Photography
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I post photos & videos of my antics on Instagram most days
Recent posts are shown below. To go to my actual Instagram account, click here: @irwinmclean
4 Autumn Moon Trees – 11th November 2020
Below: Four shots of the moon from by back lawn just as the sun was rising.
For any tree fans, these feature Scots pine and birch. You can figure out which is which.
Huge amount of flapping about to frame these and keep everything more or less exposed correctly.
All taken with my Canon M3 using a Canon 100-400 mm zoom lens and a fleece dressing gown (too much information alert).
Four Autumn Sunrises – 25-29th October 2020
Below: Four sunrises spotted from by back window during this last week when my body clock has bizarrely decided to go on early shift, which is very unusual.
Note that the taller birch tree is bent over towards the northeast in each shot due to the prevailing southwest wind here. The small tree is an alder and is less bothered.
All taken with my Canon M3 using a Sigma 18-200 mm zoom lens, in the back yard, in my Arthur Dent dressing gown (TMI).
Moonset over the Minch
Below: The crescent moon sinking towards the Minch, seen from cliff tops at Leacan Dubh, near Mellon Charles, Wester Ross.
I forgot my tripod adapter and so used the mini-tripod, which revealed these various grasses.
Went home, had tea, came back with big zoom lens and got the moon sinking into the haar just above the horizon. Magical night. 24/25th June 2020.
Wide shot: Canon M3, 18-200 mm zoom.
Close-up: Canon 400D, 100-400 zoom (at max).
Gateway to paradise
Slaggan Bay, Wester Ross, 6th May 2020: another fantastic night out.
Top left: Gateway to the west; Harris and Lewis on the horizon.
Top right: Slaggan beach.
Bottom left: On the way home, looking towards Slaggan empty gables with An Teallach beyond and moon well beyond.
Bottom right: Post-sunset colour gradient with Lewis on the horizon.
Canon M3, 18-200 zoom lens.
Slaggan Gables
Below: What I think of as “The Empty Gables”, Slaggan deserted village, Wester Ross.
Left: Moonrise over Slaggan village. The far away mountain is An Teallach (“the forge), a Munro near Dundonnell. I took a ton of exposures and was lucky enough to get the details of the moon nicely visible along with the rest of the scene.
Right: Sunset over North Harris beyond Slaggan gables. Winter skies are amazing at Slaggan.
Moon: Canon M3, 18-200 zoom, 6th May 2020.
Sunset: canon 400D, 18-200 zoom, 18th November 2018.
Cows I have encountered
Top left: A regular type cow having a late night snack at Mellon Charles.
Top right: Highland cow munching away near Achgarve.
Bottom left: A Highland cow that somehow looks more like a hairy anteater to me. A snowy An Teallach and the Fanich range in the background.
Bottom right: A Highland beast making the most of the twilight.
Fishing the Minch
Below: Ships in the Minch (the stretch of water between the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles).
Photos from the cliffs above Mellon Charles, Wester Ross, 6th May 2020.
Top left: Anchored north of Slaggan in the gathering darkness.
Top right: Going west. Taken from Leacan Donna, with Lewis in the distance.
Bottom left: Drifting towards Slaggan Bay.
Bottom right: Sailing along the Minch with Lewis and Harris beyond.
For video from this series, see “Drifting Home” on my video page.
Canon M3, 18-200 zoom.
Reflections, Fox Loch
Below: Loch an t-Sionnaich (Fox Loch), nestling in the hills above Mellon Charles, Wester Ross,
Looking west to the mountains of North Harris in the far distance.
The midges were having a field day as I took this series.
Canon 400D, 18-200 zoom. One May evening.
Wild skies over Skye
Below: Red Point (south beach), Wester Ross, looking west to the islands Skye, Raasay and Rona.
Canon 400D. Series taken in November.
Rays of evening light
Loch na Curra, near Gairloch, Wester Ross.
An evening spent fishing and whacking midges. A bat tried to help with the latter (right).
Slightly unusual upward-pointing crepusular rays.
iPhone 6S.
