Honest light

(The road taken, Sunday morning, February 13, 2011)

Even as I have promised myself to get away from the "French countryside" image that was a part of La France Profonde, I have also decided to explore a few back roads that are not that far off my usual paths.

Thus my Sunday morning grocery shopping trip to Bozouls turned into a mini-adventure. I took a detour that leads to the tiny village of Gillorgues, and motored my way up this steeper-than-it-looks dirt road.

I found myself in a quiet place with a lovely view of the town of Bozouls in the hazy distance.

There was one slight problem, though: I knew the light wasn't very good.

Yet why do we so often prefer to take our photos with stunning blue skies and stark contrasts?

These shots certainly aren't as striking as they would have been on a gloriously sunny day, but they sum up what I saw.

Call it honest light.

Fresh photos: Today in Rodez

Rodez, late morning; January 8, 2010

Call it serendipity.

I was planning a post about photos today, and it's funny how one of my best online and real-life friends blogged on the same subject.

Unlike myself, Loulou has not experienced a drought of photography inspiration. More power to her.

Speaking of "power," I stumbled upon the joys of photography when my husband gave me a Canon PowerShot S45...a long time ago.

The model has apparently been around since 2002; I must have gotten mine shortly thereafter.

One of the many "weird places" in Rodez; January 8, 2010

When I was blogging at La France Profonde, I got into cropping my photos. For example, I would have cut out the mailbox and the whatever-it-is door-on-the-right from the above. But they're part of what I see; I think I'll be doing photo vérité from now on.

L'Hôtel du Cheval Blanc, Rodez; January 8, 2010

This is one of the places that has fascinated me for years in Rodez, although I've never stepped through its door. On the ground floor there is some sort of strange café -- I think it used to be a restaurant too.

A long-standing American friend of mine has sipped various drinks there, and recently told me that if I wanted to go, he "should probably go with me."

Would anyplace in Rodez really be that daunting for me in broad daylight? I mean, it does have a Facebook page, after all.

At any rate, I hope I will make it before it closes down or is remodeled.

And I will try to take some photos.