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“Rowardennan Bonsai” – Rowardennan, Loch Lomond, Scotland – Karl Williams – Featured Photographer
Whoa! An image from Scotland featured two days in a row? When you have two amazing photos, why not? The famous tree looks like it was painted in oil while the reflection is a perfect water color rendition. When Mother Nature and Karl team up, beautiful things happen. Don’t believe me? Then slide on over to Karl’s website below after reading about how he shot this image and you will want to book your next flight to the British Isles.
Enter Karl:
This tree, known widely as the Rowardennan Bonsai for obvious reasons, is a Scots Pine growing in a soil-filled pocket of rock at Rowardennan on the Eastern shore of Loch Lomond, the largest inland body of open water in Scotland (and, in fact, mainland Great Britain). The tree is a magnet for photographers but has two notable problems shot-wise, the first of which is that the precise location and the water level in the Loch often combine to make it extremely difficult to get a good set-up point to isolate the tree from a potentially distracting background. The second, and greater, problem is that the area is also a magnet for campers – many of whom appear to have a perverse desire to pitch their (seemingly always bright red) tents in the most inconvenient and unavoidable (from a photography standpoint) position possible, and many of whom can’t resist the opportunity (a) to get involved in the photographic process by “posing” in the field of view or, worse still, (b) to give advice.
On this particular day, I was lucky – the breeze wasn’t strong enough to give rise to “ghosting” of tree branches with a multiple-shot HDR set of images, the water level was low enough to get a suitable set-up point in the dry, and there were no “happy campers” to contend with. The long exposure was an attempt to bring some “regularity” to the water surface and thereby enhance the reflection of the tree for compositional purposes. One minor problem arose, though: an unwanted duck swam through one of the shots but the long exposure (and a little bit of cloning at the processing stage) got rid of any “nasties” from him. (Q: Do I ever shoot wildlife? A: No, but I’ve been sorely tempted on occasions!).
One final point – in answer to those who might be curious as to the thought-processes and emotions which drove me to take this shot: the only thought that ran through my head prior to taking this shot is that which goes through my head with ALL shots – “Hmm, I think that’ll go!”. Sorry to disappoint, but it really is that simple!
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PhotoBotos thinks that these photos are related to today's photo:
Silent Reflection (HDR) – Loch Rusky, Scotland – Karl Williams
“Golden Castle” – Loch Assynt, Scotland – Dylan and Marianne Toh – Featured Photographer
“Old Man of Storr” – Isle of Skye, Scotland – Lee Duguid – Featured Photographer
Burning of the Clavie – Scott Marshall – Featured Photographer
Aurora Borealis – Marc Adamus – Featured Photographer
Fairytale Lake – Adam Dobrovits – Featured Photographer
Scuba Diving at Night – Viktor Lyagushkin – Featured Photographer
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Great photo – great composition! With or without da duck
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There is a spectacular Zen-like quality…
Almost too perfect looking to be real!
Gorgeous!
Stunning and peaceful.
this tree will save someone’s life someday..
awesome shot
What a nice picture!!! Beautiful
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Excellent shot. (^-^)
Great fantastic photo. very beautiful. love it
catching my breadth! **
That is absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. : )
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Ah hame sweet hame! I miss the bonny land… Fantastic Photography!
If I may, I’d like to place some prose on Lomond.
bythemetre.wp.com
Stunning shot as are many from this site! This one is an eye catcher.
Like…Like…Like!
This image just takes my breath away! Indeed, I want to be on a plane to Scotland so I can see this with my own eyes!
Beautiful reflective images. The colors are marvelous both above, and on the water.
Charlie and Tom, I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying your site. I have been a subscriber for some time and find this daily treasure an absolute delight. As one who enjoys travelling, it’s great to be taken to places around the world, but for me, it’s more about the quality and individuality of the images.
Hello there,
I have nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger Award.
Follow the link to discover more – http://sonnetjournal.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/eight-fantastic-people/
Gorgeous image! I shared it on my Facebook page.
This truly does llook like a painting…beautiful! Thanks so much for visiting and the “like”…
Truly awesome shot there Karl. The composition is just perfect.
Here’s me believing all those rumours that it rains all the time in Scotland, that doesn’t seem to be true here.
Pity we don’t get days like that too often here in Ireland. Oh well.
Dave
Hi, guys! I’ve named your blog for the Versatile Blog Award. Stop by http://diabeticredemption.com/2012/03/22/the-versatile-blogger-award/ to see the particulars. And please don’t feel obligated to do anything. I just love your photos and content! Congratulations! Yay, you
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Wow.. this bonsai tree is stunning yo view. I also love the shadowing and lighting in this photo as well. beautiful
Since every day there is an inspiring photo to view on your site, I nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. You can find out more about it here:
http://zenandtheartofborderlinemaintenance.com/2012/03/21/nomination-elation/
Gorgeous!!!
Good things come to those who suffer ducks. (:
A beautiful shot.
Wow! So peaceful. We would like to see our faces in this reflection thing.
Bella and DiDi
Amazing! Thank you for liking my post
Wow. Love this pic. I need a vacation!
Wow. Love this pic and everything else on your site. I need a vacation!
That is really something else! Beautiful beyond words.
What a fascinating photo. What happened to your ‘like’button?
Fantastic image
Thanks for liking my recent post “Birds and Bees-FLowers and Trees”. Being “liked” by you is a true honor. Most appreciated. I continue to enjoy you posts each day and thank you for sharing
with love light and JOY
thanks for liking my recent post “birds and bees, flowers and trees” . Having a photo post “liked” by you is a true honor. Most appreciated….and I continue to enjoy your photos each and every day!
awesome pic. i love it!!!
Absolutely gorgeous! I love that your last thought is, “I think that’ll go.” Creative risk.
Magnificent and captivating!!! Wow!
Wow, there is way too much to be said about that photo. I love it and yet it made my head spin, too! HF
The reflection is amazing!
Absolutely beautiful picture!!
Amazing picture. I thought it was a painting when I first saw it.
Reminds Me of Sweden! Stunning atmosphere! Ann
Beautiful
This is a beautiful image
Wow! You are right about the oils and water color…what a perfect photo. Thank you for positing and thanks to Karl Williams for such a photo. Jay
love the contrasting textures of the tree and the water great composition
This photo is STUNNING! I absolutely love it!
beautiful
So crisp I feel like I’m right there.
Beautiful tree, beautiful shot!
Beautiful and what a reflection
Lovely.
What a lovely photo – perfectly balanced.
Stunning
I love this photo! I really like how the Bonsai tree pops out from the soft faded background, great focus!
Gorgeous!
Stunning photograph!
That looks like a painting it’s so pretty. That tree has so much character. I want to BE in that photograph.
absolutely serene… i’ve been to this area, and never would have imagined this lovely little scene.
Stunning
OMG – this is just gorgeous! It doesn’t even look real – it looks like a fantastic painting!
the perfect looking tree that, if the right size, would be a very expensive bonzai tree! Beautiful pictures!
Beautiful, tranquil and majestic. What an amazing sight to see that Bonsai in its natural surrounds
amazingly beautiful !
Hi,
A very nice photo, and such an unusual tree, I can see why you would want to take a photo, the spot looks gorgeous, and the reflection of course adds to the photo. Well Done.
absolutley stunning !!
This shot was well worth the effort! It is a stunning capture of nature! I love the reflections and color. Thanks for sharing this photo.
Very Beautiful. Love the reflection.
BE ENCOURAGED! BR BLESSED!
That certainly is a most beautiful image…. and, we all know that ducks are known to misbehave…
I enjoy your objective approach to photography Karl; it certainly has its rewards!
Well done guys… you continue to provide exceptional images..
Wonderful reflection, thanks for information with photo.
Absolutely stunning photo and gorgeous scenery.
Would love note cards made of this shot. So beautiful, nature at her best.
Available here, Susannah:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/shuggie/works/3189163-the-rowardennan-bonsai?c=100327-the-trossachs-loch-lomond
Awesome !!!!!!
I like the way the background just melts into a soft haze of colour. Beautiful tree, long may it remain unmolested.
Love your pics
stunning!
What a stunning shot!
(I can’t ‘like’ your posts anymore? Or am I missing it somewhere?)
Lovely photo – thought initially it was somewhere in Asia.
Beautiful!