Landscape Photographer's Point of View: The Birks of Aberfeldy
Show Notes
A couple hours before sunset on a rainy and dreary day I ventured out to one of my favourite rainy day locations: The Birks of Aberfeldy for some landscape photography.
I decided to film this from my point of view because I didn’t have a lot of time, there are a lot of walkers and tourists, and I wanted to try something a little different.
The Birks of Aberfeldy was made famous by the Scottish poet Robert Burns and his song about taking a girl to the Moness burn under the birch trees, and it is this river that I have come to photograph.
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Onto the Images
This is the first set of easily accessed rapids along the burn, but I always struggle to frame it in a way that I like. The left hand side is a bit cluttered. Although I like the way the branches frame the river, overhanging it.
This boulder always catches my attention in the Birks. I love its moss covered top and the way it leads the eye to the rapids beyond, and the water swirling passed it through the burn. A very convenient foreground interest, not the most easily accessed, especially after a few days of heavy rain.
I was hoping that the leaves had turned to their autumnal bright orange colours on this visit but unfortunately I was a little early. The leaves littering the floor are probably from the year before. I don’t know whether the leaves so conveniently placed on the boulder at the edge of the burn fell there accidentally or if another photographer before me placed them there, but I enjoyed there contrasting colour to the greens above them.
Beech loves turn a wonderful orange in autumn but they are so full of tannins that they are not easily decomposed by insects or fungi, which is why the floor underneath beech trees is often devoid of any other life and its why the leaves from last year are still available for us to photograph well into the next.
This was a point on the river where I had never photographed before, but I found it a wonderful composition. The boulders create a nice pattern of rapids and the trees are growing so close to the edge they add a great texture to the background. But that’s what I think, what do you think?
The last image of the evening. I always enjoy the walk among the trees, as I’m sure Robert Burns did. The path and the river are very beautiful and they always inspire my landscape photography.
This wall of waterfall is a fitting end to the walk and that day, as the rain had been a wall tumbling out of the sky through the majority of the day. But the light was beginning to fade, so I decided to head home. The walk continues on from this point, passing by other smaller waterfalls, equally intriguing and worthy of photography, and eventually you come to a giant waterfall tumbling through a gap in the trees. That one is quite difficult to frame but is a beauty to look at. You can cross the bridge and head down the other side of the river, but that path is higher up without any access to the river, although there is some beautiful forest.
All in all a wonderful, peaceful few hours at the end of my day to enjoy some landscape photography.
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About the Film
Just a little information about the film and how I made it, as well as some links to equipment.
I edited the film using the Free Version of DaVinci Resolve. It’s an incredibly powerful piece of software that I am still trying to understand and will possibly write an article about in the future.
The tracks featured in today’s film were licensed via a subscription with Epidemic Sound. (By following that link, if you purchase a subscription then I will be gifted with a month free for referring you to their services)
Gentle Invitation by Dawn, Dawn, Dawn
Good Vibes by East of Heaven
Deep and Abiding by Dayon
Play and Create by Johan Glossner
A short Kit List
These are affiliate links, which means if you follow them and make a purchase I will earn a small commission for referring you to Amazon UK. You can find out more about affiliate links here.
Main Vlog Camera is a simple Panasonic G80 with the kit lens, its a great little mirrorless camera that I got for the sole purpose of creating YouTube videos. It’s capable of filming in 4k and seems to do everything that I want it to.
Rode Mic, I got this little microphone to boost the audio quality from the inbuilt microphone.
Action Camera, I use this to film myself when walking. It’s a simple DJI Pocket Osmo camera that has a motorised 3 axis gimbal head, which means that I stay in focus and static while the landscape around me moves. It’s also capable of filming in 4k and the audio quality is quite good.
Voice Recorder, to boost the audio quality when it’s windy or I’m using the action camera I use this handy little voice recorder with a lapellier microphone to record audio.
For a complete Landscape Photography Kit List you can read through what equipment I take with me when I go out here.
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Written by Daniel Long
Daniel Long created DRL Photography as a place to showcase his work as a photographer. Daniel has learnt a lot about photography and wishes to impart this knowledge with you, although the world is an ever changing place and he always says “you can never learn everything.” So as he makes his way, he continues to learn knew techniques, skills and information about photography. He focuses on Landscape and Wildlife photography and Daniel has a special focus on Scotland, his home away from home. As well as writing about photography and taking pictures out in the field, Daniel offers guided photography days so he can share his knowledge and locations in an effort to give his clients the best opportunities possible. Have a browse around this website to see his images, guided experiences and articles about photography. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in contact.
