Golden Loch Tummel Photo

Photographer’s Note

Before anyone says this is over-saturated I can assure you it is not, but I can see why you would think that. After a day of photography we were driving back to the hotel past Loch Tummel and the sun was very low and just about to go behind the mountains. It was illuminating these golden autumn colours beautifully. We stopped the car and I took a few shots before the sun disappeared behind the mountain.

When I first converted it from RAW I used cloudy white balance and the golds were even brighter than this so I started from scratch and set the white balance to daylight, which toned it down to what you see now. As you know the camera settings with RAW are all neutral, so no in-camera saturation, and definitely none done afterwards.

We were spending a few days in the Scottish Highlands at Blair Atholl in the county of Perth & Kinross. It’s the first time we have been to that area of Scotland and it really is beautiful, especially as we had managed to catch it with the autumn colours still in evidence.
There’s a similar shot but portrait format in the WS

ISO 250 FL32mm

Buin, riclopes, pat0500, andante, sacavem, delic, Floydian, pasternak, JCG, Tue, Philippe, stego, Emile, bostankorkulugu, ktanska, PixelTerror, ChrisJ, TopGeo, carper, Didi, Cricri, Photo65Net, branley, batalay, danos, saylan-cb, plimrn, josepmarin, alvaraalto, snunney, axiotea, scobert, gunbud has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Buin (36988) 2007-12-11 8:44

Hallo Kath!
This is an autumn dream! The contrast between the blue of the lake and the brown of the fern and the trees is fascinating here. Truly a most beautiful view! I like this one very much!
Greetings from grey and rainy Germany!
Frank

riclopes (32869) 2007-12-11 8:46

Olá Kath, it seems a bit over-saturated :))))) just kidding of course, it doesn't seem oversaturated at all, at least in my screen. The water seems a bit grainny, though, but it might be the effect of the wind...Anyway, the golden window in foreground is stunning and it makes a great contrast with the background. This low light is allways magical and we can feel that here. Wonderful autumn shot.
Ricardo
p.s.- WS - interesting vertical alternative, but this window effect is more pleasing to the eyes.

gneufeld (15055) 2007-12-11 8:49

Hi Kath,
Great autumn shot and not, I would not have said the colors are over saturated. Very good comp and the colors are striking. Great work and TFS. Gerald

pat0500 (21505) 2007-12-11 8:52

Hi Kath,
Very nice POV, good light and beautiful colours too..!
Good shot..!
Best regards,
Patrick

andante (7092) 2007-12-11 9:09

Hi Kath, the sharpness of the tree on the foreground gives the whole image a 3D feel. Love the way you have used the golden tones to frame the scenery on the background.

Great capture,
Cheers,
Enrique

sacavem (8102) 2007-12-11 9:29

Olá Kath,
This is another beautiful autumn scene very well captured.Very good colour, contrast and definition.Beautiful postcard of autumn.
I liked the note you explained to Ricardo.
WS - interesting vertical alternative,Ilike
Regards,
Filipe

Loic_bzh (6951) 2007-12-11 9:32

Hi Kath,

great colors at the foreground, contrasting with the loch and the other bank...

A bit over-satur... oops! Only kidding! :p

Cheers,

Loïc

japiey (9471) 2007-12-11 9:32

Hello Kath,

Fantastic shot, beautifull tones.
You managed to capture the mood well in frame.

Namasthe:)

jean paul

jurek1951 (25760) 2007-12-11 9:46

Hi Kath,
Beautiful colour and perfect composition.A very picturesque, autumn scene
Georg

delic (6735) 2007-12-11 10:00

Hello Kath,
Lovely colors, all the better that they are genuine. I know quite a few people set WB to cloudy in sunny conditions for extra warm colors, but I find that horribly unnatural. I like the view of the little island through the golden foliage. Very nice composition and contrast of colors. Regards,
Hakan

Floydian (30970) 2007-12-11 10:06

Hello Kath,
It's not over-saturated, it's crisp and bright..!!!
Since we all shoot digital people forgot how colour photography should be...deep and intense, so for me you could push the sliders even further (which i would have done in the far background to make that one darker with more contrast) to the bounderies of under or over exposure. Problem is that people start to complain ;-)
Whatever, the view and colours are wonderful and not something i would relate to Scotland. Much better than the verstical one, that's for sure.
Have a nice evening, Henk

pburraco (861) 2007-12-11 10:37

Itas a great photo, with lovely colors.
It sounds incredible a place could have those colors without punching the SATURATION in your D200.

Please keep sharing your pics with us!
P.-

pasternak (13038) 2007-12-11 11:13

Fantastic framing of this island with two main trees and the row beneath, the intense orange/yellow works very well with the blue of the lake, here Scotland looks not wild at all, more "domestic"... :)

Cheers
Alexander

JCG (24899) 2007-12-11 11:41

I see well that the colors are not saturated and quite natural. These autumnal colors are superb and emphasize well this beautiful point of view on this lake and the green environment of the background. It is very pleasant to look at and resting, thank you Kath.

With all my friendships and a good evening,

Jean-Charles

aral (1195) 2007-12-11 12:23

Hi Kath,

superb colors and fine compo to use them. I like how the right tree seems to point towards the island.

I wonder if the image is a bit oversharpened?

Tue (25608) 2007-12-11 12:43

Hej Kath,
A wonderful view from Scotland. I love the golden colours of the trees that surround this loch. The light is wonderful too and I also like the less colourfuller, but still very nice trees in the background for the contrast. Well captured and thanks for sharing!
Regards,
Lars

gilou530 (34755) 2007-12-11 12:44

hello kath
a photograph which for me is nickel on the colors and the light, a landscape that you emphasized with this work well on the balance of the white, it is what I does from time to time,well done
friendships
gilbert

delkoo (33988) 2007-12-11 13:03

Stunning shot kath! The colours in this are really lush and saturated,That must have been a wonderful trip and you got a most gorgeous shot.

regards
didier

Philippe (11687) 2007-12-11 13:53

Hi, Kath. The nice autumn colours of the vegetation in the foreground contrast well with the colour of the lake and the other side of the valley which is already in the shade. In the WS the focus is more on the small island, but we miss the nice tree on the right. I think Pitlochry is on the West Highland Way, which I wanted to walk a few years ago, but couldn't because my usual walking companion had some health problems.

danyy (68088) 2007-12-11 14:12

Bonjour Kath,
j'aime ces couleurs d'automnes qui sont vivifiées par ces superbes lumières qui semblent choisir ce qu'elles ont envie d'éclairer.
Un excellent POV en peu en altitude et un acdrage efficace qui met ce lac bleuté au milieu de ces couleurs plus chaudes.
Regards.
daniel.

stego (22340) 2007-12-11 14:48

Hi Kath,
I don't think it is too saturated. Many people would dare to saturate it even more. It is a wonderful view. I like specially the way that the intensely blue lake and the cute islet is framed by the FG. The WS is also beautiful, but it lacks punch after we see the main post.
Regards, José.

Emile (19811) 2007-12-11 20:44

Hola Kath.
Superb autumn scene, a beautiful view of the lake from a high POV. The trees in the foreground produces a good balance and framed your shot very well. Excellent colors contrast with nice golden tones. A high quality shot from Scotland.
Well done. TFS.
Cheers.

bostankorkulugu (33372) 2007-12-11 21:21

an inviting piece of naure, beautiful combination of blue and golden tones... very good light on the trees also... i need a long long walk in a place like that...

take care kath...

krkt

ktanska (16432) 2007-12-11 22:21

Hi Kath,
Great viewpoint between those trees. Quite uniform colours between tree leaves and the field. The island is an excellent detail.
Kari

cbrman (18703) 2007-12-11 22:43

Hello Kath,

J'aime beaucoup l'Ecosse. Je trouve que les paysages sont superbes ! Ici, les couleurs de l'automne donnent un avant plan parfait ! Le point de vue est particulièrement bien choisi et permet de visualiser cette petit îlot de bien belle manière !
Bavo !

A+

Dominique

Graal (57312) 2007-12-11 23:52

Hi Kath,
great autumnal landscape, fine POV and composition with the lake and a small island in center. I like it a lot.
Gr., Aleksander

PixelTerror (86036) 2007-12-12 1:16

Hi Kath,
here they come the Scottish pics ! You show simple nature on this one but pure nature beauty, the way these foreground tree frame the view to the lake with their warm colors is superb, I like it a lot ! and I do not find it oversaturated at all, I know how punchy fall colors can be !
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

chrisnet (20354) 2007-12-12 2:12

Hello Kath,
Very nice autumn scene with a good framing, I like much these beautiful colors and the nice contrast between the yellow and blue, good work.
Regards

markstaples (15670) 2007-12-12 4:19

Hello Kath
The golden leaves do indeed make a nice natural frame and contrast so well against the blue metallic water. A nice piece of nature.
Best wishes
Mark

jaywalker (12186) 2007-12-12 5:14

Hi Kath, Gorgeous golden colours & the nautical blue water blend wonderfully together, Scotland has some of the most stunning scenery in the world & this is a great example, the little island breaks up the loch superbly, nicely composed, just a great photo, kind regards Wilson.

TopGeo (21449) 2007-12-12 5:57

Hi Kath! excellent shot! Amazing golden and a blue water improbable frame and background. I like the island with the trees as boat it swims. A Picture in in the picture as dream..
Compliments..
Georgios

Paolo (40655) 2007-12-12 6:52

Hi Kath, wonderufl one, as a giant blue eye!
the colours are fantastic, the golden forest, the tones of green on the other side, the deep blue water...excellent shot, with high level quality, exposure and POV.
thanks, ciao

carper (64194) 2007-12-12 7:17

wauw beautiful Kath.
a marvelous view here, the pov is good, I like the looking trough a lot, the contrast is great, the brow and the blue working good together, good photojob here have a nice evening.
gr. jaap

Didi (35782) 2007-12-12 8:55

Hi Kath
Very nice golden ambiance who contrasts well with the blue lake.
The colours are very appreciable.
Cheers.

crckt (6979) 2007-12-12 10:00

Hi Kath,
This one is so picturesque! Has a feel like it has been painted.
Very very pretty.
Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Shaeri

Cricri (42894) 2007-12-12 10:08

Hi Kath,
Un paysage incroyable avec ces différance de couleurs verte et chaudes de l'automne, avec au centre un lac bleu, belle scéne de la nature et présentation trés belle, compliment
Friendly
cricri

Photo65Net (43084) 2007-12-12 11:02

Kath,
An outstanding compo !
Perfect blue / yellow / green balance too.
I like a lot.
Regards,
JB.

bazal (7898) 2007-12-12 13:34

Hi Kath.
Beautiful colors and beautiful light for a very well managed composition. Cold winter light seems well adapted to the landscapes of Scotland.
Thanks for sharing.

branley (3681) 2007-12-12 13:52

Hi Kath,

welcome back and with a bang too. This is a lovely Autumnal shot, the colours are good and you've picked a very good viewpoint looking down the hill to Loch Tummel. The contrasts are very marked and it has good sharpness too. It's a fine capture and worth stopping for, well done.

My regards and I wish you a fine festive season,

Stephen

batalay (20712) 2007-12-12 15:29

Hello Kath,

The gold and blue are such complementary colors, and your explanation of their fidelity helps. Nature is almost always more beautiful than we can make it. Again, I see that this photograph dates from five weeks ago, before colder weather, and presumably more subdued colors set in.

Warm regards,

Bulent

pablominto (40056) 2007-12-13 0:30

Kath,
Amazing scenery, it is rare to see the foliage and grass have the same colour!
The blue lake provides pleasant colour contrast, and the little island is well framed...
A peaceful view and nice composition!
Greetings,
Pablo -

:-) OK-

ChrisJ (69618) 2007-12-13 0:44

Hi Kath

I've lost touch with your uploads recently, so I had to do a search. A wonderful juxtapositioning, between the yellow vs blue, with excellent use of the fg foliage, to frame the attractive lake & bg island. Good sharpness, & tfs!

danos (31796) 2007-12-13 2:22

Hello kath,
welcome back after the so long absence.But returned with this splendid Autumn shot with the two trees in the edges to lead the eye to the islet,in the center of the scenery.I like the colours and the light as the sharpness too.Informative your note too.

Regards,Danos

plimrn (19558) 2007-12-13 8:36

Hi Kath,
The golden frame for the lake makes a unique and beautiful composition. I like the way your excellent light management capture the glowing light, even on the the BG hillside trees. In spite of the wind, the focus is good throughout; I especially like the detail of the tendrils of moss blowing in the wind.
HLJ, Pat

Herquin (4474) 2007-12-13 9:06

Bonjour Kath,
magnifique composition se jouant des tons froids et chauds tout en amenant le regard sur l'ilôt .
Du bon travail .

Amitiés .
Christian .

josepmarin (33611) 2007-12-13 10:21

Hello Kath,
This one is a beautiful autumn scene, your photo catches its spirit, its colors and all its brilliance.
The setting with the trees in FG that form a nice natural frame to the blue lake with its small island is simply splendid.
It is a perfect work, the landscape is very beautiful and agreeable and inspires many peace and calmness.
Congrats.
Friendly regards,
Josep

alvaraalto (5227) 2007-12-13 13:52

Hi Kath,

This picture has some magic in the refined composition and division of colours in the scene. The blue circle with the green spot in the middle surrounded by the golden filigree of the trees is very special.

Groet Rob

Angshu (33346) 2007-12-13 19:51

The colours are awesome Kath..marvellous contrast between the autumn colours & the blue of the lake. It's quite a miracle how you managed compressing the file to 200 kb, considering the amount of foliage. Huge depth as well. Liked your WS as well, but I prefer this version.
Regards
Angshu

saylan-cb (12726) 2007-12-14 3:08

Hi Kath
This is a great autumn shot very nice natural composition and wonderful colours,POV are good.
TFS/Regards

snunney (34186) 2007-12-14 6:17

Hello Kath,
Splendid colours for this fine composition. I like the point of view with the little island seen through these trees in their autumnal majesty. I also like the contrast in colours between foreground and background. Very good light, tones and clarity. Quality photographic work.

daddo (11283) 2007-12-14 15:12

Hi Kath. Wonderful setting and light, not to mention the colours. So much golden yellow surrounding the pale blue.The ripples on the water and the criss crossing grass in the foreground give the whole a textured look- reminds me strongly of an oil painting on canvas. Regards. Klaudio.

axiotea (15933) 2007-12-21 3:21

hello Kath
I really enjoy this view with the golden trees,/grass contrasting so well with the blue lake. Luminosity is gorgeous and I also think this version is more efficient than the one in WS.
Cheers
Marilyn

totoamoto (2260) 2007-12-25 23:27

SAlut

Quelle magnifiques couleurs...
Le regard est emmenne vers le centre du lac..
Bravo pour cette photo.
Cyril

coco (27612) 2007-12-29 12:54

Hi Kath.

Beautiful work and good note. I think the overcompression is not good for the picture, but I can imagine how was the original picture.

Thanks for sharing.

(the colours are gorgeus... but maybe be better in the WS)

calceman (691) 2007-12-30 3:19

Good view point, excellent colors, smooth light... all good!

scobert (5333) 2008-01-16 19:42

Hello Kath,
I don't think that your colors are oversaturated at all. This is a stunning landscape photograph with perfect composition. Very astute of you to include the island between the trees. This would be a knockout enlarged print in your local art gallery! I took your advice and did the "resize to the web" option in PS and had better results for my compressed jpegimages. Thanks for the tip. Have a great time in Africa!
Stan

gunbud (27585) 2008-01-25 17:57

Hi Kath,
The golden fall colors compliment the blue of the Loch. I love the inclusion of the woods on the other side which gives this image nice balance. Very rich clear colors with fine details and sharpness. Love the placement of the charming little island.
Regards, Tom