Loch Katrine from Stronachlachar, a photo from Stirling, Scotland

Photographer's Note

Being totally fed up with the mild, dark, wet and miserable days at home, yesterday I could stand it no longer and so set off in my car with my camera in search of somewhere new. I had not visited the Trossachs in Scotland for some time but a couple of hours saw me at Aberfoyle and from there I drove along little winding roads to come to this beautiful little haven called Stronachlachar, a little pier at the western end of Loch Katrine.

The sun shone brightly for a few minutes and the sky was blue while mist still clung in parts to the hills.

This is looking eastward along the length of Loch Katrine - you can see the location if you look at Map:view and you can also see the view if you look at this map and drag the little yellow man down to the red cross and pan around. The little wooden bench was obviously not there when the little yellow man visited!

If you're interested, you can see a LARGER VERSION HERE which will hopefully be appearing soon on Google Earth.

timecapturer, macjake, bayno, annjackman, Didi, jjcordier, Kielia, Royaldevon, Noel_Byrne, holmertz, jhm, CLODO, ourania has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

timecapturer (30324) 2013-01-11 5:56

Hi John
love this! What a fabulous place to sit and contemplate the wonders of earth's beauty. The light and clarity here are astonishing as is the immaculate detail. Wow! Hard to believe you only took this yesterday. Glorious!!

Have a great weekend - Brian.

dta (51418) 2013-01-11 6:02

Hello John ,
A wonderful invitation to sit here and admire the great view , by this splendid and sunny winter day .
In Brittany , after more than 1 week without any sunshine , it has come back . So , it is time to outside to have a walk ;)
Regards

saxo042 (31800) 2013-01-11 6:10

Hi John,
This is a very beautiful view and such fantastic weather yuo hade yesterday. But of course, the Large version is even better. I wish TE had this zoom feature, there are so many interesting details to enjoy when you enlarge the picture. But how do you pronounce the name of this place?
Kind regards
Gunnar

macjake (39227) 2013-01-11 6:14

Hi John
Good to see a new photo :)

and good on ya to get the heck out of dodge and try a new spot!

I have to be 100% honest...
I love this shot! lol

just look at that water, its so smooth and calm.
Calm - not exactly what comes to mind when thinking about the climate in Scotland.

what a beauty....wicked light, colors, and a very effective compo.
lots of depth, and the sense of infinity with the landscape.
whats not to love about this one!

well worth the drive!
cheers
Craig

alin-m (3716) 2013-01-11 6:43

A picture with nice and interesting title and very good composition and quality.Well done.
Best regards.Alin.

bayno (16195) 2013-01-11 6:51

Ciao John,
just wonderful view and we can also seat to look at ;)
you give always a rught attention to the light ...we know that is maybe the most important think in a photo....here is great...stunning clearity and woderful colors...
i wish you all the best for this new years!!!
Valter

annjackman (13195) 2013-01-11 7:47

Hi John,
I recognised this place immediately. I organised a small conference at Forest Hills Hotel near Aberfoyle and one of our afternoon trips was to this spot. I seem to remember it was in May and we had sunshine the whole 3 days - beautiful! It seems that you found the sun yesterday. There is something rather special about this winter light. Super colours, shadows and and sharpness. I can imagine you sitting on this bench with your pipe lapping up the view!
I hope the winter months give you more splendid opportunities such as this.
Kind Regards, Ann

Didi (48926) 2013-01-11 8:28

Hi John
Magnificient view under nice lights, the large version is great. Interesting deep foreground.
Well done
Best regards

jjcordier (62328) 2013-01-11 8:28

John
La lumière est splendide et on a vraiment envie de s'asseoir sur ce banc et s'extasier devant la beauté des lieux. Superbe photo!
Amicalement
JJ

bema (25936) 2013-01-11 8:36

Hello John,

How lovely and inviting looks this beautiful bench..
a real nice place in a splendid light and perfect sharpness..

thanks for sharing, see you around, cheers Bernd

Kielia (20445) 2013-01-11 8:41

Hello John,
this is a very attractive winter photo, where you have also captured a rarely seen sky this year, partially clear and partially covered by clouds. The nicely contrasting colors make the overall impression very beautiful and the bench is a very good eye-catcher. I like the composition and the play of shadows and light as well. A lovely impression and a very nice note; my compliments!
Warm regards
Harriet

Royaldevon (17791) 2013-01-11 9:37

Hello John,

It's a pity you live so far away we have been itching to get out and photograph, too! The weather has been damp and misty and there are only so many shots you can make interesting or be interested in! We had a couple of days in The Lakes which did blow away the blues, even if the weather style continued!

You appear to have found some lovely weather. Your viewpoint, with the bench in the f/g, encourages us to stop, relax and take in the view, which is quite stunning. You seem to have done a Gunnar with the colours!
The light is lovely by the way it highlights the left and casts the right into reflective shadow.. The criss-cross shadows, in the f/g, are an attractive bonus.

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

dale54 (4922) 2013-01-11 9:59

john hello,oh,this is amazing pic,what a great scene,beautifull color,nice reflection in this too. tfs! dr

Ninello52 (7065) 2013-01-11 10:02

Hello John!
Beautiful image! Great shot with the empty bench looking out towards the landscape! Extraordinary light that turns on and saturated colors! Congratulations!
Best regards, Nino.

GREGG (8243) 2013-01-11 10:04

Hi John,
wow...
lovely landscape,
perfect frame and exposure
very good job
congratulations
have a nice evening
Greg

brianmcc (5536) 2013-01-11 11:04

hi john,
this is a great invitation just to sit and take in the view. the colours are wonderful in this attractive light, very nicely saturated resulting in a bright and vivid scene. superb clarity and a wonderful atmosphere. your two hour trip was not in vain. while the low sun is fantastic for taking pictures, when its out, i am on my way to work at 7am every week day morning and coming home around 5pm so never see the sun this time of year. i know how you feel just wanting to drive somewhere. depending on some decent weather at the weekend though.
have a lovely weekend yourself john,
brian

Noel_Byrne (7352) 2013-01-11 11:17

Hi John
It's always special to find a place of outstanding beauty and then to have a bench posited to allow you to sit and contemplate it is the icing on the cake. Excellent shot that gives me the urge to just climb inside and breathe the fresh air. Beautifully done.
All the best
Noel

holmertz (26932) 2013-01-11 11:34

Hello John,
It's a good idea to take your car for a tour every once in a while, as long as you bring back photos like this. I think whoever painted that bench had a photographer in mind. It does make a good foreground for this delightful view. Not that the mountains are that very impressive, but the combination of hills, clear water and bright sunshine - all captured with perfect sharpness - is enchanting.
Kind regards,
Gert

Kamilutka (3207) 2013-01-11 13:25

Hello John,
I used to live in Scotland for many years so I remember how beautiful colors can appear there when there is some sun. Your photo reminds me of very good time I had there. Beautiful colors and well given contrast as well as interesting composition make your photo truly outstanding. Placing bright red bench in the foreground is very eye catching and add a lot of interest to the picture.
Warm regards
Kamila

ACL1978 (5775) 2013-01-11 13:57

Beautiful shot, John, with the large version revealing much richer color and deeper detail than the TE version. The empty bench leads us into the shot well, and the warm light over the hills and water is very inviting - I can see why you wanted to get a way from the clouds for this!

Andrew

npecanhuk (53901) 2013-01-11 15:50

Hello John!
Very beautiful and pleasant-looking picture! It invites me to go there, sit on that bench and stay there for some good time, just looking at all the beauty around, maybe thinking about nothing or trying to organize my thoughts...
Sharpness, exposure, colors, chosen pov and composition are all excellent!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

emka (58140) 2013-01-11 23:42

Hi John, Wow, what a splendid place you found and not very far from your home. maybe it was for a short time, but in a while you were very lucky with weather, it would be nice to sit there, admire the view and make photos of course. You found fabulous place.
I still do not know how to post to Panoramio and give the location on the map.
have a nice sunny winter weekend. We have some snow again.
Malgo

jhm (122444) 2013-01-12 2:00

Hello John,

Both pictures are pleasant for look at, certainly your large version.
Depth and perspective are certainly present, through the nice place,and mountains in background
Truly a wonderful picture made with high quality, and nice subject.
Composition and presentation be superb.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John

CLODO (24726) 2013-01-12 2:12

hi John

A perfect place to rest and look at the loch, so quiet when there is no wind. Thank you for the donators for the bench!
Cheers
CLODO

kathryn_weir (1742) 2013-01-12 2:58

Hello John,
Such a beautiful vista to enjoy on a cold and drizzly day in front of the computer :)
The colours and sharpness are superb and the long foreground shadows give added interest. The sense of depth leading us into the convergence of hills in the upper left third works beautifully, great composition.
I particularly like the name of the location on the bench....gives it a real postcard feel.
Have a great weekend
regards
Kathryn

allbje (72) 2013-01-12 4:29

Hello John,
Compliments - what a fantastic view you have captured here. I could imagine myself sitting here vegetating :-)
It is almost spring-like in it's atmosphere - hard to believe that this was taken only two days ago!
Have a nice weekend.
Allan

romanaa (7372) 2013-01-12 5:10

Hello John,

you have made my day. I was there years ago, not exactly on the spot, but I took the yellow man for a walk a found where ( yellow man map) though it was in dull weather, I can remember how beautiful it was. ( You can look here. )
Beautiful picture here with golden winter sun colours. I love the feeling of the space and undisturbed nature.

Best regards

Romana

delpeoples (44904) 2013-01-12 5:42

Ciao caro Giovanni

Good to see you setting off in your beloved car and hunting for good weather and photos. You certainly found both here. I love the vibrant colours and the soft reflections on the water. It looks like it's just rained, where the water looks so glassy and clean. And full marks for even spelling Stronachlachar - wow, what a tongue twister. I wouldn't want to be getting into a cab and telling the cabbie to take me home to this place, I'd never get home. Anyway, I digress. Needless to say, your light management and the capture of those luminous golden tones, is just wonderful and certainly the star of the photo.

Un abbraccio e buon fine settimana
Lisa

ourania (12367) 2013-01-12 10:09

Hello John,
a very lovely deep view over the end of the loch surrounded by misty hills. The delicious light makes the colours vivid and beautiful and the view even more interesting by creating gradations of colours and plays with shadows. The reflection of the sky is marvellous and gives the image a very special character. I also love the play of long shadows on the foreground around the brightly painted bench. The mood is very appealing and romantic. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a lovely evening,
Ourania

mesutilgim (67960) 2013-01-13 14:43

Hello John,
What a nice capture with perfect pov and nice bright colors.
I wished I could sit there an enjoy the scenery.
Good entry.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

MJR (3147) 2013-01-13 15:10

John
Well, this does it for me !
Beautiful clear air, and beautiful clear photograph ! Superb soft gentle colours faithfully reproduced, set in a simple yet very effective composition.
Have just returned from a very grim few days in Ayrshire and Glasgow area, I can quite see why you might have felt the urge to get out and look for sun! I was not so lucky though !
Kind regards
Martin
Am very impressed with your panoramio work, I really must give it a go, it exploits the might of the 5Dii rather better than TE !
Martin

Silvio1953 (98129) 2013-01-14 1:03

Ciao John, fascinating composition with lovely bench in FG, fantastic reflections, beautiful perspective, splendid light and wonderful natural colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

SnapRJW (18722) 2013-01-14 1:26

Beautiful scene John - what is it about empty benches that make them such good subjects I wonder? They seem to provide an image with the opportunity for the viewer to create an imaginary narrative. Do you think that could be the key? Lovely light and a well (as expected) managed shot. Have a lovely week Rosemary

Photo Information

Copyright: John Cannon (tyro) (13073)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2013-01-10
Categories: Nature, Transportation
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM, Tiffen 77mm Circular Polarizer
Exposure: f/14.0, 1/40 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Map: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2013-01-11 5:43