I was debating between me and myself whether this should be considered a natural landscape, considering its main feature is man-made, but let’s not be too fussy about classifications, OK?
This is Greenan Castle, in Ayrshire, Scotland and the photo was taken one gloomy September morning during our annual G+ Euro Photowalk. We got on the spot as the tide was quickly receding and only a few, isolated pools remained on the beach. I spent a considerable amount of time trying to find a nice reflection of the ruins and hoping that the sun would show up and add a little bit of drama to an otherwise lackluster scenery. Then, just as we were thinking of leaving, the sun briefly penetrated the clouds and lit up their underside, giving me the chance to take a few shots.
I had my 10-24mm lens on and zoomed it out to 10mm in order to enhance the sensation of the clouds fanning out from the horizon and drawing attention to the focal point of the composition, the castle on the cliff. I also carefully chose my position and the height of my tripod so that the reflection of the subject in the water would be completely visible.
Lacking pleasant light, this photo is all about using a wide angle and backlighting to create a gloomy and dramatic mood. It would probably work great as a black and white picture, but I am presently going through a color-only phase: I am basically trying to refrain from using black and white as a tool to wow the viewer with added drama. I quite like the way the muted browns and greens contrast with the hint of blue in the sky.
Equipment used: Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS
Exposure data: 1/180s at f/11, ISO 200
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