Islay and Jura - a longer thread

[Mike Shimwell]

A little while ago Asher suggested that I should share some of my landscape work. In one way or another this has formed a significant part of my work over the couple of years and so I will seek to add a few pictures to this thread over the next few weeks. I will also start another thread to hold work from my Yorkshire home.

Islay and Jura are, to us, magical islands. We honeymooned there when we got married in 1999and have holidayed there quite regularly. The landscape is not, by and large, dramatic, but a comfortable land. There is much open moor between the many distilleries.

The panorama below was shot this February, during a week of the most wonderful weather, during a walk along the south east coast of Islay. It looks northwards along the sound of Jura and you can see the ruins of the old villae of Proiag on the beash to the left of the scene and the Paps of Jura in the haze to the right.

The image was stitched from 7 or 8 5D frames shot handheld using the 70-200 f4IS lens.

I hope that you like and, as always, any comments are welcome. Oh, and someone just bought a 45 inch wide print

Mike

 

[Charles L Webster]

Islay and Jura are magic to others of us for different reasons. Those islands are the homes of some of the most distinctive single-malt whiskys in the world.

Your panorama connects the landscape with the familiar flavors of peat, smoke, and seaweed.

Thanks for providing a visual reference for my tastes.

<Chas>

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Thanks Charles, you are right of course that Isaly in particualr is noted for it's whisky industry. I have a number of facourites from the island, including Ardbeg. SHown here for ready reference

24mm at f10

24mm not sure, but probably about f10 or 11

Mike

 

[Mike Shimwell]

And to add to the first post, this is another panorama that I made last year when visiting Jura. This shows the Paps of Jura, a good 16 mile that makes a great day out. One of the interesting things about this picture when printed is that a lot of people start by assuimng that it's a painting - I'm not sure why - but we have a 54 inch wide print on the kitchen wall at home and it takes us back every day.

Mike

 

[Mike Shimwell]

I've just run through some work from our 2007 trip to the Islands and have added 37 more pictures to flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8808890@N08/sets/72157601717533272/) and will copy them over to here a bit more gradually!!

As always, I appreciate contructive criticism and hope that you enjoy.

Mike

This says a lot about Islay's landscape!!

But at eventide you might see this

or this

 

[Mike Shimwell]

On a walk you may come across an old tractor (still in use)

or an abandoned bothy

More later

Mike

 

[Gary Ayala]

Good stuff Mike. The colors at sunset are just addicting ... I could look at them over and over again (btw- the horizon of the first sunset seems a bit tilted).

Gary

 

[Asher Kelman]

Mike,

Utterly thrilling contributions. That first picture going up the road with grass reclaiming the fissures, leading to the home on the right really moved me.

Jim Galli could have taken the pictures of the old tractor and abandoned interior (what structure is that?) with his magic lenses. You are going to put him out of work, LOL!

Asher

 

[janet Smith]

Hi Mike

Thank you for showing us these, looks like Jura is definitely going to be added to our list of islands to visit, I particularly like the shots of Ardbeg distillery (Paul would no doubt want to visit there!!) and the bothy, the tractor, the pano, well basically all of them! I think I've heard that Islay (not sure if I'm mixing it up with another island) is famous for it's beautiful beaches - am I right?

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Good stuff Mike. The colors at sunset are just addicting ... I could look at them over and over again (btw- the horizon of the first sunset seems a bit tilted).

Gary

Gary, thanks. You are right - I'll have to straighten that before I print it

Here's another from the same evening that I really like - these were on Islay in the north of the Island

Mike

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Mike,

Utterly thrilling contributions. That first picture going up the road with grass reclaiming the fissures, leading to the home on the right really moved me.

Jim Galli could have taken the pictures of the old tractor and abandoned interior (what structure is that?) with his magic lenses. You are going to put him out of work, LOL!

Asher

Asher, you are too kind. I'm really pleased that you like the road and house. When I shot it I imagined it with a gentle rendering and it's taken since last year to really get something I'm happy with!

The bothy is an abandoned two room house. Apparently it was last occupied around 1985, which is quite something. It is situated at the northern end of Jura, which has a total population of about 200 people and only a very few (15?) in the north itself. It is our preferred area to stay of the island, which has a very special atmosphere and character (there again we honeymooned on the island, so have good reason to love it!). Here are a couple of others of the same bothy

I didn't move anything when making these photos and the property is for sale if you wish to build a house up there!

Mike

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Hi Mike

Thank you for showing us these, looks like Jura is definitely going to be added to our list of islands to visit, I particularly like the shots of Ardbeg distillery (Paul would no doubt want to visit there!!) and the bothy, the tractor, the pano, well basically all of them! I think I've heard that Islay (not sure if I'm mixing it up with another island) is famous for it's beautiful beaches - am I right?

Janet

Certainly visit Jura, although the distilleries are largely on Islay.

Yes Islay has superb beaches ranging from 'The Strand' at seven miles long to deserted beaches that seem busy if one person walks past during the day. This beach (Ardnave) is on the north of the island, but I'll get at the next holiday shortly...

This is the distillery at Bowmore, Islay's 'capital'

and seal on the beach when I turned around

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Jura is more rugged. In the far north this is the view

and evening looking east

 

[Mike Shimwell]

And I'd really like to share these - hope you don't mind, but I remain enthused by these islands. The sea weather can be variable

but these's usually a ray of sun around the corner to give some hope

Later, Jura's few trees...

Mike

 

[janet Smith]

Yes Islay has superb beaches ranging from 'The Strand' at seven miles long to deserted beaches that seem busy if one person walks past during the day.

Sounds my sort of place, thanks for showing us these Mike, we will definitely be visiting Islay sometime, perhaps next year along with Mull, Iona and a return visit to Harris.

 

[Robert Campbell]

Nice series, Mike: but either some of you horizons are a bit off or I need to see my optician!

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Nice series, Mike: but either some of you horizons are a bit off or I need to see my optician!

Hi Robert

I believe that it's due to the latitude but I'll straighten them before I print, for conventions sake...

Glad you like the set though.

Mike

 

[Mike Shimwell]

The name Jura may be derived from the norse for 'deer island'. Today red deer outnumber the human population by about 25 to 1. The island is basically divided into 7 estates.

These were about 50 yards from our front door as we walked down the road home one evening - it was fairly dark by this time - iso3200 pushed 1 or 2 stops - 5D 70-200f4is. I actually have a preferred print version of this, but it's not on flickr...

And these are also close to the house as the herd wander down of the open fell each day

 

[Mike Shimwell]

On Jura there are some wooded areas, although much is open fell/moor. There are few well defined paths and so although walking usually allowed it can be hard going.

A copse on a headland

The road to the sea

And a couple of more saturated(!) details

 

[Mike Shimwell]

And finally for this evening! Jura's post boxes

Southern

Northern

I hope that you like these, and at least that they serve to encourage anyone to visit these wonderful islands

Mike