Paris Photography Tour — 5 Days Shooting the City of Light

The RER B gives the best views approaching central Paris — upper deck of the double-decker car has the best window angle.

Note which bridges face which direction — for golden hour, east-facing bridges shoot into the light, west-facing shoot with light behind you. Pont Alexandre III faces west and is the most photographed in Paris for a reason.

Arrive 45 minutes before civil twilight for the full sequence: blue hour, first lights on the tower, and the sparkle. A tripod is essential for blue hour long exposures. Bring a remote shutter.

Arrive before first light (5:30am in April). The courtyard is open — only the museum entrance is closed. Shoot from low angles with a wide lens. At 6am in spring, the sky above the pyramid is extraordinary.

Best in direct morning sunlight — the alternating black and white stripes cast perfect shadow lines. Use a polarising filter if shooting before 10am.

Visit both in one afternoon circuit. The light inside is most interesting at 2–4pm when the sun is at its highest angle through the glass. On rainy days the ceiling creates beautiful reflections.

Walk the quayside from Rue de la Bûcherie eastward toward Pont de la Tournelle — every 20 metres gives a different angle on the cathedral. The Pont de l'Archevêché gives the classic 45-degree tower view.

Take the funicular up at 5:30am (metro ticket valid) and shoot the summit before sunrise. Walk down through Rue Lepic as the boulangeries open and the bakers come out. This is the best 2 hours in Paris photography.

Order a café crème and sit outside. The composition from across the street with a short telephoto (85mm equivalent) captures the whole scene.

Street photography in Paris is protected — you can photograph anyone in a public space. A 35mm or 28mm prime is best for working in crowds. Shoot at hip-height for unposed candids.

The best reflection is above Lock No.3 (Écluse du Temple) — a perfectly still water mirror with both canal banks visible. Shoot from the pedestrian bridge looking north at golden hour.

RER C from Musée d'Orsay — 35 minutes. The gardens open at 8am, before the palace. A drone permit can be obtained in advance for the geometric aerial view — otherwise, the Latona Basin gives the best perspective of the main axis.

Push open courtyard doors — most are open during the day. The Hôtel de Sully (62 Rue Saint-Antoine) has the most beautiful inner courtyard in Paris and is always open. The Hôtel de Beauvais on Rue François Miron has an extraordinary doorway.

Position on the south bank looking north toward the Grand Palais — the composition has the gilded horse, the lamp posts, and the dome in one frame. This is the most reliably spectacular sunset shot in Paris.

This is a residential street — ring doorbells or block doorways. The street is 145 metres long and private property. Shoot from the entrances at each end for the full compression. Early morning in spring light is the only worthwhile time.

Shoot from inside the arches looking out toward Avenue Daumesnil — the contrast between the dark arch frame and the bright street creates natural vignetting. Glass fronted galleries along the arcade.

RER B from Châtelet Les Halles directly to CDG — 35 minutes. Buy the ticket at the machine (not from anyone on the platform).