NikonGear'23

Travelogues => Travel Diaries => Topic started by: Olivier on August 14, 2015, 16:40:43

Title: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 14, 2015, 16:40:43
I am just back from two weeks vacation in Finistere, the western tip of Brittany, the western tip of France.
Finistère actually means someting like "end of land". It is a beautiful and wild coast which can probabaly be compared to Ireland. This parallel holds for weather as well...
People are married with the sea, as one can expect. Catholic symbolism is everywhere.

For two weeks my wife held our Fuji X-T1 as a hostage (she decided it is perfect for her and I must admit she is right) and I was stuck with my IR modified Nikon V1 with 10-30 and 30-110 lenses. A fun and stimulating experience.

I will post a few pictures while I process them, here is the first.

1.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Bjørn Rørslett on August 14, 2015, 16:49:52
We can only hope the significant other managed this level of excellence with the Fuji ....

Cross is different from the Celtic ones of Ireland, but otherwise it's the same setting. Including being perfect for IR.

Bring them on.

Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Jakov Minić on August 14, 2015, 16:53:35
Olivier, great shot!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: rosko on August 14, 2015, 18:17:18
.
I really like this one, Olivier !

Great B&W image : The cross thus oriented seems to communicate with the building (a church or shrine ?)front of it.

I also like the opposition between the velvety texture of grasses and granite's roughness.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Akira on August 14, 2015, 20:11:35
This is super, Olivier!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 15, 2015, 10:46:10
Thanks everyone.
I think Rosko summarized Finistère quite well with two words: granite and velvet. That actually works for people also.
And btw it is a chapel.

More crosses for the next picture.
For some reason my IR files from Brittany do not lend themselves easily to color extraction, they are very monochromatic. This is one exception.

2. La Compagnie du Vent (the Wind Company)
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Jakov Minić on August 15, 2015, 10:48:01
This is another great image!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Frank Fremerey on August 15, 2015, 18:18:27
The double cross is amazing in colour & expression. Thank You!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: pluton on August 15, 2015, 19:40:32
Bravo...show more if available.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 15, 2015, 20:41:00
Thank you.
Meneham is a fisherman's hamlet on the northern coast of Finistère, a bit crowded by tourists (it took me a while to get this shot!) but well worth the trip.

3. poupées russes.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: rosko on August 15, 2015, 22:30:44
.
Dreamy !
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Akira on August 16, 2015, 02:00:20
Olivier, I love the contrasting shapes of the house and the rocks (?) in the last iamge.  The cloud made it worth waiting.

I like the second image in terms of the post process, but I would much prefer the asymmetric composition of the first image.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 16, 2015, 10:29:39
Thank you again.
Yes, these are rocks and the type that kids enjoy a lot: very easy to climb. So it took a while until it was clear of visitors...

Same houses and clouds for the next picture, from the other side. this is a 2 images pano.
I hope the asymmetry will suit you better, Akira!

5. dernier séjour.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Akira on August 16, 2015, 10:53:13
Olivier, asymmetric composition is no more than the general tast of mine.  I always enjoy your images, symmetrical or asymmetrical.  The last image is no exception!  Love the placement of the key elements.  The cloud, again , add a nice touch to it.  Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 16, 2015, 21:14:40
and here is the last one from Meneham. The little house was a shelter for soldiers observing the coastline.

5. Squeeze!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Frank Fremerey on August 16, 2015, 22:12:21
DSC_6115 s.jpg

Magic. The Droid's home. Such a presence.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Jakov Minić on August 16, 2015, 22:30:15
All images are beautiful, Olivier.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Øivind Tøien on August 16, 2015, 23:37:46
Very nice series and use of IR. There is something very ancient about the shape of those rocks.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: elsa hoffmann on August 17, 2015, 00:41:42
I also like the crop on the last 2 posted images.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: armando_m on August 17, 2015, 03:55:06
Wonderful series  ,   I can imagine a fantasy tale around the images
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Erik Lund on August 17, 2015, 12:21:54
Wonderfull series! You really master IR, looks like a perfect place of a NikonGear workshop
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 17, 2015, 18:52:59
thanks!
Øivind: yes, the "massif armoricain" is one of the oldest chain of mountains in France, actually not much of a mountain anymore.
Erik: any place is good for a workshop as long as you are in the company of knowledgeable and fun people. and a drop or two of something to keep you hydratad and stimulated if I understand well. There is plenty of this in Brittany.

the next shot sows the tallest lighthouse in Europe, le phare de l'ile de la Vierge (the Virgin's island lighthouse). It is about 80 meters tall, visible from 50 km around. My son counted 381 steps. Getting there is already and adventure as the boat has to sail around hundreds of rock, you really have to trust the captain. Maybe a prayer to the virgin can help as well!
The island itself is quite small, probably 200 or 300 meters long, and covered with a an extremely soft vegetation. one has the impression to walk on a very think and soft mattress. it is very tirering!

6. symbole viril sur l'ile de la vierge.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: ColinM on August 17, 2015, 22:02:53
I know nothing of the techniques & subtleties of IR but love the end results shown here.

The last two on page 1  particularly intrigue me. In #3 the rocks almost look like a sleeping Wolfhound!
#5 would be impressive even in normal light. It strikes a chord with me as we've just returned from Dartmoor in the SW of England. Many of the Tors and rocky outcrops there had a similar feel to this image (processing of these will have to wait another week, then I hope to post some).
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Jørgen Ramskov on August 18, 2015, 12:20:27
Really wonderful shots. I'm glad you're forced to shoot IR.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 18, 2015, 21:25:13
thank you Colin and Jørgen.
It was quite enjoyable to be (almost) IR only, and it must say it felt very strange and totally unnatural to see "normal" images through the viewfinder of the X-T1 when I was quick enough to grab if before my wife did.

Next image shows the mandatory staircase from the inside of the lighthouse, with somewhat tweeked colors.
Fortunately I was able to use the back screen of the camera, looking down was out of question for me!

7. Looking down.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Jakov Minić on August 18, 2015, 22:20:46
Extremely impressed by your images!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Akira on August 18, 2015, 22:48:59
Hey, Olivier, if you want to kill me, you don't need neither a knife or a gun.  You can just show some larger version of this picture of the lighthouse staircase, and I will surely die of hartattack.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: stenrasmussen on August 18, 2015, 23:34:14
The last one is a seIRously good picture Olivier!! And the rest in this thread are of course good too 😊
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Frank Fremerey on August 19, 2015, 00:20:07
The lighthouse  couple with the IR flowers. Such a great shot.

You made my day


And the staircase. Right out of Dooom
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: ColinM on August 19, 2015, 19:23:57
The lighthouse is a worthy addition to this series Olivier.

And the staircase. Right out of Dooom

Agreed - don't view this with scary music on at the same time ;)
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 19, 2015, 22:00:29
Akira, I will never show this image larger than a post stamp in the future!
Thanks averyone.

the next one is typpical of Brittany, where anyone able to reliably forecasting weather would be either fantasticly smart (and rich) or lucky (and rich). Anyway the only correct forecast is "rainy with moments of grace. Mild temperatures".

8. Changing weather.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: elsa hoffmann on August 20, 2015, 06:52:18
holy cow that staircase is past crazy - your interpretation there of is really great - I wish it was my image.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Erik Lund on August 20, 2015, 11:22:00
The staircase is outstanding! Both the IR capture and also the PPing.

Just keep them comming ;)
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on August 20, 2015, 20:00:40
thank you.
another helix now...

9. Blue on the beach
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: James Fitzgerald on August 20, 2015, 20:06:12
Seriously nice photographs Olivier! I like them all.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Akira on August 20, 2015, 23:12:16
Akira, I will never show this image larger than a post stamp in the future!

the next one is typpical of Brittany, where anyone able to reliably forecasting weather would be either fantasticly smart (and rich) or lucky (and rich). Anyway the only correct forecast is "rainy with moments of grace. Mild temperatures".

8. Changing weather.

Olivier, that's a relief.  :D

The rock-sky-sea image looks as if it were a composit image.  So surreal, not because of IR.

The last one is factastic:well seen, well captured and tastefully processed.

Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on September 04, 2015, 22:26:42
One more.
The village of Kerloas hosts the tallest erected stone (menhir) in Europe. It is more than 9m tall and I still wonder how it was dragged there and erected...
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Frank Fremerey on September 05, 2015, 01:14:54
Obelix?
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on September 05, 2015, 10:12:22
I would have loved to see him there!
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Frank Fremerey on September 05, 2015, 17:27:02
@Olivier, et voila!  Deutsche Post just issued a set of stamps:
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Frank Fremerey on September 05, 2015, 17:30:27
I imagine he sits there hewing this stone from the sourrounding rock with his bare hands.

Meaning he clears that what is now a forest to make room for some nice trees for Idefix...

PS: I love it that it is IR, I feel it is IR with a meaning not just IR because you also know how to take it. Very well justified aesthetically in this case.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Olivier on September 05, 2015, 20:25:01
Thank you Frank.
It is funny that this cartoon has become internationally famous when is is stuffed with references to French history, personnalities and small stories.
Maybe it is because it emphasizes and mocks the bad temper that some French have?
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Gary on September 05, 2015, 20:33:29
I love your eye ... your sense of proportion and scale, your sacred treatment of sky and clouds. Well done.
Title: Re: BrittanIR
Post by: Frank Fremerey on September 05, 2015, 20:54:06
Thank you Frank.
It is funny that this cartoon has become internationally famous when is is stuffed with references to French history, personnalities and small stories.
Maybe it is because it emphasizes and mocks the bad temper that some French have?

I do not think so. The references are to universal humane faults and quirks...