May 29, 2012

Rural Light

May 29, 2012

Two versions of the same picture. I clicked on the conversion button just to see, and I rather liked it. I hadn't expected to because I really quite like the color version mostly for the color of the light, and how it fills the space beyond the trees with a warm glow. The black and white version I like for it's texture and there is still an glow throughout, it just isn't golden, but there is still has a warm silver aspect to it.

I'm not sure which I like better, it might just be the black and white version after all.

May 27, 2012

A different kind of landscape

May 27, 2012

No time for writing today.

May 25, 2012

More Low Hanging Fruit

May 25, 2012

A little sunset action to get things started off. We're moving into lightning season here, so there are thunderheads about, even if there isn't actually any lightning today. Here, at least.

May 24, 2012

Quiet Grasses

May 24, 2012

The afternoon was nearly perfect today, the sun was shining, the wind was blowing a warm breeze, the temperature was magnificent, and there was a possibility of thunderstorms in the sky.

May 23, 2012

Daisy

May 23, 2012

Today I learned that marguerite is French for Daisy, and similarly margherita is Italian.

I needed some quick, low hanging fruit, photographically speaking. It's been quite busy and stressful lately, and I haven't made much time for relaxing. This afternoon I went out in the backyard for just a few minutes, and immediately felt better. I didn't have any great expectations of myself, which is probably why I happen to enjoy these photographs. Perhaps I should seek out some poppies, it's about that time of year.

May 17, 2012

Busy Busy

May 17, 2012

Maconnex, France, 2012

Maconnex, France, 2012

It's been a busy week.

May 13, 2012

May 12, 2012

Light

May 12, 2012

20120509-sunnyroad-01

Ornex, France, 2012

I'm still working on improving my photography, as always. I don't think I'm limited by my camera technique, which I think is competent, nor by my equipment, which is serviceable. I think that sometimes my post-processing limits the quality of my pictures, but that is a tool I know how to improve. The biggest limiter is not knowing my vision. From what I've read, this is probably also the hardest to understand because it is so ephemeral, and so difficult to describe, difficult to know. "I like it" and "I don't like it" are really a quite coarse course to take toward knowing how to make the pictures I want to, when I see something I like.

Sometimes the subjects I want to shoot are just simple things, and after I get the picture into Lightroom, they seem very ho-hum, serviceable, but not moving. Do all of my pictures need to be moving? I don't think so, though those are more satisfying. Other times I think I do find a moving subject, or I finally see it, and then the picture is great. I'd like to see those more often. Even sometimes I think I don't know how far I can push the picture and still have it be a workable image. That I think is one of my post-processing limits. One thing that I've heard some photographers talk about is 'shoot the light', I think I'm still working on doing that.

I'll keep working at it, and hopefully I'll see some more improvement. I'll let you know when I feel like I've learned something. I do think that getting a tripod later this summer will be an evolutionary step forward.

May 11, 2012

Chevry Church Blaze

May 11, 2012

Last Sunday morning the church in the small town of Chevry burned. I noticed on Monday morning on the way home from work that something was different about the bell tower. Today I finally got to go and investigate.

Here is a very short local news article: machine translation / original.

Church Fire, Chevry, France, 2012

Church Fire, Chevry, France, 2012


Church Fire, Chevry, France, 2012
Church Fire, Chevry, France, 2012
Church Fire, Chevry, France, 2012

May 10, 2012

Tunnel

May 10, 2012

Tunnel, France, 2012

Mt. Sion Tunnel, France, 2012

I've seen these type of pictures taken in tunnels before, and I quite like them. I thought I would have a go myself, and I'm pretty happy the result. I think one of the things that draws me to them is the simplified graphic nature of the resulting images. Most of the details have been lost to the motion blur, and what results usually has a smooth and somewhat futuristic feel. I think I'll keep dabbling with these, it's something fun to do in the car.

The Mt. Sion tunnel is 3.1 km long, and located on the (toll) highway between Geneva and Annecy. For more information about this tunnel, see this link. It does shorten the travel time between Geneva and Annecy, but I prefer to use the D1201 route, probably because that tunnel takes all the traffic instead of the department road.

May 7, 2012

Blues

May 7, 2012

I like these shots, though I wish I would have used my other lens for them, I'm really preferring the clarity I get with the prime lenses. Although, I think that these images are also perfectly serviceable.

Rumilly, France, 2012

Rumilly, France, 2012

So, I guess, get the sharpness in images that require sharpness?

Rumilly, France, 2012

Rumilly, France, 2012

Learn the limits of the gear that you have and use? These are all good things to do and know.

The other thing to comment on: there was a picture show at CERN today, someone had prints over many (~40) pictures from the Pays de Gex and CERN. There were many interesting pictures, though I have to say that the print quality was poor. I don't think that it was a look that the photographer was going for, it didn't seem like it was intentional. Just poor prints. So, I'm really looking forward to doing some more prints this summer!

May 6, 2012

Rumilly Preview

May 6, 2012

Rumilly, France, 2012

Rumilly, France, 2012

In a couple of weeks Alessandra will do the Rumilly Super Sprint Triathlon, so we went down there to make sure we could find the location, and see what is what. It's a pretty nice location, the pond is crystal clear and not too cold. In the picture above, you can see the bottom (only about 1-2 meters) in both the extreme foreground, and the far background (once the cloud reflections are replaced by the tree reflections, middle right). The Cheran river is very near, next to one of the other ponds at the park, it looks like the running course goes through a newly planted arboretum too (the trees are all young). After scouting the swim and run courses, we had a light lunch and drove the bike course, which is very typically-France-countryside-scenic. Slightly uphill on the way out and just the opposite on the way back. It should be a great short tri!

I'll be sure to get lots of pictures during the tri, so I'll get lots more to share in a couple of weeks about Rumilly.

Rumilly, France, 2012

Rumilly, France, 2012

There is also a karting track at the park too.

Rumilly, France, 2012

Rumilly, France, 2012

May 5, 2012

Boardwalk

May 5, 2012

Divonne-les-Bains, France, 2012

Divonne-les-Bains, France, 2012

It's been a busy week, but yesterday I went for a walk near the Divonne river with Alessandra. Here are a few more photographs from the walk.

Divonne-les-Bains, France, 2012

Divonne-les-Bains, France, 2012

Divonne-les-Bains, France, 2012

Divonne-les-Bains, France, 2012

May 2, 2012

Two From Meyrin

May 2, 2012

Meyrin, Switzerland, 2012

Meyrin, Switzerland, 2012


Meyrin, Switzerland, 2012

Meyrin, Switzerland, 2012

I got a very brief chance to take a few pictures in Meyrin this afternoon. I decided that sixteen chaotic people swimming in a space usually reserved for six orderly swimmers was just not for me today. So instead I took care of an errand while Alessandra braved the waters. After that, I had enough time to slow down and take four pictures before she came out of the pool. As I've said before, sometimes that's just the way it is.

May 1, 2012

Another of the Tulips

May 1, 2012

Tulip Shoots, France, 2012

Tulip Shoots, France, 2012

Here is another edit of the tulips I showed last week. I don't have time to write more, but I hope I can work in some time for more new pictures this weekend.

search