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Andy Stuart

Photography wannabe, I will shoot almost anything - Husband, Father of 4, Rugby Coach.

Behind the Lens - Photo Critique
http://www.group.as/behind+the+lens+-+photo+critiquing+circle/)
Circle Member

Based in Scotland,  I'm working towards being a full time photographer. 
I like networking with other photographers for knowledge sharing and in general hanging out. 
My photographic passions are mainly Nature  and  Landscape photography, but I shoot a number of genres. 
I work primarily within the Aberdeenshire and Moray area, although I also visit North Northumberland regularly.
Currently unable to work full time due to Ill health. :-(
I have been on G+ since August 2011. during which time I have learned a lot and have started to share my knowledge and experiences.  I can frequently be found in hangouts, with photographic and social themes.  Hopefully you will enjoy something I have to offer.
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Date Following Followers Gained
Recent Popular Posts
+50
7 Shares
About 13 weeks ago Stormy Road
Another in my winter scenes series.  Quite challenging to shoot this one with bright sunlight to the right and a heavy snow shower to the left.  The snow was falling and I had a few flakes on the front of the lens too hence the lens flare in the bottom right.

#scotlandphotography   #scottishcircles      #scotlanduk   #aberdeenshire   #ukphotographycommunity   #ukphotography   #uksnow     #snow   #snowysaturday   #pixelworld   #breakfastclub       #winterwednesday   #winter   #winterlandscape   #wintermagic   #winterwonderland  


+50
5 Shares
About 14 weeks ago Tap O Noth & Rhynie Square
At the centre of the square is the War Memorial from WW I and WW II with the Kirk on the West side of the square. The Saltire flies proudly in the square too.

The Tap o' Noth is a hill fort on top of the Hill of Noth, although most people now refer to the hill as Tap O Noth as well. It is the second highest fort in Scotland and its main feature is its well-preserved vitrified wall which encloses an area of approximately 100m by 30m. Archaeological finds from the site include a stone axe head dated to between c. 2000 BC – 800 BC, and a decorated bronze rein-ring dated to the 1st–3rd century AD. 

Rhynie - (Scottish Gaelic: Roinnidh)
Eight Pictish symbol stones have been found at Rhynie, including the Rhynie Man, a 6 foot tall boulder carved with a bearded man carrying an axe, possibly a representation of the Celtic god Esus, that was discovered in 1978.  Archaeologists from Aberdeen University and Chester University uncovered a substantial forti
+43
11 Shares
About 2 weeks ago New Wind Farm Being Built
The wind farm will have 18 turbines each with a height of up to 125 metres (including the blades) and has a total generating capacity of around  54 megawatts. Once built, Middlemoor Wind Farm will generate enough electricity each year to supply the average needs of 27,600 homes.  
Donald Trump has a major dislike of these turbines, personally I like them I find them to be pleasing on the eye and really sculptural in the right place they are an asset to a landscape.  What do you think?

#ukphotographycommunity   #ukphotography   #england   #northumberland   #windfarm   #windturbine   #landscapephotography   #landscape   #landscapephoto   #Trump   #Trumpyourwrong  +Andy Gray  #stormyskies   #pixelworld   #pixelworldcircle   #breakfastclub  



+39
2 Shares
About 3 weeks ago Tree Sparrow  _Passer montanus_
There are between 4600 and 8100 nesting pairs in Scotland. They have a varied diet eating seed from grasses, cereals, wild herbs,  in addition to which it eats, aphids, caterpillars, weevils, beetles and to a lesser extent takes insects on the wing. A much shyer than their cousins the larger House Sparrows, but both species have been known to roost together during winter months and beyond -which is the case in my front garden where this shot was taken,

#birding   #birdloversworldwide   #bird #birdinfocus   #naturephotography   #birdingthursday   #breakfastclub  


+38
14 Shares
About 6 weeks ago Sunset Road
This is one of a number of my images that will soon be stocked by a local shop - Linden Tree, Huntly.  It will be printed on a metallic paper and it sings like Lark.  My current cover photo will also be available as a mounted 12 x 8 print. 
Obviously not everyone can get to Huntly, therefore along with many other favourites they are available on my website - http://www.stuartimages.co.uk
Drop in and take a look.

#scotland   #scotlanduk   #scottishcircles   #aberdeenshire   #ukphotographycommunity   #ukphotography   #website   #landscapephotography   #landscape   #landscapephoto   #sunsetphotography   #sunset   #shamelessselfpromotion   #pixelworld   #breakfastclub   #hqsplandscape  




+33
2 Shares
About 7 weeks ago Autumn Colour
At Leith Hall, Aberdeenshire.  It would be good if we got these clouds more often they are much better than the milky white and grey sky we normally get in Aberdeenshire. .
+32
3 Shares
About 6 weeks ago Leaning Tree
A fresh image to Launch my new website 
http://www.stuartimages.co.uk/
Please take a few minutes to  take a look and leave a comment here if you wish.  Many thanks.


+31
1 Shares
About 7 weeks ago Kildrummy Castle
The great castle of Kildrummy stands serene and confident, even in its present ruined state. In its heyday, back in the Middle Ages, it dominated Strathdon as the castle of the mighty earls of Mar. Of all the many fine castles of NE Scotland – a region dubbed ‘Castle Country’ – Kildrummy has no rivals. Not for nothing is it known as ‘the noblest of northern castles’. 

Throughout its long and distinguished history, Kildrummy was seldom far from the political spotlight. It was built in the mid-13th century, in an age when the Scottish kings were battling to overcome the rebellious province of Moray further north. Kildrummy guarded the main routes from the south as they converged, before being funnelled northwards into Moray and Buchan. 

Kildrummy figured prominently during the Wars of Independence of the early 14th century. In later centuries, the castle became a residence of the Elphinstones, before resuming its role as seat of the earls of Mar after 1626. In 1715 th
+29
0 Shares
About 13 weeks ago Shetland Pony
Shetland ponies originated in the Shetland Isles, located North-east of mainland Scotland. Small horses have been kept on the Shetland Isles since the Bronze Age. People who lived on the islands probably later crossed the native stock with ponies imported by Norse settlers. Shetland ponies also were probably influenced by the Celtic Pony, brought to the islands by settlers between 2000 and 1000 BCE. The harsh climate and scarce food developed the ponies into extremely hardy animals.
Shetland ponies were first used for pulling carts, carrying peat, coal and other items, and ploughing farm land. Then, as the Industrial Revolution increased the need for coal in the mid-19th century, thousands of Shetland ponies travelled to mainland Britain to be pit ponies, working underground hauling coal, often for their entire (often short) lives. Coal mines in the eastern United States also imported some of these animals. 
The Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society of the United Kingdom was started in
+28
3 Shares
About 13 weeks ago Snow Storm
This doesn't look like much of a storm, but there is a range of hills behind those four trees.  The picture is made up of 8 separate images which I stitch using Hugin.

Panorama Image processing
Hugin looks quiet a complicated program when it loads up but it is actually fairly straight forward to get a good image.  I'm sure it could be a lot more complicated if you know what all the knobs and whistles do.  I upload the images and run the assistant, then optimise, after which I work through the control points, fine tune them and remove any with a distance greater than 3 (I'm guessing this is pixels). Check the image with Fast Preview Panorama, make necessary adjustments and when your happy with the image stitch it.  You will be asked to save it twice, one is just the project which you can have deleted automatically.  That is all there is to it now import into your normal photo editing software to complete the processing. It is worth remembering that if your images ove