
Paris Rooftops, 2018
One of the more popular images in my shop is "Paris Rooftops." Captured in October 2018, this photograph looks down towards the city on a perfect, sunny day. I was living in Paris at the time, and this photo was taken just days before I headed back to Canada. It holds extra significance because it was taken from the top of Notre Dame. Normally, I avoid touristy activities, but I impulsively decided to visit the famous cathedral. As we all know, months later, a horrible fire occurred.
I remember gazing down at the bustling streets and marveling at how different it feels to be above it all compared to walking through the narrow streets below. There's an amazing sensation of freedom up there—it's not better or worse, just different. When you are walking at street level, everything seems so grand. From above, I love how small everything appears. What makes this image stand out to me are the directional lines, muted tones, and, of course, the classic French façades.
A bit of a backstory about my time in Paris:
At the end of 2016, I travelled to Europe and ended up in Paris, France, without a return ticket. After three months, I returned to Toronto to apply for my visa and had officially moved back to Paris by the spring of 2017. Overwhelmed by the layout, and I will admit, constantly getting lost in the sea of streets, I decided the best way to familiarize myself with the 20 districts and navigate without my phone was to explore each area by biking, walking, or often both! With my camera in hand, my goal was wandered the city each day, purposefully getting lost while capturing images along the way. This journey inspired my series "Somewhere In-Between," which I will showcase in an upcoming post. Until then, enjoy more images taken on the same day with a focus on Paris rooftop views!
© 2024 Aleyah Solomon
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