I was in the back alleys of Lyon, the old district, when this little fortune teller in a purple box appeared. The machine was making rather scary ambient droning sounds intermixed with a screeching mechanical whirring that rumbled from the inside. I was rather nervous while taking a shot of it, but I kept my wits about me then moved on.
This is the tiny little hillside chapel of Notre Dame de Lyon. It was a healthy walk to the top all by my lonesome with my tripod and ipod. It was once again one of those places where you are not supposed to use tripods. But I simply state that I am on a mission from God, and then they generally back off either in awe or confusion.
The interior of the Notre Dame was vast, golden, and could not possibly fit through the eye of a needle.
Every year around this time, Lyon lights up with a festive light celebration. All over the town, they erect unique light sculptures, torches, lasers, candles, light shows, projections, strobes, and anything else you can think of.
This shot is very unusual and the light did unexpected things to the lens, but I quite like it!
I went out to dinner with a bunch of cool Russians after the conference on Tuesday. We went down one of the most popular streets in Lyon to have some seafood. Afterwards, the founder of this other company and I went out to shoot photos.. I think we walked the streets for about 3 hours until 2 AM. It was a big mistake since my flight left early the next morning! Although, it is better than going out drinking with the Russians…
I arrived in Lyon today for an upcoming game conference and went to the old medieval section of the city to grab some shots before dinner. This is the interior of the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvre. It is probably the most lavish and beautiful cathedral I have ever been inside. It beats the other Notre Dame in Paris by a mile. I’ve never been in the Sistine Chapel, which is probably more lavish. I was going to visit it on my last trip to Rome but the Pope died the day I was there… so that one was… busy.
My method for getting tripods into cathedrals and shooting is this:
1. Go in the exit and act like you are lost if someone asks
2. Wear a long matrix-coat and stuff your tripod up inside like a shotgun. Try not to walk with a limp.
3. Stride confidently through the crowds like you are in a hurry on a photo assignment.
4. Work your way into the pews and have a seat. You can even pretend to be Catholic and say a few Latin words as you sit down. I suggest "Pater Noster (My Father) or Quid Pro Quo (Rub Beads and go to Heaven)"
5. Slide out the tripod and assemble along the ground, When other parishioners look at you suspiciously, give them the sign of the cross.
6. Watch for old people in the main aisle, because they have trouble getting around tripods. Jump out, take your long exposures at 100 ISO, then sit back down.
7. If security comes to get you, blame Stuck In Customs and that will confuse them long enough so you can make a getaway.
8. Don’t worry about getting caught. The church is much more lenient than they were during the Inquisition. Most big cathedrals do have crypts, but they are full of dead saints and they have never put a photographer in there.
9. If you see a tourist with a tiny camera taking a picture with the flash on, please tell them to stop. The flash does nothing in that situation. It’s just embarrassing for them, really.
10. See #9. It’s your duty to stop tourists from using flashes… next thing you know, they’ll have their flash on when shooting the Eiffel Tower at night.
Filed under the categories: France, Lyon, Photography Tips, Travel
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