Welcome to my channel where I regularly share videos about photography, tutorials, hints and tips and generally try to inspire you to grow and improve as a photographer.
Subscribe now for regular content including:
Landscape photography
Street photography
Travel photography
Photography tutorials
And so much more!
www.johnmckenna.net
Пікірлер
Morning, great video again today. I always look forward to waking up and watching. I love Loch Katrine and your images of the area are stunning.
@@joannewalker9282 thanks Joanne!
I was there a fortnight ago, much sunnier day though. A few pure landscapes but including boats as well. I even went down that self same path but I battered my way down on to the shoreline to get a shot of a boat. Although I managed to get a wee private hire steam launch (the type you find on Lake Windermere) pootling past the boathouse. I've never noticed the dead trees, which island is it ?
I had planned to go to the shoreline but the midges were out in force so I made a hasty retreat back to the safety of the path and a brisk pace to outrun them! I think the trees were on Ellen's Isle. Hoping to go back in a few weeks, so I'll double check
Thank you for helping start another Sunday on the right track! Beautiful images, as always. Loved the sound track.
@@jamesvoiss7122 thanks James. Glad you liked it!
This sure was relaxing. A nice variety of images here, John 👍
Thanks Robert! Glad you liked it!
Great relaxing video as always
Thanks! :)
OK, I got me 'eadphones on - this better be good, lad! ;) But seriously folks, I love cello sounds and it does sound great. Love the deep greens too. I'm a big fan of a Japanese painter called Kai Higashiyama, who specialized in deep green forests and mountains, mirror-like lakes and white horses. Loved this vid. A real treat for the senses!
Thank you! I've not come across Kai Higashiyama's work, I'll check it out!
Another lovely tranquil video John. Very enjoyable. Loved the island shot at 9:12. There's so much to shoot around Loch Katrine. I got one of my favourite panos from where you are walking at 10:35, looking back down the road towards Ben Venue. The boathouse is an excellent subject too. There are several fine walks in the area which offer excellent photographic opportunities. From where you were, you can climb Primrose Hill, which has superb views down the loch. And from the Stronachlacher end, you can follow the route of the Victorian aqueducts - still Glasgow's water supply - across the hillside to Loch Arklet.
Thanks Dougie! Its a great location and one i find myself returning to more and more. I did the Primrose Hill walk a year or two ago, some lovely views from up there. I keep meaning to do the northern edge of the loch from Stronachlachar round to the burial ground and Black Isle. Have you done that?
@@JohnMcKennaPhotography Yes I have. Not as far as the burial ground, but certainly heading around the end of the loch. I'd like to do the circuit where you catch the paddle steamer up the loch then walk back along the northern shore - one of those things that I haven't got around to yet. There are some superb shots to be got along there, I believe
Good morning John! Thoroughly enjoyed your video. Beautiful reflections in the Loch and also the tree compositions. Wish you well with your upcoming exhibition!!!
Thanks Sylvia! Working on that today...!
The Greens are still looking good, John, I remember a few Moons ago the Amazing amount of heather al the way up to the Summit of Ben Venue. You got some lovely Woodland shots, I liked your processing and play of Light.
thanks Douglas!
The Greens are still looking good, John, I remember on the way up Ben Venue a few Moons ago the Amazing amount of heather all the way to the Summit. You captured some lovely Woodland shots and nice processing and play of Light.
Thanks Douglas! I've not been up to the top of Ben Venue for a few years now, really should get myself up there again soon!
Top Drawer
thanks
A beautiful eerie location on a still day. Got to say your photography skills are outstanding and they convey a story every bit as poignant as your oral narration. Thank you for sharing this lovely video with us especially welcoming on a Sunday.
Thank you! :)
Love those IR shots again John. Still haven't used my IR camera yet this summer. Need to pull my socks up and get on with it.
@@garrysugdenphotography thanks Garry! Looking forward to seeing your images!
Just came home from visiting I’m very new to photography and made good use of my 210 tamron lens good video didn’t know anything about the history of it very nice
Hope you got some great shots!
Very well done video! Quite enjoyable . . .
@@gordonelwell7084 thanks!
Magic !
Thanks! it was a great morning
The infrared images were my favorites. Could have done without seeing the "stacked rocks" leavings,, way over-done practices.
Certainly had an air of mystery. All those faces in the rocks and the birds really made for a great atmosphere. Images were wonderful such great colours as were the infra-red photographs they captured the ethereal feel.
Thanks Dianne
I did enjoy this video very much.
Thanks! Its a great place
Excellent video John. This area has plenty of history. Loved the images.
Thanks Jim! Its a great spot!
This was wonderful! I love how you were able to pull out the reddish tones in the rock face! That made it stand out from the surrounding shades of green more vividly. I also appreciated your respect/reverence for the offerings left by others. I would likely have just been irritated. (Maybe you were, too!) But the way you handled it and spoke of the offerings with such respect for those who left them was really inspiring. Loved the images as a whole. It’s amazing how much you were able to pull out of what you indicated was a rather confined space. Thank you for another meditative journey.
Thanks James! There is something about the location. Looking forward to going back
Great video John nive change from other peoples work
Thanks! Looking forward to going back
Totally ethereal location with fabulous photographs that capture and convey the allure of this place. Thank you for sharing your photos with us all Sir.
thanks! Glad you liked it
Love it and the infrared at the end great.
Faces everywhere watching you. Fantastic tones John. Great video 👍
thanks mate. Have you been? It's well worth a visit
@@JohnMcKennaPhotography Never been mate. shameful to admit I very rarely venture outwith Glasgow.
A video and photos of an interesting, mystical place. It was clear that you treated the location and those that use it with respect but still created a fascinating video and great photos. The infrared images were spectacular. Thank you for sharing 🙂
thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. It is an incredible spot to visit, looking forward to returning in autumn... ideally with a little mist to add to the atmosphere!
I had toyed with the idea of making a "Tales from Scotland" video for this location, but, the truth is we don't really know a lot about it - although you will find LOTS of "experts" telling tales of human sacrifice and witchcraft. Next video will have an accompanying "Tales from.." video though so look out for that!
Great shots again John I really loved the infrared images very fitting for that location. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never been to Dunino Den and me a Fifer too😀
Thanks Malcolm! Might be worth visiting soon. I met a group of tourists as I was leaving and they said the location has appeared in a few "must see" articles recently so might be about to go the way of the Devil's Pulpit. I hope not!
Cheers John I’ll try to get there ASAP
Top Drawer
Thanks!
Great place. For me the IR's work better at this location during the summer and probably colour during the autumn with the water flowing. The steps are amazing, a wide angle (-20) shot would look fantastic from in close, excluding the trees.
Thanks! Yeh an amazing location. Definitely going back in the autumn. I'll try a wider shot with the stairs. The mud and branches made it look a little to messy for me but might look a lot better covered over with a bed of fallen leaves!
@@JohnMcKennaPhotography personal opinion (as Autumn is my favorite season) but everything looks better with an accompanying layer of fallen leaves.
@@brandyjean7015 i completely agree! Always my favourite time of the year!
Nice one. I was down there a couple of months ago. There's a weird atmosphere about the place - apart from picking out details like the face and the offerings, I found it hard to make photographic sense of the place. Wrong time of year, I suspect, and I didn't get it as quiet as you did either. A winter location, I think. That said, I love the images at 18:17, 18:23 and 18:48 Loving the bird sounds through the video too.
Thanks Dougie! I was lucky with my timing because it began to fill up after an hour or so. Did you find any other carvings? I think i missed a few but couldnt see them anywhere. Also have you continued downstream at all? Dawned on me as i was editing that i should have explored further down. Ive never been in autumn or winter so i might give that a go later in the year!
@@JohnMcKennaPhotography no I didn't. The cross, the face and a few around the entrance were the only carvings I found. I don't know if you can get much further downstream, but I had that thought as well.
Great video. Thank you
@@eyeammjh thanks!
... great location, stunning photos and a fine video, well done !!!
@@olafedler956 thank you! :)
Never been here John. Looks amazing. Great images.
@@jimhamilton8775 i'd never been before either. Well worth a visit!
Looks like one of those destinations which seems very far away from us and our travels, but actually is just a modest detour of the A74 which we use at 70mph without stopping. We will have to take a photo break round here next time. Regarding the images, I love how you've concentrated on the v-shaped valley and how the images are so well layered. The colours of the greens and the purples really emphasize this. I love the colours of all the images - wonderful creativity.
@@badgerlandcouk thanks! Yeh its surprisingly close to the A74 and well worth a detour!
Perfect lets send all Asylum seekers there and make a factory to build prefab houses.
Quite enjoyable to watch, John. First time watcher, now subscriber! The camera settings at the bottom of each pic, helps a lot. Great shots! We'll continue "watching over your shoulder", from Olympic Nat'l Park, Port Angeles, WA., USA!!!
@@rmetzger7368 thank you! Welcome to the channel! :)
Hello John, ive not been on here for a while, and what a joy to see these beautiful hills. How they fold over each other is very beautiful.. Your photos are lovely, thank you for sharing.........Alioban ❤
Thank you! Welcome back! :)
An area I have loved for many years, John, the Heather colours with the lovely greens were really Super and you will certainly not get me accusing you of oversaturation. As one-time Exponents of the beloved Fuji Velvia is is our duty to kick in the natural colours of the grasses and the heather. I was just mentioning to my Wife the other day it is about time we headed back that way with a Picnic, it means I can leave her with a book and a Coffee while I head up the Burn.
thanks Douglas! It's looking amazing just now so I'd definitely recommend a trip down if you find the time. I found another few locations around the Pass that I want to return to very soon (there are a couple of lone trees and some more incredible heather clad hillsides to shoot!)
It is a crackin' location and I think, always have done, that non-Scots drive through this obviously stunning scenery and through our own central Scotland to get to 'the Highlands'. As much as I love the rockier scenery and taller mountains quite often how tall the hill is is photographically irrelevant or where the tree overhanging the waterfall is located is absolutely of no importance. Still if people want to spend another three hours driving (and complain about the cost of fuel in the Highlands) then its their own business. I supposed its like American tourists 'doing' London and then shooting up to York.
Aye, totally agree. I've been spending a lot of time down in Dumfries & Galloway and the place is just full of incredible locations, many of which I've never been to before, including this one!
You are granted creative license to adjust saturation to your own preference. Your preferences are close to my own in this respect. The photos really pop. As another commenter mentioned, there is a dramatic difference between the video images and the post-processed versions. I'd love to visit some of these places myself and try my hand at photographing these hills and streams. Incidentally I habitually wear microspikes when I go on photo hikes around waterfalls. Keep up the good work!
thank you! I think a lot of the difference between stills and video is due to the fact I shoot video with a completely different camera, with different settings, etc, but occasionally I'll use my main stills camera for video and those always match the stills more closely. I'm working on a series of post-processing videos which I'll be sharing soon (i hope!)
Top Drawer
thanks! :)
Really nice shots John the purple of the heather is just great not over saturated at all😊
Thanks Malcolm!
Cracking video John really liked the cascades with layers of purple heather behind 👍👍
Thanks Simon!
John, this is beautiful! This is the first time you’ve mentioned comments about “oversaturation”. To me, that is an issue of personal preference and artistic choice. One of the things I have enjoyed about your work is seeing the contrast between what the video shows and the vision you have of the shots as presented in the final edited version. (That’s why I’m so interested in seeing your post-production process!) In this video, for example, the way you draw out the contrast between the greens in the grass and the purple of the heather makes the final shots much more appealing. It seems to me that is a distinctive element of your style. Personally, I love it! Thank you again for starting my Sunday with a few minutes of beauty.
@@jamesvoiss7122 thanks James! Yeh every now and then an "expert" drops a comment about how i've oversaturated the greens in some of my images. I'd just received one on the morning I shot this so i decided to reference it. Still working on that processing video!
Apologies for the delay in releasing this video. I thought I'd scheduled the release and headed out to shoot the next video but I must have missed something as it didn't release and I couldn't access my account until I got home again.
great shot. looks as though the boulder is floating , quality. thanks for sharing.
@@user-ih8lc5ki2o thanks!
Sometimes it takes a wee bit of effort to capture that perfect composition. A good eye, and some interesting weather helps too.
Cracking location, John. That photo at 10.35 - love the swirls on the little white froth bubbles.
@@digitaliphotography thanks! I'll definitely be back in the autumn for this location! Might have leaves instead of bubbles then!
Enjoyed that very much John, my ancestors came from Kirkcubright in the 1700s, moving north following the Railways and Coal Mining into Dumfries, then Ayrshire then Lanarkshire & Linlithgowshire, so I spend time down in that area when I can, will surely look out for that place..JK
@@kerrsteel2 thanks! Definitely a great place to visit!