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Loch Etive


Loch Etive
Photo Information
Copyright: Niek Bouwen (SunToucher) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1278 W: 157 N: 1300] (6917)
Genre: Places
Medium: Black & White
Date Taken: 2007-07-15
Categories: Nature, Architecture
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG Macro, Tiffen 82mm UV
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/400 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Summer vacation 2007: Scotland
Theme(s): Your favorites [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-09-14 9:38
Viewed: 913
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
After our visit at Loch Tulla, we went north to visit the stunning Glen Etive and finally Loch Etive. We were still lucky to have the flat surface of the loch which gave use some wonderful reflections. A few minutes later a boat came by and its wave ended our day at the Loch.

Loch Etive (Scottish Gaelic, Loch Eite) is a 30 km sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It reaches the sea at Connel, 5 km north of Oban. It measures 31.6 km (19 3/4 miles) in length and from 1.2 km (3/4 mile) to 1.6 km (1 mile) in width.

The name Etive is believed to mean little ugly one from the Gaelic Goddess associated with the loch. It heads east for half its length alongside the main road and rail link to Oban, before heading northeast into mountainous terrain. A road along Glen Etive makes the head of the loch accessible from Glen Coe. The loch, being higher than sea level, together with its narrow mouth, results in its most unusual feature, the Falls of Lora. Part of the north bank has been designated a Special Area of Conservation in particular due to old sessile oak woods. Surprisingly, a small colony of around 20 common seals is resident in Loch Etive.

The wooden structure you see here is an old Victorian pier used for the visitors to cruise the Loch.

I have decided to convert this photo to back and white for two reasons. The first reason is the pier, the second is Ansel Adams. I feel that the pier is giving this photo an ancient look and by making it black and white this look became stronger. I am certainly not saying that this photo has any of Ansel Adams quality, I am sure it is far from his superior quality. Ansel Adams has inspired me with his art of black and white photography. I just finished his autobiography and am currently reading his book 'Example The making of 40 Photographs'

Shot in RAW, handheld. Converted to 16-bit TIFF. Converted to B&W using the channel mixer. Adjustment on levels and several curves adjustment layers for correct contrast and tonal range. Crop, USM, frame, resize, USM, conversion and conversion to 8-bit.

_____________
After upload note. I realized I missed one major PP step.
woody, nainnain, XOTAELE, go2stones, goomer, kokos101, Marioana, hester, evelynn, eyesthetix, salmi has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To evelynn: Step missedSunToucher 3 09-17 13:35
To Janone: Color versionSunToucher 1 09-16 23:02
To woody: No Color versionSunToucher 1 09-16 23:02
To Jan: PreciesSunToucher 1 09-14 14:22
To hamperium: No OE skySunToucher 1 09-14 14:20
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • woody Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 181 W: 61 N: 140] (710)
  • [2007-09-14 9:44]
  • [+]

Hello Niek,
This is a marvellous landscape. Normally I don't really appreciate landscpes in B&W, but at times the just end up looking stunning, such as this one here. I love the Composition, the reflection, the POV. Well done.
Regards,
Varun
P.S. I would love to see the original shot if you could post it as a workshop here.

  • Great 
  • jim-g Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 13 W: 0 N: 20] (2001)
  • [2007-09-14 9:46]

Superb b&w image of this beautiful Loch very well done indeed

Hi Niek,
Great shot and I like the use of B&W here, the POV is good and I like the use of the pier, nice reflections too.
Tfs Andy

hello NIEK
bravo pour cette super composition, bien vu, netteté parfait, merci du partage
bien a toi
edith

Excellent compositio,very calming.

well balanced picture
imo the sky is maybe a little overexposured
but i think its a good idea to convert is to black and white
give it a very silence and quiet mood

Hi Niek,
I like this motive very much and it's very good in black/white.
A magical place, thanks and greetings
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hola Niek.
Un lugar apacible que la imagen en b/w hace aun más...irreal. Hermoso lugar y fantástico tu juego de luces y sombras.
Un saludo amigo, JL.

  • Great 
  • Jan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 428 W: 123 N: 723] (4827)
  • [2007-09-14 13:31]
  • [+]

Hoi Niek, een schitterend plaatje!! Een mooi reflectie, zeker van het houten gevalletje (pier) Alleen had ik de pier als richtlijn gebruikt om de boel te "straighten". Ik kan niet zo goed ontdekken welke lijn jij aangehouden hebt.. (misschien ben je het gewoon vergeten?!!)
Ook de B&W is mooi, maar ja, ik hou van het simpele.

Well done!
Janneke

I thought "Japanese" when I first saw this. The dock and the still lake. Combined with the powerful mountains and sky, it makes an interesting image. Well done.

TFS!
Reid

  • Great 
  • k-2 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 632 W: 13 N: 491] (3541)
  • [2007-09-14 19:50]

I like the B&W effect. It's a classic.
TFS. K2

Great shot Niek. Nice composition and great choice of B&W. TFS

hello niek!
excellent b&w photo with great composition and reflection.
i like it.
tfs
zoran

Hallo Niek.
Perfectly captured, but The Highlands without colours ?
Pls upload the original in the WS. ?
Groeten van Jan

Nice composition and great reflection

TFS

olivier

Hi Niek.
The Ansel Adams analogy is interesting. That was the inspiration behind my recent B&W posts. I mentioned it to Paul on my TN post. It's a challenge to capture the natural beauty of the landscape without all the beautiful colours. In this image I feel it's more about the light and tones in your background and reflections that the actual pier. The pier makes an interesting silhouette, but that light is special. And I like the portrait format too. Have a good week.
Best regards, Steve.

Hi Niek
Excellent conversion to B&W. Great bright sky with the clouds, what I like most is the mountains and the reflections in the water with the old construction in silhouette. Very beautiful scene. I keep saying to myself I must do B&W and I rarely try...

Paul

Hello Niek,
You did well on the conversion, both technically and artistic!
Good tonality with the right contrast, and that old pier is an interesting subject...
Pleasant reflection and the calm atmosphere is relaxing!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1320 W: 31 N: 1634] (9994)
  • [2007-09-17 10:50]

Hi Niek

As you probably remember I do like to see a nice B&W shot. I always feel it allows you to see structure. We so often get distracted by colour. The pier structure really pulls the eye in to the shot. The reflections are lovely

TFS

Karan

Ahhhh, so this is where you've been hiding. I should have thought to check TL.

This is a super B & W image Niek. The value range and sharpness are just perfect. Ansel would approve. I like it very much!!! What step did you miss? I think you are becoming quite professional.

I glanced through the thumbnails and it looks like you have quite a collection of good shots there.

Evelynn : )

Very good capture and reflections - I'm sure the colour version looks great too :-)

Well done and have a great weekend.
Best regards, Daniel

Hello Niek,

I really like this pOV with a nice choice of B&W, excellent detail svery crisp well composed and captured photo excllent colors Bg POv well balaced photo nice work,

TFS Kyle

  • Great 
  • salmi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 850 W: 5 N: 430] (4732)
  • [2007-12-07 5:31]

Hello Niek,
Amazing picture, very good choise for B/W, I really like the B/W landscapes. Well composed, great reflection and sharp. Thanks!
Mihaela

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