Leica Q3 | alan frost photography

The Isles of Mull and Iona – Part two ….. Capturing the spirit of place

***White Strand of the Monks, Isle of Iona***

There are so many facets to these isles, to the point that trying to capture the spirit of the place with just a handful of images can’t possibly do it justice.

My wife and I have visited the Scottish Isles and in particular the Isle of Mull for over thirty years. However living on the South coast of England and travelling by car, means a minimum of two days on motorways, other stretches of tarmac and ferry crossings to reach our final destination. We take pleasure in the journey but we would probably visit more often if it wasn’t so far away. However being the distance it is does make it that much more special.

Admittedly accessibility is arguably the same for many people which does help to keep the number of visitors down. As a consequence places like Mull and Iona remain wild, beautiful and peaceful in equal measure.

In Part One of this short series I featured Iona Abbey. In this entry I will share a series of images captured during our week long stay back in the Spring. Apart from location they have little else in common but I hope they help to convey why and how much we love coming to this part of the world.

***A gate into the beach at Fionnphort with Iona in the far distance***

***Looking across the Sound of Iona, from Iona with Mull on the horizon***

***Redundant telephone box on the Ross of Mull***

***White Strand of the Monks, Iona ….. quite possibly my favourite and most magical place on the isle.***

***Please shut the gate, Near Kintra, Ross of Mull***

Be Ye Man or Ye Be Woman, Be Ye Going or Ye Be Coming

Be Ye Early or Be Ye Late, Aye Tak Time to Shut the Gate

***Ardalanish beach – looking out to the Paps of Jura, Isle of Mull***

***Petrol station – they are few and far between***

***The Paps of Jura on the skyline from Ardalanish beach***

***Highland cattle at Fionnphort – even they like a visit to the beach!***

I shall finish with a Gaelic saying which was on inscribed on a wall in the Abbey which read;

‘Am fear a thèid a dh’l, thèid e trì uairean an.’

It means –

Those who come to Iona will come, not once, but three times.

As this was our second visit to Iona I very much hope this saying will come true, and that we will return on another day.

(A note for fellow photographers – I wanted to travel light this holiday so all these images were captured with the Leica Q3)

Derwentwater….. arguably the Lake District at its most beautiful

Age and an adversity to risk stop me from venturing very far up into the hills these days. I know if I did such walks would reveal some wonderful vistas of this majestic area. Yes, there are great viewpoints from the high passes which can be reached by car, but somehow it’s not quite the same as a day out fell walking followed by a pint and a pie back in the village pub nestled in the valley below.

Looking back I sometimes wish I had been a little more adventurous when age and fitness were on my side, nevertheless a less challenging walk along the shoreline of Derwentwater still comes with many rewards. There are scenes which are simply beautiful. Some might argue they truly encapsulate what the Lake District is all about. Big skies above the hills which are reflected in a large stretch of water. Assuming of course the air is still and the water calm.

These images taken of Derwentwater a few weeks ago on a rather lovely morning are well known scenes which have inspired many an artist and photographer. Witnessing for yourself the majesty of the landscape and nature at its finest, is very gratifying and good for the soul.

A photographic journey ….. Revisiting Buttermere in the Lake District after 12 Years

I ask myself – what took me so long?

In all the years I have been making photographs, there have been certain locations which are deserving of the comment; ‘one day I hope to return’. The Lake District, and Buttermere in particular, definitely falls into this category and I hope you can understand why from the images you see here.

After a long interlude of twelve years, I am pleased to say that a few weeks ago I was walking along the shoreline of Buttermere once again. It was quite early in the day and although the sky was overcast, there were some bright patches of light reflecting off the surface of the water. In many respects these are ideal conditions for black and white photography.

Who knows but one day I would like to head to The Lake District again. If I do, I’ll try not leave it quite so long. After all none of us get any younger and to reach some of the best locations for photography it can involve quite a trek. Hopefully my legs will still get me there! If not these photographs and others captured during our stay will always serve as a reminder of this very beautiful place. That’s the great thing about photography. The images themselves do not have to be 10 out of 10. If all they do is bring back happy memories about a certain time and location, then pressing the shutter to record these moments is a very worthwhile thing to do.

Incidentally all these images were captured with the Leica Q3 and processed in Capture One and Nik Silver Efex Pro. After a few months in use I can truly vouch for what a great camera it is.

There will be more posts of the Lake District coming soon but in the meantime you might like to look at my Lake District Gallery Page. It shows a number of images from my previous visit to the area back in 2013.

Northbound again to the Lake District ….. patiently waiting for the editing to begin

This blog has been rather quiet recently for one very simple reason. I headed north to the Lake District and then up to Scotland for three weeks and I have now returned home. Whilst this trip was holiday first, walking and photography were the draw to head north to some of my favourite destinations.

In the past I would have taken a laptop with me and started editing and processing ‘on the hoof’ so to speak. But on this occasion I decided I would wait until I returned home. In some ways it would extend the holiday, as I could look forward to downloading the images and seeing what I had captured for the first time. Yes I could view them on the back of the camera but they look very different on a large monitor. I also think there is something to be said for allowing time for the images to gestate before any processing is undertaken. I have heard of some photographers who will wait months or even years before they edit a photograph. I am not that patient, but I do believe waiting a few weeks is beneficial. You approach the image afresh, perhaps seeing something in the picture which wasn’t immediately evident at the time the shutter was pressed. I do think a little time results in a better photograph.

The image above is of Derwentwater in the Lake District. It’s a scene I remember taking and I was keen to process the image. There will be many more of course, so as I work through the files, I am looking forward to sharing some of these with you in the coming weeks.

Continuing to document the Dorset countryside … and loving the Leica Q3

It’s only been a few weeks since I purchased my Leica Q3 and in that short period of time I have already grown to love this camera. I have become familiar with its controls and settings. I am really enjoying the 28mm field of view and my eye has quickly adapted to see potential compositions using this focal length. The addition of a hand and thumb grip plus a soft release button have improved the handling and it now feels very comfortable to hold and use. The files are simply stunning and the dynamic range of the sensor is unlike anything I have used in the past.

My collection of images of the Dorset countryside near to my home continues to grow. Here are just a few photographs I have made with the Leica Q3. Seeing these images on screen is one step away from making prints, and I am increasingly inspired to do so in the near future.