Next up for your consideration is Chateau Villandry.  While processing this batch I realized I had only one shot with the actual building in the background.  The main attraction here was definitely the gardens.  

This was the first chateau we biked to, a whopping 23 kilometers west of Tours.  Ok, so not too far, but it was a fun trip all the same.  

-Baroquebloke-

Chateau Chenonceau.  This was actually the last chateau we went to visit on our trip, and it was by far the most crowded.  Not entirely pleasant.  Truly unique, however, as it spans the entire width of the river!  Very cool.

Heather and I decided to take a train part way there and bike the last seven kilometers along the river banks.   The grounds and the scenery along the way were absolutely beautiful.  

-Baroquebloke-

I realized that I never announced that Heather and I were on vacation in the Loire Valley, biking and bussing to numerous chateau and gardens!  Here’s the first installment of chateau photos to come over the next few days, and one of my favorite from the trip:   Azay-le-Rideau -Baroquebloke-
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I realized that I never announced that Heather and I were on vacation in the Loire Valley, biking and bussing to numerous chateau and gardens! 

Here’s the first installment of chateau photos to come over the next few days, and one of my favorite from the trip:  

Azay-le-Rideau

-Baroquebloke-

I’ve really been enjoying playing with colors on a lot of my shots lately.  Here’s one I took while out with Heather today.  I intended to leave it as Black and White, but I couldn’t help my self.   This technically isn’t even monochrome, but rather two tone.  The blacks have a slightly red tint while the mid grays and whites have the greenish cast.   I find it amazing how much a little bit of color can alter the mood or feel of a photo.   Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! -Baroquebloke-
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I’ve really been enjoying playing with colors on a lot of my shots lately.  Here’s one I took while out with Heather today.  I intended to leave it as Black and White, but I couldn’t help my self.  

This technically isn’t even monochrome, but rather two tone.  The blacks have a slightly red tint while the mid grays and whites have the greenish cast.  

I find it amazing how much a little bit of color can alter the mood or feel of a photo.  

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!

-Baroquebloke-

Todays photo I decided to have fun with the colors.   As an update, I decided to go back to OSX.  The hardware support with Linux was almost there, but the few little quirks that remained became too much of a drag.  So, back to Mountain Lion, Aperture 3, and “just works” functionality.  The complete fresh install seems to have worked better than before.   On a plus side, I’m still using Corel AfterShot Pro, but only as an external editor for Aperture.  The Nostalgia Film Simulator plugin is outstanding as well as significantly cheeper than the likes of Alien Skin software (only $5!!). So, I’ve managed to keep the best of both worlds.  Let’s see how long that lasts.  I only want to be able to continue shooting editing! -Baroquebloke-
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Todays photo I decided to have fun with the colors.  

As an update, I decided to go back to OSX.  The hardware support with Linux was almost there, but the few little quirks that remained became too much of a drag.  So, back to Mountain Lion, Aperture 3, and “just works” functionality.  The complete fresh install seems to have worked better than before.  

On a plus side, I’m still using Corel AfterShot Pro, but only as an external editor for Aperture.  The Nostalgia Film Simulator plugin is outstanding as well as significantly cheeper than the likes of Alien Skin software (only $5!!).

So, I’ve managed to keep the best of both worlds.  Let’s see how long that lasts.  I only want to be able to continue shooting editing!

-Baroquebloke-

Public Poll (Respond in Comments)

I have a question for all you loyal readers.  As many of you know I started putting photos up on Etsy to see if I might be able to sell a few photos.  

No, I haven’t been uploading hundreds of photos to the site.  Perhaps my key-word and tags are lacking.  Perhaps my pricing is off.  Regardless of the reasons It hasn’t worked so well.  

No, I’m not going to close it down, but I would like to try something else.  So here’s my question for all of you: 

With every donation of a dollar or more you pick any photo I’ve ever uploaded, I email a full size version to you (or anyone you like) for you to do with as you please (within reason.  As in no commercial reproduction, etc.)

So, let me hear your thoughts below!  

-Baroquebloke-

A daily activity of mine is to read about cameras and photography techniques.  One reoccurring topic is how to achieve decent bokeh (out of focus blur).  Many people maintain that a large camera sensor paired with a fast lens is almost obligatory.  While it’s true, that combination of equipment will result in magnificent bokeh I don’t believe its always necessary.  Sometimes, when working with limited resources one must be willing to approach a scene from a different angle. The above photo for instance: aperture:       f/5.6 focal length:  30mm (81mm full frame equivalent) That is by no means a fast aperture setting, and no, the bokeh present is not the sort of creamy goodness you would find with a full frame sensor (my nikon v1 has a very tiny sensor!) but it’s still effective and, in my opinion, beautiful. I think I’ll put this one up on the photo store.  I’ll let you all know when it’s available! -Baroquebloke-
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A daily activity of mine is to read about cameras and photography techniques.  One reoccurring topic is how to achieve decent bokeh (out of focus blur).  Many people maintain that a large camera sensor paired with a fast lens is almost obligatory.  While it’s true, that combination of equipment will result in magnificent bokeh I don’t believe its always necessary.  Sometimes, when working with limited resources one must be willing to approach a scene from a different angle.

The above photo for instance:

aperture:       f/5.6

focal length:  30mm (81mm full frame equivalent)

That is by no means a fast aperture setting, and no, the bokeh present is not the sort of creamy goodness you would find with a full frame sensor (my nikon v1 has a very tiny sensor!) but it’s still effective and, in my opinion, beautiful.

I think I’ll put this one up on the photo store.  I’ll let you all know when it’s available!

-Baroquebloke-

It’s always the times I don’t bring my camera with me…

Thank you iphone! Unedited, right now in front of the Chateau waiting for Heather.

-Baroquebloke-

Here’s a first for me.  The above photo is a composite of six (6) individual handheld shots overlooking Paris.  I processed it as black and white so that you could see the bands/borders between the photos (haven’t yet learned how to avoid that, along with other issues, more on that another time).  If I had been able to upload the full sized image it would be 180MB large, 18,598 x 2435 pixels, and be printable at over 10 feet on the long side.   I think I’ve discovered something to use my tripod for!!!   -Baroquebloke-
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Here’s a first for me.  The above photo is a composite of six (6) individual handheld shots overlooking Paris.  I processed it as black and white so that you could see the bands/borders between the photos (haven’t yet learned how to avoid that, along with other issues, more on that another time).  If I had been able to upload the full sized image it would be 180MB large, 18,598 x 2435 pixels, and be printable at over 10 feet on the long side.  

I think I’ve discovered something to use my tripod for!!!  

-Baroquebloke-

We all start out young and care free, then it’s all down hill from there.   -Baroquebloke-
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We all start out young and care free, then it’s all down hill from there.  

-Baroquebloke-