I still have to get around to writing and posting the journal for my trip to Europe this past summer. In the meantime, I have created a movie out of the videos I shot in England, Scotland, Paris, and Bruges. You can view the HD version by selecting 1080p from the quality settings of the video.
Tag: europe
Photo of the Day: Louvre Panorama
Here’s a panorama I took of the Louvre during my day in Paris a couple of months ago. The plaza was not very crowded for the summer, probably because it had rained for most of the day, but this was one moment when the sun finally peeked out.
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view
You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.
Photo of the Day: Feeding Pigeons in Amsterdam
During my stay in Amsterdam this summer I took a long walk from my hotel into the city center, eventually finding myself in Dam Square, which was packed with people and pigeons. I noticed that some folks were letting the pigeons eat out of their hands, so I snapped a couple of quick photos. I liked this one the best; I thought it looked like something you might see in a magazine. Lucky shot. 🙂
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view
You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.
Scotland Panoramas
I’ve been home from my Eurotrip for nearly two months now and I’m still busy culling and processing all of my photos (it takes a long time to whittle over 2,000 photos down to around 1,000!), so it will be a while before I begin posting journal entries. In the meantime, here are some panoramas I took in Scotland. You can click on any of the photos to view a larger size…
This first one is my favorite. Taken during my trip to the Scottish Highlands, it’s what I like to call an accidental panorama, meaning that it was not originally intended to be a panorama, but when I saw the two separate photos next to each other, I realized they were close enough in composition to be stitched together into a panorama that looks much better than either photo individually. It’s such a beautiful area it almost doesn’t look real; I want to live here.
This next one was taken at the same stop. The white house in the distance is basically all by itself–now that’s what I call privacy!
This one was taken from the grounds of Urquhart Castle on the shore of Loch Ness. The castle was once owned by the Grant family, who are most likely my wife’s ancestors, so being there was pretty neat. If you squint hard while gazing out over the loch, you might be able to catch a glimpse of Nessie. 🙂
This final one was taken at sunset from the top of Calton Hill in Edinburgh.
You can see more photos from my trip via the links below. The only ones I haven’t gotten to yet are Paris.
Photo of the Day: Leeds Castle Peacock
During my visit to Leeds Castle in England I happened upon this peacock roaming the grounds. I followed it for a bit and eventually it sat down, almost as if posing for me.
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view
You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.
Photo of the Day: Canterbury Cathedral in HDR
This HDR image of the cathedral in Canterbury, England is a composite of two separate photos taken from roughly the same angle. My first photo had underexposed the foreground arch, so I took another one with flash, but this slightly overexposed the rest of the image (especially the sky). I hadn’t originally taken the photos with the intention of creating an HDR image so they didn’t exactly match, but I thought they were close enough in composition that merging them was worth a shot. The end result turned out better than either photo had looked on its own.
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view
You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.
Photo of the Day: Edinburgh Castle Dog Cemetery
During my exploration of Edinburgh Castle in Scotland I happened upon this small garden that has been used since the 19th-century as a burial place for regimental mascots and officers’ dogs.
A dog lover myself, I found this to be quite touching, and the image stuck with me as much as anything else I saw in the castle, so I thought I’d share it.
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view
You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.
Photo of the Day: Edinburgh Flower
I took this a couple of weeks ago during my visit to Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view
You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.
Photo of the Day: Stonehenge Under the Setting Sun
I’m back from my trip to the United Kingdom but it’s going to be a while before I am ready to start posting about it. In the meantime, here’s a teaser photo from my visit to Stonehenge. My group had a private viewing after the park closed at sunset. We were able to walk inside the circle of stones, which are normally roped off to the general public. To give you an idea of how far away most people must remain, this photo was taken from behind the ropes.
One cool aspect of Stonehenge is that it is still very much off by itself, unlike many other famous monuments that have cities built up around them. It was an incredible experience to move among these ancient stones, to lie down inside the circle and stare up at the sky as the sun continued its descent below the horizon. It was without a doubt the highlight of my time in England.
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view
You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.
My English Fortnight Awaits
It came up so fast. My flight to London is now just a day away; I can’t wait to get this show on the road. In addition to the itinerary I previously posted, I’ve since purchased tickets for a few other activities: a trip to London’s theater district to see a play, Let The Right One In, at the Apollo Theatre; excursions to The London Eye, The View from The Shard, and the Tower of London; a tour of Edinburgh Castle in Scotland; and the Original Hop On/Off Bus Tour of London, which also includes a Ripper Walking Tour and a Thames river cruise. I don’t think I could have packed this trip much more densely. 🙂
I also just learned that, in addition to Wimbledon during my first week, the Tour de France will be passing through London during my second week, so the usual hustle and bustle of the city is going to be kicked up to eleven–should be quite an experience.
I still haven’t researched places to eat in London, so I would be grateful for any suggestions any of you might have (where to go, what to order, etc.). Advice on good pubs and the best places for afternoon tea would also be most welcome.
This will probably be my final blog post for the next month or so. I usually don’t write when I’m abroad, and after I return, it takes me a while to cull/process my photos and organize my thoughts. I will, however, be making the occasional update on twitter, as well as on my facebook page, for those who are interested.
And now I must sign off and get back to packing. Cheers!
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