The Meldon Hills from Eddleston, a photo from Scottish Borders, Scotland

Photographer's Note

Coming back home from a trip to Peebles this morning, I took a short diversion by the Meldon Hills to the charming little village of Eddleston. This is looking back southwards from the southern outskirts of Eddleston between the Meldon Hills to the distant view of the Scottish Borders.

It was only after I came home and started to do some research that I realised that I really must revisit Eddleston sometime soon. Because in Eddleston lies what is thought by many to be the largest outdoor relief map in the World. This is The Great Polish Map of Scotland which is a three-dimensional map of Scotland in the grounds of The Barony Hotel, Eddleston. It was constructed by Polish geographers in the 1970s and the map was in recognition of the Scottish hospitality afforded to Polish soldiers during the Second World War.

You can read more about this Polish "Mappa Scotland" and see some images of it here as well as read about its recent restoration.

Incidentally, I'll be interested to see if this image uploads correctly to TE - this is my first attempt to upload a larger image since TE's permissible image size was recently increased!

Bah! Humbug! No, it still isn't working! The right side of the picture is missing! But, if you look at it in the "beta" version of TE here, you can see the whole picture if you "scroll" across. Another problem for the technical folk, I guess!

I have now posted this picture at the "usual" size of 800 pixels wide as a workshop so you can also view it there!

Didi, Royaldevon, Kofman, timecapturer, delpeoples, kordinator, macjake, jhm oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

dta (95522) 2013-06-17 11:05

Hello John ,
This is here an idyllic and splendid rural landscape of the Borders . The wooden fences and the trees in the FG provide an excellent depth to the view .
About the new size of TE , I don't know if its is good to choose , the maximal one , because we can not see the whole picture on the screen (even on Beta version) . On the other isde , it is a good thiong to appreciate more details .
Regards

Didi (61569) 2013-06-17 11:10

Hi John
Very nice dramatic sky
Good frame quality and interesting perspective of the barrier. Very nice green ambiance
Best regards

No_One (4) 2013-06-17 11:47

Hi John,
Beautiful rolling hills, and such perfect light. I think it was a really good idea to include the fence as a good interest and breaker in the foreground too. It's a very appealing and almost fairy tale shot, I feel if I look hard enough, I may just spot a telly tubby in there somewhere.
All the best
Noel

emka (139142) 2013-06-17 12:52

Hi John,

Wooow, what a big picture! I haven't known that something about the size has changed. Where can I read about it? even if something is missing, the result is amazing. and what a lovely view you show here. Charming hi;lls and I like the daisies near the wooden fence. Wonderful sky too.

WArm regrads

MAlgo

holmertz (83294) 2013-06-17 14:10

Hello John,
I would have enjoyed this photo in any case but might have wondered about the strange way you cropped it on the right side...
Now, I have seen the workshop and fully understand why you get annoyed, because that line of trees and that extra part of the fence mean a lot to the balance of the composition and the feeling of depth. As for the rest of the picture it shows a beautiful rural view with a very well handled light and a carefully processed sky .
Since I have been away for a few weeks i may have missed some information, but where has it been announced that the allowed size of photos has been increased? Everyone seems to know about it but I can't find it.
Kind regards,
Gert

Royaldevon (64286) 2013-06-17 14:36

Hello John,

I think I will stick with the smaller version for reasons you show and because a bigger photograph can be more tempting!
The whole shot is more interesting, with the right angle turn to the fencing.
I think you know I will like this. Fences and hills and trees are what I am familiar with and your shot could easily have been taken from the area where I live. The fence makes a great f/g statement, with its rustic charm, creating a fine sense of depth down the grassy slope to the trees and the hills beyond.
The new grass has a luminous intensity which is most attractive.

Do you leave your polariser on all the time? I do and I find I really have to open up the aperture to get enough light in. Without the polariser, I would think your aperture would be over more than 14 at this distance.

A lovely shot.
The area around Peebles has a lot of charm.

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

rigoletto (34279) 2013-06-17 15:21

hi john,
the bug-degraded size of your photo is also quite nice, it still looks lovely in square format. even though i first felt happy about the large size issue, i share your worries about the possible thefts coming thereby.
deniz

carlo62 (81023) 2013-06-17 15:47

Ciao John
sono sempre belli i paesaggi del tuo paese, se poi godono di questa luce, possono solo migliorare.
Bello scatto, ogni elemento č al posto giusto.
Saluti
Carlo

npecanhuk (79319) 2013-06-17 18:26

Hi John!
Peaceful-looking fields!
Lovely, beautiful, pleasant-looking and inviting picture!
Special regards to the chosen pov, composition, colors and exposure!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

jjcordier (79299) 2013-06-17 23:17

John
Je n'avais pas vu que l'on pouvait maintenant poster des photos en plus grand format. Je vais tester cette nouvelle fonction bientôt.Tu as réussi une superbe photo de paysage, quasiment picturale, avec une lumičre, une composition et des couleurs excellentes.
Amicalement
JJ

timecapturer (49288) 2013-06-18 4:47

Hi John
a simple and wonderfully bucolic shot that is both irresistible and beautiful. Early summer greens always look so striking and strangely seem to shine more under a cloudy sky rather than clear blue. Love the diagonal fence which anchors the image and contrasts perfectly with the rolling and gentle landscape.

Brian.

Glint (6171) 2013-06-18 14:38

Hello John,
this has a lovely painterly quality. Pity it hasn't uploaded properly but I've looked at your workshop image. Perfect light and excellent dof so that we can see so much detail. Although the larger image hasn't been uploaded correctly, nonetheless the closeness of the fence gives me the feeling that I am standing by it, looking over at the view.
best regards,
Bev
ps received your email and replied. I've been away and incommunicado.

rogerl (1632) 2013-06-19 6:44

John, I liked this shot, but didn't see that much in it until I looked at the complete photo in the beta version. Those trees on the right make a big difference in the framing and the scale of the shot! This is a really well-exposed shot on what looked to be a difficult light day, with well-defined clouds. The sharpness in the whole photo is really amazing. Thanks.

Roger

delpeoples (60326) 2013-06-20 0:09

Ciao caro Giovanni

This is such a calm, idyllic rustic scene - so very different in mood and technique to your previous shot of the killer swan. I see you're really mixing it up with the genres, and producing one cracking shot after the next. I love these soft tones, almost like a painting. The lone of the fence guides the eye in and provides an added element of interest, aswell as to enhance the rustic atmosphere. A beautiful shot all-round.

Un abbraccio
Lisa

PS: I need you to settle the debate with my brother-in-law - is it "spelt" or "spelled"?

kordinator (15775) 2013-06-20 0:28

Hello John
Beautiful fields decorated and lined with wooden fence.
Idyllic rural scene.
Special regards to the chosen pov, composition, colors and exposure!
TFS - congrats,
Best regards
Saa

Silvio1953 (191181) 2013-06-22 7:18

Ciao John, lovely and peaceful landscape, superb sky, wonderful colors and splendid light, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

jcpix (14030) 2013-06-23 13:53

Hi John,

Now this is the kind of shot that benefits from the larger size, it looks outstanding in a grander format! What gorgeous countryside this is, and the subtle highlights of sun along the rolling hills makes for some good dimension. I like how you've composed this to use the wooden fence as a lead in, which then opens up to a wide perspective that seems to go on and on. This would make for a great painting as well, so much color within the range of greens and yellows, and some darker passing clouds for contrast and atmosphere. I could sit here and enjoy this view and a cool breeze for a nice, long time. :) Have a good week ahead.

Best regards,

Jason

macjake (92625) 2013-06-24 13:14

Hi John
I have to say, thanks to your photos on here, it really makes me want to rent a car and just go for a drive around your native land.

Tosca and I have already talked about doing a Scotland/Ireland drive. Because of the weather, what time of year is best? We really don't want to get into the rain and foggy mist 24/hrs a day

I know that the fog gives a sweet atmosphere, but we'd rather have nice sunny weather as a whole...if you know what I mean.

anyways...
I like that you included the fencing, it really gives a homey down to earth feel to the scene. As if i'm standing in my backyard or something.

lovely pockets of light on the rolling hills.
beauty
enjoy your day
craig

jhm (191315) 2013-06-26 0:50

Hello John,

Sorry John, I missed this wonderful wide picture with a incredible landscape
This is here an idyllic and splendid rural landscape with a lot nice hills and nice green vegetation.
A place for a stroll early in the morning, I would here real enjoy.
Composition and presentation are very well. TFS.

Best regards,
John.

MJR (3360) 2013-07-05 2:42

John
It would seem TE have resolved their problems with uploading these larger images. ( a cynical ploy to appeal to the cyber thief ! )

Be that as it may, thanks for this wonderful post, as much for the info contained in the note as the photo. I had never heard of the Polish Map, but now thanks to you and Messrs Google am well acquainted. I will certainly be visiting it, in the Autumn if not before.

As to the image, well what a beauty. You have caught the wondrous light with your normal expertise, and given us an image of great depth, detail and clarity extending for what seems like miles ! For all the rather prosaic nature of a mere fence, it works well as a foil for your foreground.

kind regards
Martin

Photo Information

Copyright: John Cannon (tyro) (29026)
Genre: Miejsca
Medium: Kolorowe
Date Taken: 2013-06-17
Categories: Natura
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, Tiffen 77mm Circular Polarizer
Naświetlenie: f/14.0, 1/50 sekund
More Photo Info: view
Map: view
Wersja zdjęcia: Oryginalna wersja, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2013-06-17 9:26