Scotland - the Final European Adventure (62 images!)

[Heie]

Hello. My name is Alexander Jansen, and this is my first post here at LL. I've been a lurker for some time, but never made an account.

Recently I returned from a holiday in Scotland and I just finished a photo essay-style post with all the images from that trip and figured that the readers at LL might find it interesting, especially considering it's not just pictures but every single image has details about the shot gear/settings/technique/background/etc. in addition to a caption explaining each image.

I've posted it to my 'stomping grounds,' (Pentax Forums), and have received excellent feedback, however I'm interested in an unbiased look at it, especially considering the high standard of the photography posted here at LL. I am not afraid of criticism - it is how I hone my craft. This is the first time I've really made a deliberate and continued effort at photographic technique (tripod, ISO 100, etc.).

Thank you very much, and I hope you enjoy.


Scotland - the Final European Adventure (62 images!)

-Heie

[Chairman Bill]

Some nice shots there. I took the liberty of looking at your Finnish Winter Warfare training set. Brought back memories of winter deployments to Norway (3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines), so thanks for that 

[langier]

Nice collection!

However, the camera, lens, settings, handheld, tripod, etc. are detracting and are unimportant, unless you are teaching noobs.

I think listing all the stuff used and settings is a remnant of Modern Photography/Popular Photography from the 1960s. A lot like arguing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin that should be left behind so we can concentrate on the image, not the tools used to get it.

The image is the king, not the camera, settings, memory card, tripod. I guess the magazines want to list this crap so they can pick up a little extra $$ in advertising.

[luxborealis]

Some great images there. Scotland has incredible potential for the dramatic. You seem to have good technical skills nailed down. I would suggest working on your visual and editing skills - both of which are also well developed.

If you want some helpful critiquing, I would suggest choosing 1 or 2 photographs and posting them directly here. Critiquing a body of 62 quite varied images is near impossible in a forum like this beyond broad generalities.

Also spend some time thinking about and/or describing your thought process behind each image. Technical details are fine, but talking about the tools is, at best, craft. Talking about what you are thinking, your vision, your goals  helpful for giving the kind of feedback that might be, in the, more helpful.

I hope you've chosen one or two Scotland photos to print and frame for your walls. That's where the real editing comes in. It' steady to post dozens/hundreds digitally, but what would spend a couple hundred on to have properly printed and framed?