The content of my blog will be radically different during the next three weeks because I will be in Paris, France, not Northern Virginia. The “wild life” that I am likely to photograph in Paris will definitely not be the same as the usual (and unusual) creatures that are featured regularly in my posts.
Those of you who have followed me for a while know that in the past I have made week-long work trips to places like Vienna, Austria and Brussels, Belgium. During those trips I generally had limited periods of time to simply wander through the streets. I am now fully retired, so my upcoming trip to Paris is strictly for pleasure, not for business. I do not have a detailed itinerary beyond my airline flights and Air Bnb reservation—I am going to just follow where my feet, eyes, and nose lead me.
Paris has a special place in my heart and in my personal history. I majored in French language and literature in college and spent my junior year of college studying in Paris. During those day, when I spoke and thought and read in French, I felt a sense of liberation from my introverted, bookwormish self to the point that some of my friends noted that my personality changed perceptibly when I switched languages. How else can I explain why I was entranced by 19th century French romantic poetry?
In some ways this is a repeat of a similar trip I made in November 2011, after I ceased working full-time as a government employee. (I worked part-time as a contractor for almost eight years after that.) Both trips were intended to be journeys of discovery and re-discovery. Not long ago I qualified for Medicare, which means I am certifiably growing old, and since then I have been quite contemplative, pondering the past, present, and future and looking for those strands in my life that been consistent.
Anyways, I thought I would feature a few photos of Notre Dame that I took in November 2011. It was during that trip that I discovered the joy of shooting with my first DSLR, a Canon Rebel XT. The first two images below show the exterior of the cathedral as it was so beautifully illuminated in the evening. I took the final photo from behind the altar. It saddens me greatly to realize that after the tragic fire earlier this year, I will not be able to take similar shots of Notre Dame during this trip.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Have a great time Michael!!
Thanks, Roxie. “A great time” is definitely on my informal agenda. 🙂
Enjoy your trip, Mike. I look forward to seeing the photos you will take this time.
Thanks, Dan. There will be photos, for sure, but I have also brought along several books to read and some watercolor materials. As I tried to select camera gear to bring with me, I realized that I would be shooting wider more than longer, so I am leaving my “bazooka” size lenses at home–I am sure than my back and shoulders will thanks me. 🙂
That’s actually why I switched to a point & shoot, Mike. I injured my shoulder about 7 years ago, and I can’t carry a camera bag for very long at all.
This trip is a bit of an experiment–smaller DSLR camera and shorter, lighter lenses. Quality-wise this is not my best (i.e. most expensive) gear, but it’s a fun challenge to see how it goes. When I travelled for work, I tended to use my super zoom point and shoot and got great results. The camera I am bringing, a Canon SL2, is really compact, especially if I put the 24mm “pancake” lens on it.
I’ve seen the photos you get when you’re carrying “the wrong lens” do I think you’ll be fine.
Safe travels and have a wonderful trip. Congrats on your retirement.
Thanks. I plan to relax and enjoy the experience. Retirement is a pretty good thing, though it now looks like a may have a brief reprise of work for a week in December.
Sounds like an amazing trip – no firm agenda, just following your senses. Congrats on being fully retired, and able to pursue what engages you… Paris!
savourer 🙂
Carol
Thanks. I understand that some folks prefer a more structured plan and if this were my first trip to Paris, I would almost certainly have a more detailed agenda. “Savourer” is indeed the perfect word for what I plan to do and to experience. 🙂
Have a great trip Mike, not a place I have visited so looking forward to what you see.
Thanks. Probably no dragonflies, alas. 🙂 I’ll shoot what I see, whatever that happens to be.
Congratulations on your retirement, and going forward adventures. Nice early dslr pics of Notra Dame. We spent some time in Pasit a few years ago, it’s memories fond and cherished. M 🙂
Have a wonderful trip. My best days in cities like Paris, New York, and London have been spent wandering with no plan other than to wander. You also reminded me of a Mose Allison song called “Certified Senior Citizen.”
Enjoy. If you get bored Rome is a quick short hope.
Have a wonderful time.
I’ll be expecting a photographic review of ‘The French Bastards’ and an opinion on their food! Love your relaxed planning.. so looking forward to hearing about your adventures!
Très bon voyage, Mike. Je vais penser à toi. Profite bien et prends de belles photos de tes découvertes. Combien de temps passes-tu en France?
Merci, Chris. Je serai à Paris trois semaines.
The most important thing is, have fun!
Enjoy!
Nice! Have a wonderful trip!
Congratulations on your retirement Mike! Hope you have a Great Time in Paris!
Congratulations on both your retirement, I am jealous, and the trip to Paris. Have a great time wandering the city. Have you visited Cimetiere Pere Lachaise? Most folks know of Jim Morrison’s burial there but there are so many others of note. Have a great time. Looking forward to your images.
These are beautiful shots of Notre Dame, Mike. It still grieves me to think of that fire. It will never again be what we remember. But hopefully, it will survive in another form.
I too lived in Paris in the early 1970s, first my senior year in college (it took me a while to get myself organized, as my major was not French but Russian, so there was no program of study designed with me in mind) and then the two subsequent years, when I began my career as a teacher of English as a second language. It was a magical time which I will never forget.
Wishing you a wonderful trip! If you have time for a day trip, consider Rouen, just a short train ride from the Gare St. Lazare and eminently walkable.
Thanks, Nina. It is fascinating to see that we have had somewhat similar educational tracks. Interestingly enough, I learned Russian while I was serving in the US Army. I will definitely consider a trip to Rouen–I do plan some day trips out of Paris, but have not yet decided which destinations to visit.
[…] you have not seen my photos of Notre Dame de Paris in 2011 that were featured in my last post, Temporary change of venue, check it out and you can do your own […]
These are fabulous images, Mike, and I hope to see your take on the church’s current condition. Congratulations on your retirement and have a wonderful time wandering your temporary venue!
Thanks, Ellen. I am already finding there are some different challenges in shooting in an urban environment, including things like trying to correct perspective so that architectural details look right. Each type of photography has its own set of problems to solve.
Fun challenges, Mike!
Gorgeous! I am finally getting to your Paris photos. I am in awe. Thank you!
Thanks, Molly. My stay in Paris was wonderful–I actually still have some photos to go through and will probably do a couple of additional postings about Paris this month.