Hello from Paris

[fhabit]

I'm so happy to have found this forum–it has already been immensely valuable and entertaining. I'm an American living in Paris, and fell backwards into large format when I picked up an unmarked antique tailboard with a lens (also unmarked) and three film holders at a vide-grénier (a sort of community garage/car boot sale). I grew up with an enthusiastic amateur photographer father, and became a photographer myself--but by the time I arrived, digital was already firmly in place as the dominant force.

However, I make my living working with old and even ancient technologies (spinning yarn and thread on spindles and wheels, weaving cloth on a handloom, sewing on a treadle machine); and one little experiment with the field camera, paper negatives, and homebrew caffenol was enough to hook me immediately.

I'm only beginning to find my way around the analog scene in Paris (if there is one? there must be one, surely) and would welcome any advice--especially on clubs, reliable sources for supplies like chemicals, and darkrooms for rent. I do speak French, but even so the grumpy camera store staff find my interest in analog and large format to be weird and annoying. Even at the shop that specializes in medium and large format equipment. Ça, c'est Paris.

Here is my first reasonably correct and more-or-less properly developed negative, indifferently scanned on a cheap scanner and inverted in Photoshop. (My contact printing frame is still under construction.) The weather has been beastly, and so took a cue from Niépce and shot the view from the kitchen window.

It ain't much to look at, but I enjoyed every step.

My thanks to the people who make this forum run. It's magnificent.

-Franklin

244993

[r.e.]

I'm only beginning to find my way around the analog scene in Paris (if there is one? there must be one, surely)...

Hi,

Check out https://www.galerie-photo.com.

Arca-Swiss, based in Besançon, is an important maker of large format cameras as well as of tripod heads.

Forum member Emmanuel Bigler lives in the Besançon area. He's highly knowledgeable about Arca-Swiss cameras, and I expect knows a fair amount about the French large format scene: https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/member.php?2649-Emmanuel-BIGLER

[fhabit]

Thank you so much!

[Tin Can]

Welcome, Love France!

I worked with my hands and back all my life

by choice

i tinker

[Andrew O'Neill]

Welcome to the large format forum, Franklin!

[Reinhold Schable]

. . Welcome, Franklin~

Ah, fond memories of everything French~

— Reinhold & Judy —




https://re-inventedphotoequip.com/Data.html

[Mark Sampson]

Welcome! I think most of our first attempts did not turn out as well as yours has.
Don't be afraid to ask questions, offer opinions, and share your pictures-- that's what makes this forum live.

[Duolab123]

Welcome, very nice people here.
Best Regards Mike

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Welcome on board!
You are not the only Frenchman here ;-)

[Louis Pacilla]

Welcome to our group! Loads of talented photographers here and most always try to be helpful, Most important is we
look forward to contribution to the group.

[tundra]

I find that looking at other's people's stuff gives me ideas of what I might want to do.

Several books that always bring me back to Paris are:

"Le Notre's Gardens" by Michael Kenna

Atget Paris" from Gingko Press

"Brassai From Surrealism To Art Informel" from Fundacio Antoni Tapies

There is this strange artifice you find among photographers that we must never repeat the work of others but only find "our own true vision." This is mostly nonsense. In looking at great work, you will find inspiration for your own (not to mention really feeding you own soul).

[adrien9512]

Hey a french too ! i am a photographer in Paris (https://adrienlopes.com/photographie/votre-photographe-professionnel-a-paris/) i do professionnal photoshoot for brand, people and i have a little studio too

[diversey]

Welcome to the forum!

[diversey]

Went to Paris 17 year ago and will go to Paris again this summer! Could you suggest some photogenic sites for large format photography? I plan to bring my 4x5 camera with two lenses (80mm and 150mm) with me. Thanks!



Hey a french too ! i am a photographer in Paris (https://adrienlopes.com/photographie/votre-photographe-professionnel-a-paris/) i do professionnal photoshoot for brand, people and i have a little studio too

[fhabit]

I wish I could offer suggestions, but I am still so new that I haven't had the gumption (or the time, honestly) to get the camera out onto the street. I've been shooting little still lifes and the occasional portrait when I can in my workroom. One thing I hear from reliable sources, however, is that if you attempt to pull an Atget and photograph with LF equipment on a tripod in parks and gardens you are more than likely going to be halted by the guards, and not necessarily politely. And if you don't speak French and/or attempt to argue, the results are going to be unfortunate (for you). Everyone, especially the police, is on edge right now because of the Olympics. Anyone who can leave town is leaving, and anyone who can't leave is walking around with a stomach full of dread. If you set up for street shots on a public way, you'll be fine unless you're blocking the sidewalk or a neighboring business feels you're interfering with trade. My hearty advice is too shoot early in the morning whenever you can, before things start stirring much. That's not so hard--Paris doesn't like to get up in the morning ;) I hope you'll have a wonderful time.

[fhabit]

Salut! Your work is beautiful. I'm American, myself – but living here (provided the government agrees) permanently. I've lived all over the place, but never felt so at home as I do in Paris.

[fhabit]

Atget is one of the reasons I jumped at buying a LF camera when one appeared at a shockingly good price. (Fred Holland Day is the other.) I've been shooting with pinholes and a few soulless digital cameras and a late uncle's Rolleiflex since my thirties, but LF aligns so well with my actual work, which also is involves slowly creating with cumbersome equipment what most modern folks prefer to create quickly with light equipment. How could I resist?