben out towards the Cairn o mount, for the first time, in the early morning darkness, i wound my way all the way through that forests and as i looked at the sky, i thought bollocks, im never going to get to the top before the sun rose. I kept on hiking, hoping to find a route, but the sun rose and as i emerged from the forest into a clearing, i looked back and........................this is what i saw. I cant explain what i thought, as there was no thought, only a feeling, as i just stared and dug into my bag to reach my camers to try and record it.
The crack in the landscape. I saw this composition and it just looked like the world was breaking apart and with the morning sun beginning to cover the mountains in its orange glow, it just looked so fabulous standing there, knowing no other person would see this scene, except when i produced the photo.
The church at Tarland. This church is always a good place to go in the various storms that blow through the NE of scotland as the church never seems to be in the dark of the storm (below) and there always seems to be a ray of light on it. In this photo i was attracted to the creeping shadows of the forest behind me and with the blue sky and snow, it looked so clean and pure.
The church during the storm.
The higland cow, an animal that just makes me smile at its cuteness
8th Feb 2018 - Having just arrived back from two weeks working offshore, i needed to be in among some great Scottish scenary, to rebalance my soul, a little, so the following morning after getting home i headed out to Lock Muick near Ballater. I spend a lot of time here and its a lot of effort to find new locations. Some of the more obvious shots, i have kind of left till later, such as this bridge, so i could explore furter into the hills surrounding Glen Muick. With the present lay of snow, i thought its a good a chance to mark this one of my list of things to photograph here. Its a little bit low for my liking, but i dont use my drone much out here, though just another 12ft higher, would expose the loch behind the bridge, giving the viewer a better understanding of what lay beyond the bridge. I used a Lee little stopper to blur the water a little and added a 0.9 ND Grad filter to hold back the sky and give it a more fierce look.
8th Feb 2018 - On this walk, as i said above, i was looking for something a little bit differant to lead the eye into the hills behind and apon seeing this piece of wood, floating in the water, i merely spun it around and pulled it onto the sand to creat my own little octopus as the main subject in Loch Muick. Its a very minimilsitic image and i liked the hills behind, the sandy coloured water at the front, which leads into the cold blue of the deeper water.
This particular tree has its own challenges to cling onto the hill side around Loch muick, but getting to it was no mean feat and challenged me a little. Id seen this tree months previous and from the opposite bank, i could see deer trails running along the mountain side, that seem to come near this tree. Many times i looked up at it and thought, i had to get up there to photograph this lonely little tree. I waited for my fitness to improve and i waited for the right situation. on this day, with the light snow and overcast dull light, i thought it perfect for a wee climb to photograph it in the snow. So about a mile south, i found a deer trail that looked like it would run near to this tree. Climbing around the snow and heather, trying to find a trial about 6 inches wide, is not much fun, as i seemed to spend most time on my knees falling in holes and tripping over heather. Eventually i found the trail and started along towards the tree. Many times i fell and many times my head told me to give up and go back. At one point, i got too far along to go back and eventaully made it, after much struggling up the hill from the deer path below. Setting up my tripod, i was a little sad that it wasnt what i expected, but i was there, so was going to take the shot anyway. Just as i got my camera set up, the sun peeked from behind the clouds and just gave me enough light to make it more interesting. I did get down eventually, but mostly on my arse. I will never visit that tree again and i challenge anyone to do it in the snow.
I took a walk recently into the mountains just past Braemar on the East coast of Scotland. It was one of my landscape discovery walks and i do these to search out new locations, searching for points of interest, leading lines, and perhaps lone trees in the landscape. On this walk, as you can see, there is only this little river meandering through the valley. It wasnt cold and i was wrapped for the occasion, but as i walked with various thoughts and emotions from things id done in the past, i realised that as i walk to a location, i do this often. Once i see what appeals to me in the landscape though, i switch into a type of meditation and all thoughts and emotions stop and i can spend hours jumping around trying to find the stillness in the image, because thats how i feel inside myself. Yet to show this, is not so easy, yet i hope when you look at this photo, you can picture yourself walking along this route. If your stressed out and look at perhaps a video of my photography, you will be calm by the end because that it what i seek to show. There are rarely any people in my images, because where i go to find the images, not many other people go to.
I took this photo on the train to Edinburgh with my Leica monochrome, where i was going to meet my sons Lewis and Bradley for a night out. As you can see i am in first class as i like peace and quiet on the train. In most carriages people are talking to each other, on their phones or have headphones in and dont really chat, so i decided it best i join them in being a solitary traveller. Anyway as i sat on my seat, i was joined by a young lad, who sat down, with his headphones on and never lifted his eyes from the screen of his phone. I presumed rightfully so, that he didnt look like he should be in first class, but i was trying not to judge him, so left that thought alone. It wasnt long before a conductor came along and asked for tickets, to which he was caught sitting in the wrong class of carriage. When he asked how much to upgrade, it was too much for him and he got up and left. It was after this that i thought i could pay for him to remain, but he never talked nor made eye contact with me. If he'd made an effort, i would have paid for him to remain in his seat. I find it sad that no one likes to speak to strangers anymore when they are travelling. In the "olden days", meeting new people on your travels was what it was all about and i had some great times on planes and trains as i went on my way to some new country.
The crisp snowy view over the glen towards Lochnagar in the mountains above. The deer roam freely around here and on an early morning visit, they are just everywhere
