I remember back when I was a photography student, packing my camera bag and heading out at night with my tripod slung over my shoulder. Even now, as a professional photographer I’m still drawn to this type of work in my spare time, particularly when I’m working overseas. I can find myself drawn to the way in which a light coming from an apartment might be diffused by curtain, or the way in which a street lamp reflects off a wet pavement. There is something about the way in which light emerges from darkness that captivates me.
The city of Paris has a particularly special quality due to its mix or traditional and contemporary architecture. I recall a recent trip during the summer month of July. The late evening sunsets, which usually did not occur until 10pm, would create an exceptional display of warmth and colour in the air. This was even more pronounced in the southern cities of Montpellier and Aix-en-Provence, where the pink and orange dust particles in the sky seemed to reflect back to the earth. In Paris, rainy nights would not only add to the depth and richness of colour, but also cause the roads to reflect neon lights from surroundings hotels and cafes, creating a river of light.
