Millarochy Bay and Tree, a photo from Stirling, Scotland

Photographer's Note

So after the madness that is NYC i rewound by going somewhere so quiet you can hear a pin drop (cars going by excluded)

Millarochy Bay on the East coast of Loch Lomond
Easy to drive past as the sign is quite small and recessed.

This tree is a staple of the photographic community in Scotland having been taken in by each and every one of them
Some absolute garbage shots of it and some absolutely magnificent ones as well..

I think we really go up there for the actual scenery but the tree adds a bit of interest.

Its submerged a lot of the time but on this occasion it was clear of the water just.. Apparently they had dropped the water level by letting it out into one of the other lochs the week before.

I was there for 30 short mins mainly because i got held up by accidents both on the way up and on the way back. The light was ok but muted when i arrived and this is the first shot a long exposure @211 seconds using the 10 stop i feel it has brought out the colours magnificently without going overboard.
I left the little pebbles in the bottom corner to give a taste of dry land and no more.
The backdrop well what can i say other than i do actually live in the most beautiful country in the world! I came round the corner about 2 miles from this bay and let out an exclamation as i caught sight of the mountains on the right hand side of the car covered in snow. I knew i could not stop to photograph then as the sun was setting too fast so i had to make it to the bay before the light was gone.
I took 4 or 5 images on the shoot which was exactly the right amount for the angles i wanted on the tree
2 with my 17-40 and the other 3 i think with my 70-200 f2.8

Tech stuff
ISO 200
Exposure 211 seconds
F11
32mm on the trusty 17-40mm L
Tripod
remote detonator
lots of pacing to try to stay warm as it was bitterly cold.

Geo location i think its correct it looks like the right place

All work is copyrighted to John Farnan © 2013 and is not in the public Domain. No person may copy, distribute, or share this image without the written permission of John Farnan. Do not use the sharing buttons around this artwork without first contacting him on copy@johnfar.com
Especially not the pinterest / tumblr sharing options
Thanks
John
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Critiques | Translate

rogerl (750) 2013-01-24 15:32

Nicely framed shot with the tree as a focal point.

Is the light natural, or did you alter the light in this photo? In either case, it's really beautiful, with a purple tint you don't see very often.

kabel (991) 2013-01-24 20:42

Hello, I like the soft and romantic colors in your image. The tree is a solitary reminder of winter. Nice choice to place it off center too.
TFS,
Karen

prashantprabhu (215) 2013-01-24 21:12

Hi John, I like the colours and the use of long exposure, that create the whole mood of the scene. But I guess I would have either moved away a bit from the tree or kept it on the extreme left, giving a good view of the scene, as well keeoping the attention on the tree. None the less, good job.

cheers,
Prashant

gus72 (2508) 2013-01-24 21:19

Hi John !!
what a beautiful scene that you captured here.....
I have been to Scotland twice .... but did not know about this famous tree ..... so I am very glad that I saw your photo.
Well done.
Cheers
Gus

SnapRJW (18752) 2013-01-24 21:38

Hello John - I can understand why you think Scotland is the most beautiful country in the world! Some may disagree but I can say its a country which offers so many magical opportunities for photography and landscapes in particular. I would love to come back. Such a classic composition, simple and strong. You've managed the exposure really well, I'm impressed by the detail on the tree trunk... that's tricky to get right. The thin ribbon of mountains allows the colour-washed sky and water to feature strongly and what fantastic shades you have there. You explanation to Roger was really interesting. Nice one! Warm regards rosemary

Hellas (6505) 2013-01-25 1:26

What a great composition!
Amazing natural environment in a picture!
The silhouette of the tree contrasts perfectly with that beautiful background.

Congratulations!

Bluejeans (64239) 2013-02-01 5:13

Ola John ,
Beleza esta paisagem gelada , fantástico o uso de 211 segundos , as cores e os reflexos neste lago gelado estão muito bonitos , bom primeiro plano com esta árvore , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo