Days Gone By
Kilchurn Castle in Scotland,one of many such ruins located on the Northern tip of Loch Awe
Kilchurn Castle in Scotland,one of many such ruins located on the Northern tip of Loch Awe
Read less
Read less
Aug, 2019Views
871
Likes
Awards
Judge Favorite
9Teen Award
Contest Finalist in Castles And Fortresses Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 48
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superior Skill
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Emotions
Impressed
Relaxed
Top Ranks
Top 30 rank
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Top 10 rank
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
The Kilchurn Castle ruin is beautifully situated on the Northern end of Loch Awe in Scotland but is not a popular tourist stop. The best view of the castle is from the opposite side of the Loch. However, getting to the shoreline involves a precarious trek through a bog. At one point I sunk nearly up to my knee in mud.Time
The photo was taken early in the morning.Lighting
By taking the shot early in the morning the sun was low and hitting the side of the castle giving it added depth.Equipment
I shot the photo with a Canon 700D, with a 18-135mm lens and tripod.Inspiration
I love shooting photos of castles but not ones in urban areas. I prefer castles set in the country side where you can include more of the surrounding landscape. The Kilchurn castle with the mountains in the backdrop and the Loch in the foreground to provide a reflection was perfect. Also not being a popular tourist destination I didn't have to worry about having people in the shot.Editing
M post-processing was limited to incresaing the highlights on the tree and castle to add contrast and depth to the photo.In my camera bag
I am a budget photographer meaning I can't afford the high end equipment. My interest are landscapes and cityscapes and have found that I need only two lenses, a 35-135mm zoom lens and a 10-18mm zoom lens. I frequently take long exposures and for this I have three circular filters, a10 stop, 6 stop and 2 stop. My other essential pieces of equipment are a tripod and an optical viewfinder. The latter is a great aid on sunny days when it is hard to see the viewfinder. I also find it extremely helpful to see the composition and set the focus.Feedback
I've learned that it is rare that you can turn up at a location and get that one great shot. It is essential to research the location beforehand to have a good idea of where to to get the best shot and to check the weather and light direction. Even then you might have to visit the location several times before the various conditons all fall in place for that photo that stands out. This was my second attempt at shooting this location so I had a better idea of what I wanted. Even so I struggled to find an good foreground as the the shoreline lacked interesting features or leading lines. I walked up and down and took serveral shots but this was the only one that really worked.The tree framed the picture and added depth to the photo.
