The Almshouses Of Bruges

Much like the rest of Bruges, walking amongst these Almshouses felt a bit like stepping back in time. The peaceful courtyard bordered by beautifully quaint homes provided a great spot for a moment of reflection.

It seems a bit ironic that a part of the city built to house the poor is now one of the biggest draws for tourists visiting romantic Bruges. Little did they know that their modest homes would become so popular.

There was some fantastic contrast between the tall trees that dominate this courtyard and pristine white houses surrounding them. The perfect opportunity for a black and white shot, in spite of the rain that plagued our time in Belgium!

Hiking The Grand Balcon Sud Towards Index

Hiking along the Grand Balcon Sud in the Chamonix valley was the highlight of my summer exploring the French Alps on foot. The 90 minute trek from the Index cablecar to Lac Blanc and the Lacs des Chéserys was full of incredible views no matter where I turned.

But the hike along the same path in the opposite direction was even better, with Mont Blanc in view almost the entire time. I took this shot just after I started hiking back to the cablecar station to head home. I really can’t recommend this route enough!

On the right you can see one of the Lacs des Chéserys, a beautiful collection of small mountain lakes at an altitude of 2111m. To the left in the distance is Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Europe at 4810m. From here I spent a bit more time shooting at the lake, before continuing my journey back up the rocky face behind it.

Majestic Reflections In Lac Blanc

When I reached Lac Blanc to find I was sharing it with only one other hiker, I knew the 5:30am wake-up call was worth it. This popular lake in the Aiguilles Rouges range of the French Alps is swarming with people for much of the day. But arrive early enough and you can have the place almost to yourself.

What’s the main attraction? The stunning views of the Mont Blanc massif, seen here reflected in the water. It’s been a bit of a dream of mine to see this lake. As I stood here looking out at what must be one of the most magnificent views in the Alps, I felt slightly overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all.

I thought I was aware of the beauty I’d find at Lac Blanc, but there is no substitute for being there in person. Seeing it with my own eyes, breathing the air and enjoying the silence. It made me fall in love with the mountains all over again. I wouldn’t hesitate to set my alarm for 5:30am and do it all again next weekend.

Searching For Details In The Mont Blanc Massif

I’d been shooting with a wide angle lens all morning, but decided it was time to focus on the detail of the majestic mountains I could see in the distance. I sat down, switched to a long zoom lens and scanned the surrounding landscape for interesting features.

Something about this peak in the Mont Blanc massif caught my eye. I loved the leading line created by the mountain’s ridge. Following it from bottom to top I felt like I could imagine it climbing higher and higher as it was created, forged from the earth.

Mountains at high altitude often make great subjects for black and white photography. There’s so much contrast to play with between the snow-capped peaks, perfect blue sky and dark rock formations. I had great fun experimenting in Lightroom!

Getting Wet At La Cascade d’Ardent

While exploring la Cascade d’Ardent at the weekend I managed to accomplish a couple of photography firsts. Not only did I get my tripod wet for the first time, I also successfully shot flowing water in daylight with a Neutral Density filter.

During the day there is normally too much light for a longer exposure. An ND filter acts like a pair of sunglasses for your camera, letting in less light than usual. This means you can use longer shutter speeds to get a silky smooth water effect, even in the middle of the day.

Somehow this was the first occasion I had both an ND filter and my tripod at the same time in the right location. I had so much fun experimenting with the filter and the angles. I even had a few people stop and watch me carefully set up my tripod in the water. They probably thought I was crazy!

Do you often use a neutral density filter? Maybe you like to get your feet wet in a stream every now and then?! I’d love to hear from you!

The Fêtes de Genève Goes Out With A Bang

As we watched in awe from the roof of our six storey apartment building, the ground beneath our feet was shaking a little too regularly. But this was no earthquake, just the unbelievable force of the cherry bomb fireworks exploding over Lake Geneva.

Once a year the skies above our Swiss town are filled with colour in a spectacular display celebrating the end of the summer’s Fêtes de Genève. And at a cost of 700,000CHF (almost $800,000) you’d surely expect it to be one of the best in the world!

I stayed on the roof of our building to shoot this year. The thought of battling my way around the half a million people who come to watch, while carrying a tripod and camera bag, was not particularly appealing! With the ground shaking every so often I came away with a lot of blurry shots. Even so I did get a few sharp ones, and this was one of the best.

What’s the best fireworks display you’ve seen? Maybe you have some tips for shooting fireworks? I’d love to hear from you!

A Minimoon In Provence

Over the weekend I wasn’t out hiking or taking photos of any kind. Instead I was busy getting married in the UK! This is a shot of my wonderful wife taken a couple of days ago as we walked through the Provençal countryside on our “minimoon”.

After returning to Geneva on Sunday we drove down to the small village of Crillon Le Brave in the foothills of Mont Ventoux. It was the perfect spot to unwind and relax for a few days after everything that went into the wedding.

We followed this small path for about an hour before reaching the small town of Bédoin, taking in the beautiful views as we went. I originally shot this scene in landscape, but decided to crop as portrait to remove some distracting elements.

Daisy After The Storm

I don’t often go for black and white with my landscape shots, but it seemed like the perfect way to highlight this daisy standing tall in the long grass near La Chaîne du Bargy in the French Alps. After taking shelter from a stormy shower passing through the valley I ventured out toward the woodland before coming across this beautiful scene.

I noticed a few daisies dotted around so started searching for a decent composition with one in the foreground. Fortunately I found this spot, and I took a few handheld shots at different apertures to make sure I came away with something acceptable.

I was slightly disappointed that the weather turned on me. I’d started out on a longer hike to Lac Benit but decided not to continue after the thunder started rolling in. Better safe than sorry! But after the worst of the weather had passed the cloudy skies were so dreamy, I didn’t stay disappointed for too long.

The House On The Hill

If you ever hike Le Môle in the French Alps you’ll come across this seemingly disused house about half way up. It’s got a great view across the valley, so I’m not sure why it’s unoccupied. I wonder if it has a use during a particular part of the year and I was just there at the wrong time.

It’s a great spot to have a breather, which if you’re anything like me you’ll definitely be needing at this point in the journey to the summit. With that beautiful cloud and the mountain ridge both converging on the house I couldn’t resist this shot!

Having said all that, the view from the half way point probably isn’t worth the effort unless you’re heading for the summit. So if you’re in two minds about whether to make the trip or not, my advice would be to either go the distance or give this one a miss.

To Infinity… And Beyond!

Perhaps not quite to infinity. But I like to think that’s what would be going through my head if I ever took to running off a mountain with a paraglider on my back. While I was watching gliders take off at Col de la Forclaz, I saw this guy almost botch his take-off and end up in the trees.

According to my local expert this spot above Lake Annecy is quite popular with beginners due to its proximity to a big lake (for emergency landings!) and the lack of regulation in France. But apparently it can also be quite a tough spot for getting up into the air.

So while it’s not a complete surprise to see people struggling, watching it in person didn’t give me much confidence to try it myself. I guess I could always be tempted by the view though…

Would you ever try paragliding? Maybe you’re already a pro?! I’d love to hear from you!