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d burdeny
16-Jun-2004, 21:31
I’ve heard conflicting reports about the restrictive use of tripods in and around Paris. Some suggest only a few places are out of bounds, while other suggest that nearly everything is off limits to a camera mounted on a tripod. I’m particularly interested in the formal gardens and bridges etc and some night stuff, so if anyone has any recent experience setting up a rig on the streets I’d be interested to hear from you. I’m only bringing my 4x5, so hand held is out of the question. Also where is the best place to purchase Tmax 100 in single sheets? Thank you

Aaron_3437
16-Jun-2004, 22:32
I shot in Paris with a medium format on a tripod in 1998. I had no problem around the bridges, outside of churches, the Eiffel Tower and on the streets. I was told to leave as I set up my tripod at the Louvers. I was photographing trees at the city nature park (seemingly harmless place) when a warden with a loud voice and rude attitude drove me away. Be careful even when you shoot 35mm handheld on the street. I was set upon by seven or eight young boys (must have been under 12 years olds) when I tried to photograph an old apartment building. For no apparent reason, the neighbourhood kids playing nearby suddenly charged at me - pushing, kicking, and spitting at me, and demanding for my camera. People on the streets just went on with their things as though nothing happened. But it's a beautiful place and I got some good pictures and it was all worth it.

Luís Pereira Ribeiro
17-Jun-2004, 03:07
There are some restrictions if you want to use a tripod inside museums or churches (regardless of the format you're shooting). Outdoors I've never had any problems.

James Driscoll
17-Jun-2004, 04:04
Paris shooting advice.....

You will get away with shooting with a tripod on the street........in most areas. The areas you will NOT be able to get away with it....is around government buildings and around synagogues . I photographed a book project in Paris in 2002....and was threatened (via translator- my french speaking assistant) with arrest several times by police in those instances. In other areas....just use common sense....don't block the right of way and you will be all right.

You will not even get away with using one in any of the gardens......hell you won't even get away with it in most of the playgrounds!!! The "Marie" (the agency in charge of each arrondissment) has officials who "watch" the parks....and they will jump on you in second.

Paris is horrible when it comes to red tape.....on our book project it sometimes took MONTHS to get clearance to photograph certain places. And believe me....we tried shooting them guerrilla style first.....

Buy your film and bring it with you....there is a 20% tax on film....and 4x5 let alone readyload is not exactly the easiest item to find in Paris. If you want to try....the "photo district" is in the 11th arrondissment on Blvd. Beaumarchais not to far from the Bastille. Be sure to visit Le Grand Format (www.legrandformat.com).

If you are told to move by the police....do it don't argue. They will beat the crap out of you....I saw it with my own eyes on three seperate occassions- in broad daylight and nobody even bats an eye.

If you want to resort to shooting on the sly....sunday morning is your best bet. Also...remember sunday is ghost town day. it is not like NYC. It is a great time to get work done....

Also be careful around museums....most of the guards think that you can't photograph them even from the street. You can....but they think you can't....and I have several 20 minute arguements to prove that. Argueing via a translator is not fun....

Have fun.....I will be going back in Oct....but will only be shooting 35mm. This time it will be a vacation!!!

If you have any questions...feel free to email me.

geoffrey james
17-Jun-2004, 08:01
I have been photographing in and around Paris with a tripod since 1981. The situation is complicated. For any kind of formal garden you will need permission. For Versailles, Parc de Sceau, and I think St. Cloud, you have to go to Versailles. The wait can take weeks, though once I stung them into action by saying I was beginning to understand the legend of French bureacracy. For Marly le Roi, you have to apply to the Elysee, because it is the president's domaine. The worst is the Luxembourg, which belongs to the Senate. My friend Iain Paterson did a pinhole project there -- he just a had a wee cardboard box on the chair next to him, and exposures of several minutes, but they got onto him. When it came to publishing the work, I know he had a lot of trouble with the rights, and the curator at the Carnavalet saved him. You can permission from the Hotel de Ville for Pere Lachaise and other cemeteries -- this is really necessary. Once I got a general pass from the Caisse Nationale des monuments historiques; it probably helped that I sent the director one of my publications. In all instances it is a great help to speak French, which I do fluently. I wouldn't want to try to negotiate in English. For the streets, I am uncertain as to the law. I had believed that you had to get permission from the Mairie of each arrondissement, a colossal bore, But in 2000 I photographed daily every morning all over the city, and was not once approached by a flic. Someone told me the 19th century law had been rescinded. Contrary to the experience of one poster, I have never had anything but courtesy from passersby. Sometimes someone will ask you what you are photographing, and you will reply that you are photographing the architecture of Claude Nicholas Ledoux, and then you in for a 15 minute conversation. The great thing about Paris is that once you have ended the morning you can have a wonderful lunch. If you think France is complicated, try getting permission to photograph the Roman forum. where the Beni Archeologici will ask you to outline each view you propose to take, and then charge you for it. The Vatican, the worst of all, wanted me to shoot an extra negative for them. You have to be persistent if you want to get anwhere.

George Hart
17-Jun-2004, 08:56
Last December I spent 2 days photographing streets and buildings in the centre of Paris, using my view camera on a tripod. Passers-by were either no trouble or interested enough to make comments and ask questions. I was only once asked to stop taking pictures, when I was photographing the side of the Louvre from the Tuileries gardens. A "parkie" drove up in his buggy and asked me to show him my "authorization" or pack up. My camera was fully set up so I engaged him in conversation and took my picture! He was flummoxed when I asked him for evidence that I needed authorization -- or else he couldn't understand my French! I asked him what he specifically objected to and it wasn't the tripod per se, rather that the camera looked "professional". Les flics left me completely alone. This is similar to the experiences I have had there before, and I would readily do it again! Whether it matters or not I don't know, but I tend to dress "respectably" for this sort of venture -- smart country jacket and trousers, hat, etc. Tends to give the impression that you're sort of official!

Mark Vaughan
17-Jun-2004, 22:23
What a shame. Isn't Paris considered to be the birthplace of photography... Daguerre must be rolling in his grave!

Sergio Caetano
18-Jun-2004, 22:02
Great stupidity of french authorities. It means Bin Laden friends can only make their plans with hand held cameras.

Jean-Louis Llech
19-Jun-2004, 03:08
First, about places to purchase Tmax 100 in single sheets :

<ol><li>Lab Distribution - 22 boulevard Beaumarchais - 11th district - (Open monday to friday)
<li>Prophot - 37 rue Condorcet - 9th district - Subway : Anvers, Cadet and Gare du Nord. (Op. monday to friday)
<li>Jipe Labo - 14, rue Condorcet - 9th district - Same subway. (Op. monday to saturday)</ol>

About difficulties for photographying, the problem is probably the same than in other countries, but IMO less than in the USA.
The antiterrorist plan "Vigipirate" is still in activity. So, you must avoid to make photos of and near all governemental buildings, or embassies. (You will probably see some police sentinels near building entrances)
Many public gardens, museums and churches are subject to photo restrictions, mostly with a tripod, for commercial reasons, but you can ask for a pass to the Hotel de Ville.
It is generally better to ask first to a guard if photography is allowed, than to begin setting up your camera without asking nothing. If the answer is "no", ask where a pass could be obtained.
Of course, if you speak french, your contacts with people will be better.