Upstream Of The Cascade d’Ardent

My first visit to the Cascade d’Ardent in France was too short, and I came away knowing that I’d left some great shots on the table. That’s never a satisfying feeling! So on my second trip I arrived with plenty of time to explore the smaller falls upstream.

It’s interesting to see how the water flow changes throughout the year, and I’m always surprised by how much it’s affected by the weather. On this occasion the river was pretty shallow, allowing me to get to spots like this that I didn’t dare to venture into before.

I’ve been caught out a few times in places I didn’t expect to be slippery and it’s always a quick wake up call! When the torrent is weaker it’s easier to get closer to the water, and it also reveals some nice details in the falls you might not see when they’re at at full strength.

Stockholm’s Gamla Stan During Blue Hour

At this time of year sunset colours and blue hour in Stockholm last for a long time, which is a blessing as the sun sets around 3pm. I was really excited to try and get some shots like this after dark, but most of the buildings along the waterfront are not lit up at all at night.

Fortunately I managed to get this shot during blue hour as we walked back to our hotel. The old town of Stockholm, Gamla Stan is apparently one of the best preserved medieval centres in Europe. It’s a great area to explore on foot, and during December there’s a Christmas market in the square.

We were expecting cloud cover for the weekend but actually had some nice blue skies on Saturday. The seasons can transform a place, and I’d love to go back in the summer when I can get about without all of my winter gear. The cold weather is not a great motivator for taking long exposures by the water!

A Summer Visit To The Cascade Du Rouget

Last time I visited the Cascade du Rouget I had to hike for an hour through snow. It was a nervy journey with a few slips here and there. Not my most enjoyable hike in the French Alps! As I parked the car just metres from the waterfall this summer I felt conflicted about the road being so close by. Surely something of such natural beauty was worthy of more effort than that?!

Unfortunately I actually prefer the wider composition of my winter shot. The falls are much more powerful in the summer, and there was way too much spray to get into the same position. I set up my tripod further to one side and started shooting, but it quickly became clear the spray was still going to be an issue.

I had to cover my lens with a lens cloth, start the 10-second timer I use for tripod shots to avoid camera shake, count to 9 and then remove the lens cloth just before the shutter opened. Of course this was not an exact science, and I had plenty of attempts where the lens got wet before the shot was taken or I removed the lens cloth too late. I should really invest in a remote shutter release!

The Colour Of Autumn At Lac De Joux Plane

After a six hour hike around the nearby mountains, this magnificent autumn colour in Lac de Joux Plane was the perfect way to end the day. The yellow leaves are still hanging on to their branches before winter grips the Alps, and I’d quite like to hang on to autumn in the same way. Is there a more beautiful time of year?

I only had time to try a few different compositions here, and this was the best reflection I managed to capture. There were some pesky ducks around the lake, bobbing in and out of the water on a fairly frequent basis. They created some nice ripples but weren’t really helping me very much!

Although I took more zoomed in shots of these trees and their reflection, I preferred this shot with the foreground interest in the end. Being able to see the bottom of the lake gives the image more depth and hopefully draws the viewer in. That’s the theory anyway!

Exploring The Gorges Du Bronze

From the car you’re never that close to the torrent that runs through the Gorges du Bronze, but there is a spot where you can park up and walk down to the water. It’s not a marked trail so you have to use your imagination a little, but it’s only 150m or so.

I had the place completely to myself, so I spent a couple of hours just exploring up and down the river. I saw a number of paint markings on rocks here which I think are used for canyoning routes. Have you ever heard of canyoning?

The basic idea is to follow a canyon through the water, rappelling, climbing, jumping and swimming your way down. I’ve never tried it myself, it’s always been the wrong side of my risk/reward scale!

Admiring The Cascade De Trainant

Towards the end of the ascent to the Refuge de Sales is this incredible waterfall – the Cascade de Trainant. Unfortunately I didn’t make it to the end of the hike because I’d spent way too much time at each of the waterfalls along the way. This was the last one I had the privilege of seeing on the incredible journey.

At this point I was very glad I’d made the effort to carry my tripod uphill for two hours. If there’s a hike on which you should definitely take a tripod then this is it. And if you’re a fan of waterfalls then it’s like a dream! If you ignore some of the uphill hiking.

I always hate to leave places like this. I would quite happily sit for hours just listening to the water and watching as it works its way down the mountain. Next time I’ll be sure to start the hike a little earlier!

Following The Torrent De Sales

I passed waterfall after waterfall tumbling down the valley carved by the Torrent de Sales. Following the river upstream en route to the Refuge de Sales was an incredible experience. It must be up there as one of the most rewarding hikes in the French Alps.

Over the course of the two hour journey from the Chalet de Lignon there are five or six stunning waterfalls waiting to greet you, each seemingly more impressive than the last. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes! It was a pretty exciting place to be with a camera.

These narrow falls can be found descending the valley walls toward the end of the hike. I was really happy about the cloudy skies on this trip, they created a fantastic mood and made shooting the waterfalls so much easier.

Royal Seats Of Amsterdam

While touring the Royal Palace in Amsterdam you pass behind the famous balcony on which royals greet the public in Dam Square. These chairs sit in the hallway behind the balcony, and presumably are where said royals wait before heading outside for the special occasion.

After I took this shot I wondered what that must feel like, what they might be thinking as they sit on these chairs. Do they look upon each engagement as a burden, a chore or a privilege? Is living a life prescribed to you from birth easy? I imagine not.

I loved the amazing blue here, which I have since noticed is very similar to the colour used by the Dutch national airline KLM. I suspect it’s not a coincidence, but I have no idea. Maybe someone out there knows the answer?!

To give the colour a bit more emphasis I decided to make the rest of the image black and white. Fortunately it was pretty easy in Lightroom. I just had to decrease the saturation for every colour other than blue to zero.

Inside Geneva’s St. Pierre Cathedral

In modern times Geneva is probably best known for its association with the United Nations and the Swiss banking industry. But back in the 1500’s it was considered the “Protestant Rome”, the unofficial capital of the Reformation.

St. Pierre’s Cathedral was the adopted church of John Calvin, a leader of the movement away from the Catholic church. Protestant exiles from all over Europe came to Geneva to take refuge, so while it’s not the most interesting church to look at it’s certainly historically significant.

I always enjoy exploring the geometry inside cathedrals like this. There are so many different ways to frame a shot, with crazy lines all over the place. I’ve found one of the most effective techniques is to try and use features of the interior to frame other elements in the shot. This normally provides some nice depth to the image from front to back.

Finding Peace In The Jerónimos Monastery

Just as impressive as the adjoining Church of Santa Maria, the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon was a sight to behold. With fantastic photo opportunities in every direction, the distinctive gothic style was as awe-inspiring as I had ever seen.

I felt a great sense of peace exploring the monastery. But looking back through my photos, the juxtaposition between its intimidating architectural style and the peaceful setting inspired by its environment is intriguing.

This shot was taken in the cloister, a beautiful courtyard surrounded by an ornate two-storey gallery. There were many great angles looking through the decorative arches towards the bell tower. This was the best I could find after walking around both floors of the gallery.