Vengeance on the Inner Sound

[Brian Moore]

HMS Vengeance sails south on the Inner Sound between Applecross and Skye in the Western Highlands of Scotland.

How do I know it's HMS Vengeance? I don't, actually. But by its shape it looks like a Royal Navy "Vanguard Class" sub, and Vengeance, being one of the Vanguard class subs, is the one I want it to be for the purpose of making a title. (I have another image which shows the shape a bit better, but as I was listing slightly to starboard when I took it, due undoubtedly to the charming side-effects of a lovely highland malt whisky that I was using to keep warm at the time , the horizon is slightly off level so I chose not to post that one.)

I shot this through an upstairs window in my brother-in-law's house in Applecross. I used my Canon 7D and Tamron 18-270 maxed out at 270.

 

[Pete Askew]

Fabulous Brian. A true exercise in subtlety when handling a dramatic sky. I especially like the way the clouds and shafts of light converge on the sub.

Are you back in the US now?

 

[Brian Moore]

Fabulous Brian. A true exercise in subtlety when handling a dramatic sky. I especially like the way the clouds and shafts of light converge on the sub.

Are you back in the US now?

Thank you very much, Pete.

Yes,...I returned yesterday.

 

[Pete Askew]

So, a bit of developing to catch up on then! Actually, I'll be interested to see what fog level you see on the emulsions. I developed two rolls of 120 film the other day (that had been lying around in the darkroom and that I'd forgotten about) that had been through airport X-ray machines at least twice and the background fog was noticeably higher than normal. I can't say that it was definitely due to the X-ray machines but I do worry that nowadays, with so few people carrying film, that they are calibrated as well as they used to be. One would expect the modern machines to be presenting a lower dose but I don't know. I will be carrying about 30 rolls of 120 to Venice in a few weeks and I'm thinking of packing it in my checked luggage but in a film-safe bag (lead loaded plastic) rather than in my hand luggage.

 

[Brian Moore]

Pete,...I carried my film. Some 100 ASA. Some 400, some 800, a 1600 and a 3200. About 30 rolls total. At LAX I asked for hand inspection. No problem. At Glasgow I asked the same. They adamantly refused. I argued--politely--for quite some time with the supervisor. I was forced to send it through the scanner. At Heathrow I expected the same treatment I got at Glasgow. Nope. No problem at Heathrow.

At Glasgow they told me their machine was safe up to "4000."

At Heathrow, after at first saying they would hand inspect, they came to me and said anything "under 1500" they had to put through the scanner. I told them I had two that were above 1500. At that point they hand inspected it all.

For what its worth, I had all the exposed film in a one gallon-size zip lock plastic bag and the unexposed film in another of the same size. I also kept all the unexposed film sealed in the boxes they came in. They didn't open them.

I expect my 800s and my 1600 and 3200 will be fogged, but I'm holding out hope. Fortunately I didn't shoot the 1600 or the 3200. I'll expose them eventually and see what I get. I'll take the 800s for processing today. I'll report back on the results.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

That looks beautiful, Brian, really beautiful. Ah, I wish I lived in Scotland...wait a minute!

 

[Brian Moore]

That looks beautiful, Brian, really beautiful. Ah, I wish I lived in Scotland...wait a minute!

Applecross is amazing, Rob. There's a postcard-worthy scene around every bend in the road.

Thanks for the comments, Rob!

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Wow Brian spectacular you must be pleased with this picture. One of my best travel memories is driving around the highland mostly Sutherland , it is stunning. A weeny bit wet though.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I have Thomas Dolby 'one of our submarines' playing in my head as I look at this - very cool Brian, and welcome back to the West Coast

 

[Brian Moore]

Wow Brian spectacular you must be pleased with this picture. One of my best travel memories is driving around the highland mostly Sutherland , it is stunning. A weeny bit wet though.

Thanks very much, Julian. I am indeed pleased with this picture. Although, I think the other one I took shows the sub slightly more prominently. (But as I said,...I was listing a wee bit and the sea is off level.) We had a wee bit of rain and some gusty wind, but generally mild days and nights in Applecross the last couple of weeks. Thanks again, Julian.

- - - Updated - - -

I have Thomas Dolby 'one of our submarines' playing in my head as I look at this - very cool Brian, and welcome back to the West Coast

Thank you for the comment and also for the welcome back, Chris. Truth is I didn't want to come back. We had a wonderful holiday. However, I am consoling myself with a wee dram of highland malt.

 

[Beth Carter]

really dramatic scene, love how the mountain and sky fade into each other.

 

[Brian Moore]

really dramatic scene, love how the mountain and sky fade into each other.

Thank you very much, Beth.