The Viaduct:
Rob Roy Way, Lochearnhead, Scotland
After moving back from Brazil, in a state of personal and spiritual breakdown, really, a number of friends helped me back onto my feet. One was my cousin Phil, who bought me my first Nikon DSLR and set me on the road as a professional photographer. Another group were my old climbing buddies who insisted that I rejoin the old Scottish winter walking group.
So it was in 2011 I went with them to Tyndrum for a glorious week of Munro bagging, great food and great company. I took a good number of pictures – venturing up mountains with a DSLR for the first time. But my favourite shot of the trip was this one of the Glen Ogle viaduct – grabbed on the way home.
One of our best days – nothing beats a winter temperature inversion
When we were five – myself, Owen, Pete, Terry and Beth
Two sisters – both (then) future wedding clients – Beth and Miriam
Hoar frost and snow on the trees as we left Tyndrum
Between Killin and Lochearnhead the A85 through Glen Ogle heads up, and down, at a reasonably shallow, well-engineered gradient. Owen Brown, at the wheel of the Astra, took us down the valley at a fair lick – I suspect fully 60mph. I suddenly became aware of the viaduct (I hadn’t been waiting for it) and wound the window down and stuck my head and D700 out. Freezing air filled the car, together with the complaints of Owen, Pete and Andy. Nearby trees kept getting into shot, blurred by the speed of our progress down the valley.
Foreground tree in shot
Viaduct on the Rob Roy Way
Glen Ogle, Near Lochearnhead
Nikon D700 – Nikkor 24-70 @ 45mm f5.6 1/350 ISO200
Just one shot came out well – but it came our really well! Like the recently blogged Gulls image, this is a natural black and white – there just isn’t any colour in it. I have come back to the original NEF file from the 12MP D700 sensor and worked it for sharpness and contrast, but you can only do that where there is a basic level of quality. It is firmly ensconced in my head as a favourite photo, one with its own quality and with lovely memories attached.
A photograph captures a moment – with The Viaduct a static scene, but with the photographer in rapid movement!
This is the second image in a series – favourite pictures with their stories. The camera used is more or less irrelevant, though I will include the data. If anyone wants a print, drop me an email or use my contact form.
