Photos
France
I travelled to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, Holland and Monet’s Garden in Giverney, France with a group of photographers led by Charles Needle, a professional fine art and editorial nature photographer based in Seattle.
I was very excited to have the opportunity to travel with a group of photographers who were interested in working with impressionistic shooting styles. Charles is quite an inspiration in this arena.
Monet has always been my favorite painter so the thought of walking through his gardens, gazing at his water lilies and actually stepping into his art studio was unbelievable.
The bonus was going to Keukenhof gardens first. We had access to the gardens for 3 hours every morning and every evening before and after the tourists. Keukenhof boasts over 7 million flowers blooming in over 79 acres of park. That’s a lifetime of shooting!!!! The tulips were at their peak and many other types of flowers were blooming. I’ve never seen such a spectacular display anywhere!
Then it was on to Giverney (the heart of Impressionism) and Monet’s Garden. We stayed in a beautiful old mill that was surrounded by several acres of pasture where kangaroos and ostrich were roaming.
Monet’s house and the village are charmed by the unique light of the Seine Valley. His garden was in full bloom and quite magnificent. We were privileged to have access before and after tourists and actually experienced the serenity of the garden. A very special gift. We shot many days, in the morning and evening hours, and went on other excursions in the Normandy countryside in the middle of the day. We visited cathedrals, museums, villages and, of course, amazing French restaurants.
It was so inspiring to stand in the heart of Impressionism, knowing that some of the most wonderful painters to ever live were all right here experiencing the same light, yet interpreting it in very different ways. It was the trip of a lifetime.
While there, I filmed Charles as he instructed the photographers on shooting in the impressionistic style. He is a wonderful teacher and quite an artist with a camera.
After 2 glorious weeks in Holland and the Normandy countryside, I traveled to Paris to meet up with my partner Cliff and we spent a lovely weekend with our cameras discovering the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Gardens of the Tuileries, Notre Dame and the West Bank. We ventured by train out to Chartres and spent the day in amazement at the incredible cathedral architecture and art. We feel like we barely skimmed the surface and put France on the list for another trip!