Category Archives: Foreign

Photographer’s Choice – Judy Benda

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Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Rémy, Provence, France

Judy Benda - Vincent van Gogh's Inspiration

Judy Benda - Vincent van Gogh's Inspiration

During a European tour in 2011, Judy and Pete traveled to the Provence region of south eastern France. They visited Saint-Rémy and more specifically Saint-Paul Asylum where van Gogh committed himself after his famous ear episode in nearby Arles. He resided here for about a year which was one of his most productive periods, inspired by the gardens and the surrounding countryside.  The beautifully framed photo above was an attempt by Judy to capture some of the magic seen by the artist.  The mountains in the background are part of the Chaîne des Alpilles, the bare rocks rising prominently above the lush growth in the foreground with a touch of blooming lavender. To view van Gogh’s interpretation of these mountains (with olive trees), click here. Close the new tab or window to return here. Another painting during his stay at Saint-Paul is Starry Night.

Judy’s camera was the Canon Powershot SD890 IS with a focal length of 20.423 mm, a shutter speed of 1/400 sec and an aperture of f/5.0. The ISO was a low 80.

Photo of the Week – Janice Mastorio-Worth

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Janice Worth has a talent for locating interesting people  in exotic settings, finding the best perspective and framing the scene to tell a complete story.  Below is the capture of Balinese
taking part in a Hindu water purification ceremony where the old is washed away to allow for a new beginning. If you look closely you’ll see five queues, winding peacefully and happily to place  offerings and bathe in the water gushing from fountains spaced along the wall.  It’s probably not a shot that will walk away with the blue ribbon in a juried show as it doesn’t employ any special techniques, there’s nothing here that “grabs” the viewer and perhaps it doesn’t follow the “rules” of composition but overall it has great appeal.

Janice Mastorio-Worth - Hindu Purification Ceremony on the island of Bali

Janice Mastorio-Worth - Hindu Purification Ceremony on the island of Bali

There is an additional shot available here that shows a different perspective on the same scene.