Dragonfly Photography
Photography in Paris
Paris, the city of love, lights, and art, is a dream destination for many. And as a Paris photographer, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to this beautiful city for work. The experience was nothing short of magical as I immersed myself in the culture, architecture, and atmosphere. All while capturing moments that would last a lifetime. And I realized how absolutely terrible my French was, my apologies to every French person I spoke to. I promise that was me trying my hardest.
As a photographer, I have the opportunity to travel pretty frequently, but I’d never been to Paris before. As soon as I arrived in Paris, I was struck by the city’s charm. From the cobblestone streets to the quaint cafes, everything exuded an old-world charm that was impossible not to fall in love with. It’s funny how many people have an opinion on Paris (some of them quite negative). I made sure to take a moment to appreciate the beauty around me before getting to work. I immediately knew this was going to be a city I would love.
The Beauty of Paris
Paris is challenging in that there are so many beautiful things it’s difficult to know which way to move first. It reminds me of an old New York City in many ways because of how it’s set up and the pace of it all. One of the first things I did was a photograph at the Louvre Museum. For someone who is fascinated by both history and architecture, it’s a dream come true to be photographing with the backdrop being one of the world’s most iconic museums. The Louvre’s grandeur is breathtaking, and it was an experience in itself.
It was days later that I actually had a moment to visit the inside of the Louvre and at that point, I realized that I’d made a terrible mistake and really wanted to visit Musée d’Orsay but didn’t do my research not knowing if I would have enough free time even for a quick stop into a museum. Impressionism is one of my personal favorites and knowing that I missed one of the best collections in the world, well… Next time I’ll be heading there first.
Stroll Along The Seine
After a long day of work, I couldn’t resist taking a stroll along the Seine River. The views of the Eiffel Tower from the river were simply mesmerizing, and I found myself lost in the moment as I watched the twinkling lights of the tower. Paris has a way of making you feel alive, fresh fruit and baguette in my hand of course, and I felt fortunate to be there at that moment.
The light in Paris is simply magical, and it makes everything look beautiful. What you might not realize is that light is different in different parts of the world. California light, for instance, is gorgeous. Paris light, is also gorgeous. The soft, diffused light makes for perfect portraits and brings out the best in everything. Whether it was architecture on the streets or my couple in front of me, the light in Paris never failed to impress me.
Oona in Paris
In my downtime, I made sure to explore the city and take in its many sights and sounds. I visited the Notre Dame Cathedral, which is an architectural masterpiece even in it’s rough state. I enjoyed the best tea at Mariage Frères which has forever destroyed all tea in America for me. Popped into the cutest little shops and picked up a few things that I could fit around my camera gear and tea in my suitcase.
One of the things that surprised me about Paris was how easy it was to navigate the city. The metro system is efficient and well-connected, and it was easy to get from one place to another. I loved the feeling of getting lost in the city’s winding streets and discovering something new around every corner.
A dairy allergy in a city that loves cheese
Another thing that stood out to me about Paris was the food. Although I have a dairy allergy and the croissants and macarons were taunting me, the food in Paris is simply delicious. There was surprisingly a good amount that I could eat. I came prepared with my French-translated piece of paper explaining that I have a food allergy and I’d love to live – and I did unfortunately cause one waiter to read it, stumble backward, set his tray down, and exclaim in a loud and exasperated voice “très compliqué”… overall it went far better than I was expecting in the city of cheese. There was a chocolatier that I’m forever grateful to and a whole culinary experience there that I will never forget.
As my time in Paris came to an end, I found myself feeling grateful for the opportunity to experience this beautiful city. As a photographer, Paris was a dream destination to work in, and I was honored to capture the city’s beauty through my lens. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget.
Paris is a city that captures the heart and soul of everyone who visits. As a Paris photographer, I was lucky enough to experience the city’s magic and capture it through my lens. From the stunning architecture to the delicious food, Paris is a city that never fails to impress. It’s a destination that I would recommend to anyone looking for inspiration and beauty, and I can’t wait to go back again soon. Mainly because I’m out of Mariage Frères tea.
