In the south of France. It was ALIVE with bees, zillions of them!
In the south of France. It was ALIVE with bees, zillions of them!
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Awards
People's Choice in Lavender Forever Photo Challenge
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Jaw Dropping
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Genius
Superior Skill
All Star
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kathleenweetman
October 08, 2014
I HAVE A FEW TAKEN IN PROVENCE BUT A FEW WEEKS BEFORE FULL BLOOM SADLY...K
ricklecompte
March 16, 2015
Thanks to EVERYONE that voted this as the Peoples Choice winner! I am honored, truly honored
ricklecompte
March 25, 2017
Merci Ahmed, it was HOT and the color drew me from the car to wander among the bees, to hold this memory in more than my thoughts
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image was taken in the south of France.Time
DANGER! I instantly loved this image when I downloaded it to a laptop in my room. It was around noon in July and France was having a record heat wave that year. Following an off the beaten path, passing a mile or so of this blue beauty, we found what looked like THE place to pull over When we opened the door of the van, the hum of a zillion bees hard at their work filled our ears. Not a soul around for miles. Nature in its purest. Everyone remained quiet as we stepped out silently to set forth capturing this momentLighting
The 'hard light' of the noon day sun brought out the details of the shot so it didn't just look like a bunch of blue. Making sure to hand shade the lens helped the exposureEquipment
I shot this with a Sony, my constant camera of choice for years. The shutter speed in this brightness let it be taken hand held.Inspiration
I wanted this image because it reminded me of the 'feel' of my boyhood home. It was different crop in Illinois. It was rows and rows and rows and miles of corn or soybeans. But that same deafening quietness is there too. It tied together for me, the past stretch out behind, to the future laid out ahead. And it was drop dead beautiful too.Editing
The only thing I did to this image was in Photoshop. I gave it the mandatory nudge of sharpening, a little contrast tweak to take advantage of the brightness and brought back some of the color ol' Sol had stolen away with simple saturation boost.In my camera bag
What I try to carry is fairly simple. I use a new Sony A7 Mark 2 with a 22-70. With its 5 point body internal stabilization and over 25,000 ISO, this almost always works so I hand hold most of the time for bobbing to different angles or backgrounds. For more questionable light I always use a quick release tripod. I carry it around with the camera attached. I am used to it so it seems fast and natural. Then, of course, extra batteries and memory devices, lens caps, lens shades. I have the new camera so I take my old friend the Sony A300 for nostalgia more than anything.Feedback
This is an image you could get! I heard one time a sage told a student to instruct, "Don't tell me how much you know, tell me how much you have traveled". There is more to it, however. The travels can be right across town, or that old road or warehouse you know about and always 'mean to stop by', the neighbor with the interesting face, or a land far far away. It IS all the same because when you get there because you - the traveler - are there. Camera in hand. SEEING. Seeing. Feel for the moment, feel for the image. If you have read this far, you can. Just say to yourself. "I can". The trick is to do it. I wish all of you the best of all the moments that mark your life. Your image can share that. Share something with us, we want to see it. Rick.