March 2010

It is about 5a.m, and I am standing hunched over a tripod on the edge of Fin Lough in the Delphi Valley. Nestled between the Mweelrea and Ben Creggan Mountains the Lough sits in what my opinion is one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland. It also happens to be one of the wettest.

However on this occasion, mist rises and rolls gently down the lake towards distant hills. A gentle chill is in the air and the silence is only interrupted by the splash of leaping fish on the still water!

It is idyllic and this is what it is all about. These kinds of mornings don’t come around every day. When they do it is almost a sin to be thinking about composition, apertures & the placement of graduated filters instead of sitting back and enjoying the scene.

Finn Lough

Now some of you might wonder why I bother with these dawn runs. I wonder that myself sometimes but it all comes down to my love of photography and the outdoors. Being the only person around no matter where it may be, watching the daybreak is hard to beat.

Delphi Valley

On the morning in question I took a number of different photographs. However the two above are my favourites. Similar locations, but totally different. Each time I look at these two images I am always undecided as to which I like best. The subtle tones in the first version appeal to me while the more dramatic sky in the second version also appeals. Either way they are both two images I am pleased with.

To capture the images above, I employed the services of a 3stop soft Singh Ray GND filter. Working in aperture priority I set the aperture and exposed the images. Always checking the histogram to ensure the highlight and shadows were not blown out or blocked up.

Now of course in this digital age I could throw away my ND grads and take three different exposures. One for the mid-tones and one for the shadows and highlights and blend them together in photo shop. But that is too much work especially when most of the time you can get it right in camera.

Oh by the way which shot do you prefer?