September: month in review
Each month I aim to pick an image that, in my mind at least, captures the flavour of that month. It might not be the best image from the month, or the most spectacular of subjects; it just needs to illustrate something about the month. The value for me is in the writing - it’s a tool for review and reflection. If you enjoy the words and picture, that’s a bonus!
Reflections, Loch Katrine
Fujifilm X-S10 | 40mm f/8.0 1/320s ISO 160
What’s this month’s image? It’s some lovely reflections of Ben Bhreac in Loch Katrine.
Did you do anything to it? Nothing beyond the usual tweaks that any RAW file would get in Lightroom, mainly some small contrast adjustments and a slight boost to the saturation.
What’s it doing here? September was a much quieter month, but we did manage to get a few days out, including a boat ride on Loch Katrine. There are occasions where meticulous planning and organisation go into making a shot, and sometimes it’s just blind luck. This is definitely the latter.
The weather didn’t look particularly promising when we left home, but as we headed north towards the Trossachs some breaks started to appear in the thick blanket of cloud. By the time our boat, MV Lady of the Lake, left the Trossachs Pier the loch was as still as a millpond and cloud was starting to break, giving us some beautiful morning light. The rest was simple - point the camera, check the exposure, focus and press the button.
While this is really just a grab shot there are a couple of elements that I really like. The first, and most obvious feature, is the stillness of the water and the near-perfect reflection that this creates. The symmetry is very attractive and makes for a strong composition. The second element is the light. Even though this was taken mid-morning, the sun is still quite low in the sky creating some attractive side lighting. The hint of mist and wispy cloud cloud cover also provides some slight diffusion, softening the light. Together these elements raise what is a very simple shot above the majority of quick grabs and record shots.
The boat trip is well worth while and there are a few options. We opted to take the boat one way to Stronachlachar and then walk back to the Trossachs Pier. It’s a long walk (about 14 miles), but one that’s not particularly hard. The route gives great views across the loch and surrounding area and, in our mind at least, is a great way to spend a few hours
We were fortunate with the weather, which added to the pleasure, as the following images hopefully show.
Have you been up to much else? Despite being fairly busy with non-photography stuff, I’ve still managed to get out and about. Highlights included a trip to the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre (well worth a visit) and some offshore racing over in Dunoon. A selection below…
Coming Up
A couple of things in the diary, including Lighthouses…
