God is in the details — or is it the Devil?

[Heroique]

I love good detail as much as the next guy, but what does it have to do with the silly notion of a big man up in the sky?

You mean this big guy up in the sky?

(Sea stack, Olympic Peninsula, Wash. state)

Tachi 4x5
Schneider 110mm/5.6 XL
Polaroid Type-55
(w/ 2-stop GND filter)
Epson 4990/Epson Scan

[Joe O'Hara]

I only have a low resolution scan of this photo of the farmhouse we stay at in Northwest Scotland. It was one of my first LF photos (Neg. no. 005). I did a scan at max resolution on my Epson and was astonished to find that I could read the number plate on the car without effort. Then, when spotting the background, there seemed to be a large number of small white spots, only a few pixels, or a single pixel, in size. Out came the loupe, clearly to reveal that I what had been spotting out was not dust, but sheep.

That is just as well. Sheep should always be spotted out.

[Struan Gray]

Sheep should always be spotted out.

That's a tricky one. The clearances may still rankle, and some of the more medieval aspects of crofter's rights certainly do, but sheep farming has been the highland heritage for many generations now. I don't know anyone who finds much attraction in going back to raising black cattle off the grid.

Which relates to Christopher's question about telegraph poles. Scotland, particularly the part of the Northwest I haunt, is going through a massive experimental ecology project at present, as birch forests are planted and grazing restricted to try and regenerate breeding habitats for birds and rare mammals. Deer fences are going up everywhere, and their support poles catch the fading light perfectly at sunset - our local mountains look like they're wearing lace undies, or cobwebs, if you prefer. One reason I lug 4x5 around those hills is that 6x6 doesn't quite capture enough detail to show what the mind sees.

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

I only have a low resolution scan of this photo of the farmhouse we stay at in Northwest Scotland.

Ah, Achnahaird farm. We've had a nice week there last July.

Ulrich

[Struan Gray]

Ah, Achnahaird farm. We've had a nice week there last July.

Either a) we just missed you, or b) we ignored you :-)

We'll be in Cul Mor again soon - Coigach gets under your skin.

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

Either a) we just missed you, or b) we ignored you :-)

I've thought about it. It's a pity I didn't know by then but I think at least your family did live next door (may be you haven't been there for some days?). We were the couple with the border collie. In fact I am sure I had a little chat with your wife. She rescued our drying clothes from the rain while we had our little walk onto Sgurr an Fhiedhleir.
So greetings to your wife from me.

Ulrich

[Struan Gray]

Greetings conveyed :-)

I was away for a while, visiting my parents. I feel a little less guilty for not having spotted a fellow LF-er.

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

Greetings conveyed :-)

I was away for a while, visiting my parents. I feel a little less guilty for not having spotted a fellow LF-er.

Funny coincidence in a triangle of thousand miles. It's really a pity we missed each other this near. But may be some day we take the time for our walk around Stac Pollaidh which we didn't have the time last year. If this happens I'll make sure to get in touch beforehand

Ulrich