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Monet's Gardens at Giverny: The Lily Pond given the 'Monet treatment' with the aid of PhotoShop. |
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Also receiving some 'treatment' are these pink Poppies at Monet's Garden in Giverny, Normandy, France
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A Normandy village near Arromanches les Bain. In the distance are remnants of the Mulberry harbors used in the D-Day invasion of 1944. |
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Scallop shells at Port en Bessin, Normandy. Originally thrown into the harbor by fisherman processing their catch, the shells now form swirling patterns.
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Crosses at the American cemetery near Colleville-sur-Mer in Normandy. These folk are true modern day heroes for what they went through in returning Europe to normality. Very sobering. |
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From the American Cemetery, one can hike down to Omaha beach for some moments of reflection. It's hard to believe the horrors that took place on this spot not so long ago. |
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While shooting around the main memorial area I noticed that Swallows were feeding their young. So, I got ready for the parent's next visit to the chick and managed to capture this. It had to be cropped a bit to achieve this impact however. |
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Kids will be kids, and that's the way it should be as this nipper runs up and down the rows of crosses and brings a moment of sunshine to a somber place. |
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A Pied Wagtail lightens the mood for a few moments too. |
Pointe de Barfleur lighthouse, also known as the Gatteville lighthouse and the second highest lighthouse in France, as seen from Gatteville-le-Phare harbor. |
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Barfleur harbor, Normandy in the early evening light. |
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I observed this gentleman for some time, and took a number of shots while hoping that he would pause in just the right spot at just the right angle, and this is the result. The location is Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue in Normandy. |
When traveling cross-country to Mont Saint Michel I told the group we'd pull off at Villedieu de Poeles for shots around the town center. What I hadn't accounted for, fortunately, was that they had a full blown July the 4th parade going on. The town is noted for it's vases, and many were perched on poles with American flags in them. |
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Mont Saint Michel, Normandy, at sunset. I stitched two images together to achieve the panoramic look. |
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Clients shooting Mont San Michel at twilight. |
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Mont Saint Michel hovering above some dawn fog. Beautiful, just beautiful. |
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Fort la Latte on the central Brittany coast. |
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A 'house sandwich' near Plougrescant, Brittany. |
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Typical photogenic Europe where one just needs to 'see' the image. |
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Rusting boats at Cameret sur Mer. |
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There is often more than one way to approach any given photographic subject, so here I compare a couple of them. First the wide shot with a colorful foreground, and then moving closer in . . . |
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A different kind of impact for this shot, whereby I have pretty much filled the frame with the church. Personally I like them both for different reasons. The location is Pointe du Van in Brittany. |
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Pointe du Raz, Brittany |
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A long lens perspective on the Atlantic Ocean shot from Pointe du Raz, which is actually the top right section of the image above. There are usually alternatives if we explore a scene. |
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 A Locronan window, above, and a rusty anchor on Concarneau harbor in Brittany at right.
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Carnac, Brittany |
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A dolmen [burial chamber] in the village of Crucuno, Brittany. I can imagine the Celts had a difficult time getting planning permission to place their dolmen smack-dab in the middle of a village, don't you? ;o) |
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A section of the amazing long 'alignments' near Carnac, Brittany. We may never know why the Celts placed such a huge amount of stones in one region, but today they are a photographic opportunity. |
Rue du Chateau, Auray, Brittany. A cobbled street that leads on down to . . . |
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. . . Benjamin Franklin harbor, Auray and Saint-Goustan, Brittany. Yes, the American Benjamin Franklin who landed here in 1776 with the intention of establishing an alliance with the French. |
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The granite lighthouse at Ploumanach on the north Brittany coast. |
The cobbled street of Saint-Gouston. For this shot I used a wide-angle lens, got down low, used an aperture of f.18 and focused on the foreground. |
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An instrument makers window in Fontevraud in the Loire valley.
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More typical Europe where symmetry and color catch the eye. |
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Chateau Azay le Rideau, Loire Valley.
There are many shots to be had inside the various Loire chateaus, but one has to manage without a tripod. The solution is an increased ISO, a slow shutter speed, and a steady hand. |
Chateau Azay le Rideau, Loire Valley reflected in a moat. Talking of reflections . . . |
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Chateau Azay le Rideau from a different perspective.
I shot the reflection in the castle moat, then rotated the image over for this slightly oddball look. |
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As mentioned above, there are many interior shots to found inside the various chateaus, but this is one of a patted plant is an 'inside looking out' shot that caught my eye. The lilies inside are content with their lot, as are the hydrangeas outside . . . methinks. |
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Villandry Castle, Loire Valley, close up . . . .
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. . . but moving back for a wide shot the perspective is altogether different. Not better or worse, just different. |
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Chateau Chenonceau from the rose garden |
Back to Chateau Azay le Rideau for this shot of a doorway on one of the stone staircases. |
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Chateau Chenonceau on the Cher River, Loire valley, France. |
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A 'flavor' of France that could be just about anywhere in Europe. The thing is, if you're on foot in any of the myriad of ancient villages, a shot such as this might be round the next corner . . . and often is. |
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Then comes Chateau Chaumont with it's round towers. It was purchased by one Catherine de Medici in 1560 where she entertained Nostradamus. I wonder if he saw that coming? |
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Continually running in the Chateau Chaumont grounds is the Garden Festival. There are plenty of weird and wonderful shots to be found in the garden, but the simple and rustic is what appealed to me here. |
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Chateau Chambord. Just look at that fabulous roof. Such is it's size, Chambord is the kind of place where you could lose your kids, then years later find them and be introduced to your grandchildren. |
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Normandy, Brittany, Loire color by Joe Smith
Normandy, Brittany, Loire B+W by Joe Smith | Normandy, Brittany, Loire artistic by Joe Smith
Normandy and Brittany by Randy Howard | The Loire valley by Randy Howard |
