Pretty Paris

by Arja Schrijver Photography

Paris, what a city, with all its beautiful, historical buildings! It remains a wonderful place to photograph. But for me in the end it is not about capturing the buildings. It is about the atmosphere in Paris. It is about the nostalgia, the romance, the 'je ne sais quoi'.

The photo was taken from the Montmartre hill, close to the Sacré-Coeur, in winter time. From that hill, you have a beautiful view on the city. Just the wonderful view itself, with a dreamy Eiffel Tower afar is pretty romantic.

But I didn't want the Eiffel Tower to be the central point in the image. The elements in the forground are playing an important role as well in making the photo a nostalgic one. De old lantern on the left and the big, grafecul object in the front are symbols of history. I think the object in the front is probably a fountain in art deco style. And then there is the tree branch with its organic form, which complements the style of the lantarn and fountain. The sepia color, similar to the old postcards from the beginning of the 20th century, is adding to the nostalgic feeling.