Photography over Christmas

Lone Tree & Moonshine, Millarochy

Last night Doug (Collinson) & I headed up to Millarochy Bay on Loch Lomond to try and shoot some star trails. As well as all the camera paraphernalia we were armed with down sleeping bags, bivvy bags & thermarests for the expected 2hr vigil while the cameras recorded their images. (Doug too seemed to have brought most of the contents of his kitchen and passed round chocolate cake, cheese & oatcakes and hot coffee). No one else was about though a few cars passed by on the lochside road. My star trails attempt failed dismally because of ice-crystals fogging the lens repeatedly(the car registered -4°C) but inexplicably Doug's camera didn't suffer from this. I did quite like this shot using the setting moon to backlight the famous Lone Tree. We stayed for 4hrs and saw many shooting stars but no satellites or aurorae. We didn't get back till 3am. It was magic.

[One of Doug's excellent images here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60122552@N08/15946125969/ ]

The Man In The Moon
A magical sight at sunset on a beautiful Christmas Day.

Oak Tree by Moonlight
Spotting that the skies were clear as I headed home from work I couldn't resist going out with the camera again on Monday evening. This time I didn't go far but headed to this splendid oak tree that stands alone in a field. Day or night it usually has a flock of sheep huddled at its base as evidenced by the generous hanks and skeins of wool still swathed around the sinewy roots. 

First Quarter Moon, Waxing Gibbous
What is it about The Moon that always fascinates? I used to always try and photograph it when it was full but I have realised that the most interesting features are to be seen where the sunlit face slips into shadow.