bob

My wife and I are going on our first trip to Paris in March. Any suggestions about taking pictures in Paris? We are using a simple point and shoot Pentax 200 zoom but we would like to impress our friends and have great memories with back up of many beautiful photos. We will be there for a week. How many films should we take?

schmitz

take at least one roll of 36 per day. For a week, I'd shoot about 10 rolls of 36. don't be concerned with the cost--it's very cheap compared to the cost of the trip. I'm partial to slides, because they are more impressive than prints. If you do go with slides, slide film is actually cheaper and more readily available in europe than in the US these days. Also, have your favorites blown up and framed.

Kelly

Take a couple rolls of black and white also, it will be a great contrast! I would also suggest taking a cheap (~$25)tripod and some 800 speed film to get some great night shots. For a sample, you can see my paris pictures at http://www.advweb.com/kelly/paris99 <BR> <BR>Have a great time, Paris is my favorite city!

dan woodlief

I agree with the idea of slides creating more of an impression. That is, if you have someway of showing them: projector or scan into computer. However, many p&s cameras, from what I have read, are not very consistent with exposure for slides. Slides cannot be adjusted at the lab for bad exposure or color either, while prints can. Here are a few hints: <BR> <BR>(1) Lots of shots of people - yourself, other tourists, and especially locals - get close too so the people are the focus; I have found that most people much prefer looking at photos of other people than at buildings. <BR> <BR>(2)Take photos in good light. If it is not overcast, you will usually get great light from just before sunrise to about 2 hours after and about two hours before sunset until just after. The buildings in Paris can really glow in this lighting. Most tourists sleep late and miss this light. Look at a map and see when you will get good light where. For example, be on the terrace of the Palais de Chaillot in the evening for front-lit shots of the Eiffel Tower. <BR> <BR>(3) Don't place the main subject in the center for most shots. <BR> <BR>(4) Use vertical shots for most portraits and tall buildings. <BR> <BR>(5) Instead of taking one photo of something great like Notre-Dame, take up to a roll or more, using different angles. <BR> <BR>(6) Go up high for great shots of the city. Places such as the top of the Eiffel Tower, La Samaritaine Department store, Notre-Dame, Montparnasse Tower, the Arc de Triomphe. <BR> <BR>(7) Cities can have many things to distract people from the subject, such as cranes, orange cones, telephone wires. Watch out for these and compose to leave them out when you can. <BR> <BR>(8) If you take photos in museums, and you probably will, don't use flash. It isn't good for the art, and it will just give you glare on paintings. Use high speed film and hold the camera as steady as possible. <BR> <BR>(9) Get creative - look for reflections, try some black and white film (or just have your photos made into b&w later), tilt the camera, shoot from a low perspective, etc. <BR> <BR>(10) Look for humor - dogs in Paris can provide this on occasion. <BR> <BR>(11) Try some backlit portrait shots - the person won't squint so much; turn on the flash when you do this. <BR> <BR>(12) Record the trip; your hotel room, the airport and plane, your meals, etc. <BR> <BR>(13) Lucky 13 - a very important one that most neglect - good film and good developing. My advice is to use Superia-Reala (not just regular Reala) on sunny days and PJ-100 and 400 on cloudy days. These films are awesome. Try some before you go and see what you think. They may be expensive at your local store, so order from a discount mailorder store like B&H in New York (see their Web site at www.bhphotovideo.com for phone number). Reala only runs around $2.79 per 36 exposures. You will want to get quite a bit of 400 speed too for lower light situations. In fact, you may want to stick to 400 mostly as it is more versatile and is usually recommended for cameras such as yours. Regular Superia isn't as good as Reala, but it isn't too bad. When you get back, go to a decent lab, not WalMart or a local drugstore - there is a real difference, and these pictures are important to you. <BR> <BR>I am with Schmitz on the amount of film. Now, I would probably shoot 2-3 rolls a day in Paris. However, I think most people, even taking a lot of photos, would shoot 1 - 1 1/2 rolls per day. Make sure to take a few rolls more than you need. Most people advise taking twice as much. It can be expensive overseas, and you don't want to spend time buying film. Take all 36 exposures to save space.

dan woodlief

Sorry, where I said "not just regular Reala" should have read "not just regular Superia."

lynn

Bob- <BR> <BR>Agree Dan. We also shoot many pictures when we go to Paris. Usually between 80-100 per day. Most people don't shoot this much so 1 and 1/2 rolls per day will probably do you. <BR> <BR>Also, leave the B&W at home. It's better to take all color because you then have the option to develop in color or B&W later. Why limit yourself? <BR> <BR>You should get a small tripod. We have one about 4" tall that fits in my husband's shirt pocket or pants. It doesn't work for all things but is great for setting on walls, fences, tops of trash cans, etc. to get the shots you want of you and your wife. Also, if you're industrious (like my husband) you can rig it with a velcro strapping that can then be wrapped around light poles, wrought iron, etc. You can't believe some of the pictures (and smiles while doing it) we got. Plus, with the camera steady, you can take advantage of a longer exposure time (if your camera does that, on our $99 Olympus cameras it's called "night shot") and get all the lights in focus plus the people. <BR> <BR>Also agree with Dan about people in pictures. It's fun to take a few "perfect" shots of various landmarks but the ones you'll really get a kick of later are the ones with you, your wife, and other people in them. Some of my favorites are various "street shots" that show some of the architecture, street and cars, trees, and people going about their business. A building can leave you cold but a shot like I described, puts you back at that moment in an instant because you can see the environment. <BR> <BR>I would also recommend taking 2 cameras. One for each of you. You always want each of you to have access to a camera. Trading back and forth works but with cameras so cheap, there s no reason not to take 2. Trust me, you won't be sorry. You'll some pictures you never would have if you both have a camera 24/7. <BR> <BR>Don't miss the Dali museum. Very unique and a welcome "quirkiness" after viewing all the classics. Also, the catacombs are good for a change of pace as well. Also don't miss the Pere Lachaise Cemetary. Beautiful. <BR> <BR>My "best place" to take a picture of Paris including the Eiffel Tower and a portion of the Seine is from the top of Notre Dame. I don't often see people mention this and I wonder why. It's the best! <BR> <BR>Have a great trip. <BR> <BR

Peg

bob, 2 tips - a. no matter how tired you are of carrying things around ALWAYS take a camera, because the best photo opportunity comes when you left it back in your room. b. get up at daybreak and go to some of the monuments where you will be able to take photos without the hordes around you. Peg.

dan woodlief

Thought of a few good spots for photos: <BR> <BR>People: Luxembourg and Tuileries Gardens, Latin Quarter, Place des Vosges, ritzy fashion area near Place Vendome, Rue Cler and other street markets, artists and performers in Place du Tertre (Montmartre), courtyard at Palais Royale can be good for kids sometimes, Champs Elysees. <BR> <BR>Other great spots: fountain with big red lips near Pompidou Center, cafes around Ste-Germain-des-Pres church, bridges such as Pont Alexandre III and Pont Neuf, Notre-Dame from the Left Bank, Notre-Dame from the park in rear (see the Deportation Memoirial while there); Musee Rodin (great museum for photos because much is outside-try flash if statues are backlit or take from another angle), interior balcony of Musee d'Orsay for a view of the first floor statues and architecture, looking up hill at Sacree Coeur, gold statues on balcony of Palais de Chaillot - very nice with Eiffel Tower in background, agree with Lynn about Notre-Dame - great shots with gargoyles in foreground and Paris in background (watch your focus on these shots - unlikely to get both in focus, so try two methods - focus on gargoyle and move to compose while holding button - focus on city and recompose).

Jim

Bob, I found a great photo "tip" on this site before we went to Paris last June and would like to pass it along to you. Make a "bean bag" just large enough to fit the base of your camera on and you will be able to take great steady shots using it on stair rails, backs of church pews, etc. Mind was small enough that I put it in my pocket...it worked so well, that I revised the size when I returned home and wouldn't go on a trip without it (I reduced the size of it so that it was even smaller).

Georgia

Black and white photos is great even on an overcast day. At least take one shot of yourself next to a tourist spot, very memorable. <BR>E.g <BR>Next to the tower <BR>Next to Sacre Couer <BR>Next to the Arc <BR>Next to the Modern Art <BR> <BR>You can also get a walking stick that doubles up as a tri (or one) pod. <BR> <BR>If you like chocolate don't forget to go to Angelina's for their hot chocolate ! <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>ARRRRGGGGHHHH !!! I envy you !

Donna

Definitely take twice as much film as you think you'll need, along with extra batteries for your camera. Every time we left the camera in the room, we were sorry. I like to have an album afterward that "tells the story" of our entire trip, so I take pictures all along the way (departing airport, arriving at the airport, the hotel, the views from our hotel window, every place we visit, each restaurant, etc.). In the restaurants and cafes, the waiter or nearby patrons are always willing to take a photo of you. Be prepared for a bit of frustration. You'll find many obstructions to your shots (buses, trucks and other traffic, lots of people - particularly badly dressed tourists). Because a lot of folks like to be in their photos, you may have to wait a while for a shot of the "Winged Victory", for example, without people all around. Last time, I took all 400 film and it was fine except for nightime. We also have one of those tiny tripods that screws into the bottom of the camera. Great for resting atop a car roof or steading against your shoulder or chest. This time, I'm taking Kodak MAX 800, which I found to be fabulous all purpose film. Photos come out great in all lighting - night, indoors, bright sunshine. It really is "self-adjusting". If you watch the Sunday sale ads, four-packs are on sale most of the time. Note that in most churches and museums, flash is NOT allowed. So, make sure you can turn the flash off on your camera. I think one of the best photo ops in Paris is the rooftop of La Samaritaine. You can have someone take your picture with the monument of your choice in the background (Tour Eiffel, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame) and have in enlarged when you return. Don't worry about x-rays at the airport. Our film has gone through as many as six times and the prints came out just fine. Even so, as you're out and about, be sure to have a look at all the wonderful postcards. These are taken during optimal conditions. I mix them in my albums with my photos and you can't tell the difference - various shots of the interior of St. Chappelle, for example, which I never could have gotten.