tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68073687344225856572024-02-07T10:13:49.624+00:00Lochaber PhotoBlogstuff that doesn't fit at lochaberphoto.co.ukUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-64668150788271529982009-03-09T18:50:00.011+00:002009-03-09T19:25:11.042+00:00No Future.... Just The FutureThis is my likely to be my last post on Blogger, for a while at least. For the foreseeable future my blog posts will be available via the link on the top right: or just <a href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk/news.html">click here</a><br /><br />So why am I leaving Blogger?<br /><br />Well, LochaberPhoto.co.uk has been through some major changes in the last few weeks. <br /><br />For one thing, I'm no longer building the site with<a href="http://www.softpress.com"> Softpress Freeway Pro</a>. Estimable package that it is, and much good stuff I've wrangled out of it, I haven't found it easy to keep the site updated on a regular basis with Freeway. <br /><br />I tried instead <a href="http://www.realmacsoftware.com">RapidWeaver</a>. Nice package, and great for blogging, but not currently possessed of a plug-in or other tool for the construction of photo galleries with e-commerce capacity. So it's not for me, not for now...<br /><br />Next thing to come to my attention was the existence of a growing number of websites which allow publishing of full-blown websites, with e-commerce capability built-in, which are dedicated to the needs of photographers, and which don't involve purchasing any software, as the entire work of site-grinding is done online, in a web browser.<br />I tried out two of these: <a href="http://www.clikpic.com/">ClikPic</a> and <a href="http://www.photium.com">Photium</a>.<br /><br />ClikPic has some nice templates - I especially liked their "basic" styles, and offers 7-days free trial. <br />Photium also has nice templates, and offers 30-days free trail.<br /><br />I read somewhere that ClikPic is less reliable/ more liable to outages, but I can't either confirm or counter this heresay, as 7 days free trial was just not enough for me to get far into working with ClikPic before it expired.<br /><br />I read in a few places that Photium's support is speedy and extremely helpful and obliging - and on that I can offer my confirmation. So it wasn't just the extra 3 weeks free trial time that swung it for Photium here. It seems like an outfit worthy of support as it's dedicated to providing a top class service to photographers.<br /><br />Coming back to the main point... Photium also allows users to publish something like a blog, but to integrate it fully within the main site.<br /><br />You can see the new, Photium, incarnation of lochaberphoto.co.uk <a href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk">here</a>, and follow my blog posts within it, <a href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk/news.html">here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-89694616403227642542008-11-03T15:27:00.004+00:002009-01-13T10:35:05.150+00:00Waxwings Come to 't William<a rel=”lightbox” href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKK4VUbHgdOAlnYXxuK7TAniZHY4CvSPnIO-oKlyED2tfilk3-s2B5i2xBWNuTAb_njCcw2SHKOvOXipoUI7P7V974MSLvVNefq4YvuVTvJvsRPplTtbk_s3FJIcPnRGObF_G4vvI6QEQ/s1600-h/_MG_6131.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKK4VUbHgdOAlnYXxuK7TAniZHY4CvSPnIO-oKlyED2tfilk3-s2B5i2xBWNuTAb_njCcw2SHKOvOXipoUI7P7V974MSLvVNefq4YvuVTvJvsRPplTtbk_s3FJIcPnRGObF_G4vvI6QEQ/s400/_MG_6131.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274476427858531426" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Seen today around the Union Road/ Seaview Gardens area of Fort William, a sizeable posse of Waxwings, apparently fresh in from Scandinavia in pursuit of what the Redwings haven't yet gobbled up of our autumnal berry crop<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLI9Mp7qliHGAjaq3IagI85AMKQSkxE0fZ28rka-ZLdJ2s9To0p-CBg88SgFYC8WiJ2YUV65pJWd3j0IC83Lq6Dko5OvU3dOCe-rmFc6mm0VAjYWcc_AoSmZIDoiyf4yDYpIYbaiz4nsm/s1600-h/_MG_6121.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLI9Mp7qliHGAjaq3IagI85AMKQSkxE0fZ28rka-ZLdJ2s9To0p-CBg88SgFYC8WiJ2YUV65pJWd3j0IC83Lq6Dko5OvU3dOCe-rmFc6mm0VAjYWcc_AoSmZIDoiyf4yDYpIYbaiz4nsm/s400/_MG_6121.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274476425049107330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Go <a href="http://lochaberphoto.blogspot.com/2008/11/redwings.html">here</a> for pictures of Redwings in action in our garden, feasting on the berries from the CotoneastersUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-13158605285378272072008-10-24T15:54:00.001+01:002008-11-30T16:19:42.330+00:00RedwingsWe witnessed a large flock of Redwings in action in our garden today, feasting on the berries from the Cotoneasters:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_IF4Kuxo5E9FIUpu0V9Vve09ibFXFdxQIhxNVWr4PN_jBsnC3jNSieG29aoeYw-n1Sgyj8BNOc2Lkx_AmAiW70tIhskwmjhTVPKKdAMy11KzlzkbxhNkmRDoXEtqO_wTaWsD2Lgb87XS/s1600-h/_MG_6050.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_IF4Kuxo5E9FIUpu0V9Vve09ibFXFdxQIhxNVWr4PN_jBsnC3jNSieG29aoeYw-n1Sgyj8BNOc2Lkx_AmAiW70tIhskwmjhTVPKKdAMy11KzlzkbxhNkmRDoXEtqO_wTaWsD2Lgb87XS/s320/_MG_6050.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274479779188242754" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrItlje7bU9TjmXuv7X9e_fewOLa6aS5rF3Xace8cfii2JtHuHiHGH-F38wfuvmbDwlFs3K-Oq5xVfSJfCZVXCMdVzFUREYH5snx4sNxo_jiQ_Dx7Oi7HDvf0OTEOwNHxSPCkiBvZqOhTn/s1600-h/_MG_6049.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrItlje7bU9TjmXuv7X9e_fewOLa6aS5rF3Xace8cfii2JtHuHiHGH-F38wfuvmbDwlFs3K-Oq5xVfSJfCZVXCMdVzFUREYH5snx4sNxo_jiQ_Dx7Oi7HDvf0OTEOwNHxSPCkiBvZqOhTn/s320/_MG_6049.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274479774997274674" /></a><br /><br />(Apologies for the low grade picture quality: just my luck these birds arrived when I'd sent my best telephoto (EF70-300mm f4-5.6 IS) zoom back Canon for repair. As a result I only had an old Tamron 28-200mm lens to hand, and it is <i>not</i> sharp at the 200mm end. Ho hum...)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-38398610749055069952008-06-07T18:16:00.005+01:002008-11-30T18:23:19.857+00:00SunsetSummer sunsets in Fort William can be stunning<br /><br />Took this from the bedroom window at10.20pm last night<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2obEIPIbmZnkw1OfA7iW5hz08F6CM-OHU0iDt63dXXenX-_tTCbWXmJB4C31IPOb2YzEC9sfHZYfBpeRd8pjGzRQ_boP_KWxFWmZqCLCLZ1_BwCCTVh3k3s_nRG3SRI-pYplGvSKPfvw-/s1600-h/_MG_3487.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2obEIPIbmZnkw1OfA7iW5hz08F6CM-OHU0iDt63dXXenX-_tTCbWXmJB4C31IPOb2YzEC9sfHZYfBpeRd8pjGzRQ_boP_KWxFWmZqCLCLZ1_BwCCTVh3k3s_nRG3SRI-pYplGvSKPfvw-/s320/_MG_3487.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274516556669916050" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-32632586884337437232008-05-07T17:33:00.001+01:002008-11-30T17:45:03.052+00:00First Swallows Make A Summer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlaOqAmzysc679SLB1mmXafZWystDIs9rKjP0QFMsce_O0dXOTBF5O45H1XmRistH8EA0KdVl3mbjlWo0QCBjwUMvzKDxPdzadJnJ1Rp_YYREqS6918QPPm9C_2WptZXFGBvMp8MUXd43/s1600-h/_MG_3419.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlaOqAmzysc679SLB1mmXafZWystDIs9rKjP0QFMsce_O0dXOTBF5O45H1XmRistH8EA0KdVl3mbjlWo0QCBjwUMvzKDxPdzadJnJ1Rp_YYREqS6918QPPm9C_2WptZXFGBvMp8MUXd43/s320/_MG_3419.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274507126556157154" /></a><br /><br />First swallows of 2008 seen here outside our kitchen window today<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7OQlj0WLvPK4CF4Egn6bZQOTwaoMjPCGs00Q8KCS_Ma1pieZZ-xy3u-1Gf92tF31f1p5ZMKsCQcftktHyXrntoDM2HSElN43BCEathZeLoPFNFbI-Du3tybx7yMT1F8XiPIuMZtvT0Ar/s1600-h/_MG_3418.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7OQlj0WLvPK4CF4Egn6bZQOTwaoMjPCGs00Q8KCS_Ma1pieZZ-xy3u-1Gf92tF31f1p5ZMKsCQcftktHyXrntoDM2HSElN43BCEathZeLoPFNFbI-Du3tybx7yMT1F8XiPIuMZtvT0Ar/s320/_MG_3418.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274507136854857346" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-3300974671419870452008-05-05T16:21:00.002+01:002008-11-30T18:25:14.357+00:00ArranJust back from a few days on the Isle of Arran in the firth of Clyde. Sometimes called - usually by its tourist industry - "Scotland in Miniature" - Arran does present a kind of microcosm of the nation, topographically at least. <br />In the north it is mountainous, rugged and has a large and highy visible deer population and a distillery. The centre contains the area of most dense habitation around the capital Brodick, while the south is greener and more rolling and has views across the sea to Ireland. This might also make the village where we stayed - Lochranza, in the north west corner of the island - the analogue of Fort William, but I wouldn't want to make too much of that<br /><br />The approach to Arran from Claonaig on Kintyre is spectacular from the outset<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-l1WMCeBZmY-YYOg9wWhXk5Pd4iNNOMuZ3K1iivcoENc7wwQMJ-eTOLqsZBMmQWhac87LErgc_CDezdRaG4lGTBUmfLQXfG4DytRNl0LLSTnumNhpeGd9kWYH7OiTYcIigTVqtintTNi/s1600-h/_MG_3155.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-l1WMCeBZmY-YYOg9wWhXk5Pd4iNNOMuZ3K1iivcoENc7wwQMJ-eTOLqsZBMmQWhac87LErgc_CDezdRaG4lGTBUmfLQXfG4DytRNl0LLSTnumNhpeGd9kWYH7OiTYcIigTVqtintTNi/s320/_MG_3155.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274502480690281138" /></a><br /><br />and Lochranza has a genuinely dramatic setting, <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OnbcQeWkrUxiUemjCZc_gtGYomY8ETcWnHQp06qAGpvkFcX_of1UgzmTejmg_UrKSHtAGjPyMSEk6zZXGdTJlQpzKW84OW8mXvrybVp0KxlHttN-uOU-Z9-pWkr4acBFyg-oTiRlFfRW/s1600-h/_MG_3173.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OnbcQeWkrUxiUemjCZc_gtGYomY8ETcWnHQp06qAGpvkFcX_of1UgzmTejmg_UrKSHtAGjPyMSEk6zZXGdTJlQpzKW84OW8mXvrybVp0KxlHttN-uOU-Z9-pWkr4acBFyg-oTiRlFfRW/s320/_MG_3173.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274503810755196386" /></a><br /><br />as well as a fine and relatively well-preserved castle<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRly3SpVzxIAb7nAncsqqu0ZQP-4w8FAUChQjTPDFsdmPb4chu9wrOEQhelxtihIlWnlPu_uFxsDuXrXiD1-_fXpgkvc-uEPotKWh9UPRcqk15gFgadvX7X4uK_ER0aBd2CJL_nE7cI7V/s1600-h/_MG_3175.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRly3SpVzxIAb7nAncsqqu0ZQP-4w8FAUChQjTPDFsdmPb4chu9wrOEQhelxtihIlWnlPu_uFxsDuXrXiD1-_fXpgkvc-uEPotKWh9UPRcqk15gFgadvX7X4uK_ER0aBd2CJL_nE7cI7V/s320/_MG_3175.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274503820007258082" /></a> <br />(seen here from the doorstep of our rental cottage)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-62840501330288985192008-04-19T19:03:00.008+01:002008-10-26T18:58:05.334+00:00Over the sea to Skye (Catch-up #1)*It's not exactly a long way from Fort William, but it took old friends John & Jean to drag Ruth and I over there<br /><br />We sailed from Mallaig to Armadale - here's a shot taken on the boat, looking north to the Glenelg hills<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpPqhozliaKh7VrmBoxstHX5uYJ1HRxNTGrK0zp12S5iomqINPv_nPTfSYJtrN_gDj3itOu1gdCl3uwNJgwutvhdDRIIHWy8cef7WzHISEXH5brLtsBum08DL5HF90nDEc8KE7kArIxPG/s1600-h/_MG_2865.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpPqhozliaKh7VrmBoxstHX5uYJ1HRxNTGrK0zp12S5iomqINPv_nPTfSYJtrN_gDj3itOu1gdCl3uwNJgwutvhdDRIIHWy8cef7WzHISEXH5brLtsBum08DL5HF90nDEc8KE7kArIxPG/s400/_MG_2865.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260788728849602898" border="0" /></a><br /><br />High point of the trip was a meal at the Three Chimneys in Colbost, way up in the north west of the island, but the constant dominating presence on Skye is the Cuillins<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGS9uvGX8ctJd2sr-Ie27tVeeBEQDfvKOdnAOWEXLQStQA1tfrNUGwWHKi_zX3FnmD86V25sxD7cS2VUZNKxSd0tvGxwGMMa0bSqogCim7kdfwE0cqglN37VCgHotHmXyYgJcsQgxHR3J/s1600-h/_MG_2890.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGS9uvGX8ctJd2sr-Ie27tVeeBEQDfvKOdnAOWEXLQStQA1tfrNUGwWHKi_zX3FnmD86V25sxD7cS2VUZNKxSd0tvGxwGMMa0bSqogCim7kdfwE0cqglN37VCgHotHmXyYgJcsQgxHR3J/s400/_MG_2890.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260790106780331394" /></a><br /><br />Last morning we went over to Neist Point, where a lighthouse perches on a peninsula looking out over the Minch to the Outer Hebrides.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jc2Bv87_Tq_bZVm8UEAoM0frbRqnlRRfWzXSHz-MYld5EiCmY1TC7jITVWhmYo_54lt21unTkJL0FMoUgzq8Hn-MlUJfPxfb4yujCONZ02XKXz2byW_eVlmJZyC9sjjFb9vi-AYyv1AV/s1600-h/_MG_2996-Edit.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jc2Bv87_Tq_bZVm8UEAoM0frbRqnlRRfWzXSHz-MYld5EiCmY1TC7jITVWhmYo_54lt21unTkJL0FMoUgzq8Hn-MlUJfPxfb4yujCONZ02XKXz2byW_eVlmJZyC9sjjFb9vi-AYyv1AV/s400/_MG_2996-Edit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261500941269387666" /></a><br /><br />Almost impossible to convey anything of the scale and grandeur of this part of Skye, but here's a couple more taken close to Neist Point <br />First: looking south along the coast<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPFFGAUStK3SPKN0n723Ja_o_RObtegEwJK7wXFKThrylIhbuSjqGPUe1ih6QzOKyftiE-mpaZ5lxOoIYYpW9917XDa4GfpAIWKva23xHzQeZji31IHRVSwcOHmSX50c0P3c8fmcvzbo7/s1600-h/_MG_2986.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPFFGAUStK3SPKN0n723Ja_o_RObtegEwJK7wXFKThrylIhbuSjqGPUe1ih6QzOKyftiE-mpaZ5lxOoIYYpW9917XDa4GfpAIWKva23xHzQeZji31IHRVSwcOHmSX50c0P3c8fmcvzbo7/s400/_MG_2986.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261503960263847058" /></a><br /><br />Second: this is Loch Mor at Waterstein on the road from Glendale to the Point<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnw8FNJ_vIPBgqKHYPOa51cQSbx7FMSvRghb_9q7zzWhZqQ6BZcp6yTUHIVI-2ItpLxQNJwVMYFNPiRcBu6gNMXowjjkFOfDWW0wuWGYycpn4p4fvF8wUhQ7uwQa0UDq0kCfDbEhCCAXPJ/s1600-h/_MG_2980.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnw8FNJ_vIPBgqKHYPOa51cQSbx7FMSvRghb_9q7zzWhZqQ6BZcp6yTUHIVI-2ItpLxQNJwVMYFNPiRcBu6gNMXowjjkFOfDWW0wuWGYycpn4p4fvF8wUhQ7uwQa0UDq0kCfDbEhCCAXPJ/s400/_MG_2980.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261503691294887394" /></a><br /><br />From under the very shadow of the Red Cuillins on the approach to Sligachan, a last look back to the snowy peaks of the Black Cuillin before we head for the bridge back to the mainland, and the drive home to Fort William<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NqI1J1Ibng7HRJC0jKt2XI8qjYOfOxCVTJv6uwsgvm7x5rhdGlY6kTE4YVtChY3-8AZRxIQ8ZnBW7xDtzzcwcSK8IFZcuuxoU3RCbJSObo9aecWG9wuu6D8zdIQz81624EVe0Z_f8EyL/s1600-h/_MG_3031-Edit.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NqI1J1Ibng7HRJC0jKt2XI8qjYOfOxCVTJv6uwsgvm7x5rhdGlY6kTE4YVtChY3-8AZRxIQ8ZnBW7xDtzzcwcSK8IFZcuuxoU3RCbJSObo9aecWG9wuu6D8zdIQz81624EVe0Z_f8EyL/s400/_MG_3031-Edit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261538739665575682" /></a><br /><br /><br />* I'm posting this stuff retrospectively - well retrospectively, so look back soon for more from Skye, plus later 2008 adventures on Arran, in France and Holland, Dorset, Edinburgh, and of course - around and about the HighlandsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-5655485195927624622008-03-03T19:03:00.007+00:002008-12-09T05:25:00.360+00:00This was all we saw of Buachaille Etive Mor...... as a blizzard descended on our way back to Fort William. No less imposing for the fact you can barely see it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHGkplk81VjFTY24E7jsqfciBLxlplpOeDcc0coXeUSsbd_CpqxI9ik_g3TtNhlv5bpTjUOKC72SnSoY6hYGSvuSplnyHhtesl0tC1TtSVGpl-xdHRdy5Qzcf19aS9hQ3KZ1Q8o1Z5NvF/s1600-h/_MG_2623.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHGkplk81VjFTY24E7jsqfciBLxlplpOeDcc0coXeUSsbd_CpqxI9ik_g3TtNhlv5bpTjUOKC72SnSoY6hYGSvuSplnyHhtesl0tC1TtSVGpl-xdHRdy5Qzcf19aS9hQ3KZ1Q8o1Z5NvF/s400/_MG_2623.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173593539911608802" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-75394670422964276312008-03-03T18:26:00.008+00:002008-12-09T05:25:02.000+00:00Return of the Winter - Today on Rannoch Moor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1l-uae87NcfJL31WaJErN_mHxXu502AsvV5ezCxFP5sSEJIY39xunkJtW_YF0vtnfHyGgvxfndMIjpQDy8AxB81Z2u3CwlR78_-SJQta_PAQS227QgIPuv9NmqWBDGJ3k_1w8pYsGtWIy/s1600-h/_MG_2583.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1l-uae87NcfJL31WaJErN_mHxXu502AsvV5ezCxFP5sSEJIY39xunkJtW_YF0vtnfHyGgvxfndMIjpQDy8AxB81Z2u3CwlR78_-SJQta_PAQS227QgIPuv9NmqWBDGJ3k_1w8pYsGtWIy/s320/_MG_2583.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173584851192768866" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;">First stop Ballachulish - 2 goldfinches sighted as I was setting up this shot. Bird book says they don't come to these parts...</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:48px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGpfJXiGs_6Ao6AszcNRXzr0d09FJdwvdkQyuTLPGD0_c_vji3I3reYdNiEEG25K8p1k7dwv-46bwtUvQ1eGMBbCL7zd-auyMsE72BqRj5Dd3fyopFhivHNl9ellqfI6AhV6XojMHqg2H/s1600-h/_MG_2589.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGpfJXiGs_6Ao6AszcNRXzr0d09FJdwvdkQyuTLPGD0_c_vji3I3reYdNiEEG25K8p1k7dwv-46bwtUvQ1eGMBbCL7zd-auyMsE72BqRj5Dd3fyopFhivHNl9ellqfI6AhV6XojMHqg2H/s320/_MG_2589.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173584851192768882" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;">Bit of a cliché this shot. Black Rock Cottage and the Buachaille Etive Mor. Unmissable, though, on a day like this. And only one other photographer active at the time!! That would change as we headed down to Lochan na h-Achlaise and the Block Mount Bens...</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-z9gTyreYVULy6qDWOmSRwZ-a71YyUSDmCSGStim0Q0d-p6aWTsXdIOx3BM4h9GaknJsU2-D07YFiGbM0g5NYOZAMcyvp6ISZThvDkGhyphenhyphencT9329A4omJ2LBM_beJIeY5wKix7YLvxS2v/s1600-h/_MG_2591.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-z9gTyreYVULy6qDWOmSRwZ-a71YyUSDmCSGStim0Q0d-p6aWTsXdIOx3BM4h9GaknJsU2-D07YFiGbM0g5NYOZAMcyvp6ISZThvDkGhyphenhyphencT9329A4omJ2LBM_beJIeY5wKix7YLvxS2v/s320/_MG_2591.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173584859782703490" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Still, I think I was the only one that bothered to take a shot of these snow-encrusted trees.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwi4oqgi2jozSfyUC3iW9MGfFZBEEEBdnr05BoDmRN6AV1h7r3us2YuH6ftN1Joh3Dwf6dEUPTYm06U2XjUUNQMZNWgybRtULf5ocWZMnNivwPA7nsBLNurokBvmaMADEh121QDi-tiKbN/s1600-h/_MG_2592.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwi4oqgi2jozSfyUC3iW9MGfFZBEEEBdnr05BoDmRN6AV1h7r3us2YuH6ftN1Joh3Dwf6dEUPTYm06U2XjUUNQMZNWgybRtULf5ocWZMnNivwPA7nsBLNurokBvmaMADEh121QDi-tiKbN/s320/_MG_2592.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173584864077670802" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And here we are at the Lochan. Stunning cloud formations - you can tell it's still snowing up there even though we're in bright sunshine. Good day, though the breeze precluded any good reflection shots today</span></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qhB8e_S099wca93Jr_RrBw8Z_-GZxorAVicilFX36xMnfAG6ipwZvOsHwAfcgNBfJQs2caZ1WShAXr3rAmH3TtaLYTGQZK3WB6kk2jD7vGM29AV5qFabVAxPzxQpE1ajM8Nk_7_U8yqh/s1600-h/_MG_2599.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qhB8e_S099wca93Jr_RrBw8Z_-GZxorAVicilFX36xMnfAG6ipwZvOsHwAfcgNBfJQs2caZ1WShAXr3rAmH3TtaLYTGQZK3WB6kk2jD7vGM29AV5qFabVAxPzxQpE1ajM8Nk_7_U8yqh/s320/_MG_2599.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173589390973200802" /></a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Met this fellow just where the road turns down towards Loch Tulla. Frequent visitors to these pages (if there are any) may recognise him from an earlier post on December 4th last year. He was also on our 2007 Xmas card to select acquaintances. Fine chap. Good to see him again.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRUdOahdcFBu4ULC_A9FQQHCePDGuNKxTjNyreR3RDPLqckfqaxkAStZPPyk-cQUS8NvlY8RyNEoP5PBSnxOBSyUuat3cabbNKkyBpFrGK3jHNnL3DEh01kL7sQwAU8NIxSEtCJxUC4KF/s1600-h/_MG_2612.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRUdOahdcFBu4ULC_A9FQQHCePDGuNKxTjNyreR3RDPLqckfqaxkAStZPPyk-cQUS8NvlY8RyNEoP5PBSnxOBSyUuat3cabbNKkyBpFrGK3jHNnL3DEh01kL7sQwAU8NIxSEtCJxUC4KF/s320/_MG_2612.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173589395268168114" /></a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And again, stunning skies above Loch Tulla...</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjls469t5BiezYL2sRBwqC8MrIFOL3UsamjRk_79O5Ktn7UyaM4ll6Vqso7YD7KE_I23c1ythj2A_yA03JvY8rz5tZNoBHsd6ih3MAnWfIWD3ABQiK5EEG29faFzRgx7bpaV4EUybbCBqeP/s1600-h/_MG_2619.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjls469t5BiezYL2sRBwqC8MrIFOL3UsamjRk_79O5Ktn7UyaM4ll6Vqso7YD7KE_I23c1ythj2A_yA03JvY8rz5tZNoBHsd6ih3MAnWfIWD3ABQiK5EEG29faFzRgx7bpaV4EUybbCBqeP/s320/_MG_2619.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173589446807775682" /></a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-55286400583590874662008-02-21T12:35:00.005+00:002008-12-09T05:25:02.162+00:00Winter Retrospective : Part Two<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Shock 'n' Awe in Glenfinnan</span><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I've been trying for a shot of one of these guys for a while, but they're not easy to capture: kind of sneak up and over you. Fortunately this time I had the camera in my hand, switched on, and set - approximately - appropriately. </span></div><div> </div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rSC809E6HaKFWRQpZdq8Onhqt4MN_jOhyphenhyphenbv7XK9EPdkhTEZT-FUFAgffthGRriaD5kmDAJB-sCo_ZymJ7kNQ0kNmb1E63gtqC6ZVfCIL8rkgd86Y45WSk9DkomBY3CRwNoRWLdh9uKhJ/s1600-h/_MG_2528.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rSC809E6HaKFWRQpZdq8Onhqt4MN_jOhyphenhyphenbv7XK9EPdkhTEZT-FUFAgffthGRriaD5kmDAJB-sCo_ZymJ7kNQ0kNmb1E63gtqC6ZVfCIL8rkgd86Y45WSk9DkomBY3CRwNoRWLdh9uKhJ/s320/_MG_2528.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169412097331788850" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Gotcha! Well, nearly...</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-47192225095976014622008-02-16T20:43:00.016+00:002008-12-09T05:25:02.799+00:002007/8 : A Winter Retrospective - Part 1Laid up through most of January with a busted rib or three, I didn't get much photography done, but here area a few shots that show some of the delights that winter can bring to Lochaber:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQuLZit6NJFO5XnQoh2tbPC1P2fhchAeo0c_raRM7LHri2TmJiBv0Vc62djdGd1kKqrRVWsD7MMd7yStjoWQDYOU_ZU5chCsq4GrmunzuVzVCb6u5CuYYdvKoylqWURh8y2JEibjcqrwi/s1600-h/_MG_2295-Edit-copy2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQuLZit6NJFO5XnQoh2tbPC1P2fhchAeo0c_raRM7LHri2TmJiBv0Vc62djdGd1kKqrRVWsD7MMd7yStjoWQDYOU_ZU5chCsq4GrmunzuVzVCb6u5CuYYdvKoylqWURh8y2JEibjcqrwi/s320/_MG_2295-Edit-copy2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167682269188553730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="font-size:78%;">Driving snow in Glen Nevis</span></span><br /><br />It often is on winter afternoons that the light is at its best for photographing the highland landscape. The low sun casts long horizontal shadows and somehow the colours - more muted in some respects than the greens of spring or summer - seem more vivid than at any other time of year. The three shots which follow were taken while driving home from the RSPB Insh Marshes wetland centre near Kingussie. Taken over an hour or so and I guess about 30-some miles, they show how the light develops as the sunset progresses<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsa1c9VoxsKGjPsmL7XyXZzCC0ggWO2FmaqgXsiRD7pjFqa05n-26AT5UjnUolxXTLNsFjQ9foDYq_b8Sk7bKLFKThDAT53B9CZ2xJgnPBo-XXwDzLDse8__TVS7CTg5e_6E8K5zluuhk/s1600-h/_MG_2475.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsa1c9VoxsKGjPsmL7XyXZzCC0ggWO2FmaqgXsiRD7pjFqa05n-26AT5UjnUolxXTLNsFjQ9foDYq_b8Sk7bKLFKThDAT53B9CZ2xJgnPBo-XXwDzLDse8__TVS7CTg5e_6E8K5zluuhk/s320/_MG_2475.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167683342930377746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Ruthven Barracks as the sun goes down</span><br /><br />This reminds me I must get more shots of Loch Laggan...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfKsYB8wfenKEEjxpgokenE7MgDv98RW-HMqCzG8sj6Xec_NUN1d_NDH1YNIH6C3yB3wxUe81NGB_R4lxjRkLlf-Cm1d_KroBaX2Wffy0sFp4U33QTsyxjj7XGmR9aS0tSYiFbQR89NH3/s1600-h/_MG_2485.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfKsYB8wfenKEEjxpgokenE7MgDv98RW-HMqCzG8sj6Xec_NUN1d_NDH1YNIH6C3yB3wxUe81NGB_R4lxjRkLlf-Cm1d_KroBaX2Wffy0sFp4U33QTsyxjj7XGmR9aS0tSYiFbQR89NH3/s320/_MG_2485.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167685834011409442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Loch Laggan</span><br /><br />...whose water level is at its maximum here, as can be seen at the dam at its western end, which supplies electricity to the National Grid as well as the Fort William aluminium smelter<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9_yMVIJH5utV7eUYwe-NZ9Lg8EBLA4N6YG7DkeIFprd_-iQJjd3v0XYKW0G6HiFfQjkxFVE6ftJwWYF-F24Ra1KmYOg06G5-G1Htjict1II-4zMJ3dIH6Tc_zWSSHMBNplHgsLLWykCC/s1600-h/_MG_2492.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9_yMVIJH5utV7eUYwe-NZ9Lg8EBLA4N6YG7DkeIFprd_-iQJjd3v0XYKW0G6HiFfQjkxFVE6ftJwWYF-F24Ra1KmYOg06G5-G1Htjict1II-4zMJ3dIH6Tc_zWSSHMBNplHgsLLWykCC/s320/_MG_2492.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167682037260319730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Laggan Dam</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-14442667389448483892008-01-02T18:43:00.000+00:002008-12-09T05:25:03.687+00:00Now for a little Catch-Up<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQji5J02qHgL388G-DWHSgdxtikRgdB6jyIJOKO2txsL_Mp6wJa4Q9kmTeV7vocOtzyYlZo8nOIzX_LDSs70kalRP_rwz0aXVtHm_UKWOpc1YZrK0InVGK59McKhqLSs_GMzhyBx4WdCb/s1600-h/_MG_2172.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQji5J02qHgL388G-DWHSgdxtikRgdB6jyIJOKO2txsL_Mp6wJa4Q9kmTeV7vocOtzyYlZo8nOIzX_LDSs70kalRP_rwz0aXVtHm_UKWOpc1YZrK0InVGK59McKhqLSs_GMzhyBx4WdCb/s320/_MG_2172.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150967068744506802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The week before Christmas was a stunner in the Fort William micro-climate, with six consecutive bright sunny days and six successive frosty nights. Temperature didn't rise above -3ºC that week, but your photographer fell on his EOS 400D on day four and bust a rib or two, thus not as much captured as might have been.<br />Here's a few taster shots from the Great Glen taken that week. There'll be prints of some of these available at <a href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk/printshome.html">lochaberphoto.co.uk </a>soon.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_UFgO2F47f8pNg8DjEN80rj-abWZZcw8XQBIWbauY7LDZ-3Kzuc4xuBOBhxD2SVOLrHdQ9t3jL__0qXLxjDjE0kw8HZQlw17QspVT7ujPv4DYqYWV2BqDIOaW6LqvIOcFrxT6pWUWbeL/s320/_MG-2102%3E5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150965020045106546" border="0" /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > Loch </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Lochy</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT8QzunIZvBcm1DiXLldK9CetQw_XODNnmyAx6VEWknSVAHhRaNAkCOy5I6I9n7YV9F6UWUBlfbL8yEh035UK6Kv-BwVLJtoGBCvppAKJvIOM2KLdSMZWtkxMxMGQPBmPikw4-VGGlyqS/s1600-h/_MG_2130.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT8QzunIZvBcm1DiXLldK9CetQw_XODNnmyAx6VEWknSVAHhRaNAkCOy5I6I9n7YV9F6UWUBlfbL8yEh035UK6Kv-BwVLJtoGBCvppAKJvIOM2KLdSMZWtkxMxMGQPBmPikw4-VGGlyqS/s320/_MG_2130.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150965269153209730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Glen Spean</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT8QzunIZvBcm1DiXLldK9CetQw_XODNnmyAx6VEWknSVAHhRaNAkCOy5I6I9n7YV9F6UWUBlfbL8yEh035UK6Kv-BwVLJtoGBCvppAKJvIOM2KLdSMZWtkxMxMGQPBmPikw4-VGGlyqS/s1600-h/_MG_2130.jpg"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ></span></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUk8viPbC4GEyTf4Y53YTdSQfhQbGfsmcEiWgyGQ-g1adCtX9Wp9DQgb4swa_55zMVJahwvyVtaiLJjGtQgiuPeDI_W9VgdagOhVMRcBTRC2z0GrQdVTmT6q0SaoqGNuK8iQ2Yp1Ztb4rA/s1600-h/_MG_2192.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUk8viPbC4GEyTf4Y53YTdSQfhQbGfsmcEiWgyGQ-g1adCtX9Wp9DQgb4swa_55zMVJahwvyVtaiLJjGtQgiuPeDI_W9VgdagOhVMRcBTRC2z0GrQdVTmT6q0SaoqGNuK8iQ2Yp1Ztb4rA/s320/_MG_2192.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150967231953264066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > ...near Tomacharich on the Highbridge road...</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0fxUJDme3b5nHn-K0vomAo1pOBLxsVHtIbjnZwFQ25NQHVR1sFI6xza8HnELcez9xeZ_jGQ5S-0TlTyEgPv11bNWlnazVgGp0DJ-Y1u2Rc0hqp_TrgFICbvRDT_Kpvy1DzPaDim4zTN2/s1600-h/_MG_2205.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0fxUJDme3b5nHn-K0vomAo1pOBLxsVHtIbjnZwFQ25NQHVR1sFI6xza8HnELcez9xeZ_jGQ5S-0TlTyEgPv11bNWlnazVgGp0DJ-Y1u2Rc0hqp_TrgFICbvRDT_Kpvy1DzPaDim4zTN2/s320/_MG_2205.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150967592730516946" border="0" /></a></div><br />As I've said before - summer is not the best time to visit these parts. On winter days like these, when the sun is low in the sky all day long, there's really nowhere to beat the Highlands<br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-15206381114748135822008-01-02T18:37:00.001+00:002008-12-09T05:25:03.964+00:00Intersecting PlanesA big, big <span style="font-weight: bold;">Happy New Year</span> to all who stumble upon this page!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc584882fZ9noRR5IP51IaAbrVvypXrMSoIgDv-Un7OKyYtQ-SeYle8CpT9EuZYVzqCXuC-z29G_F7Y0ytHQ6RRxV1Q-D2EBIOeCYN891IQBzO8irkVXG7UNnMC8Lzy1TklgMIEA7xn-X/s1600-h/_MG_2281.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc584882fZ9noRR5IP51IaAbrVvypXrMSoIgDv-Un7OKyYtQ-SeYle8CpT9EuZYVzqCXuC-z29G_F7Y0ytHQ6RRxV1Q-D2EBIOeCYN891IQBzO8irkVXG7UNnMC8Lzy1TklgMIEA7xn-X/s320/_MG_2281.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150950692034207074" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Such was the view from here at Glenalbyn at 3.15 pm yesterday - New Years Day 2008. Not the brightest, but not lacking a certain enchantment...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-9315133806925371072007-12-04T12:42:00.000+00:002008-12-09T05:25:04.461+00:00Rannoch Moor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JQ99v2QklmqVoWGkKTqoYhiPs9Ph00O5pAp71CQCgONQJC1bSPkf-iv1cJNm8T0ZfNxklAT82YtE5G7cwWpbkDmAOfqgEnCwgWi3LNipdwaEEXdUwft7Yg9BZX48AogfujYEleb9ywRg/s1600-h/_MG_2061.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JQ99v2QklmqVoWGkKTqoYhiPs9Ph00O5pAp71CQCgONQJC1bSPkf-iv1cJNm8T0ZfNxklAT82YtE5G7cwWpbkDmAOfqgEnCwgWi3LNipdwaEEXdUwft7Yg9BZX48AogfujYEleb9ywRg/s320/_MG_2061.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140098335751652914" border="0" /></a><br />Wanted a picture of the "Lochaber Tree" for a book I'm working on, so yesterday Ruth and I headed out on a bright winter afternoon to the wastes of Rannoch Moor. Arrived too late for the best of the light at the Black Mount, but got some reasonable shots of the tree - Ruth driving slowly and me in the passenger seat with lens out the window.<br />The Lochaber Tree is a particularly determined rowan (I think) which has sprouted from an erratic boulder on the moor, just south of the county border that separates Lochaber ( and Highland) from Argyll & Bute. It's a better way-marker than the council's signage, and passing it coming north means we're entering home turf...<br /><br /><br />The real hit of the day was a liitle further south, though, at the lay-by above Loch Tulla, where this guy<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iDKrGPr0ekV-yntSbjk0CiziXRDnV1i88qRRjzU2-ESH_7QEvZH3w2xVc8D4NBry0Rm1rGvcfDg2wFOzVd7CD4DWCyYodKa91a-c5boA62cMKPqomwCqMxJZrwLHF7Sm6iX9EdEfehh5/s1600-h/_MG_2044.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iDKrGPr0ekV-yntSbjk0CiziXRDnV1i88qRRjzU2-ESH_7QEvZH3w2xVc8D4NBry0Rm1rGvcfDg2wFOzVd7CD4DWCyYodKa91a-c5boA62cMKPqomwCqMxJZrwLHF7Sm6iX9EdEfehh5/s320/_MG_2044.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140100015083865682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />and a couple of his friends have established a close relationship with the chap who runs a burger & tea stand.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDnRZM9m6JyUSTFtDmpvwhAIpeZMwIeXJU41orzrxPsxnLMka5kDPyNUfbesNtaCTfNH0eJd6qmeSCgABUoY2WlZt5FeitqhHZgtYj67Dstq47Mi1lTXMj8exWRfsLrgKm3hkt4y9J0f-/s1600-h/_MG_2022-Edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDnRZM9m6JyUSTFtDmpvwhAIpeZMwIeXJU41orzrxPsxnLMka5kDPyNUfbesNtaCTfNH0eJd6qmeSCgABUoY2WlZt5FeitqhHZgtYj67Dstq47Mi1lTXMj8exWRfsLrgKm3hkt4y9J0f-/s320/_MG_2022-Edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140100775293077090" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-67742960144992080242007-11-21T12:10:00.000+00:002008-12-09T05:25:05.046+00:00Just another Highland SunsetI wasn't ready for the otter as we strolled down Mallaig harbour yesterday afternoon. I sensed a decent sunset in the offing, and hadn't taken my camera out of its case when I caught out of the corner of my eye what I took for a small seal. But it wasn't. It was my first encounter with the almost-tame otters that have been hanging out the quayside at Mallaig this year. Ruth had seen one before there, and recognised it at once. By the time I'd got the camera out it had stopped staring up at us, dived and swum away. When it re-surfaced, it was a bit too far away for my EF-S 17-85mm lens. So this was all I got...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNRn-0ple5YpERvqisTyB6n5IhbkqQNOhQU8fXBBYbcEr8XXq6O-FkaqOh0QU93QvyvWDNmnrj5weAAcYgEUxRYUXNlgcs2anvR66Fg7hWq4JR9AB-AV-iWsFyuFiEpt98ztKw6LPqPmO/s1600-h/_MG_1891.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNRn-0ple5YpERvqisTyB6n5IhbkqQNOhQU8fXBBYbcEr8XXq6O-FkaqOh0QU93QvyvWDNmnrj5weAAcYgEUxRYUXNlgcs2anvR66Fg7hWq4JR9AB-AV-iWsFyuFiEpt98ztKw6LPqPmO/s320/_MG_1891.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135274705732023186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then it was onwards, chasing the setting sun...<br />Firstly in Mallaig, with the sun setting by Eigg<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBS0Wa4A71QXELtvGqefjVnCKXH-5PUdlVPZgLJTxG0rOH2LX5ebcxI6mpOXe3y4KZ14jBiGOY7tm9Lo4vhDRkchcWKf21FRliKqC-2Ko_fjaB2HhtX-Rzm0q0IPVyrr2SqcBihaxq2GX/s1600-h/_MG_1899.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBS0Wa4A71QXELtvGqefjVnCKXH-5PUdlVPZgLJTxG0rOH2LX5ebcxI6mpOXe3y4KZ14jBiGOY7tm9Lo4vhDRkchcWKf21FRliKqC-2Ko_fjaB2HhtX-Rzm0q0IPVyrr2SqcBihaxq2GX/s320/_MG_1899.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135274813106205602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then down the coast to Morar bay...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5revBinNYJKOt_dqYu-7V9V07kr7YjlfSi6bmL5wvsBlFYyhp4ZCMnUOt25Z5SVBKSu7bw_DYYO2o5TqCnrpeGkk-TDEPeU_cUap_YlLIipgF3tygSJcVH3mdNkKQbrhg1NVzG6-FKnkI/s1600-h/_MG_1923.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5revBinNYJKOt_dqYu-7V9V07kr7YjlfSi6bmL5wvsBlFYyhp4ZCMnUOt25Z5SVBKSu7bw_DYYO2o5TqCnrpeGkk-TDEPeU_cUap_YlLIipgF3tygSJcVH3mdNkKQbrhg1NVzG6-FKnkI/s320/_MG_1923.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135275070804243378" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then finally to Traigh, just north of Arisaig.<br /><br />Best sunset we've seen here since our honeymoon in December 2000.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwQVUi-YQONw-AgiV6zVxpN8PrtnbnWhyXnGXtzn8eP16mHieFJFUsTS-UD2FIpC_2TYUGQNfLMgkCa0IhoQhOix_B4i5tMlWMVExOyHRD1eDqtqRk7rfurcJrlOl4LKjuLC65f6VsQMS/s1600-h/_MG_1941.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwQVUi-YQONw-AgiV6zVxpN8PrtnbnWhyXnGXtzn8eP16mHieFJFUsTS-UD2FIpC_2TYUGQNfLMgkCa0IhoQhOix_B4i5tMlWMVExOyHRD1eDqtqRk7rfurcJrlOl4LKjuLC65f6VsQMS/s320/_MG_1941.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135275281257640898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Winter is the season for West Highland sunsets. Not least because they happen in the afternoon when you're out and about and can just bump into themUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-48735828356564060382007-11-12T00:34:00.001+00:002008-12-09T05:25:05.732+00:00Out to LunchJust another lazy Highland Sunday...<br />A short drive from here to Oban for a decent seafood lunch at <span style="font-style: italic;">"Ee-usk!"</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc29d0PfEOF1_647xWhzExtwGWpCgj4NLj8gN-kvPPpXZ7tKYur5mSEQcWzjMDp_oTqoYQL0w6ZDG3ovXrdRalcZ4vco717wYMLxoCwOUPdbYRI31X875h3xVkvbmdT2lqjCZ-u3OoAama/s1600-h/_MG_1854.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc29d0PfEOF1_647xWhzExtwGWpCgj4NLj8gN-kvPPpXZ7tKYur5mSEQcWzjMDp_oTqoYQL0w6ZDG3ovXrdRalcZ4vco717wYMLxoCwOUPdbYRI31X875h3xVkvbmdT2lqjCZ-u3OoAama/s320/_MG_1854.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135281444535710690" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Swans in Oban harbour</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Ee-usk"</span> (Gaelic for fish) sits on the town's North Pier, with superb views over the harbour and Oban bay<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDF6KaRGGhfV74XfGJuar2insl_q5HLNsF7h74sRWwf_CzXzwgqaeg01BkN6MSJZQFQzQr3Apy0VyXcxlrZQ0X2ilT64bB_Q2I8j11hHcXo_hM_z8QpcDi9GAc0KwVabM3sS_ZcbTocC11/s1600-h/_MG_1841.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDF6KaRGGhfV74XfGJuar2insl_q5HLNsF7h74sRWwf_CzXzwgqaeg01BkN6MSJZQFQzQr3Apy0VyXcxlrZQ0X2ilT64bB_Q2I8j11hHcXo_hM_z8QpcDi9GAc0KwVabM3sS_ZcbTocC11/s320/_MG_1841.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135281792428061682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Looking over Oban bay to the isles of Kerrera and Mull</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />...and a surprise sunset over Loch Linnhe and the Mull bens from Benderloch on the road back home<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG_1uzX5t_mNe6UH9oocMmPvblKhKRMv_RMbEHFLxk-Z5GZ5J75F7BEwxHlCKwJEmkF9ZCc7nrdnMoz0E6hynVTmSxbCZspzZak61OfMhQi0tBx7U22LPbiMTPBuQuf4AFt8Wg1NiSr5T/s1600-h/_MG_1864.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG_1uzX5t_mNe6UH9oocMmPvblKhKRMv_RMbEHFLxk-Z5GZ5J75F7BEwxHlCKwJEmkF9ZCc7nrdnMoz0E6hynVTmSxbCZspzZak61OfMhQi0tBx7U22LPbiMTPBuQuf4AFt8Wg1NiSr5T/s320/_MG_1864.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135281977111655426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />... all in all not a bad place to abide...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelso2zs0Z0rwMkn15UEmz3BYChxCLsezwCCktw42anD-1sfBSw9HErK_8drG-_7EuLBRojk5wM-9N9vKTmnYCqFBARK1oo-k5FA25aHS9F_xZT5gm0PhJt9qzt0n9OnFhJ3tHvFDPtl0q/s1600-h/_MG_1865.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelso2zs0Z0rwMkn15UEmz3BYChxCLsezwCCktw42anD-1sfBSw9HErK_8drG-_7EuLBRojk5wM-9N9vKTmnYCqFBARK1oo-k5FA25aHS9F_xZT5gm0PhJt9qzt0n9OnFhJ3tHvFDPtl0q/s320/_MG_1865.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135282187565052946" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nBrXHQVbmeE/RzehlJokY_I/AAAAAAAAACg/oOsBLGzWV04/s1600-h/_MG_1865.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nBrXHQVbmeE/RzehlJokY_I/AAAAAAAAACg/oOsBLGzWV04/s320/_MG_1865.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131747960025277426" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-37358091143286785462007-10-25T14:50:00.000+01:002008-12-09T05:25:06.146+00:00Day Return to Mull<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Rather belatedly, I guess, Ruth and I have recently discovered two things about the isle of Mull. Firstly, it's only about an hour's drive - plus a couple of ferries - from here (Fort William). And secondly, it's astonishingly dramatic in it's landscape and wildlife.<br /><br />A group of 30+ cormorants were basking on a rock as the ferry from Lochaline in Morvern glided into the quay at Fishnish on Mull.<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0R-8Q-6eQR-PFP9S0AFKtfQYPStxcA_xDd5r-4pI-AbePrimv40bgJPUNimdoa94B8XUat9oyT6P8JcnbEzPRP-GalHrlMrEmj-_tVDtarYLtKuWhDnjHW6z2N9UbxH_FJWtPS2Vr1v3/s1600-h/_MG_1773.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0R-8Q-6eQR-PFP9S0AFKtfQYPStxcA_xDd5r-4pI-AbePrimv40bgJPUNimdoa94B8XUat9oyT6P8JcnbEzPRP-GalHrlMrEmj-_tVDtarYLtKuWhDnjHW6z2N9UbxH_FJWtPS2Vr1v3/s320/_MG_1773.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125287018776833730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">As we drove along Loch na Keal the air seemed to teem with raptors. Mostly buzzards, but there are eagles around too, and Mull has a renowned colony of white-tailed Sea Eagles. I'm gonna need to shell out on something sharper and steadier than my current Canon 100-300mm f/4-5.6 USM lens to get really useable pics of these birdies!</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Last time around we started at the southern end of the island and turned along the north shore of Loch Scridain, climbing up through woods and open moorland before plunging down and round a bend to find Loch na Keal and this wide Atlantic vista opening out below us, just by the barely-discernible habitation of Balnahard:<br /></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmaTdOwOmtoNBwaGa6GmKu0h4_9OuXrHhpsb2RVDZHEWYfbPexusYxuxSZLbRC5cVXuH9_4HjFYmTDeQJX7BBsO_RQVCH7HNz5NF8Nv2UJlKEZLnoXIJmmwUawpiggEofWqC53vEGqq_9/s1600-h/_MG_1271.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 415px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmaTdOwOmtoNBwaGa6GmKu0h4_9OuXrHhpsb2RVDZHEWYfbPexusYxuxSZLbRC5cVXuH9_4HjFYmTDeQJX7BBsO_RQVCH7HNz5NF8Nv2UJlKEZLnoXIJmmwUawpiggEofWqC53vEGqq_9/s320/_MG_1271.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125281886290914962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">This time we headed north from Fishnish to Salen, then cut across the isthmus to Killiechronan on the north shore of Loch na Keal. On the south shore of the loch rises the massif of Ben More, Mull's highest peak and a dominant feature of the landscape for many miles around (plainly visible from Oban, Appin, Morvern and much of the west coast of Argyll, and the islands which lie off it). Yesterday's light was weaker than on our last trip, with an early mist which had risen to hang below the clouds, and clung still to the hillsides. Not making for the easiest photographic environment, but this shot captures something of the light:<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNVqQty8_GCD0gHQ4Dze8uJaa0tUzJYZ_F_MFQeRnf3TNOeMtIk1QMLhflBgT_q4aOxUO4dRouD0Pq-oU4CtHZsU6heWoL7BwCdFWfhrxv12oELSZBCWpGllNGLQ6nDa3sh8Pp_VkKXpm/s1600-h/_MG_1779-Edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 416px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNVqQty8_GCD0gHQ4Dze8uJaa0tUzJYZ_F_MFQeRnf3TNOeMtIk1QMLhflBgT_q4aOxUO4dRouD0Pq-oU4CtHZsU6heWoL7BwCdFWfhrxv12oELSZBCWpGllNGLQ6nDa3sh8Pp_VkKXpm/s320/_MG_1779-Edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125285000142204578" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pNzoc-SJZGr76GNER9wZH3NhhkGOa9bq5Jd5f5zIGpcQSSCtwEHmK61Vrd8jhMMNrVu0VFAfbmuhZxL7tXEQqG7qwENtZGJX_pd5r5JJHLq-2B2uqCe15BHg5cWCKCgNbOOX52DMzXMp/s1600-h/_MG_1779-Edit-copy.jpg"><br /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-21677859123846214612007-10-21T19:07:00.001+01:002008-12-09T05:25:06.232+00:00Inverness to Bangkok on the Cheap, anyone?<span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" >Seen on the tarmac at Inverness Airport yesterday afternoon:<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X_f3LSu5K5965XaoCJ7YwGAWLjyh2_mvB_o6RHxCC-11i9VEkT4k-YlDhnuMdMyG-gfPBQKPS6iE9WMUL4s3unOJoyKGKIW6XW6ErecmvEqEa6vlyGnnUwHOdzVce0WBKU89O1c1RceV/s1600-h/_MG_1745.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X_f3LSu5K5965XaoCJ7YwGAWLjyh2_mvB_o6RHxCC-11i9VEkT4k-YlDhnuMdMyG-gfPBQKPS6iE9WMUL4s3unOJoyKGKIW6XW6ErecmvEqEa6vlyGnnUwHOdzVce0WBKU89O1c1RceV/s320/_MG_1745.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123853817925815826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">this 737 belongs to Thai Budget Airline nokair.com (telephone Thailand 1318, it says!)<br /><br />No bookings yet showing on their site for Inverness > Bangkok, but they do have Bangkok > Hanoi for 3 baht, so the Scotland flight should compete with RyanAir's cheapest.....<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-59913411746788809652007-10-21T18:03:00.000+01:002008-12-09T05:25:06.690+00:00Last Days of the Mod<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk/mod/friday/index.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeaSdgxagzXQs160Ym7cBj8TLE9R9uVw2HJk26aNgZFIZXgbdVTQo06dVLo4cP7dR0ef0aCBX1Ipl-HOOEc1f0NM_GNHr0Uf9PvrnFV1H0RpV_hjaCrE2J6AsBvPq4nQ-WkhIEu6ZP8Ho/s320/_MG_1631.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123837295186628082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Friday saw the final stages of the competitive Mòd, with the Gaelic Choirs singing for the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield and other prizes. Elsewhere in the town, music was everywhere - in the pubs and bars, the High Street and the Parade. Only sorry to say I missed o</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">ut on the band Daimh's Kilmallie Hall session on Friday night.<br /><br />Click on a pic to see more<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk/mod/parade/index.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9owHaIe0I7TVLC9m6RCmVVepgvfVtNIwdQuvHDWiFPcuV09wE3vPfOFd3xdf7J7AjGb2lBeifvzBo-cNDbRrmqPOrPehLihT7CZYgAOiEggb0eoY__JK3IWuoZV4i_vl5qE8MczZj94ah/s320/_MG_1718.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123840151339879938" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It all ended on Saturday morning, with a procession of pie bands and choirs down the High Street to the Parade, where the assembled choirs sang the 2007 Mod out, in Gaelic, surrounded by townsfolk and tourists.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As I said previously, this was Ruth's and my first encounter with a Mod, but it won't be our last. It's a shame Fort William can't host the Mod every year, but we'll maybe become Mod-followers, now we know how to play it. Watch this space next year...</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-49303013432086878682007-10-17T15:37:00.000+01:002008-12-09T05:25:06.874+00:00It may not be much, but it's here....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33aehpvc8TpD97ohnvzgWflTXcrI9_AhCxhkUT-Vu_SZAUrTmWdmajEuZntuYU7PTaePMKlJV788tqX9fxVkoy-d2IngFLAIW2wPBmssfEAz3-DsGAQ8reQue7DxJSmy3UUrBmrJb5FnT/s1600-h/_MG_1498.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33aehpvc8TpD97ohnvzgWflTXcrI9_AhCxhkUT-Vu_SZAUrTmWdmajEuZntuYU7PTaePMKlJV788tqX9fxVkoy-d2IngFLAIW2wPBmssfEAz3-DsGAQ8reQue7DxJSmy3UUrBmrJb5FnT/s320/_MG_1498.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122316473036918242" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The first snow of winter 2007, now showing on (from right to left) Ben Nevis , Carn Mor Dearg and Aonach Mor, from I'd guess about the 3700 ft mark!<br /><br /><br />(Picture taken noon today)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-39331762530922678792007-10-17T15:15:00.000+01:002008-12-09T05:25:07.236+00:00On with the Mod<span style="font-family:verdana;">I've posted some more images on my main site from Monday evening's Award Winners Concert at the Nevis Centre,<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk/mod/awards/index.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKFQaRuX3I2fjoYL3rRwKcZYD71TpPkVXWhajT5gXvHUceuILcYF8Bd3rHA-NV5AtnJSMe-OBRSZsOy-LZ4s6RGVdCEHu9btsSWa15dwEw-NxzJNCG7eerq0fCAZ_cCf6MIxQAfiWjic8/s320/1460_61_HDR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122310468672638386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">*</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />and from a Ceol Sraide (Street Music) session on the Parade in Fort William on Tuesday afternoon<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk/mod/ceolsraide/index.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOtsEp3Wv-9krtX6KIgujpqRxXWEjpyjQuiXCAo_3p3jZbDiCF6ipqn1Bl6-Xuf-zFeneM3xSr1MBg8zOEgkN2t19rOHKtESls5oPAin44y9DxYj2BV6j-Qk8eQW2JjWZ1kejI3chu-gb/s320/_MG_1488.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122310915349237186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Click on either image above to view relevant image gallery.<br /><br />This has been Ruth's and my first experience of having the Mod in town, and it's been a welcome enhancement of the town's off-season entertainment. There are good exhibitions at the West Highland Museum and the Lochaber Rural Complex, as well as the music and dance stuff.<br />The Mod has a website at </span><a href="http://www.lochabermod2007.co.uk/"><span style=""><span class="a">www.lochabermod2007.co.uk,</span></span></a> <span style="font-family:verdana;">but sadly Tiscali seems to have nobbled it, this of all weeks! (But try the link, it may yet come back up)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">*</span> <span style="font-size:85%;">This picture is one of a collection I'm building of digital photographers at work. I'll be putting a gallery of them on lochaberphoto.co.uk sometime soon. It's also a victim of an abuse of Photoshop CS3 HDR technology. I took 2 shots of this guy at work, but neither was exposed quite right to capture the dynamic range from shadows - where the photographer stood - to well-lit stage - where the performers were. And I'd re-composed the shot between exposures, so this was the first time I'd really tested the "Align Layers by Content" feature in CS3's "Merge to HDR". The results were interesting, especially as HDR is supposed to need at least 3 image files to work on. After running the HDR merge and getting something quite nice from the Local Adaptation dialogue, I wrangled the perspective in PS too, added a little Clone Stamp-work, and here it is... Not the sort of stuff I'd regularly do in PS, but once in a while it can be fun, and the dynamic range is improved (if nothing else)</span><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807368734422585657.post-7906676581967544532007-10-15T18:04:00.000+01:002008-12-09T05:25:07.392+00:00Lochaber Mòd 2007<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcVfOoZsAom4DtXznrfO1HOdL553d42ycaTwbP4bgBEVgCEnGrEFNAIvNDiqLzC59qgOpwxrRFZXPhRPCTgpclRmKWqwbIuWJtjpxyUjDOcgk4tnusWDOhDJ75e_Zj5agd4O49lj0Cmc_/s1600-h/modlogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 161px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcVfOoZsAom4DtXznrfO1HOdL553d42ycaTwbP4bgBEVgCEnGrEFNAIvNDiqLzC59qgOpwxrRFZXPhRPCTgpclRmKWqwbIuWJtjpxyUjDOcgk4tnusWDOhDJ75e_Zj5agd4O49lj0Cmc_/s320/modlogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121611428385475970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The Mòd is the annual Gaelic cultural festival which moves around Scotland year by year.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The 2007 Mòd is here in Lo</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">chaber, and I'll be posting some pics of what I see of it in the next few days.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Saturday night (Oct 13th) saw the start of activities, and I got some available light pics of the proceedings at the Nevis Centre in Fort William. Here's one:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPR_4PffR1cGqFQSdafgBAqfcAQOC0g0KHAW9gVlDj-qPzxj381Y7d_s2YxgMnpNlzcAvZ8Wpxrc69s-ejy-aV13usN-zMNChIeyTiEp05mtbeX04msNX_NALJDI5xjita3JRwTPpZnz4/s1600-h/_MG_1430.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPR_4PffR1cGqFQSdafgBAqfcAQOC0g0KHAW9gVlDj-qPzxj381Y7d_s2YxgMnpNlzcAvZ8Wpxrc69s-ejy-aV13usN-zMNChIeyTiEp05mtbeX04msNX_NALJDI5xjita3JRwTPpZnz4/s400/_MG_1430.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121621448544177570" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">and there's more on my main site </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.lochaberphoto.co.uk/mod2007.html">here</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Well, it's been a bit of a learning curve getting this first post out, so I'll leave it here for now.<br /><br />Later<br /><br />Jim<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0