200612 Travel in Paris

Traveling with friends sometimes makes it difficult to engage in photography along the way. If the group is on a tour, many times I will straggle behind looking at interesting compositions. Most of the frames and/or files become so-so. Once in awhile I capture something that resonates with me. I enjoy travel, though in this time is will be a challenge. Most mornings, I would venture out at sunrise with a tripod and walk in the immediate location looking for a photograph. Depending on where we were staying, some successful and some became a nice walk.

The only trips or formal workshops I’ve attended that focused (no pun) on strictly photography was one with Alan Ross in Yosemite and the Mono Lake Workshop hosted by John Sexton, Anne Larson and Charles Cramer. In both instances, I had the time of my life. Alan and John were both assistants to Ansel Adams and have great stories to tell. With Alan in Yosemite, the group actually developed film and met in Ansel’s old darkroom. What a thrill. With John, Anne and Charlie we went all over the Eastern Sierra from Mono Lake to June Lake and several other locations. In both workshops the participants were supportive and engaging. What a joy to be with a group that just talked about photography.

So almost a year ago, I was in Paris with my friends and travel group. We had taken a cruise on the Seine to Normandy. On the last day in Paris, a group of us walked the close by vicinity looking at shops. On the way back to the boat, I came upon this composition at a local train station.