People, I Need People....

by Deanna

Well, golly, I just returned last Saturday from an absolutely wonderful, marvelous, trip to Paris, France.  I was there for six days and believe me that was not nearly enough time to see all that I wanted to see, or to do all that I wanted to do.  However, the body said no more.  We walked, walked, and walked some more and not at a leisurely pace, I might add. First the knees hurt, then the back of my calves started screaming, and finally the hips just down right yelled at me.  I kept telling myself to get in shape prior to this trip, but did I listen....obviously no.  Anyhoo, I have a mere 1,000 plus photos on my DSLR not counting all the I-Phone snaps I took, so no telling how long it will take me to go thru them all.  But instead of showing you images of the eye-popping buildings, monuments and churches, I decided to show you a little "street" photography.  Again, I did not capture nearly enough, but you will get a taste of the people of Paris.  

Street photography is defined as photography that features the human condition within public places.
Eugene Atget, coincidently, a Parisian, is regarded as the father of the genre, not because he was the first of his kind, but because of his popularity as a Parisian photographer.  As the city developed, Atget helped to promote the city streets as a worthy subject for photography. He worked in the city of Paris from the 1890s to the 1920s. His subject matter consisted mainly of architecture: stairs, gardens and windows. He did photograph some workers but people were not his main focus.

There have been disagreements over the legalities of taking pictures of people in public places without their consent, however in both the USA and France taking photographs in public places without permission is legal and is considered part of the 1st Amendment in the US. In France it has been decreed that street photography without the consent of the subject is an important freedom in democracy. 

Many photographers are uncomfortable taking pictures of people without their consent. I find it rather fascinating and when I can capture moments like these I am thrilled.  The two images above were French citizens watching my daughter's dancers perform in a local park. Look at their smiles.

These two were sitting along the Seine as we passed by on a riverboat tour. Not exactly the image I wanted to capture of a red umbrella in the rain in Paris, but it is red, and it is an umbrella. 

Hats were very in "vogue" in Paris....

This is my favorite, not as clear as I would like, but look at the character in that face.

All dressed up in her pearls and fancy hat sitting in the Luxembourg Garden.  Not sure if she was reading or taking a little snooze. 

Lovers in the Luxembourg...

Walking the streets of Paris you can find just about any kind of street performer.  Ready to have their picture taken with you, but expecting compensation in the form of Euros for the deed.

Obviously a brother and sister, thinking they may be twins??

I don't think he is from Paris. The shirt is a dead giveaway....the right colors, wrong country. 

What do you suppose this conversation is about?

The perfect traveler, skates for transportation, camera ready, map and purse in hand, fit bit counting her steps, water bottle for hydration, and a light back-pack.  She is standing right by the Metro Station, wonder how she rides the Metro with skates? 

And since Eugene Atget, the father of this genre called "street photography", never took pictures of people but focused on architecture: stairs, gardens and windows....here is one in his honor...

Au revoir...