Cottages in the Trees

Artist: Tom Gomez
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Card: US$5.32
Print: from US$22.80

Cottages in the Trees

Cottages at the end of a lane in Wanlockhead, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

High in the Lowther Hills to the west of the M74, Wanlockhead is Scotland’s highest village at 467m (1531 ft). It owes its existence to the lead, gold and other minerals found under the surrounding countryside.

These mineral deposits were probably first exploited by the Romans and from the 1200s they were being worked again by groups of miners who gathered here each summer. The first permanent settlement appeared in about 1680, when the Duke of Buccleuch built a lead smelting plant and workers’ cottages that could be occupied all year round.

Although lead was for many centuries the mainstay of the village’s economy, it was not the only mineral found here. What became known as “God’s Treasure House” also produced zinc, copper, silver and gold. Some of the world’s purest gold, at 22.8 carats, was found locally and used in the Regalia of the Scottish Crown.

Today’s Wanlockhead depends primarily on tourism. The Southern Upland Way long distance footpath passes through the village, but the main attraction for the motoring tourist revolves around the village’s industrial past.

Information from Undiscovered Scotland.

Camera: Canon EOS 450D (Digital Rebel XSi in the USA)
Exif data from the JPG
F-stop f/5.6
Exp. time 1/125 sec (not even remotely accurate considering this is an HDR image)
ISO 200
Focal length 51 mm

BEST VIEWED LARGER

Three bracketed JPGs converted to HDR in Photomatix.

Related shots can be found at: Wanlockhead and Lowland Scotland.

Featured in : You’re Accepted : 13 July 09
Third place in the Cottages on Pathways Challenge in the Cottage Style Group : 27 July 09
Featured in : UK to Australia and Back : 29 July 09

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Cottages in the Trees belongs to the following groups:

! 100% !, Bits and Pieces , Canon DSLR (One Image Per Day & A Canon Camera Must Be In The Description Before It's Accepted), Dimensions, DSLR Users Only - 1/24 - Camera & Lens In Description Please., European Everyday Life (add the place!), Everyday Life, For the love of Canon - 2 Images per day with type of Canon camera used, Landscape and Abstract Photography, Landscape Photography, Live, Love, Dream: , Mood & Ambience - Strictly Photos, Rural Around The Globe, Safe Haven, Scenery, Shameless Self-Promotion, The Scots are Coming, UK to Australia and Back, United Kingdom, Victorian Viewfinders, Who are YOU to Judge? and Your Magic Place (PLACES only!!) Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters

cherylc1

What a beautiful scene and outstanding capture!!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Cheryl …
TFFDavid

This is up there with your very best photographs Tom, what a stunning image of a beautiful place.
Tom Gomez replied

Thanks for the great comment David, much appreciated mate …
dinghysailor1

superb! love the colour and light in the surrounding fields too..gorgeous capture
:))
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Maggie and for the fave …
Tara Turner

beautiful image!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Tara and for the fave, much appreciated …
anaisnais

What a lovely picture Tom!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Amma-Marie …
JamieGreen

This is lovely Tom.It’s a great area and one I’ve driven around a few times.Great capture.
Tom Gomez replied

Cheers Jamie, very much appreciated mate …
Martina Fagan

A fine shot Tom lovely comp indeed
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Tina …
Chris Clark

outstanding composition, colours, landscape…........................oh by the way

what a fantastic image Tom
Tom Gomez replied

Cheers Chris, thanks for the great commeny.
I took Sylvia down to our friends in Coalburn, Lanarkshire last Wednesday and they took us out to Wanlockhead for the day. It is a great little village, I got some great shots using my new monopod.
kathy s gillen...

beautiful image
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Kathy …
lorilee

A beautifully charming scene!!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Lorilee …
blamo

lovely place the chimney pots stand out well .interesting history lesson also
Tom Gomez replied

Cheers Blamo, glad you like it mate …
A.M. Ruttle

Thanks, Tom, for the armchair visit to this beautiful part of the world. Your signature on the lower left really stands out and personalizes the image; it’s fun to see how distinctive it is after reading how you do it. Are there certain groups you won’t join in RB because they don’t want any writing on the image?
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much for the great comment.
I have not found any groups which wil not allow the signature (so far).
Tom Gomez replied

In my opinion, it is a waste of time. All images are the copyright of the creator (unless that right has been gifted or sold on). If someone wants to rip off my work, there would be little I could do about it. Removing the signature and the © is a simple matter in Photoshop. The RB images are low resolution on the web page, so anyone who rips off the image will only get a very small, bad quality file. Not that stops people, there are often stories of people being thrown off the site because they steal images, but they just come back with a new identity and start again.
Joanne Bradley

How charming, like little houses out of a fairytale!Truly great composition and color!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Joanne, it is a lovely little village …
Evita

Beautiful scene and capture !!! :D
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Evita …
Nancy Chambers
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Nancy, I am honoured …
Brandie1

Lovely capture.
It would be a very pretty place to live..
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you Brandie, yes it certainly would, but not in the winter – hehehe
BarbaraManis

Stunning image, Tom! Congrats on your feature! That didn’t take long!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you dear Barbara, it certainly was quick …
Anne Hale

Very picturesque and you have captured it so beautifully.
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Anne, much appreciated …
LavenderMoon

All three of these are outstanding, Tom… gorgeous!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Robyn, it is a lovely little village …
BigD

Excellent HDR editing, Tom
Tom Gomez replied

Cheers BigD, glad you like it mate …
Lois Bryan

Tom this is fabulous!!!!!!! Beautiful detail!!!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you kindly my friend …
PPPhotoArt

what a beautiful view, gorgeous countryside
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Patricia, much appreciated …
Tim Denny

Very nice Tom, good DOF, looks like another could be puzzle
Tom Gomez replied

Thanks for the great comment Tim …
Bootiewootsy

It looks like a wonderland from the past… Gorgeous colors and composition, Tom.
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Carol, the only thing that spoils it are the modern pylons on the hill
JacquiK

This is beautiful Tom.
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you kindly Jacqui …
Trudi's Images

Such a pretty country scene !!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you kindly Trudi …
Lucindawind

I wish I could live there! its so beautiful and quaint !
Tom Gomez replied

Than you so much Elaine …
Lois Bryan

... Tom … I wanted to give you a peek at something … this is my all-time favorite painting … it’s by Willard Metcalf, and is in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, it’s called Midsummer Twilight ... and your composition here really reminded me of it … thought you might enjoy!!!
Tom Gomez replied

Wow, thank you Lois, but I’m not sure I could aspire to such hights. The painting is lovely, I have seen a photograph of it before. Maybe one day I will get to Washington and see the original …
Finbarr Reilly

A well composed shot Tom lovely colours :)
Fino
Tom Gomez replied

Thanks Fino, real glad you like it …
John44

Hey Tom
Beautiful colors and sharp details.

Best regards,

John
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much John …
RedHillDigital

A lovely scene Tom!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you Howard …
Jason Connolly

Fabulous shot tom..
Tom Gomez replied

Cheers Jason, glad you like it mate …
Barbara Brown

A wonderful capture of this beautiful scene!!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Barbara …
Antanas

lovely view
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you Antanas, much appreciated …
Smudger

stunning tom – I am going up the west coast in 3 weeks time – hoping that I can get some good images like this
Tom Gomez replied

Cheers mate, there is plenty to point your camera at. The west coast has some stunning scenery …
Linda Syms

Fabulous scene Tom
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you Linda …
Adri Padmos

This is a typical “WOW-picture” Tom!
Amazing colors and lighting; amazing landscape too!
I have browsed your gallery, what a beautiful professional photos, my compliments!

Regards from Netherlands,
Adri
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments Adri, I truly appreciate it …
Robin Brown

This is my idea of an IDEAL HOME Tom. Excellent shot!!
Tom Gomez replied

Cheers mate, it does look idyllic …
Béla Török

Fantastic work, my friend!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you Béla, very much appreciated …
Pat Yager

An absolutely wonderful picture, Tom! – Pat
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Pat …
Meeli Sonn

Lovely image
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you kindly Meeli …
valzart

Wondrous capture sweetheART enchanting ;} happy hippy hugglez
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Val, very much appreciated …
Catherine Veal

This is really beautiful Tom, and many congratulations to you in the challenge.x
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much dear Catherine, and thanks for the news as I was not aware that I was placed third in the Challenge. I’m very pleased with this great news.
SandraRos
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Sandra, I was very pleased to see this …
i l d i l a z...

What a lovely place!
Tom Gomez replied

Thank you so much Ildi, very much appreciated …
Brenda Dow

How did I miss this Beauty???? What wonderful images from your Scotland!!!
It is a fav Tom!!!!
Tom Gomez replied

So glad you like it Brenda, this is one of my personal favourites …