Rain rain rain. That's our lot in life these days. A strong thunderstorm woke me up at three this morning. The thunder clap rattled the roof tiles. That scared the dog, who went wild barking. Then there was a sharp flash of lightning and an immediate, even louder clap of thunder. Callie ran downstairs and I had to follow. She was standing and barking madly at the door that opens onto the front terrace.
A few minutes ago, I heard what sounded like a grape harvester driving up the road. It was strange because despite the darkness there were no headlights visible. I got up and opened the door to see what was going on. It was rain. Heavy, noisy rain falling straight down. It's just as well that we ripped the tomato plants out of the garden on Sunday. The weather report on Télématin as I type this says we should expect rain all day long again today. That's what we had yesterday, essentially.
Canon SX700 HS — August 2015
Panasonic Lumix TZ60 — August 2015
Canon Pro90 IS — April 2002
In the photos, you see the Panthéon in Paris, with the modern Jussieu university complex in the background. The first two pictures were taken the same day with different cameras. The third was taken more than 13 years ago from the same vantage point. If you compare that one with the other two, you can see that the high-rise tower at Jussieu has been completely refaced recently. All three photos have been touched up in Photoshop.
Here's another photo of the Panthéon, from a slightly different perspective. I took it in July 2000 with some digital camera I had back then — maybe a Kodak. Walt and I were on a short hop trip to Paris from San Francisco. This is a neighborhood (the Latin Quarter) that I have been tromping around in for 45 years now.
In my opinion, of the first three photos the third one is the best. Photos 1 and 3 are the sharpest. Lumix doesn't seem to fare too well this time!
ReplyDeleteThere are many factors involved. Maybe I moved as I snapped the picture with the Lumix. It was very windy up there that afternoon. At the beginning I didn't realize I could steady the camera on the edge of the glass enclosure around the top of the Montparnasse Tower.
Deleteyes, it was VERY windy up there that day. You may be getting the rain we've been having. Parts of South Carolina are still under water.
ReplyDeleteMa and I are wondering how our family in Rock Hill are doing. They are just on the outskirts of Charlotte, and I haven't heard much about flooding in that area. Columbia seems to be in the worst shape.
DeleteThe rainfall your Moorehead has received in the last few days must make your totals seem like a mere pittance.
ReplyDeleteBut NC seems to have fared far better than SC, Just saw on the Weather Channel that there are 40,000 homes
without potable water in SC. I'm sure your Mom has filled you in on the conditions where she is.
Here in our part of Texas we're in a drought once again, Wish they could pipe some of that excess our way.
Just talked to Ma. They've had a lot of rain there but all is well. South Carolina got the brunt of the storm.
DeleteAh, rain. I wish you could put some in buckets and dump it over California.... I hope your mum and family are surviving the weather.....
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they'd like to do an exchange with you -- some of that dry sunny weather for some moisture -- just as we would. So much rain here over the past six weeks...
DeleteThe tones in the last picture seem far more natural...
ReplyDeleteNice comparisons tho'
Tim, if you mean the stone columns and dome of the Panthéon, and the Jussieu buildings and tower, those have all been very recently refurbished. That could explain the cleaner look of the newer photos. Some of the scaffolding is still up around the Panthéon colonnade and dome.
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