Slickrock and Shadow

Buachaille Etive Mor with Tall Grass Buachaille Etive Mor is a spectacular landscape, an icon for the entire country of Scotland.  This particular mountain is so unique in its triangular shape as it stands over the Glencoe Valley.  There are few things that are more Scottish than this to a photographer.  The best views are from the South and East which means sunrise is the best time.  I woke up very early in order to visit the Black rock cottage first.  Then I had enough time to go into the fields around the mountain itself, getting a lot closer to it.  Beautiful tiny white flowers are visible in my second shot.  If you click on the shot and get a larger view, these are easier to see and I think they landed nice contrast to the massive mountain in the distance. Buachaille Etive Mor Triangular Shape Black Rock Cottage with Buachaille Etive Mor in background

 Gordon Smith enjoying dinner in Paris  Unlike a road trip from one state to another state in America, a trip to Europe requires more selective packing. When I traveled there for 3 weeks with my family, we decided that we would be traveling very light. Everything that we took to Europe and everything that we brought home had to fit in our carry-on backpack. Besides the usual requirements of shirts, shoes, pants, socks and shaving equipment, I was most interested in knowing what camera equipment I could bring. What would fit and how heavy would it be to carry? My camera is a Canon 1Ds Mark 3. An all-purpose lens such as the 24-105 f/4 L IS is a no-brainer. If I could only take one lens, this would be it. I took the majority of my photos using this lens. The architectural wonders of Europe also made me want a wider lens with perspective correction. The 17mm tilt-shift lens fit the bill. This lens is very big and heavy but nothing else can do what it can. It made the cut. The 7...

Young women sits in window in Venice. Although you cannot see it, the canal is below her. During my journeys in Europe, I saw many students.  They were traveling overseas or studying abroad and searching for cultural experience.  The deep history Europe offers is undeniable.  You simply cannot be unmoved after touring the Louvre, climbing an ancient castle rampart or watching the sun set over the Salute Cathedral in Venice.  I felt enriched when I first visited Europe as a student and I enjoyed seeing others repeating that same experience.   As a photographer I tried to capture some of that with these photos of young students in ancient surroundings.  The contrast between young and old, life and death, student and history is what I hoped to show. My daughter in the window of Beynac Castle Study abroad: student before ancient tomb in La Frari church of Venice.  

Typical forest view along the Zanes Trail Val di Funes is a gorgeous location in northern Italy.  If you do a Google search you will know what I mean.  This is part of the Puez Odle National Park.  I was expecting a lot of tourists, hikers and other visitors when I came here.  To my surprise, it was completely deserted.  I seem to have the entire valley and mountains to myself.  To be fair, it had been raining/snowing recently and there was a little bit of a drizzle continuing. The Zanes Trail is advertised as a wheelchair accessible trail in the dolomites.  There are no stairs.  Some of the trail is packed with loose gravel, making it difficult for a wheeled vehicle to go through but possible.  Along the trail there are different signs indicating interesting facts about the wildlife and forest.   Old Cabin at the beginning of Zanes Trail Coming to the Valley from Bolzano would be difficult without some GPS instructions...

Bolzano Town Square To get a taste of German heritage without leaving Italy, just drive north until you reach Bolzano.  This town is unlike any other I have visited in Italy.  You can still find gelato but the pasta and pizza had been replaced with pretzels and sauerkraut!  (As an aside, I learned that Europeans have pretzels without mustard.  I've grown accustomed to spicy mustard with my pretzel and had to go without here.) The town square is definitely worth checking out.  It is named after a local Protestant hero by the name of Walther.  His square is called Waltherplatz.  Next to this bustling plaza is the beautiful Gothic church, several restaurants including gelato stands and more.  A good time to photograph is in the early morning or in the late evening when the sun hits the statues, mountains and church spires.

Reclining Statue from Pisa's Camposanto Pisa's touristic powerhouse is the "field of miracles" headlined by the famous leaning tower.  this is an absolutely wonderful sight to see, both fun and architecturally fascinating.  The wonderful grassy fields surrounding the leaning Tower and Duomo invite fun loving people to sit down and enjoy the wonderful view.  People watching can be fantastic here. On a first visit here, it was very easy to not pay attention to the long rectangular building on the far left. That was a mistake.  On my 2nd visit, after more preparation and education, I had this building at the top of my list for Pisa.  Pisa's Camposanto (cemetery) was the location for famous citizens to be buried.  It also was painted with marvelous frescoes.  Many of these were damaged during World War II. You would think with ancient tombs and world-class frescoes, that would be enough for one location.  However the Camposanto offers even mo...

Tradition of Arles Market Day:  Bread for Sale The city of Arles has the market on Wednesday and Saturday.  The Saturday market is traditionally the largest.  However the first Wednesday of each month is unique with more vendors coming to sell their products.  We happened to be visiting on the first Wednesday in the month of June.  Walking down by the Rhone river, we found the wonderful traditional market.  Just about everything was for sale from bread, cheese, strawberries, citrus, vegetables, sausages and more.  Nonfood items including leather goods were also for sale.  Some samples of the food were given.  I particularly liked the cheese samples and olives.  We bought several delicious items that we ate later that day at a picnic. Radishes for sale Sweet strawberries at the Arles Market Wonderful fresh colors of the Arles Market Vendor at the Arles Market Provencial Cheeses:  The samples tasted great...

Arles Roman Arena The Roman arena in Arles is just one of many fascinating things to see in this wonderful, sunny provincial town.  This arena is still in use today for many civic activities.  It is a marvel that this has stood for 2000 years and continues to be functional. The Romans took the concept of an arch and created a whole world.  This arena itself is one arch after another.  Hundreds if not thousands of arches are used to build up this magnificent structure.  Because this is a circular building, you can get different angles of light simply by walking around the building itself.  As I did so, I found that view from the inside corridor that I liked.  The arches make a simple but beautiful view.  The light is what gives this all energy and power.

Ancient Arles Church Facade They say the early bird catches the worm.  I say the early photographer beats the restoration crew.  During my visit in the city of Arles, I got up for a morning walk and wandered down to the town square.  The ancient St. Triomphe church has a wonderful façade with apostles, Christ, creatures for minting centers as well as a army of saints and sinners at the final judgment.  In the morning I found this completely uncluttered, free for inspection and beautiful.  I walked right up close and could see the expressions on everyone's face. Later I returned to go inside the church and I was surprised to find a hydraulic lift, scaffolding and lots of barricades blocking the view.  Apparently some work was being done to clean up the statues.  This was done during the daytime working hours.  Visiting during those hours, a traveler would not get to enjoy the uncluttered beauty.  I was glad I had come earlier. Close-up...

Jardin de Marqueyssac and Manor The Garden of Marqueyssac sits above the lovely town of La Roque-Gageac.  Right across from this cliff-top garden is the imposing Castelnaud castle.  Anyone visiting the Dordogne region should consider a visit here among the many other spectacular sights.  It is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, taking a break from the castles.  Instead, you will find yourself wandering through lovely manicured gardens. You can wander through various trails, getting lost.  A cliffside trail gives wonderful views of the Dordogne River and ends at grand view point.  You will certainly enjoy it.  My personal opinion is that this is a notch below some of the other spectacular places in the Valley.  Bush Heads at Garden of Marqueyssac Typical View from the Cliffside Trail in Garden of Marqueyssac

Quai de la Riviere:  a sign in lovely La Roque-Gageac The perfect little town of La Roque-Gageac in the Dordogne region of France is the location that I stayed for 3 days while visiting this region.  The region has a lot to offer with the incredible castles of Beynac, Castelnaud, the picture-perfect town of Sarlat, rolling hills and farms, the living river and the Garden of Marqueyssac.  After a lovely dinner, I wanted to capture some of the gown itself.  This is a little challenging because it sits between the river and a cliff.  It is very narrow and you really cannot step away from the town to see it entirely.  Instead I tried to focus on the details, smaller parts of the whole.  Hopefully that will satisfy. Boulangerie in La Roque-Gageac Burst of Sunlight at the End of Day Window Treatments Step into the Past Shooting into the Sun

Dordogne River, taken at sunrise from Domme Sitting atop a hill overlooking the Dordogne River Valley, the town of Domme is in a strategic position.  I'm sure that is why it was initially founded centuries ago.  In the safety of modern times, getting up here takes a little bit of time.  From Cenac town, you can follow the signs going up switchbacks to the town  of Domme.  Take your time on this climb. Once he reached the town, a series of signs will tell you which way to travel in the narrow streets.  The streets are primarily one-way.  Following the signs will take you in a counterclockwise circuit through the town.  You will pass an ancient cemetery on the northeast corner of town.  Right after that there are areas to park your car and enjoy a wonderful view.  Looking north, you can see the lovely Dordogne River and the beautiful, manicured farmlands stretching as far as the eye can see. Sunrise is an excellent time to visit becau...

Beynac Castle Beynac Castle is a splendid monument to the Middle Ages.  This castle was part of the Hundred Years War and was possessed by the French during that battle.  It has been meticulously cared for and is in wonderful condition . . . except for the cobblestone street leading up to the castle.  I happened to be traveling with a child in a wheelchair and the cobblestone was very difficult for him.  Apart from that, this is a wonderful sight to see. The castle has a commanding view of the river.  The river takes a turn here and the castle was at the elbow of that curve/turn.  You can see down river and upriver easily.  This is a very strategic location.  There is another castle on the other side of the river that was British during the great war.  This is easily seen and also imposing.  The name of that castle is Castelnaud.  There are plenty of opportunities to get artistic with photography here.  The ancient stone, ...