Three more "moody" landscapes from me: Trossachs and Rannoch Moor

[SFTPhotography]

Todays effort. I had hoped for some mist and stronger colours but they are on their way out now with a lot of the trees that bare brown way. Reflections were reasonably good this AM with only a few ducks, a tiny bit of wind and a canoeist to content with. Light never came but I was hoping for a few bits of mist. The highlight really was running into @Jim_Tod - good to meet you and thanks for the loan of the lens cloth.

_DSC3639 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

As I ran into Jim we talked about moody images and I showed him this one off the back of the camera. I was due in Glencoe to take someone on workshop but had a bit of time beforehand so loosed this off on Rannoch Moor. I still think it needs a splash of light but a lot this sort of thing. The clouds were nice and the still reflections, were, naturally making me very happy.

_DSC3590 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Jim hasn't been to the Trossachs so I recommended Loch Achray. This is 1yr old but reprocessed. I cropped it 16:9 initially to run as a desktop back ground but its been restored to its native 3:2 and the shape of the mist I so longed for frames the building perfectly. And for reasons lost to me I never made it here this year to retake this with a stiller, more mirror like reflection which was something I was extremely keen to do.

_DSC6032 (1) by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Ah well, three dark (but hopefully not hard to see), foreboding and slightly depressing miseries to silence the haters that all I do is bright sunny reflections. Business as usual next week.

 

[Graham]

I like that last shot of the 3, imo it could do with a brighten up but thats about it from me

 

[jerry12953]

Much as i like a lot of your work these don't really grab me. I think there's "moody" and there's "dark". Two different things.

I could be very rude about No 1.

 

[SFTPhotography]

Much as i like a lot of your work these don't really grab me. I think there's "moody" and there's "dark". Two different things.

I could be very rude about No 1.

Yeah its crap. I don't know why I bothered heading out. I should probably delete it but storage is cheap.

 

[Dale.]

I actually quite like them all. Considering the light, I think they stack up well. I do think the first is the weakest, I've seen better from that spot, unfortunately, none of them mine. 3 is my choice, really like that.

Did you get any grief from the owner at the pier/boathouse? It's (another) one I've wanted to try for a while but I've heard he's not a photographer's biggest fan and I don't do confrontation.

 

[SFTPhotography]

I actually quite like them all. Considering the light, I think they stack up well. I do think the first is the weakest, I've seen better from that spot, unfortunately, none of them mine. 3 is my choice, really like that.

Did you get any grief from the owner at the pier/boathouse? It's (another) one I've wanted to try for a while but I've heard he's not a photographer's biggest fan and I don't do confrontation.

I went last year and I was a bit early for the Autumn colours. Been 3x and never had any issues at all. Other togs are the biggest due to the popularity of the spot. The mist never really materialised and tbh its a bit late now, the best colours are about but the trees are quite bare so it has that awful bare brown look you get in early winter.

_DSC5831 (1) by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Jim beat me too it bit IMHO you need to stand a bit further back on the Jetty than we did for the second shot.

 

[Dale.]

That second one is another league!!

We still have some colour here, some of the trees are still on the turn. Getting the time during the week to capture it is difficult so I may miss it but I have a few ideas for one local spot that allows reflections. Hopefully it will last until the weekend or I may get a chance one day this week. There's colder weather coming, hopefully it's bringing some decent light with it and low winds.

 

[SFTPhotography]

That second one is another league!!

We still have some colour here, some of the trees are still on the turn. Getting the time during the week to capture it is difficult so I may miss it but I have a few ideas for one local spot that allows reflections. Hopefully it will last until the weekend or I may get a chance one day this week. There's colder weather coming, hopefully it's bringing some decent light with it and low winds.

One of my best vs one of my worst. This thread perhaps demonstrates the importantance of light on the landscape. This is why I shoot on sunny days with clouds about. Anyone who says we need to appreciate all weathers fundamentally misses the point. Light makes or breaks the scene, light brings contrast, shadows, beauty, depth and soul. Light captures the viewers imagination, it brings nature to life.

The problem isn't the leaves that are on the trees, they're great but the sheer qualtity of leaves that are off the trees. It IMHO is over although like you will take a few more runs at it.

 

[gregww1]

One of my best vs one of my worst. This thread perhaps demonstrates the importantance of light on the landscape. This is why I shoot on sunny days with clouds about. Anyone who says we need to appreciate all weathers fundamentally misses the point. Light makes or breaks the scene, light brings contrast, shadows, beauty, depth and soul. Light captures the viewers imagination, it brings nature to life.

The problem isn't the leaves that are on the trees, they're great but the sheer qualtity of leaves that are off the trees. It IMHO is over although like you will take a few more runs at it.

Sorry Steve, but that's horsesh*t if you don't mind me saying. All too often I see photos that show off spectacular light situations, and the photo is to put it bluntly, cr*p. Composition is THE number one component of any good photograph. You can have cr*p light but incredible composition and the photo is compelling. It doesn't work the other way round. Now, a decent photographer will work light into the composition making it (if it is available) very important to the overall aesthetic. Composing with light is a thing, but relying on it entirely to lift a scene is entirely wrong.

 

[SFTPhotography]

Sorry Steve, but that's horsesh*t if you don't mind me saying. All too often I see photos that show off spectacular light situations, and the photo is to put it bluntly, cr*p. Composition is THE number one component of any good photograph. You can have cr*p light but incredible composition and the photo is compelling. It doesn't work the other way round. Now, a decent photographer will work light into the composition making it (if it is available) very important to the overall aesthetic. Composing with light is a thing, but relying on it entirely to lift a scene is entirely wrong.

I disagree completely. A well composed image in dull light to me is just a case of location scouting and would need to retaken under more interesting light. If something is dull and grey than it is dull and grey and even if its perfect in every other way, it remains dull and grey, lifeless and flat. Light brings form to the landscape and when there is light about you of course will compose the best you can, but it will bring your composition to life.I choose to head out when there is a chance of light or something interesting, and you can see why in this thread.

 

[justinminns]

I'm with Greg on this... well mosty. I agree that light can bring the landscape to life but it isn't essential for a sucessful photo... good composition is. Composition is the vision of the photographer.

and you can see why in this thread.

I think what this thread demonstrates is only post your best work

 

[SFTPhotography]

I'm with Greg on this... well mosty. I agree that light can bring the landscape to life but it isn't essential for a sucessful photo... good composition is. Composition is the vision of the photographer.


I think what this thread demonstrates is only post your best work

All well and good but take two identical compositions, one with light and one without. I'm pretty sure the one that's got some light will be the one.

All my best images use light in some shape or form.

As for posting your best, yes, I agree and here are some of mine. With light.

Autumn in Glencoe
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/index.php?threads/Autumn-in-Glencoe.638871/

 

[gregww1]

All well and good but take two identical compositions, one with light and one without. I'm pretty sure the one that's got some light will be the one.

All my best images use light in some shape or form.

As for posting your best, yes, I agree and here are some of mine. With light.

Autumn in Glencoe
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/index.php?threads/Autumn-in-Glencoe.638871/

That all depends on whether you want to take a record shot or not, what your signature style is (if you have one) and what you typically come to expect of the scene (tranquil lochs in Scotland are not the typical experience 'endured' by many). Sure, light can make a scene, but it can also totally break it...and sadly, given the plethora of bad imagery on Flickr and 500px, it tends to break it more than make it.

 

[Stuart Mc]

Read through this and it's a bit of an odd thread - I'll be as diplomatic as I can:

The photos: if you didn't like any of them I'm not sure why you've posted them or shot them? The examples above don't say 'mood' but simply images taken in bland overcast conditions. If you'd managed to get some hanging mist as you'd mentioned that might have been different, but as they are there's nothing to make them stand out, compositionally or otherwise. For me when I think 'mood' it's foreboding dark, contrasty skies and windswept conditions with changeable light, none of which you associate with reflective landscapes, which by nature are a much more calm affair.

With regards the above comments on light conditions etc I agree with Greg in that the composition is the most important thing, if the light is there to bring it up even further than great, even better. Dismissing photography without light in such a blanket manner just doesn't add up, I've been out today in similar bland conditions and got what I think is great image, not because of the light but because it has a strong composition. In all truth it wouldn't have suited anything other than the conditions I had at the time to be honest.

 

[SFTPhotography]

That all depends on whether you want to take a record shot or not, what your signature style is (if you have one) and what you typically come to expect of the scene (tranquil lochs in Scotland are not the typical experience 'endured' by many). Sure, light can make a scene, but it can also totally break it...and sadly, given the plethora of bad imagery on Flickr and 500px, it tends to break it more than make it.

I'm not sure I'm following you.

So because flat and grey is more frequent it's thus more indicative of the landscape and thus flat/grey images are more "valid" than light/tranquil/reflective scenes.

Surely by that logic taking images in dull grey light is pure record photography as opposed to planning a trip around the conditions you think are more agreeable for your chosen subject. Visualising your scene and the light that would work best, that's to be a more artistic approach to picking the 9/10 flat days and composing then

I don't pay too much attention to 500px or Flickr and other people's work. I care about my own. There will be tons of images out there that are badly composed, badly exposed, badly processed but that's not the fault of the sun coming out and I don't see how it's relevant to great landscapes taken in interesting conditions where for once there some light and shadow about. I've also seen a plethora of images taken in dull conditions on the web where I think the best thing is the delete button.

Great weather conditions should be celebrated, enjoyed, and imho seeked out.

So I'm off up glencoe tomorrow, as sunlight will be about.

 

[gregww1]

I'm not sure I'm following you.

So because flat and grey is more frequent it's thus more indicative of the landscape and thus flat/grey images are more "valid" than light/tranquil/reflective scenes.

Surely by that logic taking images in dull grey light is pure record photography as opposed to planning a trip around the conditions you think are more agreeable for your chosen subject. Visualising your scene and the light that would work best, that's to be a more artistic approach to picking the 9/10 flat days and composing then

I don't pay too much attention to 500px or Flickr and other people's work. I care about my own. There will be tons of images out there that are badly composed, badly exposed, badly processed but that's not the fault of the sun coming out and I don't see how it's relevant to great landscapes taken in interesting conditions where for once there some light and shadow about. I've also seen a plethora of images taken in dull conditions on the web where I think the best thing is the delete button.

Great weather conditions should be celebrated, enjoyed, and imho seeked out.

So I'm off up glencoe tomorrow, as sunlight will be about.

I think we shall have to agree to disagree here Steve. Enjoy your trip to Glencoe. May the skies be moody and the drams of whisky moodier still, lol