genocolo Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island

After all the good and helpful recommendations for what Canon lenses I should take to France, I decided at the last minute to heed many members' advice about "Travel right-Travel light." I am not sorry I did.

I took a Lumix ZS 50, an iPhone X, and a Fujifilm xp60. While I would like to believe that my Canon gear would have resulted in some better results, I am not sure that they would have offset the convenience of the smaller cameras. The photos will be a nice reminder of a great trip: a VRBO apartment in Paris on the Left Bank, a day trip to Honfleur, another to the Champagne area of Reims for a terrific tour of Veuve Clicquot, a two-night stay at a beautiful 1,000 year-old chateau in Canisy, Utah and Omaha Beaches, Pointe du Hoc, the Bayeux Tapestry, and the American Cemetary.

The French were very friendly, notwithstanding our lack of ability to speak their language. Train travel was great to Reims and Bayeux, although navigating the stations and dealing with the tickets was not uneventful. My wallet was stolen in the Reims train station unfortunately--my stupidity and carelessness! Could have been worse--at least I did not lose my passport or a lot of cash! Had copies of all my credit cards and other docs, which made canceling everything simple.

Interestingly, I saw a lot of cameras, but very few DSLRs--maybe 3-5 the whole trip and I was looking. Most people were shooting with their phones.

I can't imagine being in Paris or Normandy during the summer with the huge crowds. October was just right--no crowds and good weather.

We were quite surprised about all the people still smoking, especially the young women.

Travel back home to Colorado was tough--3 hours from Paris to the airport, 10 hour flight to Dallas, 2 hour layover, 2 hour flight to Denver and a 3 hour drive to the mountains. Travel is for the young, I am concluding. Don't know how anyone with a disability can do these long trips.

Anyway, thanks to all who tried to guide me in my photo adventures.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Where’s the snapshots?

genocolo Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island

I’ll post some.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

Glad you enjoyed your holiday. Sorry you fell foul of a thief. Hopefully your insurance covers any inconvenience.

Photography for me is a hobby, so I may take only a few images that appeal to me. My wife likes 'snaps' so that she can remember 'where she has been'. Neither of us take 'lots'.

I remember when I first started taking photographs and the 'heavy breathing' from my wife when we were on holiday. She expected a quick snap and then move on. I needed to concentrate on all of the things that I had read and learned in order to 'attempt' to take a meaningful image. I quickly realized that being 'on holiday' is not the time to practice a hobby. The camera went on Auto.To be honest most of the images have never seen the light of day since.)

I think, reading your post, that you had your priorities right: an image to take home as an aide memoir or a conversational topic rather than 'High Art'. You took in more of what you saw and enjoyed - by not looking through a viewfinder. You gained a feeling of 'where you were' and the atmosphere of the places you visited. Rather than the worry of kit and settings.

You mentioned smoking...Most of Europe (with the exception of the UK fuddy duddies, have totally ignored any smoking bans. In fact they seem almost oblivious to most 'personally imposing' legislation. They have a relaxed attitude to where pets, alcohol, drugs and sex is concerned. An attitude of 'personal responsibility' and 'choice'. If you do not like to see it - move away and don't look. No-one stares or looks at you in horror.....what you do or think is not their problem - so why make a fuss. Pity it hasn't rubbed of on the English.

There really is more to life than Photography. Holidays are a time to be with people and enjoy the new experiences. You never see a hobby carpenter taking a tool kit with them - even though they may look at look at things and take ideas home !

Now get back to your hobby/job/etc.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It sounds like you made a good choice. Yes, it is true that most people use their cell phones for taking pictures. On the other hand, if cell phones couldn't take pictures, I bet there would be a lot more cameras at tourist spots.

As for the smoking, that's understandable. They have very good health insurance.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

Someone needs to show those young French girls who smoke what their faces will look like when they're 50 or 60--the word "crone" comes to mind.

flashguy

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

Great idea to go “light” with camera equipment in Europe. We just recently got back from a month in Europe, and the thought of lugging around my camera bag with lenses prompted me to buy a Fujifilm X100F fixed lens camera to take, instead.

I had ZERO regrets. The one time I needed a slightly wider angle lens, I used my iPhone 8+ (see attached.). Shot was taken in Laboe, Germany of the WW II German U-boat U-995. Converted it to B&W in the iPhone with a free app (Snapseed.)

Sorry to hear about your stolen wallet. We now use money belts for our cash and credit cards when traveling.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Thanks for the feedback on your trip. Thievery is apparently rampant from what we see here as well as in the print media. When we lived in England, August was the time to visit Paris as the French all go on vacation for the month of August (at least back in the late 1960's). The only problem was not so many restaurants open to select from. Most sites we wanted to visit were available.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Great u-boat shot!

ChuckMc Loc: Prescott, AZ

Am in Vienna now with wife and a Canon SX50. Can someone tell me how to set an ISO setting that will not change? For a trip, the Canon is good as I'm not trying to change lenses. But I've lost pictures by forgetting to lock settings by depressing the shutter release half way; else there is too lag time.
Chuck

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

Thanks. Because my iPhone is always in my pocket, I find myself taking more and more pictures with my iPhone, instead of one of my cameras.

I made the U-boat shot as a 12” X 18” metal print, and was blown away by its clarity.

Smartphones are just getting better and better.

Jagnut07 Loc: South Carolina

Hi Genocolo,
I was very interested in your posting as we are planning a very similar trip for April next year. After a Viking River cruise in Amsterdam we plan to trim to Bruges and Normandy and were planning on some of the same sites: Bayeux Tapestry, Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, Mont St Michel, Giverny, Chartres and Paris.

If not too much trouble would appreciate contact info on Chateau to stay at, and info on VRBO place in Paris. You can private email if OK.

I plan on taking my Sony a6500 with a 18-200mm as a main lens and a wide angle for churches etc 10-18mm. I will also take my little kit lens 16-50mm as with that on I can just take the a6500 and kit lens on like evenings out etc where I just want on unobtrusive camera over my shoulder.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

Back in 1999 in Paris, I was on the subway when a mob of about 20 young Parisians flooded my car, causing all of us to make way for them. They all got off at the next station and I discovered that my wallet was missing. By the time I could get the Police notified and my credit cards advised, there had been put $800 in charges on my cards; and when the cards were stopped there had been $1700 charged. Of course, the fraud provisions limited my loss to a much smaller amount. When I returned home I replaced all my ID, etc. Imagine my surprise when about a month later, my wallet arrived by mail (postage due) from France--apparently the thieves just threw the wallet in a Paris mailbox; only the cash and cards had been removed.

genocolo Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island

Will do.