Book Giveaway: Nichole Robertson’s Paris in Color

June 26, 2012  by Nichole Robertson

We have been fans of Nichole Robertson ever since we first discovered her blog, Little Brown Pen, many moons ago. She manages to capture details of our favorite city that render it accessible, touching, intimate — even to those who haven’t walked her streets, ogling marché produce and perfectly coordinated café chairs in many years. We’re delighted to be offering a copy of her latest book, Paris in Color, to one lucky reader today — simply leave a comment below and we’ll pick a random winner on June 29. Want an extra entry? Pin this post and leave a link to it below in a separate comment (to ensure you have two entries!) – Geneviève. UPDATE: We have now selected winner. Congratulations to Jessie K. from Nova Scotia!

In January 2009, I moved to Paris with my husband, and two young sons. Despite the damp cold and relentless gray, we enjoyed exploring our new neighborhood. One day, I noticed a few objects in a similar shade of red, and shot them. As I walked, I found other things I liked in that shade and photographed those as well. When I returned home and uploaded them to my blog, the response was, “more!”

I quickly became obsessed, and spent weeks singling out different shades. Searching for colors is a surprisingly democratic process, as it’s just as likely to appear on something spectacular (Notre Dame) as it is on something pedestrian (a trash can). I didn’t question whether the object was famous, old, or important, I just shot it. The serendipitous nature of the process meant that I never had a plan, and that was part of the fun. Continue Reading »

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Pretty Paris: Delighting in the Details

April 12, 2012  by Carin Olsson

When people think of Paris, many think of a city that’s perhaps somewhat lacking in color… The city of light could, at first glimpse, come across as a city dominated by discreet and conservative neutrals. And how could it not? With beautiful, but often white or beige, buildings along every rue, avenue and boulevard in the city.

It can sometimes seem impossible to find any trace of color. But if you take your time and keep your eyes open (and away from the Champs-Élysées) you can find color everywhere in this amazing city. It seems like what the city is lacking in colored buildings and houses it makes up for with colorful details instead. One of the things I find to be the most interesting, when it comes to color here in Paris, are the amazing doors.

A detail that’s otherwise often overlooked. You see, Paris does color in its own way – discreet, chic, although bold and daring. Much like the city itself. Continue Reading »

Posted in Parisian Living | 8 Comments »

Iconic Paris: The Photography of Robert Doisneau

February 25, 2010  by Tory Hoen

“Le Baiser de l’Hotel de Ville” by Robert Doisneau

You may not know the name Robert Doisneau, but it’s likely that you’ve seen his iconic photographs of Parisian life in the ’30s and ’40s. If “Le Baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville” (see above) doesn’t make you want to hop a plane to Paris, I don’t know what will. But Doisneau’s oeuvre extends much further than the whimsical images we all know and love, and a current exhibit at the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson allows us a window into the full breadth of his career, which spanned much of the 20^th century. Continue Reading »

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