This is a merge of bracketed shots of Loch Scavaig with the Cuillins in the background. Feel free to edit to your liking. There is a link to a DNG version under the JPG.

-

JPG.

(Download)

Link to DNG file.
Attached file:
(Download)

When I saw this with the naked eye I didn't foresee the problem because the gable was easily distinguishable. I deliberately avoided having the gable partly backdropped by the shore and partly by the sky. I wanted a consistent background for it, and to get the shot as shown I ended up perching precariously on a steep slippery slope. It might be worth pushing the PP a bit more because I have a natural restraint that needs to be shelved sometimes.

It sounds like you're not in danger of running out of ideas :thumbup: .

Thank you Frank. I think the problem is the gable's too similar to the background, and anything that I did to differentiate it would make it look unnatural.

In my quest for foreground elements I came across this gable end.

-

(Download)

Loch Duich on the west coast of Scotland.

-

(Download)

Thank you Jenny. A lot of Scottish place names are Anglicised versions of Gaelic names, but occasionally the original Gaelic survives intact. There are still places in the Hebrides where Gaelic is learned first, then English.

I think the patterns need something to make them more noticeable. And Nightski's suggestion for the leaf shape sounds like a good idea.

You did well to see the potential of the first shot.

OK. You look terrible in shorts :lol: .

Now about the picture...... It's an interesting effect, but the tint is a bit on the pink side. That might suit some subjects, but only some, and I'd say it's not the best for this particular subject. It would probably be OK if you were after a faded antique look though. But having said that, I don't think "faded antique" and motorbikes are compatible. If you can get the tint and the subject to line up better you'd be on to a winner.

Thank you Rathyatra, and thanks for looking.

Thank you Rathyatra. As I said in my response to Dave, those were the elements that decided the composition. The remains of the castle in the mid-field were an added bonus.

Hi Colonial Coz. Thanks for commenting. Your last comments sum up nicely what I was hoping to achieve with this shot. I like that it has a foreground, middle ground and background. When I saw the distant cloud beams and sunlit hills I looked for a suitable foreground to lead into the middle field and beyond, and when I saw the jetty with perfectly placed boats I thought "That'll do nicely".

I was tempted to get rid of those ugly mooring platforms ( ? ) that interrupt the view of the far end of the loch, but I opted for the realistic option (now that I've satisfied that prompting I'll go ahead and get rid of them with a clear conscience :-) ).

Jenny, Frank, Neil, Tom, Abc1234 and John, thanks for looking and commenting.

The suggestions for alternative framing all have their merits, but I was happy to show the castle surrounded by generous amounts of space, since the surrounding scenery plays a significant role in making this shot what it is. But I did stop short of having the castle shrinking to the point where it gets lost in its surroundings.

I did get some shots from the other side, but to get the sort of framing that I wanted I would have needed a drone or a boat. I'll probably post what I did get when I've had the chance to edit it properly.

Thanks. It would be kind of difficult to convey the place's history with a scenic shot like this. When people describe the area's history, they usually use words like "turbulent". So I'll just settle for trying to capture how picturesque the area is :-) .