Une autre vue

Each time I return to Paris, I try to find another way to shoot the places I love in another way.

Pont Saint-Michel

 Formally known as the Petit Pont Neuf bears the N stands for Napolen III.

La mouette

Pont au Change

Pont Neuf

Light and shadows.

Pas de cadenas d'amour!

The Pont des Arts has always been one of my favorite Paris bridges. This pedestrian bridge built in 1804 has stood the test of time until recent years.  I always enjoyed the street artists and musicians found there. In later years, the bridge became a disaster, loaded to the breaking point with "love" locks and lock salesmen preying on tourists. Eventually the City of Paris had to close the bridge, remove the 45 tons of locks and eventually were able to replace them with glass panels which are hopefully, lock proof. Now we can enjoy the beautiful view again!

Le Pont Neuf

After a few trips to Paris, you accept that there will be many gray, overcast skies. When a sunny, blue sky day appears, it's pretty fabulous. If you're a photographer, hard to beat the light and shadows. 

Night Along the Seine

I never tire of this view!

Les Ponts

View from the quay

Looking Down the Seine

I tell my students, look up and look down. Sometimes you will find a shot you weren't expecting.

Nuit à Paris

The Pont Alexander III is stunning in the daylight but at night.....magnifique!

Sax sur le pont

 Sometimes while rushing across a bridge in Paris, you need to stop, take a seat on the bench and devote a few minutes to this.

Coming and Going

The bridges of Paris, always a subject for my lens.

Allons-y !

As I made my way across the Pont des Arts, taking photos to document the sacrilege to the bridge,  a group of kindergartners blew past me followed by their teacher. I was in hot pursuit to see what they were in such a hurry to see.  Ahhhh yes, the one lone panel of heavy duty glass on the whole bridge. A test by the city of Paris to see if it "works". This was the one and only place on the entire bridge where these petits enfants could actually see the Seine and beyond. They stopped, looked and listened as their teacher pointed out what she wanted them to see and learn. The one bright spot on the Pont des Arts that day.

Enough Is Enough

 

For many of us, the Locks of Love attached to some of the Paris bridges was a lovely thought, and for a time I supported that.  Now, as is the case in so many things, what started as a delightful way for lovers to share the Paris experience, has become a public nuisance!  Have a look at the Pont de L'Acheveche, directly behind Notre Dame. Not only have the locks covered the bridge but taggers have added insult to injury.  Lest you scream, "How can the city of Paris do this?" Be aware that the weight of the locks is creating a huge problem and compromising the fragile bridges,  and the keys at the bottom of the Seine, another issue. I've read that the city of Paris, who has cut off the locks before, are now in the process of taking care of this eyesore once again.

Les Ponts

For me, getting this low,  for this perspective was enough of a challenge. I'll let you experts tell me where I took this one and the pont in the background!

Thanks to reader Sukicart now we know that I was on the Pont Notre Dame, looking across at Pont d'Arcole!

Paris Day 6

Pont Neuf

From the Locks of Love capital of the world, the Pont des Arts

Musique sur le pont

The Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge,  is always alive with musicians, artists and other creative Parisians.  This friendly gentleman's music added to our stroll across to the Left Bank.  

One Last Look

If you look closely in the background, you can see the famous la Samaritaine, one of Paris' grand magasins before it closed in 2005 dues to safety issues.  It is now under complete renovation, to the tune of 450 million euros. I would have loved to see Paris from its rooftop café.  Let me hear from you, dear readers, if you were able to have the pleasure before it closed.

Dusk

Pont Au Change