Photo journeyling

Closure

2011-07-11T18:31:00.001+02:00

Hello everyone.

I deeply feel the need to take a long long big break from blogging, so deep and long and big that I find it appropriate to close this blog.

This blogging journey was an extremely fulfilling experience, and the landscapes keep becoming more and more beautiful as time goes by.

I warmly thank all those who followed and supported me. All the good vibs felt really great.

If I'm back in blogland one day, I'll let you know.

I wish you the best ;o)

Catherine

Trastevere

2011-06-11T15:20:00.000+02:00

Hi everyone.

That was last week : saturday evening, beautiful sunset light in Roman Trastevere.

I wish you a gorgeous week end ;o)

The Pantheon

2011-06-09T21:48:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

Rome again, with the Pantheon magic light. Probably my favorite place in the trip.

I wish you a happy serene day ;o)

Back from Rome

2011-06-06T23:51:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

What better than those gorgeous gelati hues expresses the delights of Roman dolce vita ?! I spent four wonderful days in this beautiful city. Some more pictures soon.

I wish you a colorful and tasteful week ;o)

Diptych 16

2011-05-08T19:36:00.001+02:00

Wish you a bright and beautiful week ;o)

April in Paris 9

2011-04-25T22:26:00.000+02:00

I wish you a great week full of pink light and yellow happiness ;o)

April in Paris 8

2011-04-24T19:57:00.000+02:00

Wish you a colourful passover week end ;o)))

April in Paris 7 - For book lovers

2011-04-13T10:39:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

Still bright and sunny in Paris but quite cooler though ... More April-like temperatures ...

A few snapshots from that marvelous place I talked about last year. The wonder of books everywhere !

I wish you a wise and knowledged day ;o)

Diptych 15 - Yellow delicious

2011-04-12T07:22:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

OMG ... We've had such a delightful weather in Paris ! Argh ... Sunny and warm ... That felt so good.

The light and yellow below come from the adorable organic market "Le marché des enfants rouges" rue de Bretagne, in le Marais in Paris. Such a beautiful place to buy food or to eat (since there are a few nice restaurants there). One of our favorite spots for week ends !

I wish you a bright happy day ;o)

April in Paris 6

2011-04-11T09:36:00.002+02:00

Hello friends !

Some of yesterday evening light ...

I wish you a great great monday ;o)

April in Paris 5

2011-04-10T16:54:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

My path crossed the little fellow below yesterday while walking in Le Marais. He looked like he was enjoying the best possible lazy and peaceful moment in his life.This kind of "raw" expression of a feeling (that you most of the time find on animals) always looks moving to me. No fake, no desguise, just the deep pleasure of being in the moment.

I hope your sunday is the best possible !

April in Paris 4

2011-04-09T10:12:00.000+02:00

I wish you a sparkling creative and happy week end ;o)

April in Paris 3 - "Look at the sky"

2011-04-08T11:08:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

Friday again !!!

I wish you a bright sunny day ;o)

April in Paris 2

2011-04-05T11:55:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

Yes ... pink spring IS cute, but let's experiment other colours as well, shall we ?!

I wish you a bright colourful day ;o)

April in Paris 1

2011-04-04T20:31:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

I can swear ... March was the very best month to hibernate ;o)

And here's come spring with a fresh crispy air, pink tutu flowers, and a yearning for fun !!!

Enjoy yourselves ;o)

Twelve (word) 2 - Love

2011-02-26T12:18:00.002+01:00

Wish you the sweetest week end ;o)

Diptych 7 - Evening

2011-02-24T21:03:00.000+01:00

Wish you peacefull times ;o)

Diptych 6 - Mid winter

2011-02-15T20:42:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone.

Yes ... February is time for keeping warm, slow and cosy with piles of scarves and lots of old magazines to keep yourself inspired. Spring still feels sooo far ...

I wish you a full wintry week ;o)

Diptych week 5 - Slow and lazy

2011-02-06T21:47:00.000+01:00

Hello friends.

OMG ... The best week end in ... weeks ... Slow, lazy, ... I really need more like this.

In the diptych, some goat cheese on Poilâne bread at the Café de Flore and that beautiful winter sky !

I wish you a totally indulgent week ! Take good care and keep warm and happy ;o)

"Home and everyday photography" - Interview #14

2011-02-03T09:00:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone.

Here we go for some new and oh so interesting interviews ...

Today, Katarina from Bratislava (Slovakia) answers the questions. Let's have a look ...

Photo by Katarina

1. What do you find inspiring in taking photographs of your home and your everyday life ?
It definitely is a form of introspection. I live in a very small place and it took me a few years to get used to it. It felt so unsurprising when I moved in, the limited amount of corners, it looked there's nothing to explore, and I've always liked exploring...old attics, basements, different light in every room. Yet I somehow managed, with the help of my camera, to make the small place as interesting for myself as possible.

Always when I look back at the pictures I've taken, it helps me appreciate what I've got, and to see it with new eyes. I still keep pictures of my old home too, it's a nice reminder of who I was and am now. And it's also quite meditative. Sometimes when I feel restless or uninspired, I just pick a camera and start "writing my diary". It literally takes seconds for new energy and ideas to flow in this way.

2- Out of remembering, testifying, documenting, creating a vision, (other) ... what feels the most important to you ? Why ?

Creating a vision, in my case. For whatever reason you take the picture, you always put a piece of your own vision in it, and it shows, you can't avoid that. With the help of your vision, you document...which leads to remembering, and testifying. So it's connected, I'd say, you can't separate these aspects.

3- What atmospheres and/or emotions do you try to create or to convey ?

It's more like I'm drawn to certain atmospheres instead of trying to create them. Even when I have a concept in my mind, I just try to take advantage of what's already there, the less props, the better. I have very vivid memories of my childhood, of stories people told me and things I used to see daily, and I think I'm often subconciously trying to bring these into photos I make. Most of the time I realise long time after I've taken the photo, or other people who know me notice the connection. So I think nostalgia and mystery are the ones I'm mostly drawn to.

4- Do you like to look at photographs of other people's home and everyday life ? If so, what do you look for and appreciate in these photographs ?

Of course, sometimes when I come across someone's work, I click on their blog or personal portfolio first to get to know them better. Everyday rituals are fascinating, every person, every culture is different, and of course the light in every corner of the world is incomparable. I also love taking pictures in my friends' homes and studios. And a friend once told me it's important to have pictures of your home in your home, that it brings good energy in.

Thank you so much, Katarina, for sharing this beautiful inspiration with us !

***

You can admire Katarina's amazing work on her blog, Grain and silk, or on her website.

The previous interviews are all here.

I wish you an inspired and creative day ;o)

Diptych week 4 - Light and cat

2011-01-29T20:34:00.000+01:00

I wish you a confortable week end ;o)

Diptych week 3 - Sky and sea

2011-01-24T21:50:00.003+01:00

Hello friends.

This week, on the left, a view of "Paris by night" and the Eiffel tower from the top of the big wheel that stands every Christmas on the Concorde square, and on the right, a star fish found in the flea market (amazing Saint Ouen flea market, a must see if you come to Paris !).

I love star fishes ! I have this idea that they're real stars fallen from the sky and journeyling in the sea !

I wish you a sparkling and glittering week ;o)

Twelve (color) 1 - Violet

2011-01-19T07:56:00.003+01:00

Hello friends.

I'm still organising some things for the new year, but others have started, such as this nice project led by Amanda.

For January, we can play with "wish" and "violet".

Today is my "violet".

And here's the Flickr group so that you can see all the beautiful things shot by other photographers.

I wish you a colourful day ;o)

Diptych week 2 - Holidays spirit in January

2011-01-17T19:56:00.000+01:00

I wish you a sparkling week ;o)

Diptych week 1

2011-01-09T20:15:00.002+01:00

Hello friends.

It seems I'm slowly coming back to blogging ... Quite enjoyable for me since it means things are cooling down IRL !

The diptychs are one of my 2011 photos projetcs, an easy one : one diptych per week. I'll tell you more soon.

Today, we have a picture of a "fat morning" (French expression that means that you slept late) and an evening walk. Both quite pleasant !

I wish you a happy peaceful week ;o)

Happy 2011 !

2011-01-01T15:37:00.000+01:00

I wish you a wonderful new year !!! Full of love, hapiness and peace ;o)

Snow in Paris

2010-12-24T10:26:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone!

We've had an unusual early winter this year in Paris, with lots of snow ... It's quite rare to have snow in Paris for Christmas !

I wish you beautiful holidays full of peace and happiness ;o)

Fall flowers

2010-09-29T22:38:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone !!!

Well ... I took some time to recover from a light yet annoying leg injury ... Which gave me some time to slowly transition into fall, and into fall closet ... The item of the moment is this "Khadi and co"scarf with its graphic black and white flowers that I just love so much I've being wearing it everyday !!! I'm all about clothes and great fall style at the moment, so expect some more of that in the next posts ...

I wish you a very stylish day, and keep yourself warm while the weather's cooling down ;o)

End of the summer denial

2010-09-13T14:00:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

A long time ago, it happened that I liked it when september would arrive ... Not anymore it seems, and this year, I feel a huge denial growing concerning the end of the summer. I clearly didn't have enough !

Unfortunately, reality is here to remind me that I'll soon have to stop wearing open shoes (that's the absolute worst part of the thing). I'm very slowly trying to come to terms with the idea of fall. But for now, I keep dreaming ... Will you dream with me ?

I wish you a round and full and pumped up week ;o)

Back from Prague (and back at last ...)

2010-09-08T20:04:00.000+02:00

Hellooo everyone ... !

Well, yes ... I've been taking life on the slow side these last days, and to tell the naked truth : it feels good !

Nevertheless, I still have beautiful pictures from holidays to share, and some more everyday life, now we're all back on track.

I start with a few things from amazingly gorgeous Prague where I spent five days after coming back from Portugal. I brought back some cute Russian dolls in an interesting "Art déco / Mucha" way that looks just fine in our flat.

And since Prague holds one remarquable Jewish quarter, I grad the occasion to wish a wonderful new year to those who feel like it since the Jewish new year starts tonight. In Hebrew, it goes like : Shana tova !

Away, hippie style ...

2010-08-23T20:07:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

I'll probably have a few more things to show you about Portugal, especially when I get the films back from the lab.

For now, I'm enjoying my last week off, and delighting myself with crazy blue nailpolish (a different color on each toe !!! That looks awesome !), swimming, massages, more film photography (Ektar and the Fuji ... I'm looking forward the results ...), lots and lots of journaling and lists and writing and games, and ... I'm away !!!

I wish you a free style week ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 18 - Last evening

2010-08-22T15:52:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

This is it !!! We're back in Paris. Happy to find our home after this long trip, but still under the charm of all the beautiful things we saw.

I wish you a happy and homely sunday ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 17 - Lisboa electricos

2010-08-21T12:26:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

Today is our last day in Lisbon.

Yesterday was spent exploring the city, walking and taking the beautiful oldfashionned trams (called electricos).

I wish you a great saturday ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 16 - From the roof top ...

2010-08-20T08:47:00.000+02:00

... of our hotel !

And that's all for today. So many things to explore ...

Wish you the best possible day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 15 - The end of the world

2010-08-19T10:05:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

An easy title, I must admit ... But I really wanted to go see the Cabo da roca which is the most western point of continental Europe (and located about 50 km from Lisbon) !!!

As you can see (or ... NOT see, more precisely ...) on the pictures, the fog was so thick that we actually heard the ocean more than anything. But after going south, we had the magical view on the Cabo over the beach with these incredible blue hues.

Straight ahead after the Atlantic ocean is the New Jersey.

I wish you a beautiful day wide and clear ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 14 - Vintage touch

2010-08-18T09:27:00.002+02:00

Hello people.

We finally had an all grey but cool and refreshing day yesterday, and decided to stay in Evora and to enjoy the day on the slow and lazy side.

The good thing here is the gorgeous vintage touch of our hotel. Travelling 18 days on a budget made us choose rather unexpensive hotels, which often means quite uninteresting decoration. But sometimes, you get a nice surprise. For more informations it's over here.

I wish you a stylish day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 13 - Missing the point

2010-08-17T09:11:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

We're on the Alentejano roads again, in Evora this time.

Evora is supposed to be THE jewel, the place to go "Waouhhhh" and forget to close your mouth after, and ... well, I'm just missing the point obviously. I don't see the "Waouhhh".

It's pretty, it's nice, they are a few beautiful buildings, old Moorish fortifications and a Roman temple, but no "Whaouhhh" for me. So I guess we'll go explore a new village today. There are two or three around that are said to deserve a stop. I'll go try to find my "Waouhhh" of the day.

In the meantime, I leave you with pictures of some of the good food we've had : gaspacho and melon with ham. All delicious !!!

I wish you a very tasty day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 12 - Castelo de vide

2010-08-16T21:08:00.001+02:00

ello everyone.

I'm totally running out of superlatives to tell you how beautiful was the last village we stayed in : Castelo de vide, in the Serra de Sao Mamede.

Gorgeous landscapes free of any kind of building (new or old). Active yet peaceful nature. Authentic village life. We would have liked to cross the border and go see Valencia de Alcantara in Spain, but ... may be another time ... It was to pleasant walking in the little streets and discovering a new perspective at each street corner.

I wish you a beautiful day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 11 - Gone napping under a tree near the swimming pool ... zzz ...

2010-08-15T07:50:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

We're in Alentejo now. The sun is hot, but there's always a cool breeze to make things more bearable. Landscapes of untouched nature, olive trees (below) and chesnut trees are heavenly in late afternoon light. In the meantime, what better thing to do than a little nap ... We're on holidays after all ...

I wish you a calm and restful sunday ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 10 - From Obidos, with love ... and colours ;o)

2010-08-14T09:17:00.001+02:00

Hello people.

Complicated and expensive internet connexion. So please, allow me to be direct concerning the lovely village of Obidos : its blue and yellow colours, its moorish fortifications, its delicious orange juice ...

Wish you a day full of colours and happiness ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 9 - Light and shadow (and other photo-philosophical questions ...)

2010-08-13T08:41:00.002+02:00

Hello everyone.

Let's face it ... The slow lazyness of vacations is taking over. The change in rythm, the enjoyment of discovering beautiful new things and places ...

And I was thinking about how the obvious can sometimes be questionned. Like this : we tend to believe that light allows us to see better, but in the same time, light also flatten things, whereas shadow, which is commonly believed to hide, can also reveal volumes better. And once more, things are not always black and white, are they ?! So, let's go for colours !

I wish you a very subtle yet clear and bright day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 8 - In paradise

2010-08-12T09:29:00.002+02:00

Hello everyone.

Back on track for a special Portuguese "goûter" !!! Yes !!! It happens that I've found in Portugal a delicious chocolate milk easy to find everywhere, that tastes so good, and that has been my favorite "goûter" since I've arrived. On monday, I had one in an amazing place in Tomar, called Cafe Paraiso, a beautiful old building with a nice vintage atmosphere.

I wish you a heavenly day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 7 - What I see and what I guess ...

2010-08-11T08:59:00.004+02:00

(En Français plus bas)

Hello friends.

So ... Marigaz and Spiruline said they would like more of everyday life, and on my side, I think it's high time I give you some personal insights about what I've seen in the past week.

We've stayed in Porto, Belmonte, and Tomar. Drove up the Douro valley, crossed the Serra da estrela and went down to Castelo Branco, and then drove to Tomar before moving on.

Apart from the fact that the Portuguese we've met were mostly über nice persons (and that they often speak French which is nice since my Portuguese is rather poor ...), here's what I saw and the ideas it inspire me without any kind of judgement.

Gas is expensive. As expensive as in France, that is to say very expensive since we have all those taxes on gas in France (that means around 1,50 euro a litter).
On the other side, cafe is ALWAYS very very good (I don't drink coffee but I believe what my husband says about that ...) and quite cheap. We guess it is Brazilian coffee.
In cities, and I mean in city centers, you can find shops selling fabrics at the meter (photo below). Which to me says two things : the first one is that the "renting rate" of the square meter is not so high as to make these shops disappear, and the second, that there are probably still people who sew their own clothes, which seems all the more likely since you can also find shops that sell and/or repair sewing machines (I saw the most amazing vintage Singer shop in Tomar ...).
They don't have much powerful cars, and they have a lot of old cars (meaning older than me which is old for a car) and in good shape. They take very good care of them and make them last long (photo below).
In city centers again, you can find some abandonned houses (all closed) and, unfortunately, no one to buy and restore them, while they build quite a lot a new things around the old towns (I'm not using "suburbs" because it doesn't convey the idea ... it's just new towns expending, just like in the South of France in the 70's ...). That's a pity because they have such handsome old building from the 20's and the 30's (I'll show you one tomorrow ...) that would look dashing if they were restaured.
Clothes again. You find those lovely shops selling wedding and evening dresses that look like they're made out of icing sugar (photo below), which could indicate that officials events are important and that people dress for them.
This country is paradise on earth if you consider the fact that they have sun and lots of good and clean water, as indicated by the high number of eucalyptus trees and corn fields we're encountered. Both the Tage and the Douro are beautiful rivers, so clean (concerning the Douro) that people swin in it and that we've crossed many "river beaches" (and I don't envision myself swimming in the Seine river unless in a dreadful nightmare).
Which directly lead to the fact that we've eaten tasty vegetables and fruits, which helps stand the incredible heat !

I'm so sorry if this relates so much to European or French considerations that it makes it hard to understand for readers not familiar with those realities.

I hope you'll find it all interesting anyway. And I go translate that for my French speaking readers that my stats indicate to be increasing lately, welcome to them !

I wish you a very personal day ;o)

***

Bonjour à toutes et à tous.

Bon ... vous savez que je n'aime pas trop traduire mot pour mot, surtout dans ce sens, vu que le français reste quand même ma langue maternelle ... Donc, dans le désordre, et dans la mesure où mes statistiques indiquent une augmentation de mes lecteurs francophones ces derniers jours (auxquels je souhaite la bienvenue !) ...

Marigaz et Spiruline indiquaient qu'elles étaient plus sensibles à la vie quotidienne qu'aux monuments, et de mon côté, je me disais qu'il était bien temps que je donne quelques points de vue plus personnels sur ce que j'ai vu depuis une semaine.

Pour mémoire, nous avons séjourné à Porto, Belmonte et Tomar. Nous avons remonté la vallée du Douro, traversé la Serra da Estrela, sommes redescendus jusqu'à Castelo Branco et sommes donc momentanément à Tomar avant de poursuivre notre programme.

La première chose que j'ai déjà dite dans les billets précédents, c'est que la quasi-totalité des Portugais que nous avons croisés étaient charmants et accueillants, et ils parlent souvent Français, ce que est bien pratique car mon Portugais est malheureusement inexistant. Pour le reste, voici pèle-mèle mes premières impressions sans aucune forme de jugement de valeur cela va sans dire.

L'essence est chère. Aussi chère qu'en France, ce qui n'est pas peu dire compte tenu des taxes qu'il y a chez nous. L'ordre de grandeur ici c'est 1,50 euros le littre.
La café en revanche est plutôt bon marché et TOUJOURS délicieux (d'après mon mari qui en boit plus que moi qui n'en bois pas ...). On s'est dit que c'était sans doute du café brésilien ...
Dans les centre-villes (mais vraiment le centre, et de petites ET de grandes villes ...), on trouve des boutiques qui vendent du tissu au mètre (photo), ce qui m'a laissé à penser deux choses : la première c'est que le prix du mètre carré à la location n'est pas dissuasif au point de faire disparaître ce type de commerces, et la seconde, c'est qu'il y a sans doute encore pas mal de gens qui cousent leurs vêtements eux-mêmes, idée largement corroborée par le nombre de boutiques qui vendent et/ou réparent des machines à coudre (et j'ai croisé ici même à Tomar une incroyable vieille boutique Singer ...).
Ils n'ont pas beaucoup de voitures très puissantes, et ils ont en revanche pas mal de vieilles voitures (c'est à dire plus vieilles que moi, ce qui est déjà pas mal pour une voiture ...) et en très bon état. Ils en prennent grand soin et les font durer (photo).
Toujours dans les centre-villes, il y a pas mal de maisons abandonnées (vides ou murées) qui ne sont pas rachetées ni remises en état, alors que dans le même temps, ils construisent du neuf autour des vieilles villes (je n'utilise pas le mot "banlieues" dont l'implicite ne correspond pas à la réalité présente, ce sont juste les nouveaux quartiers qui s'étendent comme dans le sud de la France dans les années 70). C'est d'autant plus dommage qu'ils ont beaucoup de belles architectures des années 20 ou 30 (billet de demain) qui auraient un cachet fou si elles étaient restaurées.
Toujours en parlant de vêtements, il y a ces boutiques adorables qui vendent des robes de mariées ou de soirée qui ont l'air d'être en sucre glace comme sur des pièces montées (photo), ce qui pourrait indiquer que les grands événements de la vie ont conserver une certaine importance et que les gens "s'habillent" pour ces occasions.
Enfin, ce pays est le paradis sur terre si on considère qu'ils ont à la fois du soleil et beaucoup d'eau, comme l'indique le très grand nombre d'eucalyptus et de champs de maïs que nous avons croisés. Le Tage et le Douro sont deux beaux et vastes fleuves, et le Douro est tellement propre que les gens se baignent dedans sur de jolies "plages de fleuve" (et inutile de vous dire que je ne m'imagine pas une seule seconde en train de nager dans la Seine sauf dans mon pire cauchemar ...).
Et cela nous amène tout droit aux délicieux fruits et légumes que nous mangeons régulièrement, ce qui nous aide à faire face à cette chaleur !

Je disais aux lecteurs de langue anglaise à quel point j'étais désolée par avance si mes propos étaient à ce point proches de réalités européennes ou françaises que cela leur en rendaient difficile la compréhension. Vous devriez davantage voir ce que je veux dire, surtout ceux qui ont connu le sud de la France des années 70, parce qu'il y a quelques petites ressemblances.

J'espère que ces propos décousus vous aurons intéressés. Comme j'ai traduit, à vous, je vais dire que je m'en vais maintenant m'occuper des photos !

Je vous souhaite une journée très personnelle à toutes et à tous ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 6 - Zezere fresh air

2010-08-10T09:00:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

OK, we're officially melting : the temperature is around 40°C and we're barely surviving ...

Yesterday morning, we went in the Serra da estrela see the Zezere river valley (picture below) and the Torre (the top of continental Portugal). The temperature happily went down to 23°C, we took deep breaths, the views were that of incredibly beautiful untouched nature.

I go get myself a cold drink ... I wish you a refreshing day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 5 - Belmonte

2010-08-09T09:40:00.001+02:00

Hello people.

OK, we're hot now ! Very hot ... (around 36°C ...), but delighted by Belmonte, a lovely village near the Zezere river, in the Serra da estrela.

Apart from being all charming, Belmonte is well known for two reason : the first one is that it is the village in which was born Pedro Alvarez Cabral, who discovered Brazil, and the second is that this vilage is the center of "crypto-judaism" (for the fact that after being forced to convert to catholicism, some Jews kept their pratice of judaism hidden for centuries until the beginning of the 20th century), a very interesting specificity of Portugal.

Very few pictures though because of an awful white sky.

And we move on tomorrow for a new place !

How do you like the posts and pictures so far ? Is there anything you like in particular ? Something you'd like more of ?

I wish you a very sunny day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 4 - Azulejos

2010-08-08T21:21:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

We're now away from Porto, in the "serra da estrela" (mountain of the star), but I thought I could not go on without showing you some famous azulejos.

Coming from a specific Portugese craft that was improved by the Moors at the time they ruled the place, azulejos can be found almost everywhere, and especially in churches. Some of them are absolutely gorgeous, and since they're one the the most famous trademarks of the country, they're a must !!! It's also the occasion for me to show you Porto's cathedral inside and outside (the first four pictures : the cloister and then the outside) ... Quite stunning. And two other churches (two last pictures).

I wish you an artistic day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 3 - Old tramway and ocean

2010-08-07T09:00:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

I'm all busy because we leave Porto today to go explore another place, so this post is all pictures and no more words.

I wish you a stylish and oceanic saturday ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 2 - Light and delights

2010-08-06T11:15:00.000+02:00

Hello people,

Porto is an amazing city with beautiful sophisticated old buildings, incredible churches (lots of them it seems, all golden inside in that well known Manuelin style), and a gorgeous river side. All this being incredibily lit in pink light from 6 pm to the sun set. A pure visual delight. AND people are so nice !

Day 2 was the opportunity to visit the beautiful Mercado do Bolhao (a food market located in a two floor open building), full of obviously ground-grown vegetables among many things. We also finally met pastries shops that really deserved the picture, and ate a delicious "Porto-way éclair" (very different from its French cousin and very good in its specific milky taste). And I went straight to the famous Lello bookstore for "brain food", with its delicate wood stair in the middle, and all those books on those wood shelves ... The kind of place I could stay for hours and hours.

We also spent some time going back an forth on D. Luis I bridge, well known for its metalic structure (and for French readers : yes, Gustave Eiffel was there !).

Today, we're heading to take an old tramway and go see the ocean.

I wish you a delightful day ;o)

Portugal 2010 - Day 1 - Porto, the old town

2010-08-05T10:57:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

Here we are !!!

Porto is a beautiful city, full of generous sun light which makes things a bit difficult to shoot, but anyway ... I leave you with these two pictures as a start !

I wish you a beautiful day wherever you are ;o)

Trips and journeys

2010-08-01T22:42:00.000+02:00

Hi everyone.

OK ... I've just finished changing the name and decorating the place, and I'm actually all busy organising my summer trip to Portugal, with half my brain already there waiting for the rest of me to follow.

It will be my longest trip ever : eighteen days of exploring and visiting. We start with Porto and finish with Lisbon with many stages in between. We'll spend a few days in the Serra da estrela (mountain of the star) which I take for the best possible blessing as far as light and photography are concerned.

Material organisation has already been taken care of, with a nice "Roadbook" full of maps and plans to find places easily and to avoid losing time.

I'm now deep into where and what to see : the major things as well as the ordinary ones such as food markets (always !) and pastries shops since Portugal seems to be a place with lots of sweet delights. But there's also a famous bookshop in Porto. Roman, Moorish and Jewish heritages in some places. And hundreds of churchs and chapels everywhere in old towns and remote villages.

Some big decisions still have to be taken concerning which cameras to take. This is a BIG question as you can guess ! I"ll bring the digital Canon of course. One medium format, the Fuji probably, with lots of Ekar films. I'm still wondering about bringing a Polaroid or not ...

Besides cameras, I'm bringing gorgeous notebooks to enjoy myself in journaling games. Being away from home is always a great time to think about things and let thoughts express themselves more freely. And I'll also have a laptop to post you some pictures. Stay tuned ...

I wish you a slow and happy week ;o)

Photojourneyling

2010-07-26T22:32:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

Sometimes in life you move into a new place, whether a home or a blog name.

Time had come for a blog name change here, and "Photojourneyling" is the very best idea I came up with.

Mixing light with journeys and journaling (both with a pen and with a keyboard), this new name popped into my head a few weeks ago, and instantly felt like home.

"Photojourneyling" perfectly defines my interest for all kinds of journeys, and, amoung them, those that do not imply distance as well as those that lead you to the other end of the world to better meet with yourself. It suits my curiosity for details and for the way small things shape our lives and our emotions. It shouts my love for light, and my passion for photography as the intuition of beauty and harmony hiding in the reality around us, and as a tool for stretching our vision beyond what we can see.

And, since I'm still decorating my "in real life" home, I felt like adding a new personnal touch to my cyber home, hence the bannier below that sums up my favorite pictures of these last past months

Hope that you'll like these changes and that we'll go on enjoying this path together !

I wish you a heart felt week ;o)

Polarisian spirit 12 - Summer pleasures

2010-07-15T22:14:00.001+02:00

Hello everyone.

I'm currently playing and enjoying myself with ...

... preparing my next trip to Portugal (more to come about that) ...
... new beautiful bright colors on my toes ...
... journaling a lot about my dreams and how to allow them to happen in my life ...
... juicy dark cherries and yellow peaches ...
... the delicious "honey and rose" smell of a new face soap ...
... books that could be boost my creativity such as this one and this one.

What about you and your pleasures of the summer ?

Below, a picture taken in the Luxembourg garden on a beautiful sunny summer day.

I wish you a delightful day ;o)

Polarisian spirit 11 - Food for thought

2010-07-12T22:37:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

We're hot ! So hot in Paris these days ! It just makes me slow and lazy.

Yet ! The week end gave me an opportunity to think about blogging, journaling the everyday, travel and especially a possible travel to come in Portugal in August ... and to improve my recipe of oven baked eggplants. The idea was to cut each eggplant in two and to put fresh garlic slices inside the pulp. That tasted heavenly ! And it also worked for the red peppers, but they were much less photogenic. May be next time ...

I wish you a tasty week ;o)

Polarisian spirit 10 - Inspiration wall

2010-07-06T22:33:00.003+02:00

Saturday July, 10th 21010 update - While surfing I found another beautiful inspiration wall here ! Hope you'll like it ;o)

Hello people.

Here it is ! The inspiration wall I was dreaming of. Made of a ribbon, translucend pins and clothespegs. Low cost but you don't always need a lot of money to achieve smart and elegant ...

I've ordered a few pictures from photo-bloggers that I just can wait to hang up there, as well as prints of my own favorite pictures and a few other beautiful things. Postcards I bring back from holidays or I receive from travelling friends ... A kind of open window on my creative soul. I'm curious to see how it will grow and evolve.

I wish you the most inspired of days ;o)

White hot

2010-07-04T22:05:00.003+02:00

Hello friends.

Some good things lately since I've finished the "inspiration wall" I've been dreaming of for quite long now ... THAT feels gooood ! Trust me ! Pictures to come.

And we've had a gorgeous hot and sunny sunday in Paris. A perfect day to go daydream and journal in a nice place that serves the most delicious pastrami sandwiches I've ever eaten (and I've eaten quite a lot, believe me !). Same place as last week cheese cake ... Makes two good reasons to go there, and I'm not talking about the apple strudel and the fact that the crew is smiling and friendly.

I wish you a bright and happy week ;o)

I can't get no ...

2010-06-28T08:00:00.010+02:00

Hello everyone !

I dare say I'm a woman easy to satisfy ! Visual harmony is enough to make me feel happy.

Let me explain ...

For the first time in my life, I've got a yellow and orange kitchen. It took me some time to find coordinated dish towels and aprons to replace the old deep blue ones that just wouldn't do and made me cringe for the last 16 months. And here we are ! Visual bliss ! Kitchen delight ! It's so beautiful it made me feel like cooking last sunday ...

OK, it's not like I can't cook ... I admit I cook pretty well. It's just that I rarelly see the point in spending so much time preparing something that gets eaten so fast. But now that my kitchen feels so confortable, I may change my mind (unless I decide to lay my laptop down on the kitchen table and to blog from there ... Who knows ...).

Anyway ... You'll find some pictures of the deed below. And yes ! I'm the proud owner of an orange kitchen witch. A tradition that comes from Scandinavia by way of the USA. Mine makes me smile by thinking about the TV show "Bewitched". And ... may be ... discretly reminds me of my magic powers ?!

I wish you a delicious and magical week ;o)

Sunday cheese cake

2010-06-27T20:07:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

Bright sunny and very hot day in Paris today ! Summer at last ... Let's enjoy it !

Which I gladly did with a photographic walk followed by a delicious cheese cake from this lovely place !

I wish you a sweet evening ;o)

More celebration ...

2010-06-26T23:29:00.000+02:00

Because, it sometimes feels sooo good to make happy moments last ...

More fresh flowers and candle light !

I wish you a happy and sunny week end ;o)

"Home and everyday photography" - Interview #13

2010-06-23T08:00:00.002+02:00

Hello folks.

New season, new interview ... Elisabelle answers our questions today ! A new point of view on our subject ...

Photo by Elisabelle

1- What do you find inspiring in taking photographs of your home and
your everyday life ?
I like to observe how the light enters my apartment during the day and the reflections created during the night.
I like to focus on beautiful and simple details, like a glass on our wood table.

2- Out of remembering, testifying, documenting, creating a vision,
(other) ... what feels the most important to you ? Why ?
Documenting. My images are the diary of my everyday life.

3- What atmospheres and/or emotions do you try to create or to convey ?
I don't try to convey or create anything. I don’t stage my photos.
I am often surprised by the feedback on my images. I think a photo almost has a life of its own once it is shared.
I posted a while ago a set of sad and lonely photos which were viewed by others as peaceful and relaxing.

4- Do you like to look at photographs of other people's home and everyday life ? If so, what do you look for and appreciate in these photographs ?
I love it! It is really inspiring. And I think my photography has evolved a lot thanks to the work of others.
And I love to see how people live, eat, decorate, create around the world.

Many thanks to you, Elisabelle, for your answers.

And for more of her gorgeous pictures, her blog and her Flickr.

The 12th previous "Home and everyday interviews" here !

I wish you a warm and sunny day ;o)

Spring giveaway - The winners

2010-06-20T12:57:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

So ... You were 15 to comment on the giveaway post ... Let's have a look at the end of the story !

Thanks to Frieda, Elfyn and Modelshop to mail me which of the three pictures they'd like to receive (the bookshop, the table or Notre Dame) AND their adress so that I can send it. I'll mail each of them as soon as I send their picture.

Many many thanks to all of you who participated. I felt very proud that so many people were interested in having one of my pictures. And, as I wrote, if you really wish to own one, I have a few remaining that you can buy (20 euros for 5x5). Those interested can mail me about it (parismages (at) gmail (dot) com)

The next giveaway will probably at the beginning of september for summer polas !

I wish you all a beautiful sunday full of light ;o)

Polarisian spirit 9 - Evening light on Notre Dame

2010-06-19T11:30:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

No words today ... I feel I need peace, quietness and silence.

Enjoy ;o)

Chocolate birthday

2010-06-17T08:00:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

Yes ! I looove to celebrate and to make it last ! And since "goûters" are not all taken at home, here's the one my dear husband offered me last saturday afternoon for my birthday : a creamy "éclair au chocolat" at Les deux magots, with the gorgeous view on Saint Germain des prés church, one that I can never get tired of ! It was delicious !

I wish you a very chocolated day ;o)

Polarisian spirit 8 - Sunday breakfast

2010-06-16T08:00:00.000+02:00

Many thanks to those who commented for the giveaway !!! Results here on sunday morning ;o)

***

Hello friends.

Some time ago, the lovely Michelle Elisabeth invited me to join her challenges, which are another nice kind of giveaway.

Last monday, I participated to her "Breakfast" challenge, with a picture that you can see here, among other beautiful shots.

After shooting my picture for Michelle, I grabbed the occasion to shoot a little pola ... For the pleasure of sunday morning light and delight ...

I wish you a sweet and slow wednesday ;o)

Spring giveaway - Three Polarisian prints

2010-06-14T17:30:00.001+02:00

Hello everyone.

As announced at the end of the previous post concerning my birthday, I'm organising a giveaway of prints from three polarisians pictures from the recent Roid week. You can see them in the picture below.

They are professionnaly printed on a very beautiful fine art paper that conveys all the magic of the polaroid light. They're 15cm on 15cm (more or less 5'x5') with a white margin for easy framing.

As usual in giveaways, the rules are simple : you have until wednesday June 16th 2010 morning 08:00 AM Paris time (GMT+2) to leave a comment on this post. Of course, please, only one comment per person ! We're all stylish people, aren't we ?! An innocent hand picks the three winning numbers. Each winner chooses the picture he/she'd like to receive (and email me his/her mail adress so that I can send the picture).

For my readers unfamiliar with blogs, I precise that, in the comment section, your name doesn't have to be your REAL name, your can put a pseudo, and your mail adress doesn't appear (I'm the only one who can see it !).

After that, if some of you who won't have won would like one of these pictures anyway, I have a few prints for sale for 20 euros each. Email me if you're interested.

Thank you for your participation and good luck ;o)

***

Bonjour à toutes et à tous.

Comme indiqué à la fin de mon précédent billet concernant mon anniversaire, j'organise un "giveaway" de trois tirages de polaroids de la récente Roid week. Vous pouvez voir les trois photos concernées sur la photo ci-dessous.

Ce sont des tirages professionnels réalisés sur du très beau papier Fine art qui rend particulièrement bien la magie du polaroid. Les tirages font 15cm sur 15cm avec une marge blanche pour faciliter l'encadrement.

Comme c'est le cas habituellement dans les "giveaways", le fonctionnement est le suivant : vous avez jusqu'à mercredi 16 juin 2010 matin (8h00 à Paris) pour laisser un commentaire sur le présent billet. On est bien d'accord, un seul commentaire par personne, nous sommes des gens biens, n'est-ce pas ?! Une main innocente tire au sort trois numéros. Chaque gagnant choisit la photo qu'il/elle veut recevoir (et me fait un mail pour me communiquer ses coordonnées postales afin que je lui envoie la photo).

Pour mes lecteurs qui n'ont pas l'habitude des blogs, je précise que, dans leur commentaire, ils ne sont pas obligé de mettre leur VRAI nom, ils peuvent mettre un pseudo, et leur adresse mail n'apparaît pas sur le blog (je pensais que j'étais la seule à la voir, mais en fait même pas, je ne la trouve pas sur Blogspot, donc personne ne la voit concrètement ..;), et l'URL n'est pas obligatoire.

Après ça, s'il y en a parmi vous qui n'auraient pas gagner et qui voudraient quand même une de ces photos, j'ai quelques tirages en stock que je leur vendrai bien volontiers au prix de 20 euros par tirage. Vous pouvez me faire un mail si vous êtes intéressés.

Merci pour votre participation et bonne chance ;o)

As time goes by ...

2010-06-07T21:48:00.001+02:00

Hello everyone.

Just when I think my projects are dangerously slowing down, one reaches a new point ...

I shot the 50th "The sky out of my window" picture yesterday. 50 pictures since the first one on January 2th ... Some more blue skies, still clouds sometimes, leaves on the trees, chesnut trees flowers already gone, late summer dusks, ...

All the "skies" are here, and the diaporama (I enjoy diaps very much, they're so playful ...) here !

I wish you the sweetest dreams ;o)

Polarisian spirit 7 - Blooming peony

2010-06-06T16:06:00.001+02:00

Hello friends !!!

Life has been quite busy lately and I'm almost running out of pictures to share with you (which means I should stand up and walk out my door with a camera ... Will I ??? We'll see ...).

This gives me the best possible occasion to offer you this beautiful blooming polaroid peony ! A picture that quite suits my thoughts of the moment about blooming and enjoying time and experience.

I wish you a slow and delightful sunday ;o)

Island bliss

2010-06-01T23:04:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

So ... Between sea side and rainy, the latter clearly dominated, leaving us barely enough time for a walk on the beach, and then, plenty of time to enjoy the confortable cosiness of our hotel.

I already knew this place for its gorgeous deco that had inspired me a few years ago. New inspiration came again out of the beautiful mix of old walls, hip details and raw vintage furniture.

All details about the welcoming (and affordable !) place here ...

I wish you an inspired and creative week ;o)

Away ...

2010-05-28T08:00:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

A bit more of "la vie en rose" (understand the Astia xpro ...), a little less pink than the previous ones though ...

I admit I'm hooked with the xpro, and really impatient to go on exploring the possibilities. But the week end will be digital, sea side and ... rainy it seems ! The results next week !

I wish you a sweet, soft, and tender week end ;o)

Pop flowers

2010-05-26T08:00:00.002+02:00

Hello people.

Another kind of x pro that mixes the pink Astia touch which some light effect.

And ... I must confess it was shot in acrobatic circumstances since I had to kneel in wet grass, trying not to mess myself up, to get the composition I wanted. I think it was worth it. What do you think ?

I wish you a disco dancing day ;o)

Polarisian spirit 6 - Eiffel Tower

2010-05-24T09:00:00.002+02:00

Hello everyone.

On a way home I've been walking every week for the last five months, I've found THIS specific view on the Eiffel Tower.

I've loved the intimacy created by the buidings framing the tower, and the soft touch given by the blooming chesnut trees. Dusk blue light added its own magic ...

I wish you a comfortable and easy week ;o)

Morning blur

2010-05-23T09:00:00.000+02:00

Hello folks.

I'm sharing today an intimate view of what morning looks like for me most of the time, knowing that I'm not a morning person and that I'm really short sighted ...

I wish you a focused day ;o)

Playful

2010-05-22T20:25:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

We're having the most beautiful weather possible in Paris this week end, a 3 days week end by the way ... I leave you with some Ektar by Mamiya, and run out the door to make the most out of this gorgeous light !

I wish you a delightful week end ;o)

Quiet

2010-05-19T08:00:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

Some pictures from a late sunday afternoon in the Palais royal, at the time when the noises of the day give way to silence and peace.

I wish you a soothing day ;o)

Home fashioned "pain au chocolat"

2010-05-18T08:00:00.003+02:00

Hello everyone.

This is a special kind of "pain au chocolat" I showing you today : a fresh piece of French baguette in which you put a milk chocolate bar (a Milka one most of the time, you know the one with the purple cow ... look here ...).

Different from the usual "pain au chocolat" you find in bakeries, and so so tasty !

The previous "goûters" are here.

And Toni, who started the wonderful 100 photo project has picked one of my "croissants" in her Group features. A nice way to discover other 100 photo projects ! I hope you'll enjoy what you'll see. Thanks you Toni !

I wish you all a sweet and tender day ;o)

La vie en rose

2010-05-14T08:00:00.008+02:00

(Suite aux nombreuses questions, il y a un texte en français en dessous ...)

Hello people.

With dutiful dedication and consistency, I carry on with exploring "cross process".

Last time left me confused about what could come out of it all, but determined to try again.

This time, I chose some Astia slide film and went for a walk. It was a nice spring saturday afternoon, the kind you would spend with good friends lying on the grass in some welcoming public garden ... And exactly as supposed, Astia cross processed turns all pink (and I love pink !) !

Tell me you like it and I'll show you some more ...

On the square picture is Saint Eustache church, near Les Halles.

On the rectangle picture is the embankment at the very end of the Cité island, near the "square du Vert galant".

I wish you a very pink colored week ;o)

***

Bonjour à toutes et à tous.

Etant donné le nombre important de questions que j'ai reçu concernant le précédent billet sur le sujet, je me suis dit qu'une petite explication en français serait la bienvenue ...

Or donc ... Un de mes projets photo de l'année est de m'essayer au "traitement croisé". De quoi s'agit il ? Il s'agit de photo argentique, c'est à dire avec des bonnes vieilles pellicules comme au siècle dernier. On prend une pelloche de diapo (pas des négatifs donc ...) et on demande au labo de développer cette pelloche non pas dans de la chimie pour diapo mais dans de la chimie pour négatif, d'où l'idée du "croisement" ("cross" en anglais). Et on récupère un résultat avec des dominantes de couleurs assez marquées et des effets de lumière inattendus.

Sur les photos que je vous montre aujourd'hui j'ai utilisé une pellicule Astia, connue pour donner des dominantes roses (et j'aime le rose !). Et pour les appareils, c'est comme d'hab : en carré, le Mamiya, et en rectangle, le Fuji 645. On en change pas une équipe qui gagne !

Pour les lieux, l'église, c'est Saint Eustache, et le quai, c 'est celui à côté du square du Vert Galant au bout de l'île de la Cité, du côté rive gauche.

La suite bientôt !

Je vous souhaite une semaine exceptionnellement rose à toutes et à tous ;o)

"Home and everyday photography" - Interview #12

2010-05-12T08:00:00.002+02:00

Hello friends

I'm welcoming today, in the interviews project, Irème Nam whose beautiful blog is an endless source of visual inspiration, and with who I share the love of Paris Left bank and of Polaroid.

Photo by Irène.

1- What do you find inspiring in taking photographs of your home and your everyday life?
It reminds me to celebrate life with my husband and our two sons, to find and delight in the beauty of simple things and the most ordinary moments.

2- Out of remembering, testifying, documenting, creating a vision, (other)… what feels the most important to you? Why?
I think documenting feels the most important. And remembering. Documenting a moment, a face, a detail and to be able to extend it beyond the limits of time, distance and memory, to hold onto it, and how I felt at that moment. It is one of the things that I love most about photography.

3- What atmospheres and/or emotions do you try to create or to convey?
I think that I try to capture and communicate the simple beauty of a moment, and the emotions around it.

4- Do you like to look at photographs of other people’s home and everyday life? If so, what do you look for and appreciate in these photographs?
Yes I do. They often reflect people’s own perspective and philosophy of life from which I always learn something. They give me ideas for my own home. Sometimes they make me laugh out loud. They inspire me to slow down, bring fresh flowers from the market, bake, and have pillow fights with my sons.

Thank you Irène for your answers ! I'll remember the pillow fight ...

Apart from her blog, more of Irène's pictures on her beautiful portefolio and on her intimate Flichr stream !

I wish you a sparkling day ;o)

Happy day

2010-05-10T08:00:00.002+02:00

Hello friends.

A cute wink to start this new week !

Mamiya with Ektar, again ... In Paris, near Sèvres Babylone métro station (a nice place to begin a Left bank walk for those who might come to Paris soon ...).

I wish you a delightful monday ;o)

Before summer comes ...

2010-05-09T13:56:00.006+02:00

Hello everyone.

So ... after this intense and fulfilling Roid week, I'm going back to film and medium format.

Some rolls came back from the lab, and before I share some new x pro (stay tuned ... it is getting better ...), I have these daffodils to show you.

First because I'm quite proud of the composition which was not so easy to "organize", and second because I'm madly in love with the saturated colors of the Kodak Ekar film. Really, don't you find it great, the intensity of the green, the depth of the blue, the thickness of the white, the touch of yellow ???

Some years ago I would only shoot, you know, THAT specific film from Agfa, a 50 Iso, which always gave incredible colors. I think I've found what I've been longing for since they have stopped producing it. Thank you Kodak !

I wish you all an intense, deep, thick and passionate sunday ;o)

PS : and, of course, since the picture is square, no need to tell you anymore that it was shot by the Mamiya ...

Polarisian spirit 5 - Pretty in pink

2010-05-07T08:00:00.009+02:00

Hello folks.

Here we are for the last polas of this incredible Roid week ! I had decided to fully participate this time. I hope you enjoyed what you saw.

The beautiful weather we've had in April has been a great time to shoot "sakuras" and little baby pink flowers. Here's a glimpse of what crossed my way ...

I wish you a very very pink friday ;o)

Polarisian spirit 4 - Place des Vosges

2010-05-06T08:00:00.002+02:00

Hello friends.

Today, I'm taking you to another iconic part of the city : the Marais and its beautiful "place des Vosges", with its statue of king Louis the 13th and its graceful arcades.

As you can see, May is a great time to catch the blooming chestnut trees and their gorgeous flowers.

Roid week going on here and my polarisian pictures there.

I wish you a royal day ;o)

Polarisian spirit 3 - Shakespeare and co

2010-05-05T08:00:00.003+02:00

Hello everyone.

I enjoy spending beautiful spring evenings wandering in the iconic Quartier Latin and losing myself (sort of ... since I feel I know each and every cobblestone of it ...) in the medieval streets.

Near the Seine river and Notre Dame, the bookstore Shakespeare and company is a Parisian literary institution. It is a great place to find English books, old and new, in a unique "old fashionned-vintage-bohemian" atmosphere. The whole story of the place this way ...

I wish you a poetic day ;o)

My Polarisian spirit pictures are here, and the Roid week Flickr group there !

Polarisian spirit 2 - Rainbow

2010-05-04T08:00:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

Because the sun is not always shining in Paris, but rainy days can make beautiful pictures too ...

Roid week going on this way !

I wish you colorful day ;o)

Polarisian spirit 1 - Notre Dame

2010-05-03T08:00:00.004+02:00

Hello friends.

This week is Roid week on Flickr, and I grabbed the occasion to revive the "Polarisian spirit" pictures, an expression I coined to mix Polaroid and Parisian on my previous blog.

I hope you'll like it !

I wish you a gorgeous monday ;o)

May

2010-05-01T11:26:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

The only thing the picture can't show is the delicate fragrance ...

I wish you an enchanting saturday ;o)

Luxembourg garden

2010-04-30T22:31:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.

Friday evening feels good, doesn't it ?!

I show you today the pictures from the Mamiya.

The Luxembourg garden in a beautiful sunset light again. But how could we possibly get tired of that ?!

What I like so much about this camera is the square format. I'm definitely a square lover ... And, of course, the incredible velvet touch of the colors. Becoming friends with it seems on the right track. I sent the next rolls to the lab this week. We'll see what comes back ...

How do you like that ?

I wish you the best of the week ends ;o)

"Home and everyday photography" - Interview #11

2010-04-28T08:00:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

Jamie is the bright young lady behind From me to you. If you don't know her blog yet, be prepared to loose yourself in her gorgeous pictures of New York (where she lives), food, and many other subjects that she artfully shoots. And she also has a lot to say about "Home and every day photography" !

Photo by Jamie

1- What do you find inspiring in taking photographs of your home and your everyday life ?
We surround ourselves with things we love like a blueprint of our past and a bookmark to the page of our present. A person's home is portrait of them and what is so inspiring to me is the many creative ways we can show who we are at that time in our life. When I pick up the camera to capture something of beauty, for me, in front of the lens everything comes alive and tells a story and it's what that story is that makes the image special.

2- Out of remembering, testifying, documenting, creating a vision, (other) ... what feels the most important to you ? Why ?
Creating a vision is the most important thing an artist and photographer can have. Anyone can learn how to share information with f/stops and shutter speeds but it's the perspective of a person's vision that I find the most interesting, challenging, diverse and beautiful. What do you want to say? What can your mind think to create? How do you imagine it? Before I shoot anything I see the image in my head I want to create.

3- What atmospheres and/or emotions do you try to create or to convey ?
I love creating the feeling of nostalgia. Maybe it's because I wish to live in the past so I project my own desires into my work but there is something to the notion of days gone by that I love creatively living in — I guess it's safe there. I don't set out thinking nostalgically in my head but I am drawn to classic or timeless subjects.

4- Do you like to look at photographs of other people's home and everyday life ? If so, what do you look for and appreciate in these photographs ?
I do, I think the contrast of how we all live compared to each other is so interesting while on the other hand exactly the same. Take three homes, each home has a bed but what we choose to do with the bed as a refection of our taste and personalities is vastly different. I love coming in and photographing these little differences and details of loveliness people have taken the time to bring in to their home and hopefully capture the the stack of newspapers or dirty teacup that shows in life how we simply interact. I have a section on my blog called At Home With where you can see some of the places I've been!

Thank you Jamie for these words of wisdom !

The whole interview series is here.

I wish you a lovely day ;o)

Playful

2010-04-26T08:00:00.001+02:00

Hi everyone !

Another Kodak Ektar by Fuji, to remind us of film magic ...

I wish you a playful week ;o)

The sky out of my window (turning 40 ...)

2010-04-25T18:24:00.000+02:00

Hello friends.

It seems I missed showing you the diaporama of the 30th sky. So, below is the 40th sky of the series, and the diap is here !

I wish you a beautiful sunday ;o)

Sunshine

2010-04-24T11:00:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

I couldn't wait to share more of the Fuji pictures ...

In the Luxembourg garden again.

I wish you a gorgeous week end ;o)

Photographic paradise

2010-04-23T08:00:00.001+02:00

Dear dear readers ...

In that post, last week, Jeanine made my day with her gorgeous pictures, and had me laughting by writing "I have died and gone to heaven, people !", and this is exactly how I felt when I received my latest films from the lab last saturday !!!

As I told you in my projects of the year, shooting more film with the Fuji and becoming friends with the Mam were on the list. And the beginnings look rather promising.

I start with the Fuji loaded with Kodak Ektar.

Please, look at this ! I'm ... beyond words ... I already knew THAT camera made beautiful things such as my pictures from Greece, but the quality of the light and colors it delivers always stikes me.

That was shot in Paris, in the Luxembourg garden, which is the big garden of the left bank, the one that is close to the "Quartier latin".

More to come.

I wish you an extatic day ;o)

"Home and everyday photograhy" - Interview #10

2010-04-21T08:00:00.003+02:00

Hello friends.

Here we are with the 10th interview, and I'm welcoming Claire, aka Clumsy bird, who lives in Vancouver (Canada).

Photo by Claire

1- What do you find inspiring in taking photographs of your home and your everyday life ?
i truly believe that by celebrating the little things, it makes life so much more enjoyable, and it’s those little things that i love to photograph – the way the light comes through the blinds and creates a beautiful light display on my bedroom wall, a colourful stack of dirty dishes waiting to be washed, or the steam rising from a perfectly brewed cup of tea...these are all simple pleasures that add up to so much more.

2- Out of remembering, testifying, documenting, creating a vision, (other) ... what feels the most important to you ? Why ?
it's a different way of seeing the world. i like the way life looks through a lens.

3- What atmospheres and/or emotions do you try to create or to convey ?
i don’t know if I’m trying to convey anything specific, i think i just try to capture the moment and whatever emotions or atmospheres it may hold.

4- Do you like to look at photographs of other people's home and everyday life ? If so, what do you look for and appreciate in these photographs ?
oh absolutely! i’m a little snoopy like that :) i love to see not only other people living their lives in ways (and places) that are completely different to my own, but also how they frame them through a camera. i love to see what real people do with real homes, and with what they have. i am far more inspired by these every day lives and homes than those you find in interior design blogs and magazines, which i think are just too clean, and mostly unattainable. i love the messy and crumpled; to be inspired to make little adjustments to my home after seeing it in others… to hang my polaroids up with pretty japanese masking tape, to number all the steps on my staircase, or to try that new tomato sauce recipe I saw in a photo of someone’s dinner. and then photograph it.

Thanks you so much Claire !

And to see her beautiful pictures, her Flickr stream is here, the amazing photo-blog she shares with her Dad is there, and she has a lovely Etsy store if you want to buy something handmade.

All the "Home and everyday photography" interviews can be found here.

I wish you a sparkling and creative day ;o)

Krispy me ...

2010-04-20T08:00:00.002+02:00

Hello friends.

A new "goûter" today, and I'm sharing with you what is probably my oldest, sweetest, prefered über everything breakfast, lunch, brunch, snack, dinner, and "goûter" in some occasions ... ladies and gentlemen : a bowl of Kellogg's Rice Krispies with cold milk !

Far ahead of Oreos, Cadbury Fingers (milk chocolate), peanut butter (plain), and then "croissant" and "pain au chocolat", Rice Krispies always were my favorites. I can live for days on Rice Krispies ! Along with the "Hawaï 5-0" music, they bring the happiness of my early years back in a second.

I wish you a very happy day ;o)

To focus ... or not !

2010-04-19T08:00:00.000+02:00

Hello folks.

Some new pictures of Parisian spring ...

I wish you a great week ;o)

Sun and sleep (not necessarily in that order)

2010-04-18T09:00:00.003+02:00

Hello everyone.

The amazing quality of my sleep has convinced me that I probably was a marmot in a very close former life (for those who believe in former lives ...).

I can fall asleep so easily anywhere, in any situation, and especially, of course, in all kinds of transportation : car, train, plane, ... The plane is a very good example of my abilities in that field since I can fall asleep even before the engines are started for take of, and go on blissfully until my brain feels the wheels landing. And without any kind of medication mind you ...

So, I've had a quite unpleasant time in the past few weeks since sleep would not come several nights in a row. But after a long and full night of sleep this week end, things seem to go back to normalcy, and I've enjoyed the kind of "spring-roll-in-my-duvet" saturday morning I most enjoy ... And saturday evening, I shot some new rolls of film while we had this beautiful glowing yellow light !

I wish you a restful and relaxing sunday ;o)

Sunny week end

2010-04-17T15:39:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

We're having a glorious sunny week end in Paris. It started on thursday and it is supposed to last.

The pictures come from two small and charming Parisian gardens.

I wish you a beautiful day ;o)

White and light

2010-04-16T08:00:00.003+02:00

Hello everyone.

Spring feels so good !!! I think I said it already, but it really does, also the weather is still a bit to cold to wear shoes with naked feet (sight ...).

And spring light holds nice surprises such as this shot, soft and tender ...

Enjoy your last day before the week end ;o)

Sea side - Sea lights

2010-04-15T08:00:00.001+02:00

Hello friends.

Things are coming back to usual life with our new lock.

Today is the last post with the sea side pictures. For now at least.

Biblic skies as I promised !

I hope you've enjoyed this little trip to the sea together.

I wish you a heavenly day ;o)

Locked outside

2010-04-14T08:00:00.001+02:00

Dear friends.

There's a bit of disorganisation going on ...

Our apartment nearly got robbed. Some people tried to enter, failed (thank God ...) but blocked the lock so that we've spend our evening watching the locksmith open the broken lock and fix a new one.

I feel a bit too shacky to care about the interview post right now. I'll be back soon with the project.

And by the way, take good care of your back ups, because if my laptop had been stolen, I'd be crying about all my beautiful pictures lost ... Learn from my experience !

I wish you a safe day ;o)

Sea side - Shells and sea life

2010-04-13T08:00:00.001+02:00

I wish you a beautiful day ;o)

Sunday brunch

2010-04-11T18:45:00.001+02:00

Hello folks.

A few pictures of a lazy sunday brunch ... A day with bright sun between dark grey clouds, and lots of wind blowing.

I wish you a cosy sunday evening ;o)