OK, so you cannot actually see the lake in these shots but they are all taken around the streets of Annecy which lies at the end of Lake Annecy in the French Alps. It is a wonderful little town with so much character. I had wanted to visit for many years and so when the opportunity presented itself on our roadtrip it was quite an easy choice to fit in a two night stay on the lake shore.
We arrived, having driven through the mountains from a very sunny Italy and through the Mont Blanc tunnel into cold and wet conditions. Shortly after our arrival we were treated to a fantastic summer thunderstorm with an awesome display of lightning.
As I say the town is really beautiful with amazing buildings and a small network of canals that flow into the lake. I hope that one day I will get to travel back here but next time I hope to either enjoy good summer weather or maybe in wither when there is lots of snow.
Venice, famous for its many canals, gondolas and Renaissance architecture is such a beautiful city. It also has a fantastic network of narrow streets lined with shops and restaurants, hotels and apartments, so close together that in places you can almost reach from one side to the other.
I have chosen to post these three images of some of Venice's back streets today because sadly the city has been flooded by an unusually high tide event (the fourth highest ever recorded) combined with storm force winds.
I can imagine how difficult it must be for the residents having their homes and businesses succumb to the high water levels but I am sure that the people will be resilient and as the waters recede get back to normal.
I really like the first three images today. They were captured as I walked around the back streets and alleys of Venice early during the evening. Away from the crowds you can get a sense of the city behind the tourist spots and I think this is shown off really well in these three photos.
These are in stark contrast with the more opulent setting in the final image which was captured in St Mark's Square where the diners were being serenaded; each of the restaurants had its own pavilion as you can see here with a mini orchestra in full swing.
I know it looks lush but I would choose the back street bars and cafes over this any day...
Today's shots are again taken from our brief stopover in Dresden.
I really liked the egg shaped seats in the cafe, they give the occupants a sense of being invisible even though they were alongside a busy promenade. They also look really comfortable.
I like the third image of the couple sat facing the river Elbe. Well they're not really facing the river at all as they are busy looking at each other sharing a romantic moment.
All of today's pictures share a common theme of people totally absorbed in conversation in public spaces but oblivious to what is going on around them.
As well as showing some of the great sights along the way I also wanted to capture images of some of the people as we travelled around Europe. In so many of my pictures I try to keep people out but when photographing in a city it is really the people that bring the places to life.
In the first image for example the people passing through this walkway are what gives the arch its purpose and I wonder how many thousands of people have walked through here over the years. To give the image a sense of age and history I shot this one in black and white.
The next two images work much better in colour especially because the colours are so warm and vibrant and I love these pictures of people stopped for their morning coffee. I really like the scene in the third which shows the terrace of the Grand Cafe on An der Frauenkirche in Dresden.
The final shot shows one of the carriages and drivers patiently waiting to start a tour of the city but it was a little early in the day. The fashion conscious among you might notice the drivers' choice of socks and sandals, never a good look...
A few more street shots from around Paris and Versailles and a couple more experiments with the technique of selecting colour highlights.
I really like the contrast in these pictures between the young people absorbed in their smart phones and the older people taking in the world around them.
I love the joyful expression on the face of the girl in the café.
I love the over the top style of the couple in the last picture.
I like all of these pictures and can't pick which I like best, let me know if you have a favourite.
I have in the past preferred landscape and wildlife photography but I really enjoyed my experiment with street photography, There is so much of interest to see in our cities and in the faces of the people around us. So keep coming back to see more.
On a side note I am a very private person and in my blog and in my social media I don't often post pictures of myself, but if you are interested you might catch a glimpse in the reflection in the café window #justsayin
This past week I have had some fantastic photo opportunities. Firstly on Wednesday I did a photo shoot for a local firm of architects (SDA Architecture) and hopefully I will be able to share some of those images in the near future. Then over the weekend I have been in Versailles and Paris and I have taken hundreds of pictures, enough to keep my blog going for weeks although it is likely that I will mix things up and come back to these pictures at different times.
I had gone to Versailles to visit the new LDS Temple which has recently been completed. It is a beautiful building and such a tranquil and spiritual place; it was definitely worth the trip to see it.
I also spent a day in Paris and as well as having a wonderful lunch with good friends I went walkabout with my camera, oh yes and treated myself to a box of Debauve et Gallais chocolates (it has become a bit of a habit/tradition when in the City of Lights).
I have lots of shots of the famous landmarks from my previous visits to these two fine cities so I wanted to try something different and so I went with the intention of trying street photography. I have wanted to do this for some time but I have been wary in case people took offense or became angry at having a camera pointed at them by a random stranger. So I took it gently at first taking pictures of the activity in the market square and surroundings but I got braver as the weekend went by. Happily only one person objected, and I will have fun sorting through and sharing some of my favourite moments with you.
The first picture was actually my first attempt at pointing my camera at a stranger, he looked straight at me and asked if I wanted to take his picture and the moment was gone because I didn't want a pose but as he walked by speaking to me I captured this shot which works well and we both went away smiling.
The second image was lovely scene I spotted as I walked along an avenue of trees. I saw this man and small girl perhaps a grandfather and his granddaughter , looking out of their apartment window, watching the world go by. I lifted my camera to capture the scene just at the point they spotted someone they knew across the street and reached up to wave. I think it tells a lovely story.
The third shot caught my eye as I like the orderliness of the stacked tables and chairs in the shade of the trees bordering the Place D'Armes in front of the chateau.
For the last of today's images I had spotted this cafe/restaurant, I love the exterior and thought it would make a great picture for my blog and just as I prepared to take the shot the door opened and this girl stepped out followed by her boyfriend. I think the shop front would have made a great shot on its own but the addition of the girl brings the picture to life.
I hope that you have enjoyed these pictures and if so please come back over the coming days to see some more.
