Bye bye winter?

Last week, it was freaking cold outside and today... what a nice surprise with warm pleasant weather, plain blue sky and sun. Not one single freaking cloud! So what else could I do except going out and shoot?! Joy, I was so delighted :-)

ISO 200 - 115mm - f/5.6 - 1/125s

Frozen lake - Le lac de Warfaaz (II)

Seeing the lake almost totally frozen was just stunning. Here's another view of the Warfaaz lake in Spa, Belgium. I did a couple of shots there and this is probably the last one of the serie during the winter. I'm looking forward for Spring to be there so I can get colourful shots...

I used my "pancake" 40mm lens from Canon for this little sequence.
ISO 100 - 40mm - f/2.8 - 1/250s

Frozen lake - Le lac de Warfaaz (Panorama)

Still at the Warfaaz lake in Spa, Belgium. I like panorama's when I have wide open spaces in front of me. This lets you appreciate more of the scenery with all the ducks and that frozen water. Just an advise though, stay on the plain ground, you won't bear the low temperature water as ducks do ;-)

Panorama is made out of two horizontal shots.

For each shot: ISO 100 - 40mm - f/2.8 - 1/125s

Frozen lake - Le lac de Warfaaz

So yeah, in less than a month now it'll be Spring time, and just as last year we're (finally?) having the snow very late in winter. I can't tell you how strong the temptation was to walk on that pure white surface, on the frozen lake of Warfaaz in Spa, Belgium. Of course I've been careful and stayed on the edge of the lake, making sure I was stepping on plain ground! The lake is artificial and has been dug about a century ago to avoid flooding of Spa, a thermal city of Belgium, during storms and heavy rains.

(Sources: www.lacdewarfaaz.be)

ISO 100 - 40mm - f/2.8 - 1/250s

"Lights will guide you". Liège, le pont Saint-Léonard.

First snow here this winter, I thought it would be time for a panorama picture! This is one of the numerous bridges in Liege (Belgium), this one's the St-Leonard bridge (hence the french title) also called the Maghin bridge (le pont Maghin). That's not the most beautiful bridge of the city but surely is interesting due to the lighting of it. Bridge is crossing the Meuse river.
It was freaking cold outside and it froze my feet and hands but that was definitely worth it! I took three panorama's of this bridge but this one came out the best.

I was not sure exactly at what time they would light the bridge so I went there just a tiny bit before sunset and they switched on the lights 10min after my arrival, good one! As this is the last of the three panoramas I did, the sky here is already dark and polluted by street lamps which gives quite a nice effect though. It also has this cute little blue lit pathway on the right side.
This is a long exposure photo (15 seconds).

Lights will guide you...

Panorama is made out of 5 vertical shots
For each individual shot: ISO 100 - 18mm - f/14 - 15s

'La Julienne', river of Saive

It had to wait for February (2012) for getting surprised by crisp winter days. we didn't really expect it. Whatever Mother Nature decided, that was an opportunity to get a stunning view on part of the village from the south side of the terrace of the Old Castle of Saive (Belgium). In this valley flows the little river 'la Julienne' of which you can see some pretty furrows in the foreground.

Have a Good and Safe Holiday Season!