What a great set of images Mark. I've always admired your Lakeland shots but for me, a lover of the wild and wonderful Scottish North West, I have really enjoyed your Highland scenes. They really capture the magic of the region.
David

Which camera club are you in Alan?
David

The reason I enter salons is because its a fairly accurate test of the quality of your photgraphy.
The images are selected by a panel of experts, usually of ARPS or FRPS standing, not by just one judge.
You are up against some of the best photographers in the world so its quite a thrill to get acceptances.
Everyone who enters, whether succesful or not, gets the CD of the accepted images and everyone receives a copy of the fine print catalogue.
Our local International Salon, run by the Northern Counties Photographic Federation, tours round camera clubs in the region and I think this happens with other salons as well.
To view any of these salons is a terrific experience, particularly to see some of the stunning images that come from the Far East.
I don't agree with your comment John that getting points towards, say the FIAP distinctions, is a bit like buying awards. You have to prove the worth of your pictures by having them selected before that can happen.
David

I would certainly endorse going to Pickering. I was there in 2010 but couldn't make it this year.
As with the Goths, the costumes are excellent and the participants enjoy being photographed. I've been to the Whitby Goths Festival five times, again I couldn't make it to the last one, and each time found it a fantastic event with everyone enjoying themselves.
To read some of the comments here you would think there was a lot of aggro between the Goths and the photographers. I've not seen any evidence of this. In fact there is always a lot of friendly chat between the two groups.
David

Ted: I did crop quite a lot from the sky in the first one, but couldn't crop it all out without chopping off the top of the hill and I felt this would have unbalanced the picture.
David

Thanks for all the comments.
Louise:
All three pictures were taken on a K5 with DA*50-135mm lens.
Settings were:
Blair Athol 1/400sec at f4.5, 0.3 stop under exposed with ISO 400. Lens at 135mm.
River Spey 1/40th sec at f4, 0.7 stop under exposed. ISO 320.Lens at 75mm.
Spey reflections: 1/160sec 0.7 stop under exposed at f4, ISO 400. Lens at 75mm.
David

Blair Athol
[IMG]http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/Davidtrout2/AutumnatBlairAthol.jpg[/IMG]

River Spey, Craigellachie
[IMG]http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/Davidtrout2/RiverSpeyCraigellachie.jpg[/IMG]

Spey reflections
[IMG]http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/Davidtrout2/AutumnonSpeyside.jpg[/IMG]
Autumn colours were at their best in Scotland last week - at least when the sun shone.
David

Thats a fantastic set of images, the colour and lighting is very dramatic.
David

Excellent set Alan.
David

I was led to believe the weather was terrible and there weren't many goths but these are great, so is the lighting. Pity I've been stuck up here in the heart of the whisky distilling country (Glen Fiddich etc) with brilliant sunshine and glorious autumn colours. Ah well, there's always next spring.
David