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Archive 2014 · Chateau Montelena

  
 
tsaphoto
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Chateau Montelena


In 1976, a British wine merchant organized a blind tasting of a number of prominent French wines. On a whim, he threw in a number of California vintages as well, believing the "superior" French wines would dominate the competition.

Chateau Montelena, a Napa product, won the white wine category. The French judges were so enraged that one demanded her ballot back; the wine merchant was banned from French wine tastings for the next year as punishment and the event was vilified in the press.

Napa wines became famous.

Here's where it all began, down a dusty back road in the shadow of Mount St. Helena.

[1]
http://i.imgbox.com/iqOdUOpb.jpg

[2]
http://i.imgbox.com/kgXJVQLu.jpg


http://i.imgbox.com/m4lw1zps.jpg



Apr 18, 2014 at 09:52 AM
JimFox
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Chateau Montelena


I like what you went after here, but I have 2 suggestions. 1st the sky is too bright and is even blown in some areas. Shooting with an ND grad or using layer masks would bring to life what looks like it would have been a cool sky. 2nd, you can't help it with these shots, but I think going back and shooting it once the vines have grown back would help so much with the impact of the shots. Right now, all I really see is a field full of sticks, which to be honest isn't too appealing visually. Having actual grape vines up and hanging from the support wires would be really sweet.

I did like your recap of history there.

Jim



Apr 18, 2014 at 02:59 PM
Jeffrey
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Chateau Montelena


I like Napa wines, but these are three nearly identical images.


Apr 18, 2014 at 03:08 PM
Jonathan Huynh
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Chateau Montelena


First one colors over saturated.
Second I like best out of all three, the magenta color really pop for this scenes for my taste.
Third with natural looking color but just not interesting



Apr 18, 2014 at 03:15 PM
dswiger
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Chateau Montelena


Having actual grape vines up and hanging from the support wires would be really sweet.
Jim


Nice Jim

I agree, between the skies & the naked-sparse vines they lack strong elements.
Having said that, please go back when the grapes are maturing & the vines are full w/leaves.
The other great time to go is in the Fall when the leaves are turning.
Treat this as a "force-recon" mission.
You've got a great location with a clear view of the vineyard

Dan


Apr 18, 2014 at 04:43 PM
tsaphoto
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Chateau Montelena


This was a recon mission in an area littered with No Trespassing signs. I actually got chased out of a ranch half an hour before shooting these; I maintain that I was either (a) on a public easement or (b) not trespassing, as I had no notice where I was "caught." The ranch hands had another interpretation of the situation.

As for the photos themselves,

JimFox: the sky sucked. It was entirely devoid of color. What you see there is a combination of multiply violet and magenta filters on top of LR split toning in a vain attempt to coax ANY bit of beauty out of an astonishingly boring sunset. Compare the "Napa Solitaire" post; that picture is from a week before this and within spitting distance of here.

I liked the patterns the naked sticks/wires formed, but I guess I'm alone in that. Anyway, the mob has spoken: return trips will be made in a state of better foliage.




Apr 18, 2014 at 08:39 PM





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