PICTURE OF THE MONTH: OCTOBER

October was a busy month as I moved South to Oxford. Some of you might already have noticed that I tend to be about a month behind with my photos despite trying to keep them seasonal. Apologies for this but it comes with the fact that I am still shooting film!

CLIFFS, DUNNET HEAD
The cliffs of Dunnet Head always fascinated me the entire time I spent in Caithness. The old rock continually battered by the sea. But the combination of a fast moving tide and the striking shape of the cliffs combined to create an image that I felt I couldnt miss. I very nearly got cut off by the moving tide here as I was so absorbed in trying to get the exposure correct. A graduated neutral density filter provided the balance that was required. 28-135mm lens, tripod, ND grad filter

STORM, FOINAVEN
I had been meaning to climb Foinaven before I left the north however bad weather prevented me on several occassions. Determined to see something of this corner of wilderness I headed out in September in strong winds and rain to try and get some idea of the place I had been living in for so long. The wind was relentless and the walking was tough but it was a thoroughly enjoyable weekend away from it all. 28-135mm lens

STORM BLOWN GUILLIEMOT
A strong gale wreaked havoc to a weakened population of birds on the north coast of Scotland. I photographed this guilliemot from only a few yards away after the storm. Dunnet bay recorded some of the worst fatalities from the storm. A poor breeding season due to a lack of sand-eels led to weakened birds. 300mm

DUNNET BAY
The seashore provides a fascinating location for photography - it is a continuously evolving landscape and no two days are the same. The cahnge in the delicate light and the shape of the sand and shore can all combine to crete a vast numberof varying conditions. 24mm


2004