This wonderful landmark is always fun, but challenging, to photograph. It’s right in the middle of a roundabout that is as dangerous as that thing Bond got stuck in to test G-forces in Moonraker.
There was a recent rain, and the Champs-Élysées was shiny and perfect in the cool dusk air. I set up and kept the f stop as high as possible so that the French passerby would fall out of the frame during the long exposure.
June 21st, 2009 00:48 | Florent
As a French I have to tell you that it is “Champs-Élysées”.
Btw, nice “rendu” of the rainy floor…
June 21st, 2009 01:57 | sathya sayee
Wow…. this is one of my favorite places too. Not sure how many a times I walked across the same street. Paris is awesome… especially the mood captured in this photograph.
I wish I can see a Trey specialty Eiffel tower by the night… Do you have one coming trey?
June 21st, 2009 07:56 | Gail Stayton Moshier
Beautiful shot, Trey. The lights reflecting on the wet street is especially eye catching, leading back to the Le Arc de Triumph. I love this one!!!! Happy Father’s Day!!
June 21st, 2009 08:32 | Stuck In Customs
Thanks all!
Forent – you are right of course – I will fix it!
June 21st, 2009 10:43 | casusan
Oh wow – beautiful Trey – love the description too! A super Happy Father’s Day to you!
June 21st, 2009 12:09 | Samantha
Nice work – I like the post-rain sidewalk and the unique angle. I think I made the mistake of getting too close to it when I went and barely getting it all in.
June 21st, 2009 12:11 | Adam Schmid
Beautiful photo Trey! Brings back some great memories of my time in Paris.
June 21st, 2009 16:09 | Brad Truxell
Trey,
Saw some of your photos in an HDR book today. I have always loved your work over the internet, but seeing it on high quality paper was something else. Your work continues to amaze me and I come here in hope that one day I can be as good as you. Keep up the good work!
June 21st, 2009 17:48 | Matthew
Great colors and mood here. Happy Fathers Day Trey!
June 21st, 2009 22:55 | Lorraine
This is a beautiful photo of L’Arc de triomphe…. I am a French teacher, and I think this will be my new wallpaper on my work computer
June 22nd, 2009 01:05 | Kazuo
Those reflections off the wet pavement are especially vivid.
June 22nd, 2009 14:14 | Bob the builder
To see it in person would probably be a disappointment after looking at this picture! I would like to visit there one day…someday…
June 22nd, 2009 18:42 | Mark Forman
Beautiful shot and very much not what I would have expected. You made something iconic not larger than life,but still beautiful and poignant. Pleasant counter-intuitive surprise.
June 23rd, 2009 07:57 | Trey Ratcliff
Thanks all!
Yes Mark – I am a fan of the counter-intuitive for sure…
June 27th, 2009 17:20 | Stuck in Customs | Phototrend.fr
[...] verrez, il y a une grande diversité dans ses photos, et on peut aussi bien trouver des photos des Champs Elysées que celles d’un temple en Indonésie. J’apprécie tout particulièrement ses photos [...]
June 30th, 2009 01:28 | Florent
I hope the way I posted wasn’t rude, however I’ve a question for you, tray (and all other photographers here, of course) : do you think that a title is an important part of a picture? Or has it to express it’s own ‘being’ by itself?
As far as I am concerned, I like to play on words in the title I give to my posts/pictures, especially when breaking the words, using informatic symbols…
July 1st, 2009 07:16 | Michael
Stunning image, some really fantastic HDR photos here!
July 1st, 2009 07:42 | Michael
I really like this comment system, and would like to adopted it to my own website – did you make it or is there a place where I could find?
Thanks in advance, you may delete this post if you wish.
July 1st, 2009 09:54 | Stuck In Customs
Thanks all!
Florent – no problem… I don’t even really consider those to be titles of the photos… kind of more titles of the post
Michael – this is a custom system that was modified from the default WP system
July 10th, 2009 14:28 | sean chandler
Amazing photo – when you say you kept the f-stop “high” so as not to get pedestrians in the image, are you referring to being wide open or closed down on the f-stop?
And wouldn’t a longer exposure take care of that anyway?
July 16th, 2009 11:35 | Speed
It definately did not look that empty when I was there! Maybe because I was just there (in the middle of summer) and you were there during winter(?). Definately a beautiful picture. Did you go up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe? I went up and snuck my foldable tripod in with me. I only got a couple shots in before they told me to pack it up!