The Lighthouse at Rattray Head

SFTPhotography

Ranger Smith
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Steve
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I've made a New Years Resolution which I seldom do. This years NYR is to sort out my image library and back up my images in folder'd format on an external drive. I do not use Lightroom but Aperture 3 since get a Mac Pro in 2012. I never made the switch as Aperture made it so easy to manage files within it's own library. However, it's no longer supported and hasn't been for quite some time so I've reworking old images and backing up the RAWs and final renditions (as 16 BIT TIFFS) on a separate drives. My processing style and tastes have changed - certainly more conservative and what once seemed a good idea at the time now seems a bit garish so whilst it's winter and miserable it seems a good time to get this job out of the way. I've also come to realise that sometimes no matter how many times you go back to a place - you might never quite get it as good as when you first went. This is a case and point here.

Two off center squares took my fancy

_DSC9379 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC9422 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

And two of my favourite shots I've taken here

_DSC9396 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC9398 Version 2 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
I love Rattray Head. I always visit when Hibs play Aberdeen and that beach is nearly always more successful for me than Pittodrie is for my team. A very nice set of images and I quite like the tightish crops. Most shots I have taken are fairly minimalist with a small in frame lighthouse. I does seem a very good area for light and both visits I have been lucky enough to catch some rays. It's also quite good for astro shots. No 3 would be my favourite out of the set as the light is lovely and warm. How did you get rid of all the seagulls as they can be a bit of a pain.
 
I love Rattray Head. I always visit when Hibs play Aberdeen and that beach is nearly always more successful for me than Pittodrie is for my team. A very nice set of images and I quite like the tightish crops. Most shots I have taken are fairly minimalist with a small in frame lighthouse. I does seem a very good area for light and both visits I have been lucky enough to catch some rays. It's also quite good for astro shots. No 3 would be my favourite out of the set as the light is lovely and warm. How did you get rid of all the seagulls as they can be a bit of a pain.

I might have cloned a few out ;) - they weren't on the lighthouse so the few in the sky got the same treatment a dust bunnie (of which there were many as I didn't take as good care of my gear then as I do now). Most times they are on the lighthouse so I got for a short exposure so there are no blurred wings or bits. Here they were off it.

Aside - a mate of mine did a Masters course at RGU up there and rented a flat right near the football stadium on Pittordie place. I'd go up a lot to see him and although I despised Aberdeen a visit to the lighthouse made it a good all round day out. Now he's moved away I haven't been back. I've also got a new car which I don't wish to subject to the road down to the Lighthouse.
 
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I might have cloned a few out ;) - they weren't on the lighthouse so the few in the sky got the same treatment a dust bunnie (of which there were many as I didn't take as good care of my gear then as I do now). Most times they are on the lighthouse so I got for a short exposure so there are no blurred wings or bits. Here they were off it.

Aside - a mate of mine did a Masters course at RGU up there and rented a flat right near the football stadium on Pittordie place. I'd go up a lot to see him and although I despised Aberdeen a visit to the lighthouse made it a good all round day out. Now he's moved away I haven't been back. I've also got a new car which I don't wish to subject to the road down to the Lighthouse.

One of the reason I still drive a clapped out Mondeo. I could just about afford a decent motor but I don't feel guilty going down rutted roads like the one to Rattray Head and driving the car in mucky boots etc. New cars are too big a worry.
 
Good set, and interesting to see the see your self analyses of your changing photographic style, I think its called evolving?-- Also someone mentioned earlier that the lighthouse you posted here is in Aberdeenshire?, if so do you have a location please, as we will be up there in June I would love to get along and see it.

Geoff
 
Good set, and interesting to see the see your self analyses of your changing photographic style, I think its called evolving?-- Also someone mentioned earlier that the lighthouse you posted here is in Aberdeenshire?, if so do you have a location please, as we will be up there in June I would love to get along and see it.

Geoff

Thanks - yep tastes and styles evolve. I find I like a lot less contrast than I used to with my pictures and more subtle colours and simpler compositions. I'm kinda going through a square phase and cropping a lot to square, 4:3 etc.

Best advice is google maps.

J56M+2C Seatown, Peterhead
 
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