My wife and I recently traveled to Burgundy France for a vacation, and I lugged a few cameras along. Since I'm not terribly good at reportage or scenic photography, most of the least-bad photos from the trip were of people. Here are three shots I enjoyed seeing when I downloaded the scans.
1. It rained most of the trip, so my wife's umbrella was a featured character throughout most of our travels. This was taken in an alleyway in Beaune while waiting for lunch service to begin. http://bainesphoto.com/webpost/france-1.jpg
2. This is Chef Mikihito Sawahata of Bissoh restaurant in Beaune. Despite our profound love for Burgundian cuisine, Chef Sawahata's delightful Japanese dishes provided a welcome respite from the richness of the local fare. We greatly enjoyed our lunch with him, and he consented that I might make a portrait of him at the end of the meal with my Leica. http://bainesphoto.com/webpost/france-2.jpg
3. Thomas Bouley is one of the most talented and exciting young vignerons in Volnay, and our barrel tasting of his 2013 lineup was a highlight of our trip. He is standing here in front of his vines in the Clos de la Cave. He was amused here when I scampered atop the wall of the Clos with my aged Hasselblad in order to improve the camera angle and light. http://bainesphoto.com/webpost/france-3.jpg
Your thoughts, comments, and questions are of course always welcome and appreciated.
For me, the last two shots are impeccable. Thomas Bouley should print that shot of him in front of his vineyard just huge.
Your shot of your wife was fine. The only thing I wish is that I got a sense of France in the shot. I'm sure you have dozens of other shots like that, and this one caught your attention because of the lovely light and her kind of mischievous expression.
I spent a lot of time traveling throughout Europe in the early 90s, love seeing shots from there. Great job!
Apr 16, 2015 at 05:03 PM
Andre Labonte Offline • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
Hi Evan, as somebody who recently picked up a Mamiya RZ67 and is making attempts to shoot with it, I'm quickly coming to appreciate just how challenging this stuff can be! Wonderful job, my friend.
Nice people shots!
I travelled that area myself a while back. It's a quaint little village near Pommard that we enjoyed walking through. Trunk was so full of wine when we drove home that a the suitcases had to be put in the back seat!
Hard to pick a fav, but I admire the nice expression in #1 and the fine composition of the last shot.
Ron: I certainly see what you mean about the first shot not having a sense of the location... but we'll know, and that what counts.
David: One of the toughest things for me that held me back when I started shooting film was a reluctance to pay for bad photos. On my worst days, I would "pre-shoot" everything on digital to get the shot "just right" before transitioning to film, resulting in horrifically stale efforts. Even when I didn't do that, I often under-shot in an effort to be ultra-disciplined (and therefore cost-effective). Don't get me wrong, one of the joys of film is the enforced discipline... but I didn't start getting results I was happy with until I was willing to risk paying for bad photos.
Jim: We love the whole region, but Volnay is certainly a favorite for its quaint character (streets so narrow we could barely fit our VW Polo down them), friendly people, and lovely wines that still represent a relative bargain in the Cote D'Or. It is a ceaseless wonder to me that some of the most elegant wines in the region are made in Volnay a few hundred meters from the most rustic and rich wines in Pommard... although M. Bouley would caution me to avoid generalizing too heavily about the character of both villages, as Pommard can be elegant and Volnay "puissant."
Evan, as always your restraint in posting your work leaves us wanting and looking forward to more. The only thing crueler is outshining most of us with your perpetually deft handling and restraint in the work itself.
No. 1 - I get Ron's point (and I always enjoy and learn from his work and comments) but for me, the stucco wall, small window, curved path and brick paving are perfectly sufficient for the "we're not in Kansas anymore, toto" feel. My eye and brain don't care where it is, I just immediately know it's someplace interesting. Beyond that, the composition, cropping, light, grain - everything, certainly including your always wonderful Amanda - it's all so ridiculously competent and appealing. Your understated, nuanced way (and her regal expressions and beauty) --- it's like getting broadsided by 5,000 pounds of cashmere.
No. 2 - Love it.
No. 3 - What I enjoy most about this shot is the delicate balance in either composition and/or cropping. I immediately wanted to see it about 10% tighter from the top and right, then realized all that would have been lost in the amazing converging arcs the vineyard rows. For me those conflicting agendas create a sweet tension in the image.
