One Night in Paris: Photos from the City of Light

The Pyramid at the Louvre
"After that I lived like a young rajah in all the capitals of Europe -- Paris, Venice, Rome -- collecting jewels, chiefly rubies, hunting big game, painting a little, things for myself only..."
- Jay Gatsby
As with all good things, this Great Odyssey of mine will soon draw to a close. Like Gatsby, I lived life in the greatest capitals of Europe and North Africa this year, even if only for a short while. After many months on the road and countless extraordinary, perhaps even life-changing experiences I will be returning to Canada in a few days. Even Odysseus eventually found his way back to Ithaca.

Only time will tell what comes next.

I joked along the way that once the hard drive on my Mac is full with photographs, it'll be time to return home. As I arrived in Paris, one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, I was determined to capture the most beautiful memories in the precious few megabytes of space that I had left.

Perhaps I did things backwards, but no matter. I had set aside a little money to help me become a better photographer once I arrived in Paris, my last major stop. After all, the City of Light has been inspiring artists and photographers on to greatness for centuries so what better place could there be to learn?

To accomplish my goal I toured this photographic wonderland after the sun went down, accompanied by a professional photographer from Paris Photo Tours (which I highly recommend if you're in Paris, London or Rome.) Gilles, my exceptionally talented teacher and guide for the night, spends his days doing mundane things like shooting supermodels, Parisian fashion shows and Formula One races when not helping photography enthusiasts get the most out of their cameras. Rough life.

While I thought I was a pretty decent amateur photographer already, Gilles was an incredible coach and my skills have increased exponentially as a result of our 3+ hours together. Or at least I think so. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves and you can decide!

Reflections of the Parisian Sky
Cafe Life in Paris
Cafe Life in Paris
Pont Alexandre III
Pont Alexandre III
Eiffel Tower and The Seine
Eiffel Tower and The Seine
Place de la Concorde and le Obelisk
The Obelisk
Passage to the Pyramid
The Louvre
The Louvre
Prepare for Take Off!
See-Through Pyramid
The Louvre - A Photographer's Paradise
The Louvre - A Photographer's Paradise
Geometric Louvre - Count the Triangles

Comments

  1. UNCAugust 12, 2010 at 7:12 AM

    I am sorry for all of us that your odyssey is coming to an end. We have had a great trip so yours must have been extraordinary. Looking forward to seeing some of the pics when you arrive home. Travel safely.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 12, 2010 at 7:49 AM

    Awesome pictures, enjoy the rest of your trip and let's keep in touch
    Thanks for the great comments

    Gilles

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousAugust 12, 2010 at 8:01 AM

    Love the star effect on your shots! a must try!

    Gilles

    ReplyDelete
  4. CBGBAugust 15, 2010 at 11:06 AM

    Wow I cannot believe that you are actually finishing this chapter! I have enjoyed every minute of your blogs and pictures. I cannot wait to hear about this amazing adventure when you return. Travel safe my friend!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Claudia from Kingston FrameworksSeptember 16, 2010 at 2:35 PM

    Craig, lovely blog. Thanks for letting me take a peek. You write in a beautiful poetic way and I can't wait to visit Spain. Best wishes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. CraigSeptember 16, 2010 at 11:11 PM

    Hi Claudia, and thank you so much for your kind comments! It was nice of you to drop by my blog. I hope you found the stories I wrote during my stay in Spain (click on July in the Blog Archive menu on the right side).

    Buen viaje! Have a wonderful trip.

    ReplyDelete

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