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Bass Rock


Bass Rock
Photo Information
Copyright: Niek Bouwen (SunToucher) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2385 W: 237 N: 3033] (11162)
Genre: Landscapes
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07-04
Categories: Seascape
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG Macro, Tiffen 82mm UV
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Summer vacation 2007: Scotland
Date Submitted: 2007-10-21 2:54
Viewed: 5770
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Bass Rock, or simply The Bass, is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, approximately one mile off North Berwick.

The island is a volcanic plug and stands over 100 m high in the Firth of Forth Islands Special Protection Area which covers some, but not all of the islands in the inner and outer Firth. The Bass Rock is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in its own right, due to its Gannet colony. It is sometimes called "the Ailsa Craig of the East". It is of a similar geological form to nearby North Berwick Law, a hill on the mainland.

The island is "a volcanic plug of phonolite", dating to the Carboniferous period. The rock was first recognised as an igneous intrusion by James Hutton, while Hugh Miller, who visited in 1847, wrote about the Rock's geology in his book Edinburgh and its Neighbourhood, Geological and Historical: with The Geology of the Bass Rock.

The island plays host to at least 40,000 pairs of Gannets and is the largest single rock gannetry in the world so that, when viewed from the mainland, large regions of the surface appear white due to the sheer number of birds (and their droppings, which give off 152,000 kg of ammonia per year, equivalent to the achievements of 10 million broilers). In fact the scientific name for the Northern Gannet, Sula bassana or Morus bassanus, derives its name from the rock. They were traditionally known locally as 'Solan Goose'. In common with other gannetries, such as St. Kilda, the birds were harvested for their eggs and flesh which were considered delicacies.

Source: www.wikipedia.com

I am going to leave you with this photo and note while I am off on a few hour photo trip to one of my favorite spots.
pablominto, scottevers7, horia, gracious, XOTAELE, Jamesp, kjpweb, PaulH, Silke, hester has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Evelynn: crop and timeSunToucher 8 10-29 13:23
To mrcrow: The best?SunToucher 1 10-28 06:02
To horia: Lp versionSunToucher 1 10-28 05:57
To bobcat08: Met weinig thuis gekomenSunToucher 1 10-21 07:32
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Critiques [Translate]

Hallo Niek,

Ben benieuwd waar je mee thuiskomt?? Mooie panorama foto. Het eiland komt er schitterend oplichtend uit de schaduw tevoorschijn. Dit geeft toch wel een speciaal effect aan de foto. Is een zogenaamde "eyetrekker" Mooie softe kleuren. Ik vind de rimpeling van het zeewater ook wel bijzonder. Zit een grote regelmaat in. Komt heel rustgevend over. Daar doet het donkere frame ook wel aan mee. Groeten en tot TFS

Hello Niek,
I like how the light hits the rock, while the rest of the scenery is in the shades..!
A well composed presentation with a wonderful sky!
Greetings,
Pablo -

hello neik,
lovely post, the rock looks strikingly distinct in the composition, beautiful colour tones, well composed shot,nice framing,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Hi Niek

The contrast is surprising yet very interesting because it appears in a double way: the lighting contrast and the contrast of the atmosphere. The darker foreground is animated and moved, the brighter background is quiet and appeasing. At the first view this disturbed me a bit, because I had to find my way through the picture, but soon the eye stopped and rested on the quiet part. From my point of view, the two persons on the horuzontal line should not be there, although it's their right to catch fishes or to walk...

:-)

Kind regards

Markus

Hi Niek,
Great composition and panoramic framing to add emphasis to this scene. Great light on the rock, and you have excellnt colors and detail throughout. Nice one!
Scott

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2007-10-21 8:06]
  • [+]

Hello again my friend

I don't even remember the last time you've posted a LP, but i'm glad you did!
This is a splendid wide view of a wonderful place captured at a perfect timing.
The place here is impressive and really helped you get a lovely composition simply by its natural shape and interesting textures.
The timing is perfect becasue you waited for the rocks in the FG to be in shade while that big "Bass" is still superbly illuminated by the warm late sunlight. Thus, the contrast created is magnificent: first between the water and the FG rocks, then between the dark and light rocks and finally between pretty much everything and the superb evening sky.
There is another small piece here that i think enhances the composition: although not a TN element, the fishermen silhouettes are a great touch and bonus.
Brilliant work!

Take care and TFS
Horia

PS: i hope your short photo trip was fruitful :)

Hello Niek,
Good panorama view of the Bass in perfect golden sunlight on it!
good clarity, well balanced colouration and much details in it!
well composed and well seen
cheers
Tony

Hola Niek.
Fabulosa vista con una preciosa luz.
Agradable panorámica.
Saludos, JL.

Hi Niek,
I like your long panoramic shot yet I am trying to decide if it may have been better to have a bit more foreground. The waterline is exactly in the center. I do like the light on the large rock while all else terrestrial is silhouetted. I can't decide if this is evening or morning light.

I hope your photo outing was fun.

Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1369 W: 9 N: 6334] (18906)
  • [2007-10-21 15:22]

Hi Niek

Just marking - back later.

James

  • Great 
  • kjpweb Gold Star Critiquer [C: 326 W: 86 N: 1084] (4788)
  • [2007-10-21 19:00]

Beautiful. Love the isolated light on the rock! Bravo! Cheers, Klaus

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1137 W: 26 N: 3879] (13882)
  • [2007-10-22 1:13]

Hi Niek, very nice simple mix of shadow and form. The FG is great, with the silvery blue of the water and the dark lighting, whilst the light and air sky and sunlit chunk of rock adds the perfect contrast. The cloud in the top right balances nicely with the strip of rock in the bottom left too.
tfs
Paul

Hello Niek.
Great panorama. Beautiful light. Especially on the rock. It stansd out with it's details as opposed to the dark silhouettes of the foreground. I like the silhouettes of the fishermen. It seems to enforce the solitude of this place. Good framing too. Well done my friend. Have a good week.
Regards, Steve.

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 729 W: 98 N: 1707] (5458)
  • [2007-10-22 6:59]

Superbly tight composition -- This is a real stunner!
Great contrasts, colours and details
TFS
silke

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2007-10-22 10:22]

Hi Niek

The light is catching the rock perfectly. I love the LP right down to the detail of the fisherman. Wonderful exposure, framing and DOF

TFS

Karan

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2007-10-22 20:09]

Hello Niek, that's a well composed scene. Great exposure, good DOF and fantastic light. Thanks !

Mario

that must be the best shot of bass rock..i lived quite near to it once
and spent a weekend in north berwick
fine amplification of the subjects lighting by the dark masses in contrast
cheers
geof

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