More Water and Rocks.

Saturday.

Fast and slow shutter speeds for different looks to the waves receding over the rocks at Seilebost Beach. Soft and dreamy looking for one and sharp and crisp for the other. I love them both.

Water pouring off the rocks as the waves recede.

A fast shutter speed to capture this movement of the water over the rocks.

Contrasts.

Thursday.

That view of the snow capped mountains again. The waves were large and the mountains distant but the telephoto lens makes everything seem closer and compressed so you loose some of the idea of scale.

To me this is the Isle of Harris, wild waves and snow capped mountains.

But also tighter scenes of water pouring off rocks as the waves recede.

Oystercatchers.

Wednesday.

The pied oystercatchers seemed to pay no attention to the crashing waves but when we got too close they of course flew away. This shot was taken with a 500mm telephoto lens and then cropped in tight.

A pair of pied oystercatchers on the rocks at Seilebost Beach.

A wave crashing onto the rocks at Seilebost Beach.

Wind Tossed Waves – Slowed.

Monday.

I love the softness of a slow shutter speed on waves such as these. And yet, I still love a fast shutter speed that captures the waves as the wind tosses the spray high into the air as they make their final fall onto the rocky shores of Harris after travelling thousands of miles across the ocean.

Slow shutter speed on these wind tossed waves at Seilebost Beach.

A little faster shutter speed but still that bit of slowing down of the waves and blur.

A fast shutter speed to capture the wave as it crashes down and the wind catches the spray.

Mountains with Snow – Harris.

Saturday.

I can’t get enough of these mountains topped with snow surrounded by water, all in the vicinity of Luskentyre on the Isle of Harris. Harris is the Isle of mountains and rocks and lochs, a harsh environment to live in but with a wild beauty that has captivated me.

A shaft of sunlight glowing on Taransay with the snow topped mountain behind.

A wider view including more mountains with snow.

And turning sideways even more mountains topped with snow.

Even With the Pounding Surf . . .

Friday.

The crashing waves capture your immediate attention but if you look closely you’ll find small gems of miniature gardens growing on the rocks. There’s lichen like plants and ones of different colours and they’re not seaweeds either. Where the surf isn’t too rough these little plants can grow a few inches high.

Even with a pounding surf crashing over these rocks, the algae grows.

These are gardens in miniature.

A Faint Sunrise on Harris.

Wednesday.

On our first morning on Harris we explored a couple of beaches and headlands just south of Seilebost. So we were looking across the water to Taransay and further to the mountains beyond Luskentyre all dusted with snow! Lewis is the isle of high cliffs, farming and the capital, Stornaway. Whereas Harris has the most amazing almost tropical looking beaches, high mountains and is much more rugged than Lewis. They are linked in the middle by a tiny strip of land.

A faint blush of colour in the norwestern sky.

Large waves rolling onto the beaches near Seilebost.

Moonshine – Isle of Harris.

Monday.

While the moon was beginning to set and cast its long reflection over the waters between Taransay and the mainland of the Isle of Harris, it was now 8am on our first morning here. I posted looking the opposite direction from this same spot, at the same time, yesterday, 8am. Still quite dark. Lots of long slow shutter speeds so many lovely soft smooth wave shots.

The moon setting in the west from near Seilebost.

The long reflection of the moon.

A soft glow of pink heralding the sunrise.

8AM on Harris.

Sunday.

8am and it’s still quite dark on this little rocky beach that looks across to the snow covered mountains beyond Luskentyre. Although we are in a fairly protected area from the wind and swells, the bays and rocky headlands were still taking a hammering from the rough seas.

8AM and still quite dark.

Looking towards Luskentyre and the snow covered mountains beyond.

Mary Had A Little Lamb . . . .

Saturday.

After a few hours out in the wind and rain we trudged back to the Van. These sheep took a liking to Jeff and followed him quite some distance only stopping because of a fence with a stile in it, that they of course couldn’t negotiate. The little cove where the cliffs were smaller but the waters no less rough, was on our way back and worth a photo because the spray had cleared a fraction.

Jeff with a following of sheep, just like Mary.

Lower cliffs but the water is just as rough.