Photography Basics

You won’t need special, or even particularly expensive, equipment to get some great images of Paris. You might travel light and inconspicuous for street photography, or bring more kit to give you some options. Your style and preferences will dictate what you choose, but the following suggestions on what to bring and what settings to use should be helpful. I’m also providing a little background on French law that is useful to keep in mind.

Fujifilm X-E1, 55mm, ISO 1600, 1/45s, f/22

Street Photography and French Privacy Laws

Paris is ideal for street photography, but I’m not going to mention much about it. Why? Because you can take street photographs from virtually anywhere in the city. Unless it’s 4 a.m. (and often even then), anywhere you go there will be people around. Your choice of location will be based partly on personal preference. Cafes and parks, such as the Jardin du Luxembourg or Jardin des Tuileries, can be great. Shopping streets such as rue Mouffetard or rue Montorgueil can be good, too. Personally, I prefer to avoid the very busiest areas for street photography and often head for the river. If the bustle of crowds is your thing, I recommend line 1 of the Metro at 8:30 a.m. or 6–7 p.m. (I’m joking, but actually the Metro can make for some very interesting photographic opportunities.)

You might be accustomed to photographing anything you want, whenever you want. But you might need to stop and think in Paris.

Photographing nonmilitary architecture generally isn’t a problem—except for the good ol’ Eiffel Tower at night. The lighting of the tower is deemed to be under copyright, and so permission (and probably a payment to SETE, the operating company) is required to publish images of the tower when it’s illuminated. This is only likely to be an issue, though, if you are trying to sell the published work. The official statement and contact details can be found on the Eiffel Tower website.

But it’s in street photography that things really start to get interesting. Article 9 of France’s civil code states that an individual has the right to privacy, and it gives the courts the authority to prevent the invasion of that privacy. Unfortunately, the definition of “privacy” remains unclear. Introduced in 1990, the article resulted in a general assumption that any individual has the right to his or her own image. In apparent conflict with the French civil code, article 10 of the European Convention affirms the rights for freedom of expression and circulation of information.

In practice, French courts have sided both with individual subjects and with photographers. In a case in 2008, the rights of photographer François-Marie Banier to publish were upheld, with the work seen as a benefit to society. In 2012, however, a court upheld the rights of news anchor Claire Chazal to privacy in a public place. A few personal thoughts:

• Crowds. If you’re photographing a crowded scene with no individual as the clear subject of the image, it’s unlikely to be a problem.

• Children. To photograph children, though, I always seek a parent’s permission first, if possible.

• Adults. If an adult does complain, then smile, be friendly, and explain what you’re doing. If they’re still upset about the photograph, consider deleting it in front of the person.

Think about how you would feel if you were the one being photographed. It’s easy to forget when we’re behind the camera and ready to stand up for our rights as a photographer.

General Photography Tips

In Paris, as with most major cities, you’re not just treading in the footsteps of a few great photographers. You’re following the path of many thousands of competent photographers, and many millions of visitors with (often very expensive) cameras in hand. So don’t just take the same shots as everyone else. You’ve probably heard this a thousand times before, so just consider it a reminder. With this in mind, here are some basic guidelines to get you started.

Composition

When it comes to composing your shots, spend some time. Look around. Look for interesting angles, colors, or shapes. Get up high or down low. Find a new perspective. If you just stand straight, you’ll capture the same view as everyone else.

Look for lines. A strong line from a building, the side of a road, or a flight of stairs can draw the eye into a photograph.

Consider a long exposure. If you have a neutral density filter, or if it’s late in the day and getting dark, a long exposure can soften the appearance of water, blur any people who might otherwise be too prominent in the shot, and make for interesting movement effects with clouds.

Think about how you can include people. Unless you’re up very early in the morning or have found a quiet back street on a Sunday morning, there will be people around.

Settings

While there are no “correct” camera settings, some definitely work better than others, and you are likely to develop personal preferences. In general, I use the following settings:

• File format. I always shoot in RAW format (with white balance set to auto) for more data and control in postprocessing. The files are much larger, but for me it’s well worth it. If I’m away from my Mac and need a JPEG file for some reason, I can create that in camera from the RAW file.

• Aperture. For a normal bright day, I use aperture priority mode most of the time. I want control of my depth of field, but I’m happy to let the camera control the exposure level. I keep a lens hood in place to reduce any lens flare as well. When working in shadows or lower light conditions inside or at either end of the day, I usually switch to manual mode because I often want an intentionally darker exposure.

• ISO. I set my ISO to 200 or to auto with a maximum of 1600 and minimum shutter speed of 1/60s. (While ISO 200 is the optimum for my camera, yours may be 100.)

• Stabilization. Remember to turn off any image stabilization if you’re using a tripod. (The control may be on your lens or in camera.) It’s not needed and, in fact, can create tiny movements as the equipment tries to correct for vibration that doesn’t exist.

• Long exposures. For long exposures on a tripod, I set the ISO to 200, narrow the aperture (to f/16 or similar) to give a wider depth of field and create star effects from any small light sources, and set a short self-timer if I don’t have a remote shutter-release at hand.

• Manual mode. I know some photographers insist on using only manual mode, and that’s fine if you can react quickly enough to get the shots you want.

Gear Recommendations

Presumably, you will be on your feet for most of the day—aside from an occasional cafe break—so I recommend carrying only the gear you can manage comfortably. I use mirrorless cameras for their lighter weight and smaller size, but any DSLR you’re comfortable with will be fine, too. I prefer cameras with viewfinders, whether optical or digital. This is partly a matter of preference, but also because the camera screen can be difficult to see in bright sunlight.

Lenses

For most city photography, when you want flexibility but don’t need the widest possible aperture, I recommend a good quality zoom lens. I use an 18-55mm, which is equivalent to about 27-83mm on a full-frame camera. I use this mainly because it’s Fujifilm’s standard offering, but it’s also very good quality. I tend to use the longer focal lengths, but it is good to have the option of a wide-angle shot (for example, for shooting underneath the Eiffel Tower).

Tripods

One main consideration is the tripod you bring. I tend to carry a flexible mini-tripod and an ND filter so I have a few options. Then, I bring a full tripod just for night shots. If you can, leave the full tripod at your hotel and pick it up before dusk—unless soft water fountains and blurred skies are your thing.

Accessories

A few accessories are helpful for a long day of photography. A remote shutter release can be useful, but most cameras have a very short self-timer option that can be just as effective for removing the vibration of the shutter release.

I use a camera strap that is long enough to use as a shoulder strap, so the camera hangs by my side. Using only a neck strap can get annoying when you’re walking a lot.

You should also bring spare batteries, spare memory cards, lens cleaner, and maybe an air-blower. A padded camera bag is a necessity—you might not be scrambling over rocks and mountains, but public transportation can be just as likely to bring your kit into direct contact with a hard surface!