 The entrance to the Versailles Palace in Paris, France is quite grand. Even though the entrance is about a quarter mile away from the nearest parking area, the magnificent golden doors may be seen from a far, far distance. I was in Versailles this summer. The visit there was spontaneous, as I didn't even want to visit Versailles (I wanted to focus on exploring more of Paris). But after some convincing and realizing that it may be a great opportunity, I relented and went along. It was a fine journey. The visit was marked with some unexpected news: the interior of the Versailles was closed to the public. There were guards with funny hats telling people to go this way and that. They motioned visitors to the park at the back of Versailles, which is where we headed. If you have been following Erudite Expressions for a while (and if you have, I'd appreciate your vote here), you will remember the shots I posted from the grounds at Versailles. First, I tried reaching out to you and posted an image of an angel (thanks to those who participated in that contest I held). The following day, I posted “The Guardian of Versailles,” another image from the garden. As for this shot: I captured it on the way out of Versailles, when most people had already left. It was a bit lonely here, not least because there was not one person in the vicinity. That was to my advantage, however, as I was able to set up the shot on a tripod to create this high dynamic range image. This was a stormy evening (which I loved), so perhaps people didn't come to Versailles for that reason as well. What do I love about this shot? At full resolution, you can discern the French flag waving in the distance, at center of the central golden gate. Do you see it? I read the other day that a photoblog shouldn't be a representation of one's best work. It's not a portfolio site (or is it?). Still, the amount of self-criticism that I undergo before posting an entry is quite high. Only about one out of every hundred shots makes it as an entry on Erudite Expressions. I almost didn't post the shot I did today, as the framing is slightly off: I cut off the corners of the flanking buildings on the right and left. I mention this critique as a reference of what not to do in the future (i.e., it is better to get the framing right in camera, and if there is a mistake made, recapture the shot). As always, I encourage you to offer your criticisms of this image in the comments. ### Note: I'll be posting a few more images from Versailles in the coming weeks. In the meantime, feel free to explore my entire HDR gallery. |
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