As usual, Paris is off-the-rails perfect. The weather has been remarkable, the sunsets amazing, and the chocolate flows like mana from heaven. I made it over to the Eiffel Tower for a big night of shooting, and arrived there just as the sun was setting. I have a few little special spots I like to visit around the tower that are not full of tourists and the like.
This shot looks much more delicate, perhaps, than I did while achieving it. Unfortunately, this was one of those tricky ones where the tripod legs were splayed out like a flattened armadillo. I looked beyond redonkulous while taking it...
Trey's Tip: If the only interesting feature nearby is on the ground, well then you better get on the ground too. Get down and get dirty! People don't like you for your clean pants anyway.
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Montmartre, in the north of Paris, is a very artsy place and I would love to open a little photography studio there, even if it is a bit touristy now. I don't think they had neon paint-palettes hanging in the streets when it was frequented by Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, and the whole cast of bohemian characters.
I'm halfway through a book now called "The Judgement of Paris", about all these guys had to go through to get their paintings shown in the Salon. Old-school judges would only approve paintings that showed historical scenes and the moral teachings of antiquity. Consequently, dozens of today's priceless paintings were stamped on the back with a big red "R" for "Refused".
After the Impressionists' paintings were refused by the selection committee, the artists would gather at cafes here, drinking wine that tasted of "mountwash and soot", and lament about the state of the art, so to speak.
Trey's Tip: While you are in this area, check out some of the local art! Don't pay attention to the junky touristy-stuff, but try to find a few hidden gems!
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In English, this is called The National Residence of the Invalids, and it's in the middle of that long walk between Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. I've made this walk so many times, and I keep forgetting how long it is! This building contains several museums related to the military history of France. It was once used as a home for war veterans, but I don't know if it's still used for that.
Trey's Tips: This is a surprisingly hard place to photograph! If you just pick up your camera and shoot, then you are in danger of getting a photo just like every random tourist within arm's reach. That's no good! So try to be creative with the surrounding landscape to help add shapes and composition. This is yet another building with rich and varied gardens to give you all sorts of opportunities in that regard.
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This is in Montpellier, in the south of France. We stayed there with a wonderful family (my friends Jacques and Marie) and had an amazing time. One evening, they took us out for dinner at a perfect little place on a quiet side-street. Along the way, Jacques, who is also a photographer, took me to this amazing castle-cathedral. He said, "I think this is probably a good area for photography." He said this with eyebrows raised and a serious expression. He didn't need to say any more than that!
Trey's Tip: This cathedral is buried in the middle of an older part of the city. It can be hard to find a good angle, so keep looking around for interesting angles. You may also want to re-vist this area during the morning, mid-afternoon, and evening for different light-effects.
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