I had been home in the Netherlands only once in the past 7 years, for a very short two weeks and was even sick for the most part of it. Since my dad’s 70th birthday was coming up and I was already traveling, it seemed like it was a good time to go back.
After having spent a couple of weeks at home, I left to France to visit two friends (and Fair Photo colleagues). The first stop was Paris. If you are wondering why most pics are taken at night, it’s because I usually worked on the Fair Photo website during the day.
Paris
The capital city of romance.
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Eiffel Tower
France
Originally built to be teared down, the Eiffel tower was the tallest tower in the world when it was first completed in 1889. It was then overtaken by the Chrysler Building in New York. Paris wasn’t having it and installed a broadcasting aerial in 1957, making it taller by 5.2 meters. But it didn’t last for long, the Empire State building quickly beat this one, too.
Built between 1806 and 1836 by Napoleon, the Arc De Triomph was constructed to honour those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces.
Taken from the windy top floor of the Eiffel Tower – and now being in a winter time zone – I was a little underdressed for the new climate after coming from Bangkok. The consequences were felt severely over the coming weeks.
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Arc de Triomph
France
After the First World War the pilots were asked to march along the army in a victory parade on the Champs Élysées. Pilots don’t walk and in protest Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport 27 sesquiplane underneath the Arc De Triomph. His family was so angry that had to stop flying and he went into the wine trade.
There were many roads leading up to the roundabout around the Arc, originally fearing a great amount of possibilities when trying to find the perfect one with the most immaculate streams of traffic. Luckily, the amount of potential locations was cut in half due to one side being under construction. This side actually had a broken light, come to think of it. Oh well… a little extra contrast I suppose.
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Place Charles de Gaulle
France
The flow of traffic circulating the Arc is quite a feat of its own. The more downwards and deeper into the funnel, the slower the movement.
A tripod would have been a great aid in absorbing the remarkably infinite repetition of circular traffic light beams. Upon entering the rooftop of the Arc de Triomphe, it quickly became clear that the arc actually had a team of countertripod specialists deployed – whose dedication to their mission with ninja precision could – at the very least – be described as commendable. This was making it near impossible to capture a long exposure photo, if it wasn’t for my secret counter-countertripod manoeuvre up my sleeve, or should I say… pants: my long legs. They were just long enough to hide most of the tripod for the couple of seconds it took for their patrol to pass.
Thus one could argue that maybe it wasn’t really me who particularly chose this angle. Perhaps it was more derived from what could be moulded behind the shape of my legs, thus in fact the credit for this photo should really go to the Arc de Triumph security? Merci.
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Place de la Concordein
France
This 55m “Big Wheel” located on the Place de la Concordein in Paris had been spinning since 1993. However, it closed down in 2018 after a new license was refused.
An inside look into the Notre-Dame, or “Our Lady”.
London
Spending a couple of days in London, to visit another friend and Fair Photo colleague before continuing to China. The bus to London from Eindhoven, a city in The Netherlands, costed a whole 5 euros.
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Swan in motion
United Kingdom (UK)
A swan floating on the river Thames over a timespan of 3 seconds.
In the far distance, a typical red double decker bus was stopped by traffic long enough to keep its shape in this long exposure of the Tower Bridge.
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Tower Bridge
United Kingdom (UK)
Placing my camera alongside the road on the Tower Bridge, set to a 25 seconds exposure, managed to capture a passing bus.
As the rain started to increase, so did the typicality of what makes London ‘London’. A final photo on the north side of the bridge before it started pouring down.
I thought we had a moment together. Then she left me for a chip.
