Glenmore

[Stephen Batey]

Unlike the Glen Nevis photo, this one involved a lengthy trek of possibly as much as 100 yards. It's taken on one of the trails around Loch Morlich that start at the edge of the Glenmore campsite (down the road from Aviemore to Cairngorm in Scotland). There are a couple of minor things that I don't like about this one, and one big one. I'll be interested to see if others share my opinion (the big one is the way I've handled the tonal range - I'm not satisfied with it).

Same technical details as before: Wista, FP4, Rodinal, Symmar 150mm.

 

[Ian-Barber]

Really like this one

 

[martin henson]

The tonal range does look a little dark and closed in however I kinda like the depth and richness of tone.


The white area in the tree fork hits out, other than that and taking in account you not travelling far to explore the area and push the boundaries they are decent record shots

 

[Stephen Batey]

The white area in the tree fork hits out, other than that and taking in account you not travelling far to explore the area and push the boundaries they are decent record shots

It's the two white areas that struck me, and the "tennis racket" shape that they make that are the minor items.

Alas, I did (and do) go further and explore the area - there aren't many parts of the trails I haven't been on with a large format camera. My (obscurely implied) point was that it often wasn't necessary. "Decent record shots" are the greatest condemnation you could possibly make from my point of view, since I was aiming far higher. I'll have to re-evaluate what I do.

 

[Ian-Barber]

Am I right in thinking it was the dappled light and the tonal range that drew you to make a photograph

 

[Stephen Batey]

It was the quality of the light that provided the initial impetus, added to my always liking to photograph woodland scenes. There was a feeling of luminosity which I haven't translated into this image as it stands. What I wanted to capture was a feeling of light, air and calm, which is sadly lacking in this print. I say "print", because I do have it in paper form.

I was trying to capture the texture in the bark of the trees, and provide a path for the eyes to follow along the trackway. I chose my viewpoint to arrange the relative positions of the trees to the best of my ability, which wasn't simple given the horizontal as well as vertical aspect of some of the branches. I wasn't (and aren't) entirely happy about the horizontal about mid way up the frame coming in from the tree on the right hand side.

There's an almost architectural element in a row of trees forming an unbroken vaulting and the "infinity" to which they stretch is something to contemplate.