Exhibition "Atmospheres on the Ponds of the Dombes" at the Festival of Montier-en-Der in November 2017
I exhibited twenty photographs dedicated to the ambiance of the Dombes' ponds during the international nature festival which took place in Montier-en-Der during the month of November in 2017.
My exhibition took place in the town of Droyes located four kilometers from Montier-en-Der. I received hundreds of people wishing to discover either the Dombes region or the technique of the floating blind.
Revealing the Dombes’ Wonders of Nature
The wildlife exhibition entitled "Atmospheres on the Ponds of the Dombes" was intended to show the wild beauty of the wintering and migratory birds that take refuge each year in this huge wetland. I chose to solely focus on the birds living on the ponds.
All the photographs presented during the exhibition were discovered from 2012 to 2016 during the months of May and June. The end of spring is a very interesting period in Dombes to photograph birds as it is the breeding season for migratory birds and sedentary birds.
Love parades and couples are usually formed during the months of April and May. This is an opportunity to photograph unusual behaviors such as the dances and offerings of the Great Crested Grebe. Egg laying occurs in May. The chicks begin to venture out of the nests in June. This is the period I prefer to observe because the show is extraordinary. I have photographed many scenes where adult coots or Great Crested Grebe feed their chicks.
I am always surprised when the young swans follow their parents by leaving their nest to adventure onto the ponds.
Every year, the show on the ponds is constantly repeated. I never weary of this extraordinary sight.
Although I appreciate the wild beauty of the birds living on the ponds of the Dombes, I also marvel at its majestic landscape. Stretching out in a flat plain, the land is bathed by soft, subdued lights us each morning, gently inviting us to begin my first photographic session. It is a wonder to behold.
During all these years, I became aware of how lucky I was to be able to annually visit and photograph these hidden animal treasures.
These twenty artistic and naturalistic photographs show sedentary species such as the gray heron and coots, as well as migratory bird species such as the purple heron.
I restricted myself to choosing these photos out of the hundreds of photos I had originally shot. These choices were supported by my artistic approach and my desire to discover the greatest of these unknown wild wonders. I hope to have achieved my goal.
Exhibiting at the International Nature Festival of Montier-en-Der is an Important Recognition
Exhibiting at the Montier-en-Der festival is a high achievement for a wildlife photographer.
For this 2017 vintage, 350 photographers had applied. 90 exhibitions were selected. In these 90 exhibitions, I also count the photographers invited by the festival. These numbers show the difficulty of being retained by the organization. I do not know the selection criteria because an exhibition must be in keeping with the spirit of the festival and must be in the chosen theme. I am truly humbled and honored by this experience.
The Festival of Montier-en-Der: Networking in a Unique Place
For me, this 2017 edition of the Montier-en-Der festival was a unique opportunity to create new professional contacts and to strengthen the trust of my many trainees.
As some trainees have pointed out to us, they feel like they're part of a big family. This is certainly one of the best compliments I will ever receive.
The following photos display my many interns, who over time, have become friends who are deeply valued by me. I am thankful for the blessing of their friendship.
The festival of Montier-en-Der is the place where I can meet again to share our passion for the wonders of nature.
The Ehibition in Photos
You may click on each photo of the exhibition to enlarge it.
