Neuschwanstein castle (schloss), Bavaria - Germany (Deutschland) - 20 photos with Canon 5D MKII

Neuschwanstein castle, legendary monument in Bavaria

The Neuschwanstein castle (schloss in German) is one of the most famous castle in the world, probably one of the most photographed and which inspired most of the people. It was built by Ludwig II, King of Bavaria as he wanted something new, fresh and never seen before. He quite succeeded, as the castle was even proposed for the 8th Wonder of the World. The exterior is very nice and highly recognizable. Interior is however a bit more “normal”, and you need to queue a lot to get your tickets (preferrably purchased via internet one or two days before!). It’s also interesting to walk around in the mountains, where you can get to an impressive bridge over the mountains which gives an unique view on the Castle, the most famous view that all photographer use. If you’re more brave, you can even go in the mountains to get more impressive plunging view on it (had not time, still have to drive to Munich!)

All shots done with Canon 5D MKII, Canon 16-35mm 2.8 L II USM, Canon 24-70mm 2.8 L USM. HDR versions below are done with Photomatix Pro and Lightroom. For info, here is the link to my previous post 2 years ago on Neuschwanstein Castle.

The Vineyard Terraces of Lavaux / Les vignes du Lavaux, Vaud, Switzerland, Suisse, Schweiz - 25 HDR photos of the vineyard, with Canon 5D MKII, Canon 24-70mm 2.8 L & 16-35mm 2.8 L USM

Single RAW exposure HDR in Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, Switzerland (Suisse / Schweiz)

The vineyard of Lavaux are giving very nice results with HDR treatment, making it even more spectacular, especially in fall. I’m particularly fan of using single RAW, duplicating it in 3 exposures in Adobe Lightroom (-2.0 / 0 / +2.0 EV) and then treating it via Photomatix Pro, and finally back into Lightroom for final touchup. This process of single RAW HFR is pretty powerful now that cameras are having very detailed pixel resolution. At the same time, a single RAW exposure also enable you to make HDR of any photo you took, without need to have tripod.

The Lavaux Vineyard (Switzerland) in HDR, shot with Canon 5D MKII and Canon 16-35mm 2.8 L USM in single RAW exposure

Canon 5D MKII for HDR

The Canon EOS 5D MKII is actually a very powerful camera for making single RAW exposure of HDR, thanks to its 21Mpixels that enable you to make High Definition HDR while not getting too heavy on the highlights. However using a very good lens is a minimum, and going with L lenses would be a good advise. All the pictures below have been taken with Canon 5D MKII, Canon 16-35mm 2.8 L USM and Canon 24-70mm 2.8 L USM. Here is the original post of the Lavaux vineyard in original version.

25 HDR photos of the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, Switzerland (Suisse / Schweiz) - HD

Sunset photo on Lausanne Flon - Canon 5D MKII and 16-35mm 2.8 L II USM, Vaud, Switzerland

Lausanne Flon

The Flon is at the heart of Lausanne and it has seen many renovations over the last 10 years. It now has ultra modern architecture with some futurist style, nice shops and urban ambiance. I was walking there between 2 concerts of Label Suisse free event, so took the opportunity to make a few photos. The sunset was quite intense, and this dramatized the scene and the reflection on the facades. 

All pictures are shot with Canon EOS 5D MKII and Canon 16-35mm 2.8 L II USM. 

Walk on the Thuner see, Thun, Bern, Switzerland (70 photos)

Thuner See: typical postcard landscape Swiss scenery

The lake of Thun is an Alpine lake in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. It took its name from the city of Thun, situated at 558m altitude. We had a very nice walk around the lake, on its northern shore, from Thun to Merligen, where we took a very nice old boat back to Thun. After walking an hour, we found a jump contest (bike and ski), which was quite fun to look at as you can see below. We continued with a little portrait session and then a nice castle facing the lake. The water was deep green, and with the mountains around, the place really looks like typical Swiss Postcard. A great place to go if you pass by Switzerland!

Free Download of 11 High Resolution Wallpapers of Thun in Switzerland / Suisse / Schweiz / Svizzera! 

Birds in Vevey, Lac Léman, Switzerland (Suisse)

I went to a Photo Bourse in Vevey, Switzerland, and I found one of the very few remaining Minolta 28-70mm f2.8 G, a real masterpiece. I was walking back to my car when I saw a few birds facing the lake. I needed to test my lens, and the occasion was perfect. The results is sharp, with a very good and warm balance of colors. Hope you like it! 

Sony A700 + Minolta 28-70mm f2.8 G - Vevey, Switzerland