Exploring Paris with Ilford Delta 100 – Part One

The iconic view of the Eiffel Tower which symbolises the city of Paris. 1/3200s 58mm F1.4 with polariser.

If you were to ask people around the world which city they first thought of when they think of Europe, most people would say Paris. With its iconic Eiffel Tower and a reputation for high culture, it generates a sense of romanticism that few other places are capable of. Though as I was heading into the city via the Eurostar last June, with the ongoing riots intensifying to the point that all overground forms of public transport were cancelled, I can’t say this was a feeling I shared. Now I was beginning to understand why people said that in comparison to London, Paris had higher highs as well as lower lows.

I didn’t manage to go up the Eiffel Tower but as I walked by I spotted several workmen painting it, a slightly comical sight I wasn’t expecting. The lane figure gives a great sense of scale as to how big the tower is. 1/200s 200mm F4.0 with polariser.

Going across the Seine I framed this shot of the Eiffel Tower with the structure of the bridge. 1/4000s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

I was in Paris for a long weekend, but as with all my trips I had a clear plan so I could pack in as much as possible. I did manage to get to my friend’s apartment on the evening I arrived via a different route on the metro system, and I was ready the next day to begin walking around and exploring. What better way to start than by going up the Eiffel Tower. Or so I thought. Getting there reasonably early I joined the queue of tourists waiting for it to open, a queue that didn’t seem to be moving except when people were leaving. Not a good sign. Staff members were sat in the entrances and yet no one seemed able to tell us whether or not they would open today and there was no information online either. In the end it turned out the unrest in the city has triggered strike action and the Eiffel tower would be closed that day. Coming from the UK where strikes are usually planned weeks in advance, I was slightly incredulous at the sheer level of disorganisation. But the French are renowned for this sort of behaviour, I guess you could say I got my first taste of authentic French cultural cuisine.

After the Eiffel Tower the Arc de Triomphe is Paris’ second most famous monument. 1/3200s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

I didn’t manage to go inside but I got glimpses of the interior structure from the outside. 1/160s 135mm F4.0 with polariser.

It was fascinating to visit Rue du Ranelagh where my family used to live in the 1950s. 1/1600s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

They lived at the top of a block of the apartments on the street which was pretty in a traditional Parisian way. 1/1600s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

Undeterred I decided to come back another day and work my way around some of the main focal points of the city. I crossed over the river to get a better shot of the Eiffel Tower and in the process realised that there were several workmen who were busy repainting the tower itself. Something I found to be slightly comical. After crossing over the river, I headed to the Arc de Triomphe. Unfortunately, as this was my first trip to Paris and it was a bit of a whistle top tour, I didn’t get to visit or go inside everything, especially as many places like the Arc de Triomphe also have healthy entry fees. If I were to go, I’d want to have the time to appreciate it properly. However, no one can complain with the view from the outside.

Cycle ways are not as ubiquitous as they are in Berlin but the wider streets of Paris make it easier in places to cycle in comparison to London. 1/800s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

Later on they opened up the ground underneath the Eiffel Tower even though the the Tower itself was closed due to the strike. The detail of this shot came out really well, as though I photographed something with an electron microscope. With nothing but sky above there isn’t much to give a true sense of scale. 1/640s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

This double layered bridge which allows you to cross at different levels caught my eye. It would be fun to have one of these in London. 1/1000s 58mm F1.4 with polariser.

Before meeting my friend for lunch, I continued down the river to Rue du Ranelagh in the 16th arrondissement (Paris is split into numbered sectors for easy reference) as this was where my family lived in Paris in the 1950s when my grandfather worked at the OECD. This was before my mother was born but my two uncles have memories of living there when they were small boys. They couldn’t tell me where they lived exactly but remember they were in one of the top apartments which gave them a great view of the attractive Parisian street below. It certainly looked like a lovely place to live today, and I can only imagine how quaint life must have been here in the 1950s. I am sure at that time Paris really did have all its famed romantic charm.

After lunch I visited the House of Culture of Japan in Paris which was much more sizeable than anything we have in the UK. 1/160s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

The cultural centre had an extensive library of Japanese books for students, academics and interested members of the general public. 1/60s 35mm F1.4.

An example of Ikebana, Japanese flower arranging, on display. 1/800s 35mm F1.4.

I was surprised how many more Japanese restaurants and eateries where in Paris in comparison to London. 1/1000s 58mm F1.4 with polariser.

Not far from where my friend works (also at the OECD) is the House of Culture of Japan in Paris and being a big Japanophile I am always keen to explore anything Japanese regardless of which country I am in. I was very surprised in general how much more Japanese food and culture was present in Paris in comparison to London. Not only was this cultural centre much bigger than Japan House London but there were a lot more eateries and restaurants. I’d say its comparable to the presence of Chinese (Cantonese) culture and cuisine in the UK. Over several floors the cultural centre has a shop, displays, a cinema, an extensive library of Japanese books and, luckily for me, an exhibition floor which was at the time was dedicated to the Japanese realist photographer Ken Domon. His photographs showcased a changing Japan both pre- and postwar including harrowing images from the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. It’s interesting to reflect on given I’ve recently visited (the now finished) Daido Moriyama exhibition in London. Moriyama was almost certainly influenced by Domon’s work.

Like London and Berlin, Paris is built on a large river, in this case the river Seine. Boats are a popular way to traverse through the city. 1/2000s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

There’s no equivalent to the London Eye in Paris, but Ferris wheels are popular all over the world for getting a high rise view of a city. 1/640s 90mm F4.0 with polariser.

The Louvre is another icon of Paris as the home of the Mona Lisa. I decided to save my visit for another time when I could see everything. 1/2500s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

Perhaps my best photo from the entire trip. Despite how busy the Louvre was I manage to frame up this lone woman walking down the spiral stairs that contrasts well with the straight lines of the outer structure. 1/400s 58mm F1.4 with polariser.

Afterwards more of the highlights in the centre of the city were to come. The Louvre (where I captured possibly my best photo of the entire trip), the Notre Dame in the process of being rebuilt following the catastrophic fire in 2019 (the French government had hoped it would be ready in time for the Olympics this year), the Panthéon and the Grand Mosque. All places I wouldn’t get a chance to venture into during this trip, but places earmarked for the future. I had contemplated visiting the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa but given how little time I had and how big the Louvre is, I decided it would be better to go when I have an entire day free.

The Notre Dame still under reconstruction. It was hoped it would be ready in time for the Olympics but the earliest it will open is likely to be December this year. 1/2000s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

Lagrange, another example of a classic Parisian street. 1/2000s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

The Panthéon serves as a mausoleum to distinguished French citizens, including the writer Victor Hugo. It was modelled on the Pantheon in Rome built at the time of Emperor Hadrian. 1/1250s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

There’s no mistaking the grand classical architecture. 1/1000s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

Despite a few early setbacks it had been a great start to my trip to Paris and straight away I could see how radically different it felt in comparison to London. London really is a modern metropolis with numerous modern high-rise glass and steel buildings. Paris on the other hand has made a concerted effort to keep the city rooted in an older style of architecture and not to let anything other than the Eiffel Tower dominate the skyline, with one notable and much maligned exception. One we will come to a subsequent blog. Afterall, my journey through Paris was only just beginning.

The Grand Mosque was recommended to me to photograph by a friend. It’s a beautiful structure with green tiled rooves. 1/1000s 58mm F1.4 with polariser.

A typical block of French apartments built around the courtyard system. The lack of numbers on the individual doors were a great confusion to me. Make sure you don’t use the wrong door by mistake. 1/400s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.

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