alan frost photography

Highland portrait

A few days ago I posted a single image of a highland cow, backlit against a dark background which gave me a ‘low key’ image. I was fortunate to be able to return to the same location a day or two later, but this time the  weather and lighting could not have been more different.

Low cloud, drizzle and soft light combined to blank out any distractions, and to all intents and purposes gave me the equivalent of a white studio back cloth with minimal background detail. As a consequence and using different processing the same cattle have now been made into a set of ‘high key’ photographs.

Highland horn

Highland call

Highland stand

Arguably the ‘high key’ portraits are less dramatic than the ‘low key’ shot, but in my view they both have their merits. If nothing else this exercise only serves to demonstrate how the same subject can be photographed in the same location but in different weather and light to produce entirely contrasting results.

The ‘low key’ portrait can be seen by clicking in the thumbnail below.

Highland cow

These two alternative approaches and the subject matter reminded me of the lyrics in the song – The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond.  –  “O ye’ll take the high road, and I’ll take the low road……..”

Do you have a preference? If so please comment, as I would very much welcome your views.

Personally ‘I’ll take the low road…….”!