"God's Rays", a photo from Highland, Scotland

Photographer's Note

I have decided to mix posts up instead of working my way through several travelogues chronologically. We spent a week on the Isle of Skye shortly after we returned from Thailand, so that's my next stop here.

The Isle of Skye is a relatively big island close to the north west coast of Scotland: so close in fact that it is connected to the mainland by a bridge. The north of the island has three peninsulas. This image was taken on the western coast of the most eastern peninsula called Trotternish, overlooking Uig Bay. The day had been quite warm and pleasant with some interesting clouds as we had driven around Trotternish, stopping for walking, seeing sites and taking photos. We were on the way back to the cottage we had rented for the week, when the sky started to become darker and then we were rewarded by these 賎od痴 Rays�.

I see that many people have placed the Isle of Skye in the Western Isles. It is an understandable mistake as it is an isle and it is western, but it is in fact part of the Scottish Highlands.

ISO100 FL18mm

JCG, chawax, dareco, stego, cbrman, Gerrit, alvaraalto, Sistercosmo, jwmunro, akm, ChrisJ, UlfE, jlbrthnn, AiresSantos, buscape, jmcl, bostankorkulugu, josepmarin, Kielia, avene, pablominto has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Paolo (41258) 2009-06-26 9:09

Hi Kath, how are you?
Amazing image, a magic light from the clouds and a wonderufl view.
thanks, ciao.

maximage (15537) 2009-06-26 9:09

Bonjour Kath,
Toute la force de cette image est dans le ciel!
Mais une toute belle ambiance se d馮age aussi de ce paysage si paisible que tu as si bien captur�.
Je te souhaite un bon weekend.
max

JCG (35153) 2009-06-26 9:21

Hi Kath,

True Scottish weather in fact !!! I joke, because today on Versailles, in the morning we had tropical rains, I seldom saw such large drops� This sky is superb with this almost divine lighting. Contrasts are interesting and emphasize well this beautiful area of Scotland. I appreciate much these spaces still wild. I hope that I would go back one day there� Thank you Kath.

With all my friendships and a very good sunny WE�

Jean-Charles

dta (98848) 2009-06-26 9:56

Hello Kath ,
A great sky , and a fantastic scottish landscape ! It s really a pleasant view . The rays add to thje beauty .
Bravo

leonorkuhn (16237) 2009-06-26 10:10

Hi Kath,

Very nice image with the sun rays through the rainy clouds. I like the soft bright of the water. Excellent colors and textures, good sharpness.

Greetings
Leonor

chawax (20764) 2009-06-26 10:19

Hi Kath,
Not the more spectacular place in Isle of Skye, but you caught a great light and it's really a mogic moment. I love the nice details of the clouds. Very well done !
Regards,
Olivier

rodgerg (55767) 2009-06-26 10:40

Hello Kath,

I visited the isle of Skye. Your shot is dus a memory for me, a superb memory. Thanks.
Here the managment of light is excellent, a master's managment which give very effect of light. Great depht too with the typsiche white houses in the BG.
Have a nice WE,
Roger

dareco (17136) 2009-06-26 11:12

A great capture of the rays, I love the mood!!! Nice detail, good depth and sharp detail. A very pretty scene. TFS

stego (24132) 2009-06-26 11:21

Hi Kath,
I don't know exactly why, but the sound of the name of this island has something of mythic... And that sky and the sun rays reflected on the water seen here fit perfectly in that fabled image of the place. Voil� a good example that grey skies can actually be amazingly photogenic (specially if they are spelled with Y instead of I :-).
Regards,
Jos�

coco (30439) 2009-06-26 11:36

Hi Kath.

Yes, I see your long time making PP has been very very useful.
But there is something better then the PP: the photo by itself.

Well done and congratulations for this picture.

(the note of my pic was not a joke... really)

Jeppo (17645) 2009-06-26 11:49

hi kath,

majestic dramatic landscape. just have a look at your scottish pictures while listening "scottish symphony" by F. Mendelssohn....I guess you will notice your senses are experiencing the same mood....

ciao
silvio

cbrman (21685) 2009-06-26 13:03

Hello Kath,

L'ile de Skye est superbe � visiter. J'y suis all� il y a quelques ann馥s. Ici, la lumi鑽e est superbe et les rayons de lumi鑽es accroche le spectateur de la sc鈩e.
Tr鑚 bien fait.
Bravo !

A+

Dominique

Gerrit (62042) 2009-06-26 14:08

hi Kath,
wonderful landscape and the back light works great here under the fantastic sky.
Regards. Gerrit

alvaraalto (42804) 2009-06-26 14:27

Dag Kath,

I remember this Ray痴 of God in the Highlands when I made a trip from Dunoon to Fort Williams. Unfortunately not only the rays of God were visible, but also the reflections of the interior of the train.

Groet Rob

papagolf21 (152607) 2009-06-26 14:50

Bonsoir, ch鑽e Kath,
Tr鑚 heureux de revoir tes photographies. Celle-ci a b駭馭ici� d'un moment de gr稍e avec ces raies crevant le ciel donnant � la composition toute la beaut� qu'elle m駻ite.
Une tr鑚 belle image emplie de po駸ie.
Amiti駸.
Philippe

Sistercosmo (242) 2009-06-26 15:52

Hi my dear Kath,

what a mood you've captured here! I love the way the water is lit up like a mirror and those rays connecting the earth and the sky! Great shot!

Take care!
Linda

P.S. Yes, Mark joined the exodus (sad to say!), but I'm trying to convince him to come back....

jwmunro (286) 2009-06-26 15:54

Hello Kath -

Another one of my favorites. Thinking back, we had several afternoons in Scotland that looked much like this, but I never had a good FG to work with so none of them are worth even processing. I can just smell the air and feel the soft breeze on my face. Well done!

Thank you for sharing.

John

akm (1216) 2009-06-26 21:12

Hello Kath,
What a beautiful and spectacular shot. "God's Rays" are gorgeous but I love the detail of the grey clouds.
Regards,
Mary

pablominto (53746) 2009-06-26 21:44

Hello Kath,

Sometimes we are lucky and come across a situation like this!
A wonderful carpet of clouds, some sunrays peeping through, and there... magic!
The shimmering water is most attractive...

Greetings,
Pablo -

ChrisJ (171822) 2009-06-26 22:18

Hi Kath

Dramatic lighting contrasts in the sky with a wonderful semi circular radial pattern of the rays emanating from behind the clouds. Have a nice weekend!

UlfE (14641) 2009-06-26 22:54

Hi Kath,

Welcome back after your long break. I have missed you and I still remember that what first caught my attention back in 2005 when we both were new TE members was your pictures of Mount Rainier. Since then I have noticed how your more and more make use of good lighting and exciting weather. This is very obvious when looking at your photos from the UK now and in the past. This picture is very representative of this. Excellent work. TFS and have fine weekend!

Kind regards,

Ulf

BennyV (34748) 2009-06-27 2:28

Hi Kath,

Bold saturation of colours and contrast, but it's those divine rays (indeed) that steal the show. Well captured.

Benny

jlbrthnn (76043) 2009-06-27 2:38

Hello Kath,
Impressive artistic image of landscape. I like to see the passage of the light materialized by the steam. Excellent realization.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Jo�l

AiresSantos (56155) 2009-06-27 3:36

Hi Kath
Amazing sky and sunbeams in this fine picture
I like a lot the vivid colours amd reflections. Good contrast
Have a nice weekend
Aires

Tobias__Ortmann (2638) 2009-06-27 3:48

hi Kath,
nice to have you back here
great foto you brought with you
I really like the stripes of the sun
and the great looking clouds
well done
Toba

Dyerco (10185) 2009-06-27 9:04

Hi Kath
These are always difficult to do as the light part of the sky blows out so easily. You have achieved a nice balance here as we can see the light rays but also get a sense of the impending storm brewing. It is very Scottish in its feel.
Phil

buscape (6219) 2009-06-27 10:10

Hello Kath,
lovely landscape picture with a terrific sky and beautiful rays of the sun. I also like the bright glance of light reflections on the water. You have managed the difficult light conditions perfectly. Congratulations.
Best wishes,
Helmut

Cricri (176) 2009-06-27 11:14

Hi Kath
Un ciel mena軋nt magnifique bien capt� avec les rayons de lumi鑽es, bon moment capturer
Friendship
cricri

jmcl (14535) 2009-06-27 14:35

Hi Kath,

I love the beams .. love the powerful sky .. and how you have maintained the greens in all the dimness .. the light on the water is very nice as well ..

take care,

John

cobbydale (1958) 2009-06-27 16:17

Hi Kath, nice to see new posts from you. The light on this is great, and you've managed the exposure well to catch the rays while avoiding burn-out on the lightest parts of the sky. Skye is a such a beautiful place isn't it.
cheers
Leon

Graal (103040) 2009-06-27 23:51

Hi Kath,
very nice Scotish landscape. Good title. Sun rays are unusual, like "God's". Well done photo. I like it.
Have a nice sunday.
Aleksander

bostankorkulugu (42866) 2009-06-28 2:12

the rays look divine for sure... i can hardly wait for the day i see scotland, a dreamland for for me... simple and beautiful shot kath... all the best... korkut

baba_flies (8829) 2009-06-28 5:10

Hello Kath! Every once in a while Benno tells me about his hitch hiking experience he had in the Uig area and how many hours they waited for a lift :))) Now I can see why, it looks a little remote to say the least ... LOL. Your picture is just so beautiful, I love how the sun rays work their way down reaching for the water, heavy clouds bringing rain but this keeps the island green, the way we love it. Great idea to rent a cottage, I guess tenting is a little on the wet side ... Yes sometimes we are rewarded with treats like this one but we also have to see it but most people run around missing these treasures. More for us :))) Have a wonderful Sunday, Barbara.

josepmarin (59385) 2009-06-28 12:08

Hello Kath,
The effect of the sunbeams that cross the clouds is extraordinary, is a scene that always attracts me very much for its beauty and its symbolism, almost mystical.
And your photo has caught this effect skilfully, in a perfect composition in which the landscape, the sky and the clouds play a magnificent aesthetic role.
A great photo, my friend.
Warmest regards,
Josep

gilou530 (34) 2009-06-29 8:11

salut kath
tu as saisi une superbe lumi駻e avec ces rayons qui per軻nt les nuages noirs, le paysage respire le calme et l'authenticit� de ton beau pays
amiti駸
gilbert

darek1978 (13361) 2009-06-30 9:21

Hi Kath,
Great, dramatic scenery, very well captured. Nice compo and perfect light and color management. I like a a lot this almost an apocalyptic scene with the sky transpierced by the luminous rays.
Best regards,
Darek

Kielia (24077) 2009-06-30 10:45

Hi Kath,
this place is so typical for Scotland! Great capture of the vast sky above the tiny houses that are scattered all over the rugged landscape. The rays, the moody colors and the light create a very interesting atmosphere. My compliments!
Warm regards
Harriet

batalay (41261) 2009-07-02 19:07

Hello Kath,

The subtle sunburst effect immediately captures the eye in this inspiring view in the Isle of Skye. The sheep grazing below that magical sky suggests opening a second window, and listening to a little Bach while viewing the photo.

Warm regards,

Bulent

avene (12675) 2009-07-02 20:53

hi Kath,
quite a drama here, the clouds seem to be moving on my screen :) I usually dislike overexposed areas, but here it doesn't bother me, may be because you still have some details in those areas, may be because the contrast with the dark clouds adds to the impression that somebody or something is tearing the sky up to pour the light out. in any case, the result is quite powerful, I like the shot a lot.

best,
Kristine

danyy (0) 2009-07-02 22:34

Bonjour Kath,
un ciel impressionnant comme jeles aime, beaucoup de contrastes et d'inqui騁ude, de s騅駻it� et de caract鑽e.
Un plan d'eau qui rejette bien la lumi鑽e et en prime des rais de lumi鑽e bien captur駸.
Excellent week-end.
Daniel.

foozi (7101) 2009-07-04 6:42

Hi Kath,
must always thank you for the technical advice. It is always have been very useful.
This excellent depiction is so exciting. The streaks of rays are just simply amazing. you presented it wonderfully.

regards,
Foozi

gunbud (34066) 2009-07-06 20:26

Hi Kath,
I have just returned from 8 days on an island off the coast of Maine with similiar weather as in this scene so I felt compelled to remark on this fine image.
Love the strong beams of light streaming from gthe silver blue heavens the lush green fields in the foreground
A little bit of light goes a long way and really gives a nice touch to the intricate clouds this fantastic sky.
Regards, Tom