Love that gatekeeper mystery tree. For me it absolutely worked. I'm so glad you paid attention to it calling you over and engaging you for an image. Great to see a forest floor image too with all those leaves that have fallen. So beautiful.
Loved the bonus capture! When I am out trying to catch a sunset, I always stay till almost dark. I have found that it is when more times than not the best colors reveal themselves
My favorites are picture 1, 4 and 5. The huge tree is looking like a gothic cathedral. I like the dramatic sky of picture 4 and more of picture 5. Great stuff!
Love the leaves (always have, always will), like the birch, the carpark tree works really well - the moss , or whatever, gives it an "ancient feel". The sunset works well for me because it lacks the usual gaudy colours and relies on the composition and the light for effect.
Thanks ever so much for watching. Images of the woodland floor always speak to me, so much in that I find them hard to resist. However, things really need to change a little bit in the New Year and I need to focus a little bit more on the larger scenes before working on the smaller images. Thank you and happy Christmas to you.
Beautiful images. I always enjoy watching your videos and I especially appreciate that you walk us through your creative process. The birch tree shot looks great.
It was nice to see you shoot some more traditional landscapes rather than the intimate scenes you normally shoot. Both tree images were great but the last one looked straight out of a horror movie.
Cracking images - first choice for me would be the giant granny pine with the misty background and the final Loch Morlich shot with the rain. Those ducks though!!!! On the Loch Morlich webcam, you can often see them waddling across the beach in pursuit of food from the hard-as-nails wild swimmers who dip their bodies into the freezing waters. I know there are proposals to restrict campfires at Loch Morlich, but I'm sure at some stage there will be a great shot for some-one of the loch, the mountains, a camp fire and a whole plume of woodsmoke.
I must have a very simplistic eye when it comes to looking at images, I don’t always look too deep for certain elements leading to different areas of an image. I tend to look at an image and it’s either Wow, Ok or Nah. When I look at the images in this video, especially the Scots pine, Birch tree and the bonus image at the end, all I can say is Wow. Thanks for sharing yet another great film.
Very beautyful video. I love the first photo. And love to see the old tree where you standing by talking to us. With no picture. I hope you take the photo of that tree some day. Love to see that. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Thank You, for posting the film Simon. I'm struggling to find the right epithet for the mysteriously armed and haunting tree you shot, it definitely crowns the scene but your eye is still drawn past it . Beautiful . Now the sunset over the lake panoramas, are simply glorious in colour, balance and symmetry . You cannot wish for more. Again , not sure which one I like the best , the golden light embraced lake or the crepuscular light over a patch on the horizon . Both, I'm going to say . Yes, it's never over until is over, as you rightly said. Cheers, from the other side of the pond, Sorin.
Beautiful images in this video Simon! The sunset compositions are magnificent. It always is a bit of luck involved as I’m experiencing right now myself as on my trip to the island of Schiermonnikoog I’ve had many good weather conditions including snow and fog. But a good sunset is eluding me so far. I have a few more days to go, so with a bit of luck … 🍀, I keep my hopes up and if not then I’m still very happy with what I got, it’s the experience that counts most. As to the creepy tree: I like it a lot. To me it is as if those long fingers gesture me into the darkness in the middle, which vaguely looks like a web that will trap me … creepy indeed 😉.
Glad you are enjoying your trip Wim. I expect by now you will know whether you’ve got that sunset shot or not. if you did, you should post it to the group. Often it’s the anticipation that keeps you going. I do love it when it’s like that.
Your instinct are very right! The mysterious tree photo is kind of subtle photo that grows on you the more you look at it. The lighting conditions are perfect to show the subtle variations in the textures and colors that make it somehow a more interesting photo than some other obvious ones like a spectacular sunset. Love the leaf image also amazing tree with pines behind is also great. Thank you for the tip on using wide angle lenses.
I really liked the ‘car park’ tree image. Reminded me of Tolkien art ,very characterful, ancient wisdom or dark gatekeeper and all that stuff….definitely worth taking. All the images were very good. The final image is fantastic…the rain on the loch surface like a finishing touch. Thanks very much Simon.
Absolutely beautiful images as always Simon. I think the birch tree shot works great on it's own as a spooky character shot and the scots pine should be called "Homage to the King" with the straight pines bending over in deference. Great stuff Simon! Such an inspiration.
Wow Simon - the pine looks like an orchestra conductor with the orchestra behind it. And the creepy music absolutely enhanced that image. But the bonus image? Speechless. Mesmerizing. Thanks for all the beauty
Hello Simon Beautiful images as always :-). The first and last one are my favorites. The tree in the first one dominat that I always think. Is this real? Yes it is, I had seen it in your video as you take the shot. Greetings and see you in your next video :-).
Two great images in this video Simon - the Scots Pine and the old Birch. I love your shot of the old Birch tree - it is moody and characterful and has a lovely tonality about it. It is one of those images that holds your attention simply because there is lot happening in it and yet at the same time it is all pulling together beautifully. Trust your instincts Simon. You have a great eye.
Stunning as usual, how lucky were you? most people would have packed up and gone home you deserved that shot. Not sure on the Birch Tree shot, love the lichen but the area on the left does draw your eye away, just my observation. Lone tree and misty pines is superb would love to hang that on my wall. Enjoy the rest of your trip and hope the weather improves.
Thank you for your comment as always. The Birch tree wasn’t my favourite in the end. I really did enjoy the big landscapes on that occasion. I think 2024 should see more of them.
Wow Simon, nothing like hitting all grand slams in one video. I wondered about the near-monochrome look of the Gatekeeper, so I did a screen shot and experimented with it briefly in Mac's Photos app. Generally I am not a big fan of B&W, but I think it would work with this shot. I did nothing to make the background look hazy, but it could be a thing to try in a real photo editor. Like always, great stuff. Hopefully you can sell the last two to some resort or lodge on the loch in a giant sized prints for their lobby.
Of the gateway tree, I am leaning towards not quite there. I would look at a radial filter on the darker area and selective luminance or colour range on the tree. Ever so slightly to try and bring out the mystery
It’s funny David in the end I decided I wasn’t that keen. In fact I’ve not looked at the image since. Sometimes I think you just have to work too hard for them.
Thank you Simon. I struggled with your tree image; as a camera club judge said to me last week "what am I supposed to focus on". The colour of the image made it look mysterious rather than natural.
Camera club judge...say no more Derek. They often miss the point I'm afraid and get stuck in old ideas and fashions. Sorry, I have a downer on stereo typical club judges. In my day club judges rarely took a photo and tended to spend more time collecting cameras.
Stunning images Simon! The birch tree shot works well for me, there is enough "weight" on the left to bring your eye in to the mysterious dark interior. The sunset shots are absolutely brill!! Looking forward to your next video.
Tree with Trees, sublime, both landscapes at the end are superb but the first landscape was gobsmacking. Did you get to have a walk further up to the Green Lochan, it's on the track to the Ryvoan Bothy.
Hi Simon , beautiful images as usual. If you wanted a bit more mistery in the Birch tree image you could try some negative De Haze but honestly I think it work's well as it is.
Another great video Simon, for the silver birch tree personally I like the composition, the area under the arch with the soft feel helps to elevate the main elements of the tree.
Beautiful images as always. On the Birch tree shot I think I'd try darkening the 'hole' area to help separate it from the tree itself which is rather busy with all the smaller branches. Your approach and attitude while out shooting is so calming. It is inspirational, I just wish I had that kind of landscape around me. Thanks.
Just wanted to say that I thought that your Scots Pine photograph might make a great B&W image, as (for me) it could take the boost of contrast that might make the subject stand even more proud. Cheers Simon
Outstanding shot of the lone tree with misty pines. Has to be a "Landscape Photography Award" image !!
If only John, I wish
All photos are excellent, but the lone tree with pine trees in background is my favourite.
Jewel of the nile comes to mind of that bonus shot.
No that’s going back a few years.
The “Gatekeeper” tree shot I like very much. I consider it a great success.
Thanks ever so much Bill
Lovely pictures again! The gnarly birch is my favourite.
Another great watch with fabulous images.
A chance to finally see what Nan Shepherd described. Beautiful! Thank you!
Now I’m going to have look that up
Both trees work for me, great photography.
Love that gatekeeper mystery tree. For me it absolutely worked. I'm so glad you paid attention to it calling you over and engaging you for an image. Great to see a forest floor image too with all those leaves that have fallen. So beautiful.
I think I’m going to do a few more bigger landscapes in 2024
I loved the tree shot, it's beautiful!
The pine is the wise old tree. Thank you.
Loved the bonus capture! When I am out trying to catch a sunset, I always stay till almost dark. I have found that it is when more times than not the best colors reveal themselves
Yes that’s come true for me too on many occasions.
I love the shot of the tree. I think it really works and seems to convey the message, "Enter at your own risk."
Great instruction, splendid photography. Thanks.
My favorites are picture 1, 4 and 5. The huge tree is looking like a gothic cathedral. I like the dramatic sky of picture 4 and more of picture 5. Great stuff!
Yes, the image with the large tree with the pines in the background was one of my favourites of the year. Thank you.
Loved the leaf image
WOnderful video, Simon. Yes, the old creepy tree, makes sense, now that you have explained . Really great. Thanks. KB
Thank you, Ken.
Love the leaves (always have, always will), like the birch, the carpark tree works really well - the moss , or whatever, gives it an "ancient feel". The sunset works well for me because it lacks the usual gaudy colours and relies on the composition and the light for effect.
Thanks ever so much for watching. Images of the woodland floor always speak to me, so much in that I find them hard to resist. However, things really need to change a little bit in the New Year and I need to focus a little bit more on the larger scenes before working on the smaller images. Thank you and happy Christmas to you.
Beautiful images. I always enjoy watching your videos and I especially appreciate that you walk us through your creative process. The birch tree shot looks great.
It’s nice to hear that you were getting a lot from them
Wonderful images Simon 👍😎 Especially the old birch tree. Mystical and moody 👏😎🤘
Glad you enjoyed it
Great shots as always ,Simon!
It was nice to see you shoot some more traditional landscapes rather than the intimate scenes you normally shoot. Both tree images were great but the last one looked straight out of a horror movie.
There’s going to be a bit more of this to come in 2024
Cracking images - first choice for me would be the giant granny pine with the misty background and the final Loch Morlich shot with the rain.
Those ducks though!!!! On the Loch Morlich webcam, you can often see them waddling across the beach in pursuit of food from the hard-as-nails wild swimmers who dip their bodies into the freezing waters. I know there are proposals to restrict campfires at Loch Morlich, but I'm sure at some stage there will be a great shot for some-one of the loch, the mountains, a camp fire and a whole plume of woodsmoke.
I have to say I was one of those swimmers that dipped in the lake. You just can’t beat a cold plunge and yes, those ducks are a real pain.
I must have a very simplistic eye when it comes to looking at images, I don’t always look too deep for certain elements leading to different areas of an image. I tend to look at an image and it’s either Wow, Ok or Nah. When I look at the images in this video, especially the Scots pine, Birch tree and the bonus image at the end, all I can say is Wow. Thanks for sharing yet another great film.
I think a lot of the time you do this instinctively. It’s just for the sake of the films I try to explain it.
These images give me inspiration Simon. Will be off outside tomorrow whatever the weather. 🤩
Good luck John
Beautiful images as always. Thank you for making these films for us. Very inspiring and very much appreciated
And thank you for watching them
Very beautyful video. I love the first photo. And love to see the old tree where you standing by talking to us. With no picture. I hope you take the photo of that tree some day. Love to see that. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Thank you Wim
I'll be out photographing the forest floor this week. I hope I can find as nice an image as you always seem to find.
There's plenty of scope out there Scot
Another nice haul of images Simon! Especially like the tighter woodland image
Cheers Tom and happy Christmas. All the best to your family.
Thank You, for posting the film Simon. I'm struggling to find the right epithet for the mysteriously armed and haunting tree you shot, it definitely crowns the scene but your eye is still drawn past it . Beautiful .
Now the sunset over the lake panoramas, are simply glorious in colour, balance and symmetry . You cannot wish for more. Again , not sure which one I like the best , the golden light embraced lake or the crepuscular light over a patch on the horizon . Both, I'm going to say . Yes, it's never over until is over, as you rightly said. Cheers, from the other side of the pond, Sorin.
It seems this film was a bit of a crowd pleaser. I only wish I could take them like this every time I go out. It will be boring wouldn’t it.
Absolutely stunning images loving the old pine tree ❤xx
Good job Simon, amazing images!!!! Good light, bye bye
Beautiful images in this video Simon! The sunset compositions are magnificent. It always is a bit of luck involved as I’m experiencing right now myself as on my trip to the island of Schiermonnikoog I’ve had many good weather conditions including snow and fog. But a good sunset is eluding me so far. I have a few more days to go, so with a bit of luck … 🍀, I keep my hopes up and if not then I’m still very happy with what I got, it’s the experience that counts most.
As to the creepy tree: I like it a lot. To me it is as if those long fingers gesture me into the darkness in the middle, which vaguely looks like a web that will trap me … creepy indeed 😉.
Glad you are enjoying your trip Wim. I expect by now you will know whether you’ve got that sunset shot or not. if you did, you should post it to the group. Often it’s the anticipation that keeps you going. I do love it when it’s like that.
Your instinct are very right! The mysterious tree photo is kind of subtle photo that grows on you the more you look at it. The lighting conditions are perfect to show the subtle variations in the textures and colors that make it somehow a more interesting photo than some other obvious ones like a spectacular sunset. Love the leaf image also amazing tree with pines behind is also great. Thank you for the tip on using wide angle lenses.
You are more than welcome. Thank you so much for watching.
I really liked the ‘car park’ tree image. Reminded me of Tolkien art ,very characterful, ancient wisdom or dark gatekeeper and all that stuff….definitely worth taking. All the images were very good. The final image is fantastic…the rain on the loch surface like a finishing touch. Thanks very much Simon.
Glad you appreciated it Steven. Thanks ever so much.
Absolutely beautiful images as always Simon. I think the birch tree shot works great on it's own as a spooky character shot and the scots pine should be called "Homage to the King" with the straight pines bending over in deference. Great stuff Simon! Such an inspiration.
Thanks ever so much John
Superb as always
Thank you! Cheers!
Wow Simon - the pine looks like an orchestra conductor with the orchestra behind it. And the creepy music absolutely enhanced that image. But the bonus image? Speechless. Mesmerizing. Thanks for all the beauty
Thanks again for watching and commenting
Always enjoy your videos.
Lovely images.
Thanks
Glad you like them! 🙏
Hello Simon
Beautiful images as always :-). The first and last one are my favorites. The tree in the first one dominat that I always think. Is this real? Yes it is, I had seen it in your video as you take the shot.
Greetings and see you in your next video :-).
Yes, I suppose the videos make it proof that it does exist.
Two great images in this video Simon - the Scots Pine and the old Birch. I love your shot of the old Birch tree - it is moody and characterful and has a lovely tonality about it. It is one of those images that holds your attention simply because there is lot happening in it and yet at the same time it is all pulling together beautifully. Trust your instincts Simon. You have a great eye.
Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say.
Stunning as usual, how lucky were you? most people would have packed up and gone home you deserved that shot. Not sure on the Birch Tree shot, love the lichen but the area on the left does draw your eye away, just my observation. Lone tree and misty pines is superb would love to hang that on my wall. Enjoy the rest of your trip and hope the weather improves.
Thank you for your comment as always. The Birch tree wasn’t my favourite in the end. I really did enjoy the big landscapes on that occasion. I think 2024 should see more of them.
Wow Simon, nothing like hitting all grand slams in one video. I wondered about the near-monochrome look of the Gatekeeper, so I did a screen shot and experimented with it briefly in Mac's Photos app. Generally I am not a big fan of B&W, but I think it would work with this shot. I did nothing to make the background look hazy, but it could be a thing to try in a real photo editor. Like always, great stuff. Hopefully you can sell the last two to some resort or lodge on the loch in a giant sized prints for their lobby.
Now that’s funny, John. I to converted it to black and white, but I wasn’t that keen in the end. I think I just like colour too much.
Of the gateway tree, I am leaning towards not quite there. I would look at a radial filter on the darker area and selective luminance or colour range on the tree. Ever so slightly to try and bring out the mystery
It’s funny David in the end I decided I wasn’t that keen. In fact I’ve not looked at the image since. Sometimes I think you just have to work too hard for them.
Stunning Simon, I wonder what a print of the brich tree would be like!
Hi Mark, I’m not sure I like it enough to print it.
Great images Simon❤
Thank you Simon. I struggled with your tree image; as a camera club judge said to me last week "what am I supposed to focus on". The colour of the image made it look mysterious rather than natural.
Camera club judge...say no more Derek. They often miss the point I'm afraid and get stuck in old ideas and fashions. Sorry, I have a downer on stereo typical club judges. In my day club judges rarely took a photo and tended to spend more time collecting cameras.
Stunning images Simon! The birch tree shot works well for me, there is enough "weight" on the left to bring your eye in to the mysterious dark interior. The sunset shots are absolutely brill!! Looking forward to your next video.
Thanks ever so much Ged
19:19 looks like you're holding a fishing rod 🙂
I’m very often look a bit odd ha ha.
Tree with Trees, sublime, both landscapes at the end are superb but the first landscape was gobsmacking. Did you get to have a walk further up to the Green Lochan, it's on the track to the Ryvoan Bothy.
I did manage to have a run up there one day. Is that the place with the green loch?
It is indeed, a beautiful little place but it was winter, plenty of snow on the hill but none along there at the time.
@@SimonBoothPhotography
Hi Simon , beautiful images as usual. If you wanted a bit more mistery in the Birch tree image you could try some negative De Haze but honestly I think it work's well as it is.
Thank you, if I’m honest, it already has a bit of that.
Another great video Simon, for the silver birch tree personally I like the composition, the area under the arch with the soft feel helps to elevate the main elements of the tree.
Thanks for that
Beautiful images as always. On the Birch tree shot I think I'd try darkening the 'hole' area to help separate it from the tree itself which is rather busy with all the smaller branches. Your approach and attitude while out shooting is so calming. It is inspirational, I just wish I had that kind of landscape around me. Thanks.
Thanks Jim. Sunday that location is about six hours drive for me.
I'd be very happy if I had shot the haunted tree image Simon! A great set of images overall I'd say. Congrats!
Thanks David
Just wanted to say that I thought that your Scots Pine photograph might make a great B&W image, as (for me) it could take the boost of contrast that might make the subject stand even more proud. Cheers Simon
I did try that David, but I wasn’t keen.