Buachaille Etive Mor at dawn last weekend

[Mike Bell]

Taken at 6.30am just as the sun was beginning to illuminate the cloud obscuring the Buachaille. Just for this one shot the summit became visible. 2secs at f11 with the EF-S 10-22 at 10mm on my 350D. Lee NDgrad (3 stop, I think). Les (Lesmac) was just a few feet to my left so look out for those shots!

http://static.flickr.com/97/247734911_6559dc5d9d_o.jpg

C&C welcome. :)

[Dimitri_V]

Just 2 words from me Mike.
Simply beautyfull.

I think thats your best landscape picture so far.

[Mike Bell]

Well thank you, Dimitri! :cool: I know you will always criticise when it is appropriate so that means a hell of a lot to me. :) :oops: :)

I was just thinking a tighter crop might help (it is already very slightly cropped because there was vignetting in the top corners and a bit too much sky in the original).

[viczig]

Mike,

That's a absolute gem. I think the crop is fine, you don't want to lose any of the color from the cloud at the top of the picture.

Vic

[rudgej]

Very nice indeed Mike.

[ccheever]

that is pretty sweet, colors are great

[superscot]

one worth a print ...excellent shot ... and a cracking place to be

[erk]

Gorgeous! Why is it that all you Scots always take beautiful pictures?!

[zander303]

Cracking shot Mike, different from the usal shot of this subject. One of the best I've seen so far.

[Dimitri_V]

Gorgeous! Why is it that all you Scots always take beautiful pictures?!
Because they are beautyfull people.;)

[HrcRacing]

Beautiful shot Mike. If it were mine, it would be printed and framed. My only cc is that there is still a bit of vignetting in the upper left corner. Great job. :grin:

[Buggbairn]

Thats a beauty Mike

Love the colours, your comp has everything and much much more too !!

[photojag]

Put this one in a nice frame and on the wall my friend... this is perfect

[MDJAK]

Ah, so that's what a ND filter does?;) I've been meaning to get one but wouldn't know how to use it.

Postcard quality for sure. You could definitely sell that picture.

I don't hang any shots on my walls other than those taken by me. Just a silly trait I have. I'd make an exception for that one.

mark

[adebass]

Great shot Mike, really like it. Any chance someone can please tell me where this little fall is? Ive been there a dozen times and can never find this spot!!

[AdamJL]

Stunning shot!
Colours are subtle, there's just a perfect amount of water in the foreground without drowing (pun intended) out the shot.

Great work.

[Neilyb]

Gorgeous shot Mike.
I would agree with a bit of cropping, make the sky 1/3 (I don't necessarily conform to the rules but in this case it would work better) and bring in the left hand side a little.

[Lesmac]

Cracking shot Mike, much better than anything I managed from that spot.

Perhaps I'd run a bit of noise reduction on the sky.

Good work.

[johnthebaptist]

Let me see . . . . searching the vocabulary for appropriate words . . . . amazing; beautiful; fantastic; awesome! - these come close but not close enough. Very, very well done:)

[Mike Bell]

Very nice indeed Mike.
Thank you, John.

that is pretty sweet, colors are great
Thanks.

one worth a print ...excellent shot ... and a cracking place to be
Definitely will print this one.

Gorgeous! Why is it that all you Scots always take beautiful pictures?!
Dimitri knows the answer! :lol:

Cracking shot Mike, different from the usal shot of this subject. One of the best I've seen so far.
I've actually seen a few taken from this spot but that's the beauty of Scotland - almost every moment gives different light and a different result! :)

Because they are beautyfull people.;)
LOL! You Greek flatterer you, Dimitri! Or do you consider yourself half Scots now?

Thats a beauty Mike

Love the colours, your comp has everything and much much more too !!
Thanks, Scottie. You should know!

Put this one in a nice frame and on the wall my friend... this is perfect
I will. Thank you.

[CarolP]

I agree with everyone else who thinks this shot is gorgeous!

[Mike Bell]

Great shot Mike, really like it. Any chance someone can please tell me where this little fall is? Ive been there a dozen times and can never find this spot!!

Ah............. the secret spot known only to the very few! Les (Lesmac) was kind enough to take me there. Just as we arrived he slipped away muttering "Be careful! He has mighty powers!" Then a little guy in purple robes and holding a golden tripod appeared in a puff of mist. "Who has dared to reveal the secret of the sacred sweet spot of landscape photography to a mere amateur?" he demanded, disdainfully glancing at my 350D. "It was Les!" I blurted out. The little guy paused then smiled blissfully "Ah, ...... the mighty Lesmac, master of the 1Ds Mk2! ...........That's OK, then! It's just there." He carelessly pointed to a patch of grass by the wee burn. Then he fixed me with a steely glare. "Never, ever reveal this secret to anyone else or all your Compact Flash cards will mysteriously empty themselves .......... and Flickr will lose all your old images too!"

ONLY JOKING! - it's at grid reference NN243544. Take the Glen Etive road south from the A82. After about 0.6 mile park on the left just before the little bridge. Cross the road and follow a tiny path beside the river. You will reach the spot after about 40 yards.

[Mike Bell]

Beautiful shot Mike. If it were mine, it would be printed and framed. My only cc is that there is still a bit of vignetting in the upper left corner. Great job. :grin:
I will sort that. Well spotted. Thank you.

Gorgeous shot Mike.
I would agree with a bit of cropping, make the sky 1/3 (I don't necessarily conform to the rules but in this case it would work better) and bring in the left hand side a little.
I think you are right.

Cracking shot Mike, much better than anything I managed from that spot.

Perhaps I'd run a bit of noise reduction on the sky.

Good work.
I don't believe your first sentence, Les! ;)
The noise appeared during my (fairly gentle) PP. I think it was at the shadow highlight tool stage - a great tool but must be used with care! I will have another go and if necessary do some noise reduction - can you restrict it to one part of an image and (if so) how? Use a layer mask?

[Mike Bell]

Ah, so that's what a ND filter does?;) I've been meaning to get one but wouldn't know how to use it.

Postcard quality for sure. You could definitely sell that picture.

I don't hang any shots on my walls other than those taken by me. Just a silly trait I have. I'd make an exception for that one.

mark

I now find ND grads absolutely essential for this kind of photography where the land is so much darker than the sky. Yes, you can do seperate RAW conversions or apply a neutral grey gradient layer afterwards in Photoshop, but it is just not the same as getting every part of the image well exposed in the first place. The way to learn how to use an NDgrad is to experiment. Dimitri taught me this - take several shots with the ND grad a little lower each time. One of them is bound to be right. You then get a feel for it.

I have never sold a picture, but ....... make me an offer! :lol:

[bachscuttler]

A truly stunning image of a great location Mike. :)

I've pasted the location details into notepad as this spot is a 'must do' for me and I ain't scared of no Umpa Lumpa in a purple robe.

I tried to find this spot on Sunday after our adventure and went down that very road but didn't find it.

This shot is one I would definitely be hanging on the wall.

Great work!

[Mike Bell]

A truly stunning image of a great location Mike. :)

I've pasted the location details into notepad as this spot is a 'must do' for me and I ain't scared of no Umpa Lumpa in a purple robe.

I tried to find this spot on Sunday after our adventure and went down that very road but didn't find it.

This shot is one I would definitely be hanging on the wall.

Great work!

Thank you. The grass will be worn down at this rate! :lol:

[adebass]

Ah............. the secret spot known only to the very few! Les (Lesmac) was kind enough to take me there. Just as we arrived he slipped away muttering "Be careful! He has mighty powers!" Then a little guy in purple robes and holding a golden tripod appeared in a puff of mist. "Who has dared to reveal the secret of the sacred sweet spot of landscape photography to a mere amateur?" he demanded, disdainfully glancing at my 350D. "It was Les!" I blurted out. The little guy paused then smiled blissfully "Ah, ...... the mighty Lesmac, master of the 1Ds Mk2! ...........That's OK, then! It's just there." He carelessly pointed to a patch of grass by the wee burn. Then he fixed me with a steely glare. "Never, ever reveal this secret to anyone else or all your Compact Flash cards will mysteriously empty themselves .......... and Flickr will lose all your old images too!"

ONLY JOKING! - it's at grid reference NN243544. Take the Glen Etive road south from the A82. After about 0.6 mile park on the left just before the little bridge. Cross the road and follow a tiny path beside the river. You will reach the spot after about 40 yards.

LOL :) :) :)

Thanks alot Mike, didnt realise i had to come off the A82. I always parked near the ski centre and wandered around the fields infront of me for an hour or so, constantly wondering why the water we always flowing in thr wrong bloomon direction!!!

Right, thats now my next target, bring on some good weather!! Im guessing around May tme :)

[Anthony J Howe]

This composed shot is beautiful with lovely colours. Good photography, well done.

[Lesmac]

Here's a link to the map location :

http://www.lesmclean.co.uk/AP/BEM.jpg

Couple of points, you need to be there at first light, you usually have around 20-30 minutes for a shot, as the light only lasts for that long.
A tripod is a must, as is ND grads as the FG/BG contrast can be quite severe.

[Mike Bell]

Couple of points, you need to be there at first light, you usually have around 20-30 minutes for a shot, as the light only lasts for that long.
A tripod is a must, as is ND grads as the FG/BG contrast can be quite severe.

A wee flask of whisky would also help - it's cold at that early hour! :)

[Picture North Carolina]

Excellent! The tack-on sharp foreground plays very well against the soft features of the distant mountains and clouds. Very nice.

[Tsmith]

I missed this one Mike _ very nice job.

[blinkings]

Wow that sure is a fine photo. Congrats!

[StewartR]

Wow. Gorgeous. I'll remember the location for next time I'm in Glencoe. On the plus side I won't have to get up as early as you did. On the minus side it'll be cold and snowy... Can't wait!

[Balliolman]

A memorable image!

[Permagrin]

Beautiful shot Mike...just saw it on another thread and was captivated by it's beauty. WELL DONE!

[cfpackerfan]

Absolutely beautiful Mike. WELL DONE!
It was deemed worthy of the 'You have GOT to see this' thread. ;) I would have missed it otherwise.

[stupot]

Wow Mike, this is incredible! Definately one of my favourite photos on POTN, I found it from the 'You have GOT to see this' thread too! I'm glad I did. I'm so envious of the scenery up in Scotland! I'll have to drag some friends up there camping one day so I can try to visit all these amazing places:) On monday I go back to Portsmouth so I'm going to be stuck in the city with no nice landscapes to take pictures of:(

[Muzz]

Cracking shot Mike!!!

:)

[Jettin]

Stunning,

no Critisism here sorry,

[Rumrunner]

WOW, everything is right, nice nice work!

[Mike Bell]

Excellent! The tack-on sharp foreground plays very well against the soft features of the distant mountains and clouds. Very nice.
I missed this one Mike _ very nice job.
Wow that sure is a fine photo. Congrats!
Thank you very much for your comments. :)

Wow. Gorgeous. I'll remember the location for next time I'm in Glencoe. On the plus side I won't have to get up as early as you did. On the minus side it'll be cold and snowy... Can't wait!
I too plan to return when there is snow on the tops.

Beautiful shot Mike...just saw it on another thread and was captivated by it's beauty. WELL DONE!
Absolutely beautiful Mike. WELL DONE!
It was deemed worthy of the 'You have GOT to see this' thread. ;) I would have missed it otherwise.
I can't believe it I made it to that thread as every other image I have seen by that route has been of the very highest quality. :oops:

Wow Mike, this is incredible! Definately one of my favourite photos on POTN, I found it from the 'You have GOT to see this' thread too! I'm glad I did. I'm so envious of the scenery up in Scotland! I'll have to drag some friends up there camping one day so I can try to visit all these amazing places:) On monday I go back to Portsmouth so I'm going to be stuck in the city with no nice landscapes to take pictures of:(
It's a great place to visit with lots of photo opportunities. Hope you make it one day! :)

A memorable image!
Cracking shot Mike!!!
:)
Stunning,
no Critisism here sorry,
WOW, everything is right, nice nice work!
Thanks guys! :)

[Muzz]

Mike can I please pick your brains about using ND's with the 10-22?

I hope you to pick up the 10-22 in the next week or so and use it for landscape photography mainly. I was thinking about getting a circular polariser but the good ones are about £60.

Pondering about getting some Cokin goodies off ebay as they are a little cheaper.

Its an amazing shot!!!

Thanks,

Murray :)

[Mike Bell]

Mike can I please pick your brains about using ND's with the 10-22?

I hope you to pick up the 10-22 in the next week or so and use it for landscape photography mainly. I was thinking about getting a circular polariser but the good ones are about £60.

Pondering about getting some Cokin goodies off ebay as they are a little cheaper.

Its an amazing shot!!!

Thanks,

Murray :)

Well all I can do is tell you my story. First I got a 77mm Jessops screw on circular polariser. It cost me about £50. It works fine but it does vignette at 10 - 11mm on my EF-S 10-22 on a 350D. Just a little but you can see it. No problems at 12 or above. Then I got the Lee 105mm circular polariser and adapters and ND grads. Don't ask how much I spent - you would feel ill! I still get vignetting at <12mm but I can use an NDgrad as well as a CP. The only CP filters that don't vignette at all on a 10-22 at 10mm are the expensive thin ones made by Canon and Hoya.

If you want to see my kit (and that of lots of others) wait until the meet on the 22nd October. Even with Cokin stuff a full set of NDgrads and a CP big enough to fit on a 77mm filter thread lens add up to a big investment - you want to make an informed choice.

[Miyagi-san]

man....that takes talent. beautiful shot...."picture perfect" :D

[fi20100]

Wow! That is truly an amazing photograph. This truly deserves to be on a wall :)

[Muzz]

Thanks Mike! :)

[CarolP]

Must have missed this when it was first posted. It is stunning!