Paris | Photography Focus – The city by night

The twinkling lights of the eiffel tower, its mile-high search light cutting through the starry skies; the cosy brasseries with tables squeezed under gas heaters on the pavement outside; the wondrous art nouveau metro signs which glow an eery red when illuminated; the cabarets, the wine, the sparkling fountains, the floodlit buildings – isn’t nighttime in Paris the time which exudes the greatest charm of all? They say that Paris is the city of light, but that light can, ironically perhaps, never truly be appreciated until darkness falls, allowing the city to light up and truly come into its own. For Paris is the city of soirees and banquets, of midnight feasts and follies in the Palais Royale. It is the city which brought us the can-can and the spinning red sails of the Moulin Rouge, and at Christmas it is a city more alight than ever, as the twinkle of the festive season adds extra sparkle to the dazzling streets of the city.

Taking photos at night is never easy without a tripod and all sorts of special flashes and settings, so you’ll excuse why half of the photos I have taken may be a little blurred. But for me that blurring does nothing to distract from the atmosphere these photos create – perhaps it even enhances it – as through the slight blur or subdued light you can still appreciate the glowing warmth of cafes and patio heaters, the sparkling celebration of a glass of champagne set against the blue lights of Christmas, and the stunning effect of illuminated bridge upon the cool waters of the Seine. I give you Paris, by night – Paris, city of light.

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