Driving around with a car full of bees isn’t my idea of fun, especially navigating hairpin bends in the snowy mountains high above the French Riviera. But one crisp morning this February, beekeeper Amanda Dowd did exactly this (with me, the photographer, following at a safe distance behind) – for a very good reason.
In the bee world, a modern day Reign of Terror is occurring, led by new arrivals to the Cote d’Azur: Asian hornets. Continue reading…
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On the trail of wolves in the French Alps
I’m aware that jellyfish can be a hazard on the beaches of the French Riviera, and have even heard of shark sightings between Nice and Cannes. Until recently though, I had no idea that wolves are becoming a big problem in the South of France. Intrepid photographer that I am, I hiked far up into the Alps to meet Bernard, a shepherd who spends his summers deep in the Mercantour National Park and lost over 100 of his sheep to wolves last year alone. Continue reading…
All the fun of the (trade) fair in Cannes
Cannes may be grabbing the headlines this month, as it rolls out its red carpet for the stars, but the film festival is only one of many annual international events held in town. Earlier this spring, I got the measure of MIPIM.
MIPIM is the trade show for the property sector, and no place for humble estate agents. Inside giant exhibition stands, companies, cities and entire countries amaze delegates with their intricately-crafted scale models of redevelopments. On yachts and sunny terraces, architects, planners and investors do big business, and enjoy the pleasures of the South of France. I was hired as both editorial photographer for Monocle and corporate photographer for a banking client: full MIPIM immersion….
Continue reading…
Ironman France – Nice
The French Riviera is no stranger to international events (the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix are but two of many) and last weekend, triathletes from all over the world came to the South of France as Nice hosted Ironman France 2012.
I was not the only photographer to be disappointed by Lance Armstrong’s no-show, but spent a full-on day nonetheless balancing on the back of a press motorbike, chasing triathletes around the hills of Provence.
House renovation in Provence
The IHT recently sent me on a real estate photography shoot – with a twist. I’d never been near this property on the hills above Cannes. Yet before I arrived, I knew it well. Far better than a photographer normally would. Why?
The owner of this newly-renovated villa was chosen for the article thanks to a hobby: blogging. Nicole’s South of France dream home had become reality bit by bit, and she had blogged about it from start to finish. Continue reading…
Portrait of Chrissie Wellington
Chrissie Wellington is the current world Ironman champion and, unbeaten in her 13 Ironman races, queen of long distance triathlon. Last summer, I travelled from Nice to Nuremberg, Germany, to interview her and photograph her preparation, public appearances and performance at the Challenge Roth triathlon. On race day, she broke yet another a world record. Here is my multimedia portrait of Chrissie. Continue reading…
