Ric Likes Pics (a lot)

[-7-] Edinburgh at Night

Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:54:21 GMT

These pictures are from just before Easter where I just suddenly got the urge to go out and take some pictures of Edinburgh in the dark. Most are taken using Night Mode on my camera, which leaves the shutter open for 2 seconds. Other than that, no manipulation (apart from resizing) was used at all. I'll post them in no particular order but I'll group them in relation to where I took them. Watch out, this is a BIG post.

The larger picture is better than this one because you can see more detail on the castle. I didn't post it here because it would be waaaay too big, but if you really want to see it you can click here (300k). It's also ruined a little by the bus that just came into shot in the bottom left.

This is the wall mural (probably not the right word for it... but, anyway...) that is in the graveyard at the top of Lothian Road near Princes Street. I like how the light seems to have a watery texture in this one.

Here's a picture of The News Steps. Self explanitory, I guess!

This is a picture of Calton Hill from the top of The News Steps. Shame about the pole that is in the way, but what can you do?

I can't remember the street name here, but I was mainly taking this for the silouette of the statue. I took this photo from the Castle parade grounds, hense the tree branches that are in the way. I like this picture too, but I'm not sure I can place exactly why.

Some motion blurring on The Mound.

Not a paricularly stunning picture, I guess, but I like it anyway. The streetlights seem to make it feel very eerie.

Unfortunately, I focussed on the pole instead of the general area in this photo, but it still kinda works. Damn you, pole!

A tree in The Meadows, casting a shadow.

Jawbone Walk at 1am is surprisingly empty.
And thus concludes our tour of Edinburgh at night, please take care on your walk home and don't get mugged by neds.

[-6-] Isle of Man

Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:13:43 GMT

Right, so here are a couple of pictures that I took when I went back home for Easter and went for a drive around The South. Pictures are from Derbyhaven and Port Erin, but they might look a little bit dull because it was very foggy. Take a look behind the cut to see 'em.

Low tide in Derbyhaven Bay.

And again.

Port Erin beach from around the bay.

Seagull enjoying himself. I really like this photo.

And here he's looking slightly smug.

Disused... shack of some sort. I upped the contrast a bit on this one, and I think it looks better for it.

I like how this came out. I just applied the Cutout filter in Photoshop. I think it works well.

[-5-] Isle of Arran

Thu, 09 Dec 2004 18:18:06 GMT

OK, so here are the more picturesque photos that I took on Arran when I was there with the Geology department and the rest of my year. I really love some of these, I'm happy that it was sunny for the first few days that we were there so I could get some shots like this. I've posted them in the same order that I took them.

A boat that was out sailing when we were on the ferry to Arran.

An igneous extrusion of the south coast of Arran (it actually has a name, but I've forgotten it, heh).

More igneous extrusions - dykes this time!

A picture of a stream running down a glacial valley. Geologists in the foreground and looking at the stream. You cannot escape us!

Boulders in the stream. With my mate Rory walking across them.

Lovely metamorphic rock in the stream bed.

I love that picture. Don't really need to say anything more.

Looking out to sea from half way up the huge hill.

Look how high up we were! And all to look at a Granite contact. That's only half way up too :s

The view up to the granite contact that we were going to take a closer look at.

What a lovely rainbow :p

[-4-] London

Wed, 21 Jul 2004 23:04:29 GMT

At the weekend I was in London, so here are some of the pictures I took. More will be in my personal journal soon, but they are more... touristy, I suppose.

Mind The Gap.

The Mall and Buckingham Palace.

The Queen is in!

One of the homes of international terrorism.

A famous place that said terrorists from before operate from.

Anyone going to Tottenham?

The Tube as you've never seen it before.

[-3-] Isle of Man

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 00:25:37 GMT

Some pictures from the good ol' Isle of Man. Taken from the South Quay and Douglas Head area.

This boat was absolutely miles away, but thanks to my camera zoom I managed to get a decent shot. In the background you can see mainland UK. I also didn't get the tripod straight enough so the bloody Cumbria shoreline isn't totally flat, ah well.

This is a photograph of the area around an old abandoned and rickety house on Douglas Head. I thought it was worthy of a picture, not the best picture ever, though.

I like this picture a lot, but just wish some person hadn't moored their boat right in front of where I was goign to take my picture. I like the depth that Onchan Head gives in the background.

That is basically half of Douglas Promenade (northern half). I'll attempt to get a night shot at some point, because Douglas looks nice at night.

The Tower of Refuge in Douglas Bay with the prom behind it. Apparently it is there for shipwrecked sailors to take refuge in. On days with a very low tide you can actually walk out to it to take a look if the mood so takes you.

[-2-] The Meadows

Wed, 07 Jul 2004 14:52:13 GMT

These photographs were taken on a sunny morning in The Meadows in Edinburgh near my flat. Enjoy.

I brought the camera down low to the grass so that the walkways through The Meadows would be covered and it would give the impression of a true, deserted meadow. I really like this picture because of the contrasts of the greens of the grass and trees against the blue sky and white/grey clouds.

I was lying on my back and looking at the sky when I noticed this break in the clouds with the criss-crossing of plane trails. I upped the brightness and contrast a little for this one and I am a bit annoyed that those trees got in the way, but I suppose it's a lesson for next time.

This is a photo that I have actually named. It is called Remnants. I called it Remnants because littered around The Meadows every morning are road cones stolen from the general vacinity that have been used as goalposts in games of football the previous day. So, the scene yesterday would have been so busy, but now it is just a lonely road cone in the centre of a field of grass.

[-1-] Dunfermline

Wed, 07 Jul 2004 14:18:55 GMT

These two pictures are from when I went to see my friend Fi (anoifsnilloc) where she lives in Dunfermline. They have a huge glen there with lots of wildlife.

He's a cool squirrel, you can tell.

There was a few pictures of rabbits that I took, but I like this because of the light behind it. It makes the photo look sunny and summery.