Possibly My Favourite Viewpoint for Landscape Photography in Glencoe
Join me on another 5 Minute Photo Adventure to see why the view from Beinn a' Chrùlaiste towards Buachaille Etive Mòr is probably my favourite viewpoint in Glencoe.
Glencoe - A Landscape Photographers Favourite
Ask any landscape photographer which areas in Scotland are on their must shoot list you'd be hard to find a photographer that doesn't have Glencoe on that list. You might argue that there are better areas in Scotland to photograph, or areas that have been photographed less, but Glencoe resolutely remains a go to location for those armed with anything from a mobile phone to a large format film camera.
It's close proximity to Glasgow makes it relatively easy to get to but what really attracts photographers are it's many stunning viewpoints, many of which are on or close to a road. You'll find plenty of rivers and lochans to photograph, but the main star of the show has to be the mountains which dominate the area. I don't how many times I driven up onto the plateau at Glencoe, but each and every time the view takes my breath away.
Favourite or Best Glencoe Viewpoint
I would of course never proclaim that any particular Glencoe viewpoint is the best. The term best is very subjective and will vary from photographer to photographer. Even if you ask just one photographer, the answer you will most likely get is "it depends". Time of day, time of year and weather all play role in selecting which viewpoint is best for that moment in time.
There is one viewpoint in Glencoe that I keep coming back to you. It's a viewpoint that I will make the effort to photograph on just about every visit I make to Glencoe. With the exception of a small window in the winter where the sun rises from an awkward angle, it is my go to viewpoint. The viewpoint I am referring to is the view of Buachaille Etive Mòr (Stob Dearg) from the side of Beinn a' Chrùlaiste.
Buachaille Etive Mòr Sunrise #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 28mm, f/8, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
It's not the easiest of viewpoints to reach. With a full camera backpack on, the all up hill walk takes me 45 minutes (on a good morning). The walk isn't particularly technical (unless its snowy or icy), but it is a bit of a lung buster (depending on your fitness). Despite the effort required, I have never stood on the side of that mountain, watching the light from the rising sun illuminate the peak of Stob Dearg regretted. Sure, I've been cold, wet and hungry sometimes, but it's never taken away from the enjoyment of that special moment.
Buachaille Etive Mòr Sunrise #2, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 41mm, f/8, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
A 5 Minute Photo Adventure in Glencoe
So it should come as no surprise that on my recent visit to Scotland and to Glencoe I did that very thing. I set the alarm (very early), drove to Glencoe, and marched myself up to what is possibly my favourite viewpoint in Glencoe. If you want to know why I did this, then grab yourself a cup of coffee and watch the 5 Minute Photo Adventure video I made that morning.
Bonus Location - Lochan na h-Achlaise
My route home that morning took past another one of Glencoe's finest locations, Lochan na h-Achlaise. Normally by this point hunger would have me driving straight home for breakfast, but when I saw the reflections on Lochan na h-Achlaise there was no way I couldn't stop to take a closer look. It was late in the morning (relatively speaking to sunrise) so I already knew I probably wouldn't get any great photographs, but I had to at least try.
Lochan na h-Achlaise Reflections #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 59mm, f/11, 1/60 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters CPL.
The most interesting thing about stopping there wasn't the stunning reflections but the fact that as I was walking along the lochan I met another photographer from Exeter! I travel all that way and I bump into someone from Devon! It's a small world for sure.
Lochan na h-Achlaise Reflections #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 46mm, f/11, 1/60 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters CPL.
I hope you enjoyed this short blog post and video. What are your favourite Glencoe locations and what you most like to shoot next you are there? What's the furthest you've travelled only to bump into someone from your local area? Let me know in the comments below.
A Landscape Photography Adventure in Glencoe
There can't be many better locations to start your 2025 with than Glencoe! In this blog post I share the stories and photographs of the few days I spent there in January. You may be surprised by what you see!
Just a Few Days to Photograph Glencoe
When I started planning my Christmas holiday to Scotland, I was excited about all the things I would enjoy over the festive period. Over the two weeks I would be spending there I'd have plenty of time eat, drink and be merry with my family. I would also have time for another indulgence, namely landscape photography. With Glencoe only being a 60-minute drive from my family home in Argyll it's an easily accessible location. Not only would I have access to some of Scotland's most stunning scenery, with sunrise just before 9am and sunset around 4pm, I would still have plenty of time each evening to socialise with family.
However, the weather gods had other ideas! From the moment I arrived there was a low bank of solid grey cloud covering the landscape. A completely flat, featureless, grey overcast sky. This went on for days. I don't think I saw blue sky or a mountain peak for a week! Not to worry though. It was Christmas so I just ate and drank my way through it!
Finally, after nearly two weeks of truly awful weather it did start to break and with the forecast finally predicting something that might result in reasonable conditions for photography, I was super eager to get up to Glencoe. I would have to work hard though. It was the last few days of my holiday, so I'd had a lot of photography to catch up on!
Here are some of the locations I photographed in Glencoe.
Rannoch Moor - Glencoe
As far as roadside locations go in Glencoe it's hard to beat the lochs around Rannoch Moor. It is a location that I've not had a lot of success at though. It has a lot of great elements to work with such as mountains and islands, but without reflections in the lochs it can leave the foreground looking a little empty.
Arriving near Lochan nah-Achlaise things weren't looking promising. Even though it didn't feel particularly windy, it was windy enough to remove all reflections from the loch which was a shame as the mountains were snowcapped and had taken on a beautiful pink tone from the rising sun.
Lochan nah-Achlaise, Glencoe Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/11, 10 seconds at ISO 64, 4 image panoramic crop (6:17).
As pleasing as the scene was, I needed to look for something a bit different. Fortunately, I was there with a friend and she gave me a heads up on spot that might be worth photographing as the water in the foreground was broken up by some land. At first, I wasn't that excited about it, but then I considered it might be a scene that would look better as a black and white photograph. I immediately switched my Nikon Z8 to the Deep Monochrome profile and I was instantly captivated by the photograph. The scene became less about the reflections and more about the dark and light of the landscape.
Lochan nah-Achlaise, Glencoe Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 30mm, f/13, 60 seconds at ISO 64.
I am creating more black and white photographs but I’m not sure if it works. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
River Coupall and Buachaille Etive Mòr
I visited the stretch of the River Coupal that sits beneath the mighty Buachaille Etive Mòr twice during my time at Glencoe. It's an interesting stretch of river with plenty of sections with fast flowing water but balancing the composition wasn’t easy, and for most of my time there I only had cloud on the left side of the mountain!
This first image, taken close to sunset, was originally taken as colour, but I later edited as black and white as I found the different colour palettes between the mountain, the foreground and the relatively clear sky distracting.
River Coupall and Buachaille Etive Mòr, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/13, 0.4 secs at ISO 64.
Returning a couple of days later presented a different set of challenges. For much of the morning Buachaille Etive Mòr was covered in cloud and when it did finally clear and you could see the peak, there was a distracting band of fog around the base of the mountain. This fog "disconnected" the mountain from the rest of the landscape. However, landscape photography is often a game of patience, and it eventually did clear.
River Coupall and Buachaille Etive Mòr, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 22mm, f/13, 0.5 secs at ISO 320.
The light remained flat that morning so for me it's the black and white photograph I like the most as it helps bring out the shades and textures of the scene.
River Coupall and Buachaille Etive Mòr, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/13, 0.5 secs at ISO 320.
River Etive, Glencoe
One spot that I'd never photographed in Glencoe was the River Etive, so when the sky became overcast and the light flat, I thought it would be a good opportunity to photograph some waterfalls. The River Etive flows from the A82 near Buachaille Etive Mòr all the way down to the top of Loch Etive. The drive of 12 miles, which follows the river to the loch is beautiful. But it's single track and full of twists and turns, and it's one way in and one way out. So, give yourself plenty of time if want to drive it.
Fortunately for me the waterfalls I had marked out were near the A82 end of the Glen Etive road, so despite the temptation to drive that road again to Loch Etive, I didn't have far to go before getting my camera out.
There are three waterfalls in short succession, but it was the first waterfall that stood out for me the most. With the mountains in the background, the frost/ice covered rocks and a good flow of water, I thought it made for an interesting composition. There were challenges though, many of which were the rocks which were very icy and therefore slippy. With the potential to slip, break my camera equipment or fall in the icy water, a great deal of caution was used, limiting how I positioned the camera. But despite the challenges, and the flat light, it's a photograph I am happy with.
River Etive, Glen Etive (Glencoe), Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 at 17mm, f/13, 0.5 secs at ISO 800.
When I took the photograph, I already had the camera in a black and white profile, so that was my original intention for the image. But I did also process one of the frames as colour. I'm not sure if colour version works as well but I've included it here as a comparison to see what you think.
River Etive, Glen Etive (Glencoe), Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 at 17mm, f/13, 0.5 secs at ISO 800.
Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe
OK, Kilchurn Castle isn't technically in Glencoe, but I have included it as it's near to my family home and was part of my festive landscape photography adventure. Despite its obvious popularity with landscape photographers, it's a location that I will always visit when I'm in the area. But because of its popularity it is also hard to find an original composition and to take a truly unique photograph.
For me though, this isn't a reason not to photograph it. I principally take photographs for my own enjoyment and Kilchurn Castle is a location I love to photograph. A ruined castle on the banks of Loch Awe with mountains in the background is a big draw for me as a photographer. I just needed a morning with the conditions I was looking for. Glassy reflections, mist, and mountains with clouds above them. Not too much to ask is it!
The morning I visited Kilchurn Castle I knew I wouldn't get those conditions, but if I could get a pleasing photograph I would be happy. I decided to opt for a slightly different composition than I normally go for. The mountains in the background were capped with snow so I decided to position myself further along the bank so the castle would be below them.
Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 44mm, f/11, 30 seconds at ISO 64.
As the light from the rising sun started to appear it added a beautiful pink glow to snowcapped mountains. When the wind was calm the scene was reflected in the calm waters of the loch. It did however take some time for the light to reach the castle and by the time it did the light on the mountains was a bit too harsh. It was a shame that I didn't get the reflections, the pink mountains and a bit of light on the castle all at the same time, but despite that I still got some photographs I was happy with.
Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 42mm, f/11, 1/30th seconds at ISO 64.
The main thing, as always, is that I very much enjoyed my time there. It's a classic scene and just being there to watch the start of a new day is a delightful thing.
Buachaille Etive Beag, Glencoe
Buachaille Etive Beag, affectionally known as The Little Buachaille, isn't a mountain to be ignored. OK, it's big brother Buachaille Etive Mòr is more iconic, but it's hard to drive by The Little Buachaille without being just as impressed. It towers above Lochan na Fola and for a roadside location, it's location that should be on any landscape photographs Glencoe itinerary.
My first photo of Buachaille Etive Beag was taken just before sunset. I was a little late arriving as photographing this location was a bit of a last-minute decision. I may have missed better light, but as you can see, in the right conditions the reflections can be wonderful. I've photographed this view before, and I prefer my previous compositions that have been wider. Still, for a grab shot at the end of day, I'm pleased with the result.
Buachaille Etive Beag, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/13, 1.3 sec at ISO 64.
Returning a few days later the conditions were quite different. A fresh coating of snow had changed the look and feel of the location, and with no reflections on the lochan I decided to look for something different. Wandering around the edge of the lochan I soon came across an area where some rocks in the water that had a layer of snow on them. They looked like little white islands, and I thought they would make for a good foreground in my composition. Positioning the closest rock was tricky as it was close to the bank of the loch. I had little choice but to place it near the edge of frame, and while I would like the rock to have had more space, the composition still works.
Buachaille Etive Beag, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20mm, f/13, 1/4 sec at ISO 64.
A bit further along you find one of the burns that feeds into the lochan. For me, this scene immediately screamed black and white as it was already almost completely void of colour anyway. It took a while to position the burn in the frame so that I could make the most of that beautiful s-shape, but my biggest choice was how much polarisation to use.
In this photograph I have some polarisation, allowing some of the water to reflect light.
Buachaille Etive Beag, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 22mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO 64.
In this next version though, I have almost completely polarised the water turning it jet black, which in my opinion is a great contrast to the white of snow, making the s-bend of the burn a more prominent feature. However, I'm not totally convinced either way. What do you think?
Buachaille Etive Beag, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 22mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO 64.
Returning to Glencoe
That’s all from this adventure and I hope you enjoyed all the photographs I captured. I have to admit, I was suprirsed by how black and white photos I captured. But it’s a pleasant surprise and it’s a sign of how my photography is developing.
I will be returning to Glencoe in the near future, so stay tuned to the blog!
Bite-Size Blog Post #28 - Glencoe
With so many amazing spots to photograph in Glencoe it can be hard to know what to shoot. But sometimes you just need to take a chance, recce a location and then see what happens. Find out why I captured this image in the blog this week
There Are Worse Places to Stop
Back in March I went on a photography adventure to Harris and Lewis in Scotland. It’s a very long journey from Devon to the Outer Hebrides so an overnight stop somewhere will always need to be on the itinerary. Fortunately, Devon to Glencoe is about doable in a day, so me and my friend decided a quick overnight there would be perfect. We’d be there in time for sunset, and we could sneak in a quick sunrise shoot before continuing our journey north.
It may sound like an odd thing to say, but when you only have a short amount of time in a location, particularly a location like Glencoe, deciding what to shoot is not as easy as it might appear. You are literally spoilt for choice so there was a lot of debate on where to shoot, both on the drive up and at the hotel. A decision had to be made though and after a bit map scrolling, we spotted a loch that if the weather forecast was accurate, it could be still enough for reflections.
The evening forecast was a little unsettled so we sacrificed the evening shoot to go and recce a spot on the loch. Best be prepared for the morning rather than turn up and then be in a panic when the conditions are good. As it turned out, it was a beautiful evening. There was plenty of drama in the sky with lots of clouds lit up by the setting sun, and there were also so nice reflections on the loch. The only thing missing was light on the landscape. But our time there wasn’t wasted as we both agreed that if we get great conditions the next morning, this will be the place to be.
We headed back the following morning and we weren’t disappointed! The loch was perfectly still, there was plenty of cloud in the sky, and though we had to be patient, we did finally get light on the hills and then magically on the trees! What a perfect way to start a two week photography adventure.
Just for fun, I’ve included two versions of my favourite image that I captured that morning. The first is the uncropped version. I love this version as it shows how good the reflections were. I also love the panoramic crop version. I’d be really tempted to print that version to have on my wall. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/11, 1/8th sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL.
Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/11, 1/8th sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL, single image panoramic crop..
The BEST View of Glencoe
Anyone who has driven through Glencoe will know what the view of Buachaille Etive Mor looks like. It's probably Glencoe's most iconic mountain. But what is the view like from the summit? In my latest video, I head to the summit to find out and take some landscape photographs.
Photography from the Summit of Buachaille Etive Mor
I’ve photographed Buachaille Etive More (Stob Dearg) many times before. So have a lot of other photographers. It’s probably one of Glencoe’s most iconic and striking mountains. You can’t help but admire it as you drive along the A82.
I did walk up to the summit way back in 2006 but that was just for fun and ever since then I’ve always wanted to go back to the summit with my camera. Finally, after gap of just over 16 years I’m given another opportunity to make it to the roof of Glencoe.
The day I was in Glencoe the conditions were looking great for an ascent, and despite having already walked up Beinn a'Chrulaiste for sunrise that morning, I knew I had enough energy (mental and physical) to get up there. So carrying a bag with (probably) too much camera gear and wearing my new walking boots I set off and made a video of my adventure.
WIN a Pair of Mammut Boots
This competition is now closed. Sorry!
Photographs from the Summit of Buachaille Etive Mor
Panoramic View from Stob Dearg (Buachaille Etive Mòr), Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 71mm, f/8, 1/50 sec at ISO 64.
Altnafeadh and Beyond, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 48mm, f/11, 1/160 sec at ISO 320.
Stob a Ghlais Choire from Stob Dearg, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 76mm, f/8, 1/250 sec at ISO 500.
The Mountains of Glencoe #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 30mm, f/8, 1/60 sec at ISO 64.
The Mountains of Glencoe #2, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 45mm, f/8, 1/50 sec at ISO 64.
Coire na Tulaich, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 1/15 sec at ISO 64.
View Down Coire na Tulaich, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 1/50 sec at ISO 320.
Photographing Glencoe and Vallerret Base Layers
There are few better places to visit as a landscape photographer than Glencoe in Scotland. However, at this time of year, the temperatures can be low enough to make any unprepared photographer give up and go home. In this video, I will share the joy of landscape photography at one of Glencoe's most famous viewpoints and I also try out Vallerret's new range of merino wool base layers.
Scotland at Its Very Best
Photographers are attracted to Glencoe for all sorts of reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that there are so many amazing viewpoints that are easy to access. There are some great photographs to be captured from either your car or with just a short walk. However, for those photographers willing to be a little more adventurous there are almost limitless opportunities, especially if you chuck the variable weather into the mix.
One such viewpoint is an elevated view of Stob Dear (Buachaille Etive Mòr). It’s always been a favourite of mine and I find it hard not to photograph it if I’m visiting Glencoe. On my most recent visit, the forecast was predicting lots of fog, and I had high hopes of a temperature inversion, and even though this didn’t occur, it was still an amazing morning of photography.
Keeping Warm with Vallerret Base Layers
While it might have been a sunny day on Glencoe, it was far from warm. The lower temperatures did therefore give me the chance to share my thoughts on Vallerret’s new range of merino wool base layers. You will be familiar with Vallerret’s range of photography gloves, and I have previously featured them in my videos. I suffer from cold hands and for me, my photography gloves are as important as my camera. I’ve had a few trips out with the camera ruined because I’ve been cold and miserable.
With winter just around the corner, the release of these new base layers from Vallerret was good news to me and I was happy to put them through their paces during my adventures in Scotland. You can learn more about them and hear my thoughts on them in the video below.
If you’d like to purchase any of these base layers you can do so directly from Vallerret right here.
Landscape Photographs from Glencoe
Buachaille Etive Mor (Stob Dearg) at Sunrise, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/11, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Glencoe Valley at Sunrise #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/11, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Glencoe Valley at Sunrise #2, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/11, 1/13 sec at ISO 64.
Vallerret Base Layers on Location
Those Vallerret base layers were warm enough and comfortable enough to allow me to take these on location photographs. I don’t think modelling is my strong point though. Perhaps I’ll stick to photography!
Vallerret Merino Wool Zip Jersey.
Vallerret Merino Wool Long Sleeve Tee
Glencoe Landscape Photography - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
In this coffee break length video I head to the Three Sisters in Glencoe for a spot of landscape photography. Unfortunately the conditions were a little windy. Did that put me off? Of course not!
Short, Sweet, and Very Windy
When I go on a family holiday to Scotland I often make grand plans for some landscape photography adventures. The reality is that these plans rarely come to fruition and I have to scale things back. With the time I do have for photography I do try and cram in as much as possible.
This year I was on holiday not far from Glencoe so when my family suggested we head to there for a pub lunch at the Clachaig Inn. I thought there would be a great opportunity to finish the day with a little bit of landscape photography. With the family safely heading back home I decided to hit some of the photographic highlights of Glencoe. Unfortunately, the weather conditions were going to somewhat dampen my plans.
Well, I say dampen, but rain would have been very welcome. In all my excitement about photographing Glencoe I had forgotten that it hadn’t rained there in over a week. In fact, it had been hot and sunny all week. As most of my favourite spots for landscape photography in Glencoe involve water of some kind, this made things very challenging.
I wanted the video to cover three locations, but every location I visited looked horrible and dry. As it got closer to sunset I decided to head to a viewpoint that would allow me to capture an image of the Three Sisters. Unluckily for me though the weather had other ideas!
I do hope you enjoyed this short video. Do you have a favourite location in Glencoe? Have you ever taken photographs in very windy conditions? Let me know in the comments below.
Those Photographs
Here are the photographs you saw in the video.
Beinn Fhada and Gearr Aonach, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 VR at 25 mm, f/10. 1/8th sec at ISO 64.
Gearr Aonach, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 VR at 31 mm, f/13. 1/4th sec at ISO 64.
The Three Sisters - Beinn Fhada, Gearr Aonach, and Aonach Dubh, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 VR at 16 mm, f/13. 0.6 sec at ISO 64.
Looking Back
All this talk of Glencoe has made me think about the last time I made a video there, so I thought it would be a good time to share that video again:
Glencoe - One Location, 3 Compositions
It’s almost impossible to drive through Glencoe and not want to stop to take some landscape photographs. In the blog this week I make an unscheduled stop in Glencoe and take 3 photographs from one location.
Glencoe
There are some locations for landscape photographers that are virtually impossible to drive through without stopping to take a photograph. In my mind, Glencoe is one such location. It is stunningly beautiful and impressive no matter the weather. I still have many happy memories of my last visit.
Check out this video of my last visit to Glencoe.
A few weeks ago I was heading up to Harris & Lewis for a week-long photography trip. With such an amazing destination one could be forgiven for trying to get there as soon as possible. However, when your route takes you through the heart of Glencoe there was no way I wasn’t going to take at least one photograph.
Fortunately for me, my journey from Devon would allow me to arrive in Glencoe for around sunset. With so many locations to pick from in Glencoe, what would I photograph?
Stob nan Cabar and Lochan na Fola
I first discovered the beauty of this location on a workshop I attended last year. Despite its grandeur, it’s not that well photographed and can be easily missed despite its roadside location. As I photographed it at dawn last time, I thought I would try it at dusk this time.
I wasn’t feeling any pressure to take an image so I spent a little more time experimenting with my composition. While I would normally only post one image from a location, I thought it would be interesting to show you the three variations I have.
Stob nan Cabar from Lochan na Fola (Vertical), Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, 0.8 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters Circular Polariser, ND Grad.
Stob nan Cabar from Lochan na Fola (Landscape), Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 18 mm, 1.0 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters Circular Polariser, ND Grad.
Stob nan Cabar from Lochan na Fola (Panoramic), Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, 0.8 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters Circular Polariser. 8 Image panoramic stitch, cropped to 6:17.
All three images benefit from the beautiful autumnal colours of the ground, and just the right amount of cloud cover to get some light reflected from the setting sun. While I do like all three, I think it is perhaps the first image I prefer the most. Though this scene would typically be shot in landscape orientation, the portrait orientation of the first image works well.
There are a couple of things I like about the first image. First of all the reflection is larger, and clearer giving it more impact. I also like all the triangles in the image. There is, of course, the mountain and its reflection, but also from the cloud in the top right of the image which leads you back to the mountain.
It was a long drive from Devon to get to Glencoe so I only had time to shoot this one location, but what a location. It was unfortunately dark when I drove back through Glencoe, but even this brief opportunity to photograph it again means its right up near the top of my list of locations to photograph again.
So which image composition did you like best? What is your favourite Glencoe location to photograph? Let me know in the comments below.
P.S. Harris & Lewis
Oh, that Harris & Lewis trip I mentioned at the start of this blog…well…I hope to have a blog and video posted right here in a couple of weeks time.