Wednesday 30 September 2009

Photo Workshop : Paris In The Fall

06/10/09 Update : Ah..Paris!


After a marathon long weekend pounding the streets of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 20th arrondissements of Paris, and many kilometres covered in the process, we are now back in our respective home cities. To our participants, thank you for joining Andy and myself in Paris, thank you Vero for the bubbly, Crystele for your company and support in getting some video of us at La Bastille.

Our itinerary on the first day included the atmospheric 'covered passages' in the 1st and 2nd arrondissements, as well as the Palais Royal and a visit to the famous Pere Lachaise cemetery where luminaries such as Chopin, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde and numerous others were laid to rest. The cemetery is set to the east of the city surrounded by a high wall, on hilly land and is beautifully acacia-tree lined with with crypts and tombs on long avenues, some in desperate state of decay whilst others are brand spanking new.


The second-day we photographed at the Seine, Louvre and Tuileries gardens, Place Vendome before heading back to the Musee d'Orsay for a fabulous lunch stop. We encountered a lone sax player under a road bridge which was just the perfect picture for an urban portrait. Mind you, he was a few Euros richer after our group of photographers passed by!


On Sunday morning, we congregated at the steps of the Bastille to photograph the amazing street market on Boulevard Richard Lenoir, a short stroll away. This amazing Sunday market is one of Paris's finest, offering fresh produce, meats, fruit and veg, cheeses and cooked food.


This group photograph was taken outside the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie
at Le Marais. There were several exhibitions on-going which were well worth seeing, including Ferdinando Scianna's'Geometry and Passion' collection and Ara Güler's amazing vintage photographs of Istanbul taken in the 50'-60s.




30/09/09 : Paris, here we come!


I'm off to Paris on the 09:01 Eurostar tomorrow morning to prepare for our workshop commencing Friday to Sunday evening. Will post updates from the City of Lights.

5 comments:

Pak Zawi said...

Steve,
I miss Paris now that you are going there. Give us some insight of Paris especially those that are off the beaten track.

svllee said...

Hi Pak Zawi, thank you for your comment. We tried to visit some lesser known but equally interesting places in Paris. One location are the many covered galleries you can stroll into in the 1st and 2nd arrondissements. THese are 19th century constructed beautifully decorated covered malls, which have been restored to its former grandeur. Many now contain cafes and restaurants, and some selling old vintage books and toys. Very charming.

We also visited the famous Pere Lachaise cemetary which is huge and to the east end of the city. Many famous people are buried here, including its most famous resident Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde and Chopin.

-f-l-o- said...

Steven,

Updates! More updates please! :o)

svllee said...

Hi Flocy,

Yes..! I'm just finalising the Paris Album for the participants at the moment on Blurb.com. I will send you the link so you can have a look. Am going to a Blurb.com event tonite at the Tate Modern, something to with the awards showcasing self-published photography books.

By the way, would you be interested to join the a similar Venice weekend in mid Feb during the Carnivale? Just beginning to plan for that now, and India!

Anonymous said...

not fair! it was raining like anything when i was in paris! all my pictures are washed out :(