Notes and Images from a Small Island (Practice 11 Day 3)

My best efforts have been thwarted this weekend.  On Saturday I head out early for the loch, in the hope of calmer waters and brighter light.  I plan to produce some dreamy multiple exposure images by slowing the shutter speed down on the first shot to less than 1/20 of a second and then to merge it with a very sharp image, freezing the action by using 1/1000 of a second.  However, I see evidence of a herd of cows on the road and I wonder where they are.  Unfortunately, they have spent the night opposite the loch and are resting within a short distance of where I had intended to locate myself.

I consider the options:  carry on as normal and risk a herd of cows passing by and potentially pushing me into the loch; park up and wait in the car until they pass by or decide that discretion is the better part of valour and retrace my steps.  I decide that the first option is too risky, given that I have encountered these cows before, the second is a long shot because the likelihood is that the cows will wander down to the loch to drink before moving on, and so option three is my choice.

On Sunday I return to the loch, in very poor weather but hope that the waters will be calm.  My first thoughts are to work out where the cows are.  I spy what I think is a cow at the head of the loch.  They haven’t moved far since yesterday.  A quick chat with a local confirms my fears that the cows have decided to spend a few days at Kilchrist.

To make matters worse, the misty rain is drifting on a strong wind and making my camera, and me, very wet.  I persevere but am not able to take many shots because the rain is heading straight at me.  I am disappointed with the weekend’s efforts . . .

Here’s hoping for better weather and that the cows have moved on when I return tomorrow!