Jongkind too kind

Ah, Paris! What a great city!

Granted, I did not have much time to go around and shoot, I just chose one particular evening and a place just 5 minutes away from where we stayed. Also, I was inspired by Jongkind painting (the first of the photos is as close as I could reproduced the sight with the 35mm lens), which I saw the very same day in Musée d'Orsay.

Too bad that they have built few new buildings since his time (1864), so I moved closer trying to get a better view on the cathedral. I like the picture taken from under the bridge, but the best, I think is the last one, taken from Pont Saint-Michel. I only wish I had more time that night to wait for all these people to leave...

I added the last picture also in color. I think the photos look the best in black and white, but the color version has certain appeal too.

Nikon D7100, 35mm, 1/3s @ f/9, iso 800

Nikon D7100, 35mm, 1.6s @ f/22, iso 800

Nikon D7100, 35mm, 1.6s @ f/22, iso 800

Nikon D7100, 35mm, 15s @ f/22, iso 100

Nikon D7100, 35mm, 15s @ f/22, iso 100 (same as the picture above)

Lantern people

One autumn evening it was finally time to see the Chinese garden light show hosted in Montreal's botanical garden. The display was pretty nice, with some of the most prominent paper figures reflecting in the water. Lots of crowds and they did not allow tripods though.

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/50s @ f/2.2, iso 800

The night and the city

Fujifilm X100S, 1/25s @ f/2, iso 3200

This year, save for 2 weeks in Laos, I did not travel that much. But I still have a lot of pictures from the previous winter which were not processed to their full potential. The Hong Kong skyline seen from the mainland is one of them.

Enjoy your morning coffee

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/60s @ f/2.8, iso 3200

Cute little coffee shop in Luang Prabang. Got there before the famous "Giving Alms" ceremony started, to watch it while enjoying the coffee. Probably the only place in Laos serving Japanese coffee too! And a very nice waiting girl - when I asked to have a croissant, she just jumped onto her bike and after 5 minutes I could enjoy a fresh one from a near bakery.

Warm evening

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/50s @ f/1.4, iso 1250

So thanks to meetup.com/ we went to an evening stroll through the centre of Chiang Mai to learn some of the history of this place. Tomorrow I'm trying that pad thai Tony recommended!

Oh, and here's more pictures from this walk.

Fruitarian paradise

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/50s @ f/5.6, iso 3200

Walking the streets of Thai cities leaves a little wonder why for example Steve Jobs became a fruitarian. Of course, there are countless opportunities to eat something else (and usually uber-delicious), but you can live off fruits without problem. Some of them you've never saw before...

Now you see me...

Nikon 7100, 450mm, 1/13s @ f/16, iso 100

Not bad for the first moon shots? This one took a 300mm tele-lens (actually 450mm due to the 1.5 DX crop factor).

For the next super-moon I plan to be in Adirondacks. 

Supermoonrise

Nikon 7100, 105mm, composite @ f/4.5, iso 100

Yesternight it was a super full moon night and of course the Chalet du Mont-Royal was packed. No matter, that the next 2 full moons are also going to be super.

Of all the pictures taken, this was the first to tackle, mainly because it needed blending (yes, I suck at Photoshop). So - after 10 hours of fighting PS (kidding, it was only 2!) - this is the end effect.

Ultraviolet

Sony RX100M3, 24mm, 8s @ f/11, iso 80

It was a night when it rained, stopped, rained again, and so on. During a brief break (or actually during a lighter rain) I managed to set up a tripod and get this shot.

Night currents

Sony RX100M3, 24mm, 30s @ f/11, iso 80

This weekend (long weekend in Quebec) I was testing my French and the new Sony RX100M3. French was mediocre at best, but the camera - for a device that small - was actually pretty good.

The picture has been shot at the blue hour from the Pont N. It needed a bit of editing and noise reduction (thanks Dfine!), but the end effect is great.

Night peak

Fujifilm X100s, 12s @ f/5.6, iso 3200

Fujifilm X100s, 17s @ f/5.6, iso 3200

Doi Chiang Dao - the second highest peak in Thailand.

These are two different pictures taken in sequence as JPEGs. Using vivid film simulation for color and standard black-and-white. Long-exposure night photos - and I could hardly believe the level of detail preserved by the trusted Fujifilm X100s. 

5am quiet in Hong Kong

Fujifilm X100s, 1/40s @ f/2.0, iso 3200

I love this picture, because it is so unusual to see an empty street in Hong Kong. Well, maybe you can do it on every night, but you need to be up very early (or not go to bed at all). 

War of the Worlds

Fujifilm X100s, 1/13s @ f/2.0, iso 3200

Apparently this picture got some appreciation on G+. Laserz!!!

Full moon over Plateau

Fujifilm X100s, 1/10s @ f/2.8, iso 3200

It is not the best photo quality-wise, because lots of noise reduction was needed. No tripod, so it had to be high ISO, and even with that I somehow ended up with 1/10s shutter.
Why is this photo not blurred? The secret - I think - lies in 3 or 4 pints of guinness I drank before going on a stroll.