The following are non-wine related shots from my frequent travels in France. France, so we are told, is everyone's second country. Here's why.
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- Annecy Annecy, France 38k, beautiful canal. This very picturesque city in France is often overlooked.
- Audierne: The serene port at this quaint village on a brilliant, sunny day, Brittany, France, 1992. It reminds me of someplace I always want to be. Ok, the photoshop tricks helped, too. Rescanned, June 2002.
- Brantome: 20k image of the famed river banks of this
Northern Dordogne village, 1994. If Audierne is sunny and bright, this lush village is
tranquil, beautiful and warm. I came for an hour, stayed for an afternoon.
See
this
view, right next to the terrace of the Relais et Chateau
Moulin de l'Abbaye, or this
one. There isn't much to do in Brantome but dream. - Bayeux Cathedral: 24k image with an unusual wide angle aspect, 1985
- Beynac: a beautiful Dordogne stone village,
and an unusual house sits in the middle of the path, 1994. One of my favorite places in
France. Try these various views of the castle
and medieval
village. For the view from Beynac, see
"Dordogne" below. All July, 2002 scans.
- Birdman of the Tuilleries, the old art of attracting sparrows; and this man's companion, forced to share a bench, sure doesn't like it. 1987, rescanned July 2002.
- Cannes bathing suit, only slightly naughty image of an amusing bathing suit on the Riviera, 1985. Rescanned, July, 2002. I guess the French aren't shy about sexy things like we prudish Americans. Take this ads, a parody on Michael Jackson for a magazine, Jackson poster casually published everywhere. Or, try this Paris Messagerie Ad Scanned, July 2002. First shot is 1989--an ad for a Messagerie on Minitel in the Metro. Do the French know what "CUM" means in English. The second shot is 1994. With lips defaced. I guess they do.
- Cannes, 1985. Rescanned, July 2002. The scenic harbor.
- Country French, the Dordogne, 1994, Dordogne. du pain, le beret...July, 2002 scan.
- Dordogne:
Pastoral Scene near Cahors, all 1994. View
from Castle Beynac, Or, try this view of castles
from the top of Beynac.
Or, this view of theDordogne
Valley from Domme. The Dordogne Valley is foie gras
territory of course. Dordogne
Valley from St. Cirq. They sell foie
gras and wine at little stores the way we sell ice cream
and coke. What a great country! ;) All July 2002 scans. - Dinan, Brittany, 1993, beautiful Breton village, the ancient street Rue du Jeruzal, an elderly couple struggles up the centuries old grade. My contest winner, France Today. Rescanned, July, 2002.
- Eiffel Tower silhouette, 1988. Eiffel Tower from Dominique and Surcouf, Feb. 1996, 13k image at night. This shot is another good reason to go to nearby restaurant Le Bellecour, which has about the best warm foie gras I've ever had.
- Giverny, Japanese Water Garden Bridge the one
Monet painted over and again, 1984. Due to bad weather conditions, I adjusted a lot of
settings, and this picture captures some of an impressionist feel. Rescanned, June 2002.
If you want to see how the same photo looks after I've digitally
manipulated it...Click here
- Gordes, the beautiful walled village in Provence. 2006.
- Chateau Hautefort, Dordogne, 1994. July, 2002 scan.
- Mercues,
a Relais et Chateau near Cahors, 1994. Do they know how
to find the right places or not? Wine, scenery, historic old
building. Alternative
view. Scan, July 2002.
- Paris, Metropolitain, Art Deco, 4k image, 1996, one of Paris' famous Art Deco Metro signs. Just an "I was there..." shot.
- Mont St. Michel, 1985. My rendition of this famous monastery built into the water. Admittedly, there's not much left to say in shooting this. I sharpened it and saturated it, living with the grain for the color. Rescanned, June 2002.
- Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral 52k image, 1985. Notre Dame de
Paris, a large jpg because this is a shot from a high viewpoint and shows the cathedral
surrounded by the rest of Paris. Or try this more
intimate 1988 view, rescanned, July 2002.
- Paris 2000, New Year's
Eve (12/31/99): Eiffel
Tower shortly before the now-famous fireworks, all is
calm and pretty in the clear night; river
view; and just at
the conclusion, shrouded in smoke; the Champs-Elysees,
mobbed with wall-to-wall people for the new century,
difficult shot at night with no tripod, but you'll get a feel
for it; and Place
de la Concorde. Photo conditions were tough, and I was
without a tripod. I soldiered on. Mediocre, but a memorable night.
As it ended, and the the most perfect display in the world petered out,
a South American tourist shouted to a friend, "That's it? All this
waiting and it was so short?" You can't please everyone.
- Paris, Louvre Courtyard Panorama 1994. Unusual angle past sculptures to the pyramids. I was creative for once instead of just taking the usual postcard shot! Rescanned, July 2002.
- Paris, Musée D'Orsay, 2006. The classic panoramic shot. The contents are great, the but the building itself is fascinating.
- Paris, Musée Guimet ancient work of art with zillions of hands and arms, 2006. This museum, focusing on Asian arts, is one of those less well known places that is great to see, and not so crowded.
- Paris, Louvre Painting,
1989, I shoot the artist painting the painting.....Or, try
this 1994 version. All Rescanned, July 2002. Or, in 2006,
I saw this artist.
- Paris, Place des Vosges, 2006. The most serene place in the whole city?
- Paris, Louvre Tourists, 1989: Italian tourists retake the Venus de Milo Rescanned, July 2002 (I love candid shots!)
- Paris, Louvre Pei Staircase entrance, 1989. Scanned, July 2002. Ascending to the sky?
- Paris, Louvre, Reflections in the Mona Lisa, Scanned, July 2002. You can't see the painting with the crowds; so watch the observers. I was shocked to find that as of my most recent trip, you can no longer take photos of the Mona Lisa--and they have moved it back behind a rope that prevents you from getting close enough to really see the background. I guess this is to protect the painting (at least in terms of moving it...) Another example of jackasses ruining it for everyone.
- Paris, Medeci Fountain, Luxembourg Gardens, Paris
Autumn
gold, impressionist reflections, 1997. My favorite picture in the last couple of years.
Rescanned, July 2002. Here's an
alternative shot.
- Paris, Montparnasse Tower, 1988. It seemed very tall in a city without many tall buildings.....July, 2002 scan.
- Paris, Palais de Chaillot, 1993. July, 2002 scan. With La Defense in the background.
- Paris at Christmas, 1997. Rescanned, July 2002.
- Paris, Louvre Garden Statues 2006 Louvre looming in the background--a tourist shot, to be sure.
- Paris, Graffiti like this would be ok.... 2006.
- Paris, Sacre Coeur. Your basic tourist shot. But it is imposing, isn't it? 2006.
- Paris: The famed Waiter's Race. This contestant....means to WIN! July 2002 scan.
- Paris: They made the 20th Century. Vast mural put up by a radio station, including about every famous face...July 2002 scan.
- Pointe du Raz, land's end in France, Brittany, the hotel in the middle of nowhere. One of my favorite travel shots, 1992. Rescanned, June, 2002.
- Pointe du Raz Museum 1992. Unusual sculptures outside near the harbor glowing in the sun give this a surreal feel. Rescanned, June, 2002.
- Provins, the historic city's imposing 12th Century St. Quiriace Church in the Upper Town. 2006
- Provins, the Bell Tower, Upper Town. 2006.
- Rocamadour, the famous Dordogne village
built into a cliff, one of the most visited sites in France, 1994.
Also, this
panoramic
shot. Rescanned, July, 2002. It was a cloudy day, and
colors were altered to warm up the scene.
- Rouen Rouen, St. Ouen Church on street lined with half timbered houses, 1985. The vertical lines reach up with the Church. Rescanned, June 2002.
- Sainte Chapelle, Paris 16k image, 1990. Great colors on this interior shot.
- St. Cirq, Dordogne, France,
1994. One of the
prettiest little villages in France, built right into the hills....It
takes your breath away when you come around the bend and see
it there.
Alternate
view. All rescanned, July, 2002.
- St. Malo, Brittany, 1992, of one of France's most beautiful towns. Sunset, fort in the background. Rescanned, June, 2002.
- St Malo Acquarium Close up of very funny sting ray, 22k
- St. Remi, Reims, France ghostly image of person framed in sunlight of entrance in this beautiful church. Reminds me of the Patricia Kaas song, "Entrez dans la lumière." Rescanned, July 2002.
- St. Tropez Port at sunset,
1985, or choose the image shot a few minutes earlier and not quite as red in the sky, but spookier,
St. Tropez vieux port at dusk
I love sunset shots. Both rescanned, June, 2002. - Strasbourg 1988. Picturesque old Strasbourg, with the Cathedral in the far background. Rescanned, June, 2002.
- Strasbourg canal 33k, idyllic canal in old city, 1985
- Vaux-le-Vicomte, Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, shot from the pond, the precursor to Versailles, c. 1988. Rescanned, July 2002. Rather heavily saturated and sharpened for effect and color.
- Verdun 26k, a marker indicating repeated attacks and final destruction of a village, in one of the symbolically stupid acts in one of the world's most senseless wars
- Versailles, France, 1994. The fountain in
back of the Chateau, a rich dark blue from reflected sunlight
(and a little photo retouching software!) Rescanned, July
2002.
Copyright © 1995 - 2006, Mark Squires, all rights reserved.
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