Mist is usually anathema to most amateur photographers unless they are deliberately attempting to create a particular atmosphere or mood.
They normally aim for maximum clarity of image and sharpness.
However, Ruth and Chris Nicholls deliberately holidayed at Cordes-sur-Ciel, near to the Dordogne with that specific intention in mind.
It was great to see that both had recovered from their recent indisposition and able to treat the Isle of Man Photography Club to two quite different presentations from their recent travels.
.png?width=209&height=140&crop=209:145,smart&quality=75)
Ruth began with their trip to France in September 2024.
Her presentation was full of quaint villages in and around the picturesque hill-town, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area, and thriving pre-Covid.
Though a few of the buildings were architecturally imposing, some seemed to be rather dilapidated.
The hill-town had been renamed in 1993, to indicate its height above the clouds overlooking the valley below.
Their principal aim had been to photograph the village above the mist in the surrounding valley from a suitable vantage point.
Having flown to Bergerac in southern France, almost 300 km away, they had hired a Citroen for the journey and stayed in a town apartment.
Except for the residents, no cars were allowed in the town, which could have been problematic for them. [Their visit would not be suitable to anyone with mobility problems because the streets were steep!]
Ruth had included several pictures of the Jardin des Paradis – contemporary gardens close to the original garden, where all the senses are filled, the word ‘paradise’ springing to mind.
Their patience was rewarded on their last day, when the mist arrived in the valley and the specific image they desired was finally captured, thus making their trip worthwhile.
After a break for refreshments, the second half of the evening transported us to beautifully scenic Austria, a composite of three trips, giving a taster of the country with its Alpine slopes and pretty villages, bringing for many happy memories of past travels.
Chris featured some of the towering waterfalls, the village of Seefeld, Stam’s Abbey, near Innsbruck, the glass town of Rattenberg, with its magnificent baroque monastery and gloriously ornate interiors, the local glaciers with their ‘cloudy’ run-off, Trout Lake Abbey, Blunden, with its year-round, cultural and community events, Zell am See, on the picturesque shores of Lake Zell, the architecturally distinctive chateaux, plus several local livestock and pretty wild flowers. The eerie silence of the gondolas moving between the tall trees were also recalled.
Oberammergau, the famous town in the Bavarian Alps, famed for its once-a-decade performances of the passion plays, was where we saw attractive frescos painted on the exterior of many of the building’s gables and is also well known for the woodcarvings by local artisans.
The next society gathering will be at 7pm on Wednesday, January 21, when judging will take place for the second ‘Open’ competition of the winter programme.
ANTONY HAMILTON