Quite splendid Ian!

Perhaps it *was* worth carrying twenty kilos of camera gear!

Glad you like them Alan. This year I was quite light weight. Last year I carried about 4.5Kg of gear. This year it was down to under 2Kg.

Ian C.

Excellent photographs Ian - I wouldn't expect anything else from you.

Well done!

JJ

I did, I enjoyed them Ian. Excellent images and it's surely worth the weight penalty to equip you for the attractive bokeh shots!

Thanks Des but are you sure you should be using the B word in a public forum. You know how it upsets some people.

Ian C.

As ever, some great photo's there Ian, and one or two stunning ones.

Loch Fyne and Isabel are two of my favourites.
And the night at Callater.
And.. Ok I like quite a few

OK, that's it.
Next year I am taking a proper camera.
Maybe just the one lens.
I say next year, but I mean next time.

PS. Can I nick a copy of Al and I on the bench to stick in my blog.
Pretty please

Hi Andrew,

I'm glad you like them. A proper camera helps but you do need a proper photographer to go along with it. I'm not saying you're not one.

It's like this old story. A photographer goes to a dinner party and the hostess says "I've seen your wonderful pictures, you must have a good camera." The photographer doesn't say anything at the time but as he's leaving says to the hostess "The food was fantastic you must have a good oven."

I've sent you an email about the pictures for your blog.

Ian C.

Alfred Eisenstaedt the wonderful LIFE photojournalist told a similar tale. A well-heeled visitor to one of Alfred’s exhibitions promised to buy his son a Leica M3 so the boy could then take great pictures like Mr Eisenstaedt. Alfred pointed out that if the boy was given a Steinway grand it wouldn’t turn him into a concert pianist.

I take wonderful photos with a rubbish camera Ian.

Of course all art is subjective.

There's nothing more satisfying than some nice creamy bokeh Des ,am I right ?

Some lovely shots there Ian,as ever,cheers.

Ansel Adams- "The single most important component
of a camera is the twelve inches behind it."

It's so true Ade. Probably the most frustrating thing about the P&S lightweight camera is that infuriating seemingly infinite depth of field. We do like our differential focus!

Fantastc photos. Wieght is only a problem if you can't carry it!

Out of intrest, what camera set up did you take on the challange?

Excellent. (Specially the pic of Jack Manning at the Park - ah, bless!)
Makes me want to have a go at this GTO challenge....do I need my own tent?

Mike as I understand it a virtual tent will do and it doesn't have to be your own. The GTF Challenge is a wonderful institution and many of the participants should be institutionalised.

Ian C.

I'm glad you like the pictures. I used a Fuji X-Pro1 with 3 lenses. If you are interested Andy Howell asked me to do a review of it for his blog. It should be published tomorrow at http://www.andyhowell.info/trek-blog/

Ian C.

An interesting review Ian.

Non experts struggling with the term bokeh? It is derived from the Scots dialect word "boke"- to retch or vomit. In photography it is used to suggest that blurred, out of focus shots are somehow artistic.

Hmmm-sounds like a conflation of focus-hocus-pocus and baloney!

Yes sort of. Boke is a Japanese term meaning blur or fuzzy. The term is also used in the sense of mental haze or senility, which I guess could cause a degree of conflation.

Hi Ian,
Your skill with the camera is self evident and I thoroughly enjoyed the pics.
I especially liked the Callater Burn Flows and the "Fuji" colours in the pics of the flowers. They gave me a good flavour of the potential of the X Pro 1, which I have been thinking about buying.
I haven't been into your emporium for a good wee while. I bought a Pentax LX in the Quiggs days, so I must pop in to get some words of wisdom on the next camera.

Nice one(s) Ian. Camera looks like it was worth it!