R Gary Butler, QPSA, PPSA
October 2025 - Highlands Farmer
Original
About the Image(s)
This image was taken on September 15th in the Highlands of the Isle of Skye. I really like this image for the story that it tells. We didn't see the cows or the farmer until we crested the hill; and then had only a few seconds to capture a shot.
This is a single image shot with my Canon R5 and my 16-35 lens at 35mm. The sets were Aperture priority at 1/600 sec, f/14 and ISO 800. The post work is LR Classic basics plus some localized filters for the sky and grasses. It was sharpened in Topaz AI Cl. Lastly I applied a 50% opacity Tonal Contrast to the Vegetation (but backed it off some in the far hills) and a 50% opacity sunlight filter.
I will accept all suggestions for improvement. Thanks.
10 comments posted
This is a beautiful pastoral scene. The cows are bathed in light and really pop and draw the attention to them. The sky adds interest and a lovely shade of blue which does not compete with the rest of the image. Nice touch of the red cow to add contrast. Several of the cows are looking at you. My only nit is the farmer he does not look like he belongs in this beautiful scene.
Posted: 10/06/2025 03:28:01
Posted: 10/06/2025 03:28:01
Hi Gary
I so hope you enjoyed your holiday.
From what you said about the timing you had to get the shot this is a grab shot and probably one of the best grab shots I have seen.
The lighting is spectacular I have seen the same on my visits to Scotland and the Lake District, the pp is beautifully handled if was not for the quad bike this could have been mistaken for a painting by John Constable.
I hope you have more to show from your trip.
Posted: 10/09/2025 10:56:17
I so hope you enjoyed your holiday.
From what you said about the timing you had to get the shot this is a grab shot and probably one of the best grab shots I have seen.
The lighting is spectacular I have seen the same on my visits to Scotland and the Lake District, the pp is beautifully handled if was not for the quad bike this could have been mistaken for a painting by John Constable.
I hope you have more to show from your trip.
Posted: 10/09/2025 10:56:17
Ian, thanks for the note and the comments. I downloaded over 1400 images (many exposure bracketing.). Still I have enough that you may be seeing pictures of Scotland and Ireland for quite a while. Posted: 10/18/2025 12:46:03
Gary, The rule of thirds and your compostion are strong. The cattle, in close quarters create tention, and the sky and background promote serenity. As Vella and Ian stated, The quad gives the modern farmer a tool to get some of the workload finished more efficiently. I'm pleased that you had good weather. Posted: 10/10/2025 01:47:10
Gary, good earth tones colors, sharp, nice composition with the road ending in the right (my right) lower corner, nice sky, and a touch of modernism given by the motorized vehicle. Posted: 10/10/2025 17:13:05
An absolutely typical scene from that location. You have captured the scene beautifully and brought out the colours well. I love the dappled sunlight on the background, so typical with those broken clouds. Very well framed, especially as it was a grab shot, with the road and the cows leading to the bottom right corner. The icing on the cake is that red cow leading the others! The farmer on his quad-bike tells the story well. Posted: 10/11/2025 16:09:04
Thanks Guy. Often I try and just don't capture the scene. This time I got lucky. I got off only two shots! Posted: 10/18/2025 12:48:23
Gary, just looking again at the image, could you lighten the farmer and his quad-bike just a little to make them stand out more? Posted: 10/18/2025 12:53:44
Odd you should mention that. Others (not DD4) have suggested the same. The current version has that upgrade. Good eye! Posted: 10/19/2025 02:00:40
A beautiful pastoral scene. The one brown cow really draws in the viewers attention and the diagonal path breaks the normal layers. The subtle post work work great. Posted: 10/20/2025 14:56:22