April 30, 2012

Trains

April 30, 2012

The Old Train Station

The Old Train Station

France, 2012


A couple of weeks ago I went out looking to make some pictures of the old train line that runs up to Divonne les Bains from somehwere. I followed it on the map from Divonne, back to Gex and decided that was enough of a stretch to start with. I figured it would a decent way to see a bit more of the area, maybe find a few old buildings and some stretches of rail line. So, off we went, I brought along the lovely Alessandra, patient as ever, for the afternoon's wanderings.

The start of the days wanderings was at the old train station in Divonne, pictured above. Seemed like a good start, interesting old building, simple and functional french styling, battered and broken shutters and blinds. Lots of character.

Well, I wish the rest of the day had followed through. We found an interesting old steel overpass. An old stone wall (not too near the rail line), and some nice little French towns. Just not very much rail related items. I guess sometimes its like that.

April 29, 2012

Font change

April 29, 2012

Maconnex

Maconnex

France, 2012


I hope you don't mind, I changed the font of the site. I prefer the roughness of this one (Averia). The old one (Lato), was very nice, but too clean. Both fonts are free for anyone to use for any purpose.

April 28, 2012

Two from today (silent Saturday continued)

April 28, 2012

Under Glass

Under Glass

Switzerland, 2012


Dancer

Dancer

Switzerland, 2012


Silent Saturday

April 28, 2012

Talgo

Talgo

Switzerland (2012)

April 26, 2012

Two from Meyrin

April 26, 2012

Meyrin

Meyrin

Switzerland (2012)


The town of Meyrin is mostly urban refugees, it's almost all highrise apartment blocks like the ones in this picture. They are so bland that they almost look like office buildings, especially on the window side (as opposed to the balcony side). The building on the left (extreme diagonal) is the showing the window side. The two face on, behind the Shell station are showing us their balconies. Not much of an improvement.

Meyrin

Meyrin

Switzerland (2012)


The other side of Meyrin, the surrounding area, is mostly farmland. I think that is true of all smaller European towns, at least ones situated in arable land. That part can be quite picturesque. Even this location has it's downside, it's between the highrises (to the left, a bit away), and the airport (immediately to the right).

April 25, 2012

Tunnel vision

April 25, 2012

Tunnel Impression I

Tunnel Impression I

Italy (2012)


It seems I have a thing for photography that is purposely blurred by motion, either panning in one place or travelling with the shutter open.

Tunnel Impression II

Tunnel Impression II

Italy (2012)


These are both long hand held exposures, the first one is 1/13 of a second, and the second is a 1/2 second. For this, I find the VR feature an absolute must to get the smooth blur, rather than shaky or jagged light trails.

The internet is still broken at home, but we've had a conversation with the provider, they were very helpful and were able to diagnose that the problem is outside of our apartment, they expect it to be repaired by Saturday night. If not, we are to call them again on Monday.

April 24, 2012

A walk at the pond

April 24, 2012

Tulip Shoots and sky

Tulip shoots and sky

France (2012)


Tulip Shoots (b&w)

Tulip shoots (b&w)

France (2012)


On Sunday morning I went for a walk at the Etang d'Cessy, a public park around a pond in the woods and the middle of some farmland near my apartment. I went because the day before Alessandra and I had gone for a run in the rain here, and I had noticed the tulip shoots growing up out of pond (it has swollen from the recent rains).

"Running in the rain isn't so bad, kind of fun actually, its like an adventure", said Alessandra. Quite a change from a year ago!

These lily pads are the other thing that caught my eye while I was there. Especially the ghostly looking ones that are submerged under the higher water level. The only thing that is missing is a frog.

Lilly pads

Lily pads

France (2012)


Lilly pads

Lily pads

France (2012)


Also, the second great internet outage of 2012 continues, so I have limited connectivity. To avoid a severe case of ennui I have been reflecting on my attachement to the internet, I look out the window to watch the rain, and I have bought a book to read. How did we live 10 years ago? Oh yeah, we watched TV all the time. I think I'd like to try again to spend less time on the internet, or at least less aimless, couch potato time. I have been catching up on my photo library duties too, and the apartment is looking rather tidier these days.

April 23, 2012

Elections - so it's a runoff

April 23, 2012

Election Day

Elections

France (2012)


First, the internet is broken at my apartment again. Second outage in two weeks. Last time it was during the week, this time over the weekend.

So, it's election time in France (or rather elections were yesterday, see first point for explanation for the tardiness of this), and that means that election posters are up. One thing that I appreciate about France in this season is that the political posters are confined to these sign boards that are put up specifically for elections.

The runoff election is between the candidates in slots 3 and 10. Note that the candidate in slot 2 did not poll that well... came in third.

April 19, 2012

Signage

April 19, 2012

Meubles

Meubles

France (2012)


There isn't too much of this olde-tymey signage around this area. I think this is the best example that I've seen. I'll keep my eye out for more. By the way, meubles is French for furniture.

April 18, 2012

Yellow

April 18, 2012

Chevry

Chevry

France (2012)


Chevry

Chevry

France (2012)


We went for a walk up a bit, to get a closer look at some of the canola (rapeseed) around.

And the grass.

Grass

Grass

France (2012)


And to jump around.

Jumping I Jumping II

Our people need us. We must go.

April 16, 2012

Space

April 16, 2012

Echenevex

EchenevexCessy

France (2012)


This is a contemplative photograph, or at least an attempt at one. I took it quickly, while wandering around the grounds of the Eglise d'EchenevexCessy (if I do say so myself). I'm not sure, but after the fact, I think the signs in the upper left might take away some of the contemplative-ness.

The book "The practice of contemplative photography" is excellent, by the way.

Edit: oops, I was in Cessy, not Echenevex.

April 15, 2012

What's in my bag

April 15, 2012

What's in my bag

What's in my bag

France (2012)


Inspired by Japan Camera Hunter's "What's in your bag" blog, here's what's in my bag.

Apologies for the compact camera pic, how else was I supposed to get a picture of what's in my bag including the camera?!

The details (starting top left and going down):

  • passport and little black book
  • photography notebook, sunglasses, small thumbdrive, pen, lenspen, memory cards, IR shutter release
  • Hoya 67mm circular polarizer
  • homemade bean bag (thanks Ali!)
  • keys + swiss army pocket knife
  • Osprey Momentum 34 backpack and keychain thermometer/compass
  • 13" Mac book pro
  • iPhone 1, 8GB, amazed it's still in service! also a camera ;)
  • hoods for lenses
  • AF-S Nikkor 16-85mm G ED
  • Nikon D40 with--
  • AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1.8G and--
  • Sunsniper shoulder strap
  • neoprene lens bag
  • leatherman pulse
  • kindle

Ugh, that picture is terrible.

April 14, 2012

Serious Red

April 14, 2012

Red Wall

Red Wall

Switzerland (2012)


I've been thinking lately about how I want to capture the CERN that I have experienced for the past two years. This photograph is one that will definitely go into that photo essay. Most of what is broadcast about CERN is not what I have experienced, how could it be. In the press and on the minds of scientists is the science, the experiment halls and the instruments themselves. But these are not places you work. Science happens mostly in our heads, and in our computers. The experiment halls and the instruments are totally off limits most of the time due to radiation safety issues. What remains is our offices and the above ground campus of CERN. That will be the focus of my essay. I'm not sure when it will be completed, but it's something that I very much want to do.

April 12, 2012

Misty morning

April 12, 2012

Misty Morning on Lake Geneva

Misty Morning on Lake Geneva

Switzerland (2012)


Internet is broken at home, so I'm only quasi-online when at work.

April 9, 2012

Something about trains

April 9, 2012

If you've been following along at home, you know that recently Alessandra and I took a long weekend trip down to Como, Italy. This has been a rich vein of photographic material for me, first there was a small sampler of some of the more abstract images I took, then there was one from the end of the trip, Vogogna, and most recently there were all (40!) of those bicycle pictures. I really enjoyed those bicycle pictures.

We got to Como by train, so I made it a point to take a few pictures around (and from) the trains. It was a lot of fun!

Platform

Platform

Switzerland (2012)


Train Reflections I

Train Reflections I

Switzerland (2012)


These two are in Geneva, at Gare Cornavin.

Train Reflections II

Train Reflections II

Switzerland (2012)


That's our train reflected in the glass.

Milano Centrale

Milano Centrale

Italy (2012)


The Milano Centrale train station is pretty cool. It's got a huge ceiling, with two smaller covers, and one main huge one. The station is done primarily in a Liberty/Art Deco style. I didn't get too many pictures of the styling, for me the train yard cover stole the show.

Milano Centrale
Milano Centrale

We're about to board the train out into the great wide world!

Freight

Freight

Italy (2012)


In the station of Monza, one of the commuter stations between Milan and Como, the freight trains don't really slow down when going through the station. I hope accidents don't happen very often. Yikes. Also, the track banks at the exit of the stations, so the trains are all swoopy as they exit the station at full speed. Cool. Dangerous, but cool.

Monza

Monza

Italy (2012)


Rho (panorama)

Rho (panorama)

Italy (2012)


I stitched two pictures together of one of the buildings in Rho. It's not quite perfect, but I think its the best I can hope for from a moving train.

And finally, one of the train station in Como (well, one of the train stations, the place has at least four).

Como Nord Lago

Como Nord Lago

Italy (2012)


I put that picture up on Flickr a couple of weeks ago, but didn't post it here. That's why it doesn't have a watermark. Do any of my dear readers have a comment on the watermark? Yay/Nay?

That's all for now.

April 7, 2012

Biciclette di Como

April 7, 2012

While we were in Como, I noticed all the bicycles around town, so I took a bunch of pictures. Umm, a lot of pictures, and here are 40 of them, I took more though. If we had more time there, I probably would have taken even more. Here is one at the lake:

Como Bicycles

Como Bicycle

Italy (2012)


and here is one at the duomo:

Como Bicycles

Como Bicycle

Italy (2012)


The bicycles themselves are pretty interesting, but so are the walls that they are leaned against. Check them all out, there's quite a variety.

I did take a few pictures of people riding their bicycles, but they aren't included in the set.

Como Bicycles

Como Bicycle

Italy (2012)

April 6, 2012

Science!

April 6, 2012

Resister

Resister [sic]

Switzerland (2012)


Today was a semi-holiday, such is life in science. Good Friday is a CERN holiday, but I had to come in and do some work anyway. After I finished it, I still had some time to kill before going home, so I took a photowalk around the west middle of the Meyrin site. This wasn't my only take of the day, far from it. I think many good things will come from this day.

April 5, 2012

More Driving Pictures

April 5, 2012

Driving Pictures

Driving Pictures

France (2012)


I have added a few more pictures to my Driving Pictures project. All of them are from France, within about 10 minutes driving of my home. This group has a picture in color:

Driving Pictures


Two other pictures have also been added.

I'm also happy to think about a couple of other projects that are nearing completion. One is a weekend project I did on bicycles while in Como, Italy. And another is panorama that I'm going to make with the PhotoShop CS6 beta.

April 4, 2012

Market

April 4, 2012

The Black Bear

The Black Bear

France (2012)


French markets are another thing I'd like to do a longer post on. They're a pretty cool part of the area that I currently live in. Most towns have a market or two a week, where pretty much everything is bought and sold. Anything from mattresses to mussels, hammocks to hiking boots, rotisserie chicken to club wear, buttons to, well, you get the idea. You can get just about anything. The foods available are wonderful, and other things are quite varied. It's also one of the few things in the region that has quite a bit of character, like the bear pictured above, that is at the Sunday market at Divonne-les-Bains.

Perhaps this weekend I'll go and walk around for an hour or two without a shopping list.

Also, I've started playing around with watermarking, we'll see how long it lasts....

April 3, 2012

Microcosm

April 3, 2012

BEBC

BEBC

Switzerland (2012)


This would be an excellent opportunity to do a human interest post, a la Jeffrey Friedl (one of my blogging and photographic inspirations). I even have some of the required photographs. A friend of Alessandra's came to visit for the weekend, and we had a great time doodling around the region, showing him some of the closer sites. Unfortunately, I'm too buried to put the kind of effort in to do such a post right now.

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