Paris (C&C)

DadaKopf

Here are a few shots I took in Paris last week.













Being inspired by a new Raymond Depardon book (one of my favourite photographers), I shoved on my old 50mm lens at f1.8 and shot exclusively in portrait for the whole of the last day. I'm not much into street photography, but seeing his photos of Paris, all in portrait, really had an impact on me. I'm going to do it a lot more from now on. But perhaps also buy a wide aperture 50mm equivalent for my 400D.

You can see more photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/potlatch

Borderfox

30mm f1.4 should fit the bill for the 400d. I havent seen any of Raymond Depardon's work but I think there should be a more french feel to these. I dont mean the Eiffel tower or men in stripy jumpers selling onions but just a bit more of a feel to them. For street photography I like number 4 the most, it has a moment in time to it. I will have a look on your Flickr too. Keep it up.

redrob13

I quite like the last two, and I'd get quite a French feel from both of those and second one ... the others not as much. I'm not familiar with Depardon and I know little or nothing about street photography, so can't say much there really.

I think for the second last one, I might've liked it more if the family weren't so prominent in the foreground, and it was more of a scene of the walkway, the cafe in the middle distance ... there's nice light and lines in the composition though, and for me it's a very French setting.

Fenster

I recognise most of those spots, I love Paris

DadaKopf

I know these photos are a start, but I think you're right that they could feel more Parisian. Though I like the fourth one because it nearly looks like it could be New York, but then you see the little yellow sign and you think, 'whuh?'

I think one thing about the photos not necessarily oozing Paris is the colour balance. I have a hard time balancing light temperature to give off the right impression. I know it's trial and error, but often people say the light in Paris is blue, compared to the south where it's vivid with yellow and ochre.

elven

I would have thought everyone's impression of a place is different so unless you resort to cliches it would be difficult to put across a parisian feel.

Apart from that - the second picture really stands out to me. There's something about the lines and muted colours, and that you've got that little bit of action happening in the middle but it goes beyond the wall so you only see half of it - makes it seem kind of voyeuristic, or something, easy to put yourself in the scene and imagine looking out the window or whatever it is.

DadaKopf

Thanks, elven. That's exactly what I was going for. It's actually my favourite photo of the lot, too.

Exposure and colour-wise, I'm really happy with it, and I was really trying to capture a really special scene in Montmartre which was visually interesting (the strange architectural forms on the right focusing the action), which recorded a psychological space (an entire outdoor world from the children's point of view, but in reverse, and also connecting the frame to the world beyond the frame), and from a perspective that looked formal, but also, compositionally, implicated me in the act of viewing. These elements are sort of a theme I've realised that are often common among my favourite recent photos, but most are too formal for the last aspect.

Also, I just like the colours and the exposure. I'm very pleased with it.

The crepes/gallettes stand comes in second for me, though I'm much less happy with the exposure and colour.

Thanks for the comments, I really appreciate them.