Fence
Posted on December 1, 2017
Bright sunlight casting strong shadows made this fence by the riverside in Chabanais a good subject for Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge this week
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Fences
Thursday Doors: Confolens – After The Fall (1)
Posted on November 30, 2017
Those dear readers with long memories and the merest flicker of interest might recall that in February this year I took the concept of suffering for my art rather too seriously and had quite a bad fall in the nearby town of Confolens while on the lookout for new (old) doors to offer for your weekly delectation.
Naturally the injuries I suffered on that occasion brought a rapid halt to my photographic activities – apart from a couple of R-rated selfies. However, while we may have been daunted we were not defeated, so we returned to the scene a few weeks later to finish what we’d started.
Hopefully, you’ll be glad I did, because I think there were some pretty good doors on my second pass.
As a special opening offer, how about three doors for the price of one?
Or a couple of twin sets – one rather better cared-for than the other:
All of today’s doors are to be found on the steep, winding road that leads up to the medieval citadel of the old town:
And finally, for this week, an old door that’s been re-purposed:
Thursday Doors 30 November 2017
Weekly Photo Challenge: Serene
Posted on November 29, 2017
There are few things that convey a greater sense of serenity than a perfect reflection, as in this image of the River Vienne as it flows through the town of Chabanais.
Tuesday Photo Challenge: Build
Posted on November 28, 2017
What you see here is one of the towers of the new Queensferry Crossing road bridge across the Firth of Forth just outside Edinburgh, while it was under construction. That should qualify for Frank’s theme of ‘Build’ for this week’s Tuesday Photo Challenge.
Considering that this photograph was taken with a mobile phone through the window of a car travelling at 50 mph – over the old road bridge – I don’t think it’s too bad.
This is what the finished article looks like; it’s stunning:
Weekly Photo Challenge: Transformation
Posted on November 23, 2017
The sewing room of the nearby Chateau du Fraisse is a place of transformation, as fabric and thread are transformed into all manner of clothes and other items:
Thursday Doors: A Final Few From Mezieres
Posted on November 23, 2017
Some more doors from my latest local doorscursion.
This one is opposite the door with the shadows on it that I featured last week. Back in the day, there would have been a pig behind the lower door and some chickens above. We’ve got one of these outbuildings, although it’s been renovated (and contains garden furniture rather than livestock).
Next to the church is this rather grand edifice, possibly the priest’s house once upon a time:
Although the church steeple can be seen here, it’s actually the back door of the bar/restaurant:
And a couple of doors from just along the road:
And finally, appropriately enough, this door is on the way out of town. Far more interesting than its modern neighbour, I think:
Thursday Doors 23 November 2017
Tuesday Photo Challenge: Progress
Posted on November 22, 2017
Out here in the French countryside, many things are still done as they have been for generations – working off the lunar calendar, for example. However, the local farmers are by no means averse to using technology to make their life a bit easier.
So the horses have been put out to grass and the heavy work is now done with tractors. And that’s progress.
Just ask the horse.
Table Setting, Medieval Style
Posted on November 17, 2017
This week, Cee’s theme has come round again to anything that might be found in a kitchen. Strictly speaking, I suppose, this table setting in the restored refectory of the Abbaye de La Réau isn’t exactly kitchenware. There again, where else would the dishwasher be?
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Things That May Be Found In A Kitchen
Thursday Doors: More From Mezieres
Posted on November 16, 2017
About a year ago, I put up a couple of posts featuring doors to be found in our local village of Mézières-sur-Issoire. Those photographs were taken on the day of the annual ‘Expo’ of hobbies and ‘Passions’ (steady on) organised by a local cultural society. Madame was wowing everyone with her quilts in the salle de polyvalente so I went walkabout for a doorscursion.
The 2017 edition of the Expo was held last month. Madame did her wowing again and although I did exhibit some of my photographs they didn’t attract so much interest as to keep me detained
– so I took off for some further door-based exploration, with the results that will appear here over the next few weeks.
Even its most ardent advocates would not argue that Mézières is an ancient or particularly scenic place, so while its doors may lack the antique charm of some that have been posted here, they’re modest and unassuming and nothing if not honest.
I’ve often wondered what lay along the road called Chemin des Vignes that runs off from the square in front of the church. Well now we know:
Take another road less-travelled that runs from the opposite corner of the same square and there’s this:
Back in what you could call the town centre, there’s another example of a closed down commercial premises, to go with the ones I featured in the post ‘A Vendre’. This one was trying to flog electric heating – an uphill task when wood-burning systems are still the norm:
Finally for this week, a well-worn set of garden/garage doors:
Thursday Doors 16 November 2017
Weekly Photo Challenge: Experimental
Posted on November 15, 2017
It was during my ten years in Abu Dhabi that I bought my first DSLR, reigniting my interest in ‘serious’ photography. I spent part of one evening with my new camera sitting on its tripod on the balcony of our apartment doing an exercise recommended by the teacher of one of the weekend courses I took.
The idea was to use a long exposure (eight seconds in this case), during which a zoom lens should be rotated (as smoothly as possible) to give this abstract effect:
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