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I don't think I can live in a place where there is no colour! It is very important for me and sometimes I take photographs just because the colours go together. I once had to make a choice - whether to do sculpture or paint. I chose painting, because I

Christine Valinpro says: Why do we take photographs? Everyone for a different reason. Is it a passion? Or do you have the bug? Or have we made a choice not to live the instance, but to report it, so that we can relive the moment. I am obsessed with image,

A few more flowers taken in this beautiful garden in Menton. It's worth a visit. Check out my album of Val Rahmeh to see more photos of flowers. You won't be disappointed!

These photos are for the family as we had a great time last weekend with Colette and Michele. There was such a variety of people with lovely interesting conversations around a Libanese meal cooked so well by Magali, Lam and Colette and Michel. Thank you

I'm sure we prefer one or the other, although we use both of them. Personally, I cannot do without my macro lense. I feel I come closer to life when I get closer to my subject, to find beauty in the details. That's the way I paint too, and that's what I

To see the article of how to paint with tempera, you must go to discussions of the group "Photos and Paintings"

André, Liz and I celebrated our birthday on Sunday and we had good fun. These photos are for the family of course!

While most of Euope is under snow, these photos were taken yesterday. These photos are the sea front of Menton and we have been having days like this for all this week. It's cold, but the sun is out and the colours are beautiful.

Mahé gets more difficult to photograph as he moves like mad. The macro ones needed a lot of concentration to get them sharp. He spent the day with us to celebrate our birthday too, which gave me lots of pleasure.

These photos were taken today. It looks like we are lucky with the weather, but it's changing!

This is a lovely technique for childrens faces, as it gives a very smooth even finish and the colours blend into each other. It is very difficult as the paper can take only that much of the chalk and then falls off. The pastels don't have a point, so the

This is an exhibition organised by Webism, an international painting site. The theme is a very interesting one and I am personally concerned by it, as my twin sister Liz Steiger is totally blind. She used to paint for many years, and even paints now,

This was taken by an instamatic camera in Martinique. I think it was the first photo I ever took about 36 years ago! It's probably the one I like the best!

I just love taking macro as I seem to come closer to life that way. I am amazed at the beauty of insects and the colours you find in them.

These photos were taken today mainly as I wanted to take "le lavoir" for Christian. There are two in Castellar Christian, which I have photographed for you. In the meanwhile I took other photos which interested me to give you all an idea of the village

Painting and not drawing with coal, is similar to doing black and white photographs. This portrait was done of my sister Liz and it is different to painting it with colour. You get down to the essentials of the form and volume of the face. It is like

These photos are for the family as we celebrated Tat's birthday last Sunday. You will notice other expressions on Mahé's face, as he is getting older!

Just a few photos taken at various times to keep us going till spring arrives!

It was Sunday the 7th and it was a beautiful sunny day. The sky was so blue and not a cloud in the sky. These photos are just my impressions along the way!

These were taken two days ago in my garden. I have taken several photos of them before, but of course one always wants to do better! I have combined them as well and some of the iris have a yellow background which is the mimosa blurred. I thought the

This is probably the most difficult portrait I have done. It was not done with a photo (I would have got a much better one!) but by looking at myself in the mirror. The difficulty is that one cannot paint any time. You have to choose the same time every

We have never seen so much snow in the cote d'azur since we have been living here. It was very exciting to see the mimosa, olives, palm trees etc in the snow! The next day, it was all gone!

And this is what I did - take photos of the town of Menton. I was lucky with the weather, as it is doing nothing but rain, or very cloudy!

These photos were terribly difficult to take, as people just walked in the front of you, or else they pushed you accidently, etc. There were so many people there, that it was difficult to even see the carnival. What is interesting, is that this carnival

No more carnival photos! It's over and I will have to wait for next year. Those of you who enjoyed them can look at others I have taken the previous years. Go to: www.ipernity.com/doc/cvalin/album/54274 www.ipernity.com/doc/cvalin/album/48817

In the meanwhile, I will be putting up old photos to keep the site alive. These photos were taken in Brittany ( Concarneau) in the summer and will give you summer thoughts waiting for it to come!

This was a lovely experience for me to see the launching of a motor yacht from the ship yard to the sea in Concarneau. It was incredable how the boat went slowly on the rails and slid into the water. - so slowly as it could not afford to fall! I will be

These photos were taken a couple of years ago while I was visiting the yacht show in Monaco. Just a lot of money, money, money!

These were taken today in my garden, as spring is here at last. The good thing is that I have got back my camera and can now use it. I can't tell you how happy I am as I feel myself now. Enjoy!

I shall be away for ten days, so won't be able to put up any photos, but hopefully will get some photos while I'm away if the weather is good. I will miss you all!

Thank you for all your visits and comments. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your friendship and this atmosphere is so important to me, as it is sincere! I'm looking forward to the next 50 000 visits and I'm sure I will make lots more friends! So, I

This town is incredable as every corner is a photograph with its old town which is so picturesque. I only had one day in which to take photos as it was the only good day, but I took a hell of a lot! Hope you enjoy them!

This comes to wish you all a Very Happy Easter and enjoy yourselves!

These are mostly for the family who are far away, so that they can see how Mahé is growing up. He is 18 months old now and has started saying a lot of words both in French and English. I thought the photos of him looking for his easter eggs ar really

Just a few photos taken this afternoon in my garden.

While walking around the old town of Antibes, this is what I see! Isn't it beautiful?

We wanted to go to the yacht show of Antibes, but it was cancelled due to bad weather, so we just walked the streets and these were some of my impressions of what I saw. As the weather was dull, they are not marvellous!

Amarylis, fresia, wisteria etc - so much colour! They were all taken in my home yesterday!

These are beginning to flower at home. They are so beautiful and smell just as nice!

So I may have to buy a new one! Looks like Nikon couldn't repair it, as I have the same problem. It will be difficult to be without one. Hope it won't be too long before I sort this out.

Lucky me! It was not worth sending it back to be repaired, so decided to spend a bit more and buy a new one. It a Nikon D90 and I'm sure I will get used to it very quickly. The plus, is the video, which I will have to learn how to use. These photos are

It's not so different, but having had automatic reactions, one still has to think and change. I have been painting as well and hence not so active on the site. I guess you can't do it all!

Tradition in France that one gives lilly of the valley (muget) to all ones friends and family. This is for you! Have a nice day. I'm not forgetting the equipe of Ipernity as well, as without them, we wouldn't be here!

I just love it, at this time of the year, to just take my camera and take what impresses me! Hope they will impress you too!

And it is really beautiful!

The colours were out of this world. I guess the rain and wind cleared the air.

Mahé is not a baby any longer, but a little boy. He is 20 months old and is beginning to talk in both English and French. He loves going into the garden to see the flowers and kisses them one by one!

This was a competition on the gardens of Menton. I entered these five which were taken at the garden of "Val Rahmeh". The photo "round the centre" was chosen to be exhibited. So if you are in Menton why not take a look at it! Of course I was thrilled! The

I took these photos (there are more to come) yesterday and it's incredible how small and beautiful they are. And how difficult to get them on photo!

I just wanted to see the effect of flowers in b and w! I think it's not too bad! What do you think?

These were taken today for the theme of the week. They are just a few objects on my studio table!

These photos were taken yesterday in the afternoon at the garden of Val rahmeh in Menton. The lighting was lovely and it was such a pleasure to see all this beauty! Now don't ask me the names of them all. I don't have a clue!

So what did I do? I took photos of them. What a lot of beauty I saw!

This is just a test and lesson from Bengt!

Look at how beautiful the colours are! This is really a beautiful flower!

Just a few photos to keep going!

This is what the painting looks like now. I'm sure you would not see the difference from the last one, but I kept seeing things that needed to be corrected. The hearts in the background shows my love for him and the 2 hearts linked by the side of the

I bought him two little rackets and he just wanted to learn how to hit the ball with his racket. These are all the expressions I got while he was playing in the garden.

I went out into town this afternoon to try my hand at this skill! It was not easy at all in the beginning, but I think I have got the hang of it. I am trying to learn other skills to improve my photography.

I took these in the garden and easy to find as they are all over the place. Some of them are just so beautiful! This is really a way of coming closer to life!

It's nice to go into town and see all the people at the beach. The water is not warm enough for me, but it takes all sorts to make a world!

I took these yesterday in the garden and it's surprising what you can find there, but you have to keep your eyes open! I am more and more facinated every time I go there!

I can't stop taking photos of them! I just love them so much.

I was just trying out photos in raw and in mono to see if they come out in colour on Lightroom! And to my surprise, they did! This is what you can learn in the group Photos and Pictures.

I will be away till next Tuesday, so won't be active on the site, but will bring back photographs of a wedding! Have a nice weekend.

Just before I go, you can follow the red bug! He is soooo beautiful!

I'm back after taking over 500 photographs of my newphew's wedding in England. These are just a few to give you an idea as to how it went. I was not the official photographer, so couldn't do what I wanted to! Sorry the photos are not in the right order.

These are just a few photos of flowers and insects I took recently. There will be more to come.

I took these photos recently, as I had the fly on the rose climber on the other side of the balcony. It didn't move for ages and I took over 100 photos of her. The problem was that it's face was on the other side, so I couldn't get it's eyes, which is

These two little butterflies were no bigger than one and a half cms and they were turning around the stalk all the time for at least half an hour. It was very difficult to get sharp images because of this and there was a slight breeze as well. I liked the

I took a few photos in the garden, as I don't go on holiday this time of the year. I have family and friends that come to me as it's a touristic resort.

I wait for this butterfly to come every year on my lantana and this year I was very lucky to get several shots as it was very hungry! I shall be putting up several positions of the same butterfly. I love the colourful background which brings out this

For without you all, all this is not posssible. Thanks for supporting me.

I got up early to take the old town of Menton at sunrise and these are the shots I got which I was quite pleased about.

This must be the end of it as summer looks like it's over, even here! It pouring with rain here!

These photos are for part of the family that couldn't be present with us. We spent a lovely day together and you can see the atmosphere we had!

I took these photos the other day, but there is a story to it. I saw two bugs together in the flower and then the third arrived. It seems that the two males fought over the female and you can see that happen. Unfortunately, the order is reversed ,but you

I went back early to get the early light on some subjects that I have already taken before. I like it in the morning light.

I love the colour and went round it to see what I could get!

Just a few photos of summer in Menton!

I love the harmony of these colours and shapes. They were taken in my garden.

How the time flies! These are just various expressions of him and how I see him!

After work, the highlight of my day is to go into the garden and look for shots. These are today's!

After not much activity, I'm back again! These are just a few bugs taken a couple of days ago.