Dunnottar Castle - Stonehaven - Scotland

Hi all

This shot was taken on the East coast of northern Scotland, as the VW campervan coughed and spluttered it's way up to our destination I had high hopes of soft golden sunsets and sunrises, I had Dimitri travelling almost 180 miles to meet up with me, with his magic wand how could I fail ?

Well I think he left his powers at home as it rained all through the sun gowing down, cleared up over night then clouded over before sunrise

Still we had a good time and blethered the night away

I'll definately be keeping an eye on the weather and returning as the area has great potential.

This shot was taken around 7.00 AM inbetween dodging crabbit seals and unknown wee furry red animals

Thanks for looking

You're got some great foreground detail with the pebbles and I love the sky.. very foreboding!

I wasn't expecting you to post anything from this trip as you seemed so dissapointed with the weather/sky but this is great!

I've shot the castle many times as it is on my doorstep (20 minutes up the coastal road) but have never seen it from this viewpoint before and the moody sky is superb.

Good work Scottie!

bachscuttler wrote in post #2172227
I wasn't expecting you to post anything from this trip as you seemed so dissapointed with the weather/sky but this is great!

I've shot the castle many times as it is on my doorstep (20 minutes up the coastal road) but have never seen it from this viewpoint before and the moody sky is superb.

Good work Scottie!

Aye,but you haven`t talked c**p all night with me and speculate about the weather,have you?
The next time,me,you and the bugg boy,just you erange the weather mate.

Buggbairn wrote in post #2171518
Hi all

This shot was taken on the East coast of northern Scotland, as the VW campervan coughed and spluttered it's way up to our destination I had high hopes of soft golden sunsets and sunrises, I had Dimitri travelling almost 180 miles to meet up with me, with his magic wand how could I fail ?

183 to be precise.

Well I think he left his powers at home as it rained all through the sun gowing down, cleared up over night then clouded over before sunrise

Still we had a good time and blethered the night away

Yeap,superb time,it was 12.30 before we realised.

No dought about that mate.

This shot was taken around 7.00 AM inbetween dodging crabbit seals and unknown wee furry red animals

I looked up and it was a weasel.

Your picture looks great for the conditions we had that morning,don`t forget that the rain had just stoped.

Lovely fg,colourfull and sharp with the eye heading all the way to the castle.

The only thing i would do is to crop some of the top,like this...

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Hey - it wasn't the disaster you described at all! Great shot - especially that foreground. While I agree that some of the sky should be cropped I would have left the horizon about 1/3 of the way down.

BTW - if you continue to see small red furry animals in the morning on deserted beaches, make an appointment at my clinic.

Nice shot. I'll have to make my way down there when I'm in town next year. I'll be visiting Aberdeen next May/June, hopefully with some nice weather. Last time I was there it was blue skys and sun the whole time I was there.

Lovely Scottie, the low viewpoint really makes the stones stand out and provide a wonderful foreground. I must get lower down for some of my shots, but I guess you've got the advantage in that direction already.

Nice one Scottie, the comp works well, agree with the crop.

Your sky/land contrast lines are degrading a bit, suggest you use a blur tool, luminosity mode at around 10% and gently brush along the lines, it should improve.

Mike Bell wrote in post #2172726
Hey - it wasn't the disaster you described at all! Great shot - especially that foreground. While I agree that some of the sky should be cropped I would have left the horizon about 1/3 of the way down.

BTW - if you continue to see small red furry animals in the morning on deserted beaches, make an appointment at my clinic.

hahahahaha....and btw Mike...you made my night.

Lesmac wrote in post #2173379
Nice one Scottie, the comp works well, agree with the crop.

Your sky/land contrast lines are degrading a bit, suggest you use a blur tool, luminosity mode at around 10% and gently brush along the lines, it should improve.

I think it has to do with the sharpenning Les,a more localised sharpenning (excluding these areas) would be more apropriate i think.

Lovely scenery Scottie, I love this shot. These clouds really make a shot come alive don't they.

A very dramatic photo. I love everything about it. Now you got me wanting a wide lens!

Nice picture!

alanuk wrote in post #2172114
You're got some great foreground detail with the pebbles and I love the sky.. very foreboding!

Cheers Alan, those pebbles were great to look at, such variety.

bachscuttler wrote in post #2172227
I wasn't expecting you to post anything from this trip as you seemed so dissapointed with the weather/sky but this is great!

I've shot the castle many times as it is on my doorstep (20 minutes up the coastal road) but have never seen it from this viewpoint before and the moody sky is superb.

Good work Scottie!

Cheers Steve, In conditions like this you just gotta get on with it and hope you get something semi decent.

dv2004 wrote in post #2172472
Your picture looks great for the conditions we had that morning,don`t forget that the rain had just stoped.

Lovely fg,colourfull and sharp with the eye heading all the way to the castle.

The only thing i would do is to crop some of the top,like this...

I like your crop Dimitri, the sky ain't doing much so perhaps some of it can go

Mike Bell wrote in post #2172726
Hey - it wasn't the disaster you described at all! Great shot - especially that foreground. , While I agree that some of the sky should be cropped I would have left the horizon about 1/3 of the way down.

BTW - if you continue to see small red furry animals in the morning on deserted beaches, make an appointment at my clinic.

Cheers Mike If the truth be told it was actually Dimitri who spotted the wee critter, in terms of treatment I reckon he's beyond help

theague wrote in post #2172910
Nice shot. I'll have to make my way down there when I'm in town next year. I'll be visiting Aberdeen next May/June, hopefully with some nice weather. Last time I was there it was blue skys and sun the whole time I was there.

Weren't you the lucky one !! Cheers Buddy

rudgej wrote in post #2172987
Lovely Scottie, the low viewpoint really makes the stones stand out and provide a wonderful foreground. I must get lower down for some of my shots, but I guess you've got the advantage in that direction already.

Yes us youngins have no problem, I guess when I reach your ripe old age I may need to use that angle finder even more, was that a POTN zimmer frame I saw you with on Sunday ?

Lesmac wrote in post #2173379
Nice one Scottie, the comp works well, agree with the crop.

Your sky/land contrast lines are degrading a bit, suggest you use a blur tool, luminosity mode at around 10% and gently brush along the lines, it should improve.

Cheers Les, I'll give that a wee go, it's a trick I've never tried so if I'm struggling a PM will be iminent.

Frank_Hollahan wrote in post #2174257
Lovely scenery Scottie, I love this shot. These clouds really make a shot come alive don't they.

Thanks Frank, as of late I've had nothing but cloudy skies to work with.

dedsen wrote in post #2174681
A very dramatic photo. I love everything about it. Now you got me wanting a wide lens!

Go for it !! I tend to use this lens in portrait mode more often than landscape, points of interest can become very distant in landscape mode but foreground can be exagerated more in portrait mode.

ags007 wrote in post #2174861
Nice picture!

Cheers buddy