This structure, complete with water wheel!, is part of what is known as the Queen’s Hamlet at Versailles.
ISO 640 14mm f/13 1/160sec
Walking around the hamlet, it seems no surprise that many accused Marie-Antoinette of living in her own world, far removed from that of her subjects. The grounds and gardens of Versailles are very beautiful though, even on a less than perfect weather day. The original file that my black and white is based on is this one:
ISO 640 14mm f/13 1/160sec
The sky and the light, as you can see, were overcast and drab, so I decided to try this image as a black and white. As I was experimenting with the different filters in Lightroom, it was the infrared one that I ended up liking the best. I mention that in part because I don’t often use that filter. The other edit that was important here was a graduated filter which I ran from the top to the bottom of the frame, that had the effect of darkening the sky the most and the snow the least. I used the healing tool as well to remove the wire in the lower right hand of the photo and the people who are in the original but not the monochrome version.
Can you imagine building a village in your backyard? The tree fort I built as a kid did not include a water wheel I can assure you, but maybe you thought on a grander scale than I did? Your comments on this pretend world at Versailles or the “real” one you built as a child are welcome below!
Cheers!
Add to Tuesday Photo Challenge, Our World and Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge, Circles and Curves.
Photography Journal Blog 
I did not know she had this hamlet… and sad she lost perspective while having her role as queen. I have seen a few documentaries and read bits, but would like to know more about Marie-Antoinette’s story.
and I like your choice of filter – the mono (infrared filter) makes the stone and trees have more allure (you were right)
and how fun you built a fort.. sans the water wheel.
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when we were house shopping in 2001, we almost bought a home that had a kid’s treehouse in the yard. The house sucked, but the yard was grand – and that fort called me…. but then we gained perspective and realized the house (first and foremost) had to be right – lol
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Yes, she is an interesting figure. Kind of tragic, a bit hard to know how much to feel sorry for her and how much to think she should have known better? anyway, it’s a bit hard to make that call in hindsight.
Glad to hear that you thought through the house thing, after all, you weren’t moving into the yard 🙂 or maybe you would have been if the house had been that bad!
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oh that was funny to read – about the house – and prior to that we were “building” a home, which was zero fun and a big fat headache. It was when faxing was still in and I have memories of being in a rental standing near that fax machine going back and forth with the builder. Maybe some year later we might attempt a new build – but it truly was NOT for us in 2001 – heck no.
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I don’t think I would ever undertake building a home. My sister has done it successfully, but it’s not for me.
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Glad it worked out for your sister ! And my mother n law has built a couple and she has always had a knack for knowing small details of preference – and sadly I am so late to this stuff – like now I finally get what it means to have southern exposure in which rooms and why the master bedroom would not be over the garage (too drafty or loud maybe) but all I wanted early on was an upstairs and certain number of bedrooms and bathrooms – and once (in like 1996) my Mother in law rejected a few white paints because they were off — and did not realize I was judgy – but I was – and alas – now I know not all whites are Equal and some have blue tints or cream —– 😊
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50 Shades of White 🙂 haha
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that was good!!
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🙂 Thanks!
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Waterwheels and arches. Wonderful photo for this week 😀
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Thanks, I had been working on it and then your challenge rolled in 🙂
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There’s a lot to do to a picture before it looks good in monochrome. 🙂 I know I have at least four or five adjustments to any picture of mine before even adding the black and white filter. Your’s looks great.
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Thanks very much! I don’t work a lot in black and white, which is why it is fun to try challenges like this.
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I loved building forts in the backyard as a child. The joys of living on a farm that had a side lumber business. No water wheels though. 🙂
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My Dad did some carpentry work on the side and was just generally handy, so we use to raid the basement for supplies 🙂
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I remember wandering in the grounds. An extraordinary place to call home, Amy. 🙂 🙂
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Yes, I agree, so beautiful.
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Great photos – and tips on how to edit the photo! I didn’t grow up with a tower like that, but we did make forts out of blankets and chairs, and that was cool for us! Our kids had a tower built in our backyard when they were little. They enjoyed climbing to the top and imagining things, I think all kids have great imaginations – it’s nice to see you enjoy using your imagination in photography!
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Oh, I had blanket and chair forts too! They were strictly winter residences though 🙂
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I too had forts in the backyard… but never occurred to me to have a water wheel!
Great edits and love the black and white!
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Yeah, a bit above my construction skill level 🙂
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Especially the b/w version looks like a peep into times long gone.
Excellent!
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Thank you very much!
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Beautiful monochrome image.
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Thank you very much!
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Pingback: Tuesday Photo Challenge – Round Up 127 – Dutch goes the Photo!
Wonderful
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Thanks 🙂
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Amazing blog!!
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