I’m pretty sure I committed an international crime by not sampling any wine while driving through the vineyards of France on our way to Bordeaux. I guess I am more of a Leffe Brune type of guy. Boy, that is a good Belgium beer!
Google suggest that our drive from La Mongie to Bordeaux was around 3hours. We decided to stay off the interstate and take the back roads, which added about 4 hours and an untold number of stories to the drive. Well worth the extra time. One of the the vineyards we passed had an old monastery on its property. As you drive through the French countryside, you get used to seeing quaint villages surrounding a cathedral rich in character. If you stopped at everyone one, it would would take you a week to drive 300km. But this one, I couldn’t pass up. I will post the abandoned monastery sometime in the future. For now, I really liked the gate that led me to it.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D700
Nikkor 45mm PC-E
Gitzo Traveler
Lexar UDMA film
Aperture f/4.2
Focal Length 45 mm
ISO Speed 200
Processing Notes:
Capture – 7 images @ 1EV
Photomatix – HDR Tonemapping
Photoshop – Global Curves Adjustment
Nik Color Efex Pro – Glamour Glow (2x)
Nik Color Efext Pro – Tonal Contrast (selective)
Sized for web
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: If you schedule a day to explore the countryside into your trip, use it. Don’t rush to your destination. You will get there, but take time to fill your life with what is uniquely everyday.
