Misty morning on Bellecombe plateau

Misty morning on Bellecombe plateau

Another image from this beautiful morning on Bellecombe plateau.

I've added yesterday one new photo gallery about Jura department on my french website.
It contains all my images from Bellecombe plateau and Hérisson waterfalls plus a few other ones.
I'll add in october the photos done more recently around Septmoncel.

First autumn colors on Valserine valley

First autumn colors on Valserine valley


An image from the first days of september.
It was in the early morning. I was driving back from another try in the mountains of Haut Jura Natural Park.
On my way to home, i took the road through Valserine valley and when the rain stopped i had some nice views of the very first autumn colors on the misty forest. (You can see another one here.)

Weekly commented photo # 37 - Mist and sun on Jura landscape

Misty morning on Jura forest and meadows

On tuesday, i woke up before dawn, saw the starry sky enlightened by the moon and took my car for a drive to Haut Jura Natural Park.
I was expecting to be there for some beautiful pink dawn hues over the green meadows around Lajoux.

I arrived in Lajoux just at dawn time but the fog was really too strong and i had absolutely no visibility on the surrounding landscapes. I drove a little more turning around the village without finding any view on anything. I took some new roads but without seeing anything i can't call it exploration ...

After a few hesitations i decided to take once more the road to Bellecombe.
It seemed to be a good idea : while i was driving the heavy fog became a nice and light mist.

Just before arriving on the plateau where i took the rainy landscape posted one week ago, i noticed that the first sun rays were trying to pass over the mountains creating some nice backlit effects on the trees and mist.

I found a place to leave my car, took my gear and literally ran on a little hilltop hoverhanging Bellecombe plateau.
There, with a long lens i could make a little serie of images like this one. The serie ended when the mist was totally cleared by the sun.

Then, i packed my camera, put my tripod on my shoulder and started to hike the hills, with some little stops from time to time to make some of my first photographs of Jura landscapes under the sun.
I continued the walk untill i was pushed out of the meadows by a huge herd of cows.

Before driving back home, i returned around Lajoux to explore the little roads i took for the first time some hours before.
I was too late for photography but i certainly found some nice places for my next times here.

Mist in Valserine forest

Mist in Valserine forest


This morning, i went once more to Haut Jura Natural Park with the intention of making some new mountains landscapes for my stock website.

More i was going deeper in the mountains, more the weather was awful.
So i went down to Valserine valley where i could make a few images between the biggest rains.
The forest starts to change its colours and there is no doubt that autumn will come soon this year ...

Weekly commented photo # 34 - Trees, snow and mist in a rural landscape

Trees, snow and mist in a rural landscape

Here in Haute Savoie we had an unusual winter.
The snow started to fall strongly at the end of november until the first days of december. After that the weather was really cold until january and then winter was gone and spring started.

On december 2, just after the snow falls i woke up early and took my gear for a walk in the misty rural landscape around my home.

I first took a few images in a strong mist that you can see here on my french website.
I was still turning around in this field, trying to find interesting point of views and taking care of leaving the most important places free of footprints when the mist became lighter.
If i remember well i just did this image before walking back home. It's certainly less ethereal and "beautiful" than the other ones of the serie but i really love the simple composition and how it shows the wet and cold atmosphere.

Rural landscape in the mist on Vuache mountain - Another version

Rural landscape in the mist on Vuache mountain

You can see here another version of this scene.

While this first one was done in a very deep mist and without any filter, the one posted today was done with a little more sun and the difference of lightness between the sky and ground was compensated by a soft gnd filter, giving different atmospheres in these two images.

Silhouettes

Trees silhouettes in the mist on Vuache mountain

Branches in the mist

Branches in the mist

An other one from my last outing in the mist on the Vuache mountain past friday.
After 15 years spent in Provence, i probably have to renew my skills for making images in such conditions.

BTW, i've updated this morning my french website with 9 images of this serie.

Mist and clouds on Vuache mountain

Mist and clouds on Vuache mountain

Rural landscape in the mist on Vuache mountain

Rural landscape in the mist on Vuache mountain

I love this mountain because i can climb to the top while leaving my car at home.
Just perfect when you need a breath of fresh air after some hours on phone with clients.

I went there on friday afternoon. Our house was in the mist and i guessed that the top of the mountain would be sunny ...
After about one hour walk i was still in the mist (and did this image) but a few moment later and a very few meters higher i had a very short time of sun with a beautiful view on a nice sea of mist and clouds bathing the mountain forest.

White landscape in the mist

White landscape in the mist

Another from the same serie than the one presented one week ago.
I think this one is my favorite.

This is my second contribution to SkyWatch Friday.
Click on the image to see it larger :)

Trees in the mist and snow - First contribution to Skywatch Friday

Trees in the mist and snow

Early this morning we had our first time without any falling snow for some days.
I could grab a few images of the rural landscapes around the houses while the light was still soft. Walking in more than 30 cm of fresh and virgin snow was a real pleasure.

This image is my first contribution to Skywatch Friday.
Click on the thumbnail to see it larger :)