Lovely Loire

It has been ages since my last post, mainly due to the frantic effort of getting on top of things at work, ready for a couple of weeks holiday in France, and then the actual holiday itself.  This post comprises a collection of my favourite shots from the trip to the Saumur area of the Loire Valley in France.  It is always good to travel to new and interesting places.  From a photographic perspective it allows you to see things differently and to try out new alternative approaches to the light conditions which in this case are very different from home in the north-west Highlands. 

The shots from Chateau Chenonceau were all taken with the intent of converting them to black & white, specifically to try and diminish the impact of the enormous number of visitors, often in bright clothing.  I think this tactic worked really well, and the bright blue sky contrasting nicely with the white clouds provides a dramatic backdrop to this spectacular architectural gem.