Critique Rannoch Moor: Lochan na h-Achlaise in summer morning light.

SFTPhotography

Ranger Smith
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Steve
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Tricky one this, it was super clear and worse still, the strong green colours still remain from summer. I much prefer spring up here where there is snow on the hills and everything isn't so green....

Don't get me wrong, I like clear sunny days. All I need is just a bit of cloud cover (high level) to make it work

_DSC3516 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Rather than shoot up towards the black mount, like I normally do, I thought I'd be different and shoot towards the south and try and get something a bit different.

_DSC3524 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

_DSC3526 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Then you get the classic view of the black mount. Some cirrus high cloud would have made this a hanger for me

_DSC3539 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Does a 2:1 crop pano work better for yous

_DSC3551 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Couldn't do anything about my shadow either.

_DSC3548 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr
 
Can't comment on colours as I'am on a uncalibrated Laptop but the first image is the clear winner of the set for me, Lovely reflection and composition and that single cloud in the top left works really nicely (y) Second image isn't bad either ;) 4 & 6 look slight over exposured on my screen, maybe just needs stopping down 0.25EV?
 
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Can't comment on colours as I'am on a uncalibrated Laptop but the first image is the clear winner of the set for me, Lovely reflection and composition and that single cloud in the top left works really nicely (y) Second image isn't bad either ;) 4 & 6 look slight over exposured on my screen, maybe just needs stopping down 0.25EV?

1st one was also the 1st, the light was kindest there. I have a preference for ETTR and brightness to my images. Put it this way, there is no way they are under but on this screen which is crudely calibrated they look fine. 0.25 is nothing, I will much around.
 
1st one was also the 1st, the light was kindest there. I have a preference for ETTR and brightness to my images. Put it this way, there is no way they are under but on this screen which is crudely calibrated they look fine. 0.25 is nothing, I will much around.

There prob not under just how it looks on this (old) screen, are comment in more detail tomorrow when I'am on my main computer tomorrow :)
 
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2nd for me. I like the fact you still have shadows but have some lovely soft light too. The reflection is perfect and that little bit of visibility in the water adds a touch more of foreground interest
 
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1and3 for me mate,like that cloud shadow on the mountains in one,stunning scenery as well.
 
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1st is the best but I would crop it to panoramic format to get rid of black rock that doesn't really do much favourable. It seems like it was already well in to the morning as the light appears to be quite harsh. Not sure if it is the plain green against plain blue but the images in your portfolio from the same spot look far better.
 
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1st is the best but I would crop it to panoramic format to get rid of black rock that doesn't really do much favourable. It seems like it was already well in to the morning as the light appears to be quite harsh. Not sure if it is the plain green against plain blue but the images in your portfolio from the same spot look far better.
None are over 2hrs from sunset. IMHO it's the green against blue. It's So much better here in winter/spring

Good shout re crop one. I can see it makes sense
 
OK I can see what you are trying to do here, and you are right that the skies are somewhat uninteresting. Knowing that, it would probably have been more creative to exclude the sky and start looking for some more detailed, less "expansive view" images.

For example, there are some interesting reflections in the last image that could be put to good use, especially with the heather in the foreground and a longer lens to compress the view to the reflections if you moved to the left a few yards or got down lower. The mirror-like surface to the water on the pics is almost crying out for some playing about with positioning a rock in the water on top of a reflected mountain for example, to make a more questioning/puzzling image (e.g. you could play about with the scene in image 3 to good effect).

It's tempting when confronted with a scene such as this to try and capture the whole thing in the "traditional" way, whereas I find hunting around for more intriguing images can be much more rewarding. Were it snow-topped peaks and a lovely pink dappled sky then by all means go for the full fat big landscape, but in this situation I'd have gone the other way.

On 2 & 3 you are losing a lot of the form of the distant hills as they are in shade - that angle would probably would look better as an early morning shot.

Keep at it, experiment more.
 
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I'm a sucker for this, as I LOVE Rannoch Moor in the early morning light...but number one is still a great shot. When you've done the climbing and are just driving through the Lochans, there's often a really special light there early in the morning, and the first image really shows that. The clouds, and the shadows of the clouds on the slopes are great too :snaphappy:
 
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1st one was also the 1st, the light was kindest there. I have a preference for ETTR and brightness to my images. Put it this way, there is no way they are under but on this screen which is crudely calibrated they look fine. 0.25 is nothing, I will much around.

All images look good on my calibrated monitor, personally not a big fan 4&6 with the shade at the bottom of the image, personally not my thing, Apart from that 1&2 are really nice as I previously mentioned, Really good work mate :)
 
All images look good on my calibrated monitor, personally not a big fan 4&6 with the shade at the bottom of the image, personally not my thing, Apart from that 1&2 are really nice as I previously mentioned, Really good work mate :)

Thanks mate. If it's any consolation, they look crap on my work computer too.
 
The first three are very pleasing indeed. As you said, perhaps a little more cloud cover, but good light either way.

The pano is fine, the other two are ok but the shadows don't do them any favours and they are a little bright (for me), but I believe you like bright.

1 & 3 have the warmest light and I think that just puts them ahead.
 
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Thanks Paul. I like bright, I like the image to jump out the screen. I am not a fan of darkness, not in a scene like this. I like bright and colourful landscapes, not dark and contrasty. I can see why this may not fit everyones preference for the scenes.
 
What lens do you use for your landscapes mate? Looking to pick something up
 
Cool, I'm looking at the Tokina 11-16 or 16-24 but not sure which one is the best

S
 
Thanks for the tip, there's a few in the classifieds so may dip my toe in
 
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lovely set Steve your signature written all over them, liking the foreground in #1 especially with the cloud casting the shadow on the hills give it a nice balance, wishing I was their for sure.
 
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No1 and No 5 for me, these are the shots i like best...

No1 lovely bands of shadow and light across the hillside in the background, crystal clear light, lovely cloud reflections and reeds beds in the far shoreline. (Tell Jeremy thats not a large black rock its The squashed turtle you stood your tripod on in the previous shot:)).

No2 i think the Black Mount reflection gets a little lost in the reflection of the hill line in front of it, and the trees on the far shore line looks a bit fussy, and the start of the rising hillside on the far RH side makes me think i'm missing something.

No3 This is better is lifted Black Mount a little higher and the reflection is better with some light on the Mount reflected in the water, nice foreground rock but that central tree in on the shoreling bugs me (Dont know why).

No4 I think its the gin clear sky that dominates a little but very nice reflections. i'm not sure i like the grass in the foreground and how its cut off by the shade.

No5 i really like this one and i think although you still have that gin clear sky the perfect reflection, cracks it. and the crop does the job for me!

No 6 tut tut how dare those ripples dare to enter your shot;) i hope you have had words about it! This one doesnt do it for meagain the shdow draws my eye too much.

Only my take on them Steve! and a bit of tongue in cheek humour....
I'm sure you must clingfilm these lakes before you shoot, dont they have wind in Scotland? Or do you have the Adobe "Glass Lake" plugin:D

Nice set Mate, Well Done
 
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lovely set Steve your signature written all over them, liking the foreground in #1 especially with the cloud casting the shadow on the hills give it a nice balance, wishing I was their for sure.


Godamnit you had me looking all over for a watermark :p My brains clearly not with it today :(






I'm really drawn to 1 and 3 which I think are lovely shots, number 2 is a good shot but there's something about it that just doesn't quite work as well as 1 and 3 (I can't quite put my finger on it, the closest I can come is that the fore ground rocks are interesting, the mid-ground lake shore is interesting but the mountains at the back seem a bit lost, hence number 3 works much better for me).
Unfortunately 4,5 and 6 lose the smaller clouds that were keeping the sky interesting, but that's not something you can change. Having said that there are some lovely reflections, certainly in the pano, in addition I quite like the last shot with the inclusion of the heather in bloom it's just a shame about the shadow.
I find myself setting the camera to delayed exposure and legging it from the scene once I've pressed the shutter...........It's led to me spectacularly cartwheeling across Blencathra before now but it at least means your shadow isn't in the shot, the tripod shadow a bit easier to remove in photoshop.


One of these days I might get a chance to get up there myself.
 
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