Loneliness of the...

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Loneliness of the... ~

Loneliness of the..., a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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... long distance flaneur. 'Flaneur' is French for something like stroller, as in someone who strolls, possibly aimlessly, just for the pure anticipated pleasure of it. I do this quite a lot. Whether 'pleasure' is au rendez-vous, as the French would say, is dependent on the will of Paris, and it often delivers, it has to be said.

Judging by the number of flaneurs the city inspires I'm not the only one who feels that way. Not that there aren't moments of beautiful solitude to punctuate the over-populated banks of the river Seine, for example. You just have to know where to look.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Life's Rich Tapestry

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Life's Rich Tapestry ~

Life's Rich Tapestry, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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People are funny, aren't they? Only not always. There's a thin line between laughing at people and feeling sorry for them. And I obviously include myself in that description.

This woman, whom I only saw from behind and a fleeting glimpse side on, had a wince-inducing limp, and twig-thin legs, poking out from beneath what could only be described as a black bag if it wasn't coloured a violent shade of pink.

One of the wonders of Paris is that, amongst all the chic and show, there are always people who just don't seem to fit the metropolis mould, and are fine with it.

Eccentric is as eccentric does, and the more the merrier (and brighter), as far as I'm concerned.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Fire Red Flamboyance

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Fire Red Flamboyance ~

Fire Red Flamboyance, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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This scarlet sentinel, along with two or three others, adorns a fire station facade in the 7th. I only discovered the existence of this place a few months ago whilst wandering aimlessly looking for photo ops. It has a pleasant red lantern adorned with the words Pompier which will be the subject of a future missive.

I like the way the flowers are precisely echoed by the shape of the bush, or is it the other way round? Red and green always go well together in any case.

A word about technique, or rather post-processing. I've fallen in lust with a particular app whose name I can't remember but which has a certain setting which, well, produces photos which look like these last ones I've been posting recently.

As ever, my aim is to produce images with a specific look and feel, which is like a kind of heightened reality, if you will. I don't want them to be totally realistic and with the plethora of effects available today it's easy to achieve this sort of result. The danger is always that you go over the top and the effect totally takes over from the image itself. But it's fun!

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

_________________________________________________________________________________
© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Paris... Enjoy

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Paris... Enjoy ~

Paris... Enjoy, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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My life would be a constant battle to subdue my surreptitious and frankly somewhat irritating cynicism if I actually wanted to subdue it. As it is I let it flow and hope it mingles acceptably with my more sensitive and optimistic postings.

But it still makes me smile slyly when you see tourists herded together supposedly having a good time whilst not particularly looking as though that's the case.

I sincerely hope they are having a good time, and they're in Paris gazing at the Eiffel Tower after all, so they should be, however.

However, there's something about the tourist bus syndrome where a lightning pic stop for a few fleeting photos and then off they go again is the order of the day. Let's look on the bright side: at least it isn't raining.

And all cynicism aside, there's not much better than driving around the sights of Paris, whatever the weather. I spend a lot of time doing just that, but with my legs rather than wheels.

My bitter-twistedness might have something to do with the fact that since losing my Nikon D800 (stolen in a bar) I'm reduced to a pathetic iPhone-wielding whinger. Ain't life tough?

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Eiffel Idolatry

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Eiffel Idolatry ~

Eiffel Idolatry, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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This is a picture of the Eiffel Tower - can't you just see it reflected in their eyes?

What amazes me is that people over 100 years ago must have been just the same and how even more impressive it must have been in those days. It's still big. Big enough to inspire awe. Funny to think they nearly tore it down.

I've been in France for 20 years now, and worshipping at the alter of Eiffel for longer than that. She's stood the test of time. I've been a fickle lover. But I honour her from time to time.

A feeling sometimes comes over me that I should make more of an effort to see the world. But then I can see it in others' eyes. And that's enough for me, for now.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

_________________________________________________________________________________
© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Urban Warrior

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Urban Warrior ~

Urban Warrior, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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Another of those urban warrior crapshots taken on another of those interminable journeys into (or was it out of) the city.

Am I travelling past life or is it the other way round? Vast swathes of land are devoted to coming and going on the outskirts of peripatetic Paris. The blur is intentional.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

_________________________________________________________________________________
© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Brass Rubbing

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Brass Rubbing ~

Brass Rubbing, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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The story goes that if you rub Montaigne's right foot, conveniently situated just opposite the Sorbonne (with the rest of him, for that matter), good luck will be yours, in exams, for example.

This has been taken to heart, as you can see from the above picture. People are silly, aren't they? Still, perhaps similarly to those who pray to God just in case he is there, the tradition persists. Covering the odds. Hedging their bets. Perpetuating another Paris legend. And I'm all for that.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

_________________________________________________________________________________
© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Wistful Wanderings

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Wistful Wanderings ~

Wistful Wanderings, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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There's something rather poignant about this picture of a Dianafied Naomi Watts wisfully contemplating a map of the city that wickedly took her life. Diana's, that is.

I'm not particularly tempted to go and see it, but there's no other city which could embrace these posters more bitter-sweetly than Paris, with her enigmatic Mona Lisa smile...

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Webhead Wondering

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Webhead Wondering ~

Webhead Wondering, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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Never let it be said that Paris has lost the ability to surprise. Sure enough, a few minutes after landing at Invalides with a fully charged iPhone 5, my wishes were fulfilled with some truly bizarre photo ops.

This was on the banks of the Seine as part of some expo which I didn't bother to investigate other than watching people watching it, so as to stay fresh and in the moment.

I like the way the white diagonal line makes it look as though it's actually two different photos, which it was, but that's not what I meant, oh anyway... Bam! Zap! Kapow!

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Headspace Haven

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Headspace Haven ~

Headspace Haven, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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Although this looks like a moody midnight meander, it's actually broad daylight on the way into Paris for a bumper shoot I did just this very day.

There was something vaguely comical about this headphoned head poking up from the rows of regimented seats on the good old RER bound for the city of light.

Maybe it was in a tunnel - otherwise I can't remember why it looks so dark but I like the effect anyway. Wonder what he's listening to.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

_________________________________________________________________________________
© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Angelface

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Angelface ~

Angelface, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

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According to my blogging service, this little angel is the 1111th live post on Paris & I. Wahey! Who he is and what 'Ingres' stands for I don't know. I found him in an obscure little garden in the 5th I think it was, stuck to the side of a building which you'll see more of in a couple of posts' time.

You often see architectural remnants of one sort or another scattered around the Paris parks and gardens and it's often a real historical adventure to track down where they originally came from, if you have the time.

In this case I'll content myself with having discovered it 'all on my own' and enjoyed it in my own way. If anyone knows more about it I'd be interested to hear about it.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

_________________________________________________________________________________
© 2013 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.