17 mars 2008

Tit for tat!


I also took this photo Saturday, a little before the anti Scientology demonstration started. I was sitting at a restaurant terrace enjoying a Caesar salad (yes, some French restaurant have Caesar salad on their menu!) when I saw the clown you can see in the background of the photo. I grabbed my camera, zoomed in and discovered that this guy was actually taking a photo towards my direction. We exchanged glances through our lenses and could not help smiling. I bet he has a photo of me in his camera!

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86 Comments:

Anonymous Anonyme said...

Great B&W photo Eric! Paris always looks good in B&W, and this could be from any era!!

Katie

12:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonyme said...

Love the black and white picture, Eric! Like a look back in time!

Keep up the great work!

12:01 AM  
Blogger Rose said...

I love this photo Eric. It has a feel of old school.
Katie congrats on the GF

12:02 AM  
Blogger H3NR7 said...

Wonderful photos of life in Paris.

12:09 AM  
Blogger Gramma Ann said...

Another interesting picture.

12:11 AM  
Blogger lou & lynne said...

hi
i clicked on the link cos i love france and all things french...except snails and andoiullette (sp?) and now i love your photos...thank you
j'aime beaucoup vos photos, merci
a bientot
la paysanne

12:18 AM  
Blogger lynn said...

You mean this is his photo of you, Eric, is this your new profile pic?.............only kidding LOL!

I adore this pic. You seem to achieve the black and white shots really well Eric. I must practise more. There is nothing in the photo to give away that this is present day. It's very amusing this man was taking a photo of you. I did predict it though, didn't i. I said only a few days ago that soon you will not be able to walk the streets without people photographing you. It's happened! Ok this today, next it's a double-page spread in HELLO! you famous person you.

12:27 AM  
Blogger Chuck Pefley said...

"Monkey see - Monkey do" is another saying we have for "tit for tat".

12:36 AM  
Blogger guille said...

I like this picture! A famous scene : L'arroseur arrosé.
The B&W make it really nice.
Which garden/park is it?

Lynn give up, is not going to change his picture profile. :)

12:40 AM  
Blogger guille said...

eric is*

12:41 AM  
Anonymous from cali said...

It really does look as if he is spying on you. Much better subject than the clown. Clowns freak me out.

12:46 AM  
Blogger jemima Rillera Kempster said...

what about the little girl on the RHS of the picture? i wonder what she is thinking!!!

12:59 AM  
Blogger Crazy Daisy said...

I love this picture it is always neat to see what you come up with. I like the fact that the guy is taking a picture towards you and even though he was your new subject you still have your old subject, the clown in it. As for Jemima I wonder what she is thinking too! :)

1:11 AM  
Blogger Sorin said...

very good!!!!

1:14 AM  
Blogger Tanya said...

LOL, maybe there's another Paris Daily Photo blog out there somewhere! Too funny :)

1:19 AM  
Blogger Mary deB said...

It looks like the pattern on his tie is bookshelves! I like the picture, but I'd love a tie with bookshelves!

1:27 AM  
Blogger Petrea said...

What a photo!

Two things make this one of my favorites, Eric: it's technically a great photo, and it's essentially Parisian.

The B&W, the hats, the three main people and their graduating heights, even the fact that he's taking a picture of something other than the clown, where all that activity lies...all serve to make it technically interesting.

And though I'm like From Cali and clowns freak me out, too, a clown show in the park seems so very Parisian.

1:48 AM  
Blogger Professor said...

I love the black and white... and the composition of this photograph. Reading your blog gives me a different perspective of what I want to see- and how to see it- when I go to France...

2:19 AM  
Blogger Chris said...

I do love this photo, Eric, for all the reasons others have stated. It reminds me of a great photographer whose name escapes me at this moment, of course! ;-)

2:20 AM  
Blogger Pont Girl said...

A third person from Californie checking in to say that clowns also flip me out, especially tall ones with cameras! Be careful, Eric!

Curious to know whether Parisian Caesar salads come avec ou sans les anchovies?

2:36 AM  
Blogger Jennifer said...

Love this photo Eric, there's much about this scene that keeps one coming back and seeing more. It seems like an old photo, but the children are dressed more present day. I like how the little girl is looking from the background, as the man in the photo focuses his camera on you, taking a picture of him. :)

Petrea, too funny about the clowns, like from Cali, freaking you out. My son who like lives in Boston was upset that I "dragged him to that clowny place in Sarasota" Ummmm, I thought the Ringling Museum was quite nice. I guess I'm kind of a Carnytown girl and would love to see the circus clowns in Paris. ;)

3:14 AM  
Blogger claire said...

such an interesting question of perspective, how funny :)

3:35 AM  
Anonymous CoRa said...

Ahaaaa maybe you were caught... Maybe he starts a "Following Paris Daily Photographer"- blog ...lol...

Listen, Eric, hope you don't mind if I have you linked at my brazilian blog... In fact I wrote a post (in portuguese- if you want I can translate it to you by mail) indicating your site as a nice discovery... and intend to have your blog listed among my favourites is that allright?

3:48 AM  
Anonymous nordy said...

un tres bon photo, merci

je suis allee a Paris en 2001; je voudrais y aller encore.

avec ce photo, je sens comme je y suis.

3:56 AM  
Anonymous Mme Benaut from Adelaide Daily Photo said...

What an interesting looking chap in a very striking hat and trench coat. I just wonder what the image of you looked like when his lens shutter opened.

4:46 AM  
Blogger Lucio Crispino said...

Superb photo, Eric!

Mme. Benaut: The trenchcoat and hat struck me, too. I was reminded of all those iconic Frenchmen - both real and fictional - whose trademarks they have been: Jean-Pierre Melville, Jacques Tati, Jean-Paul Belmondo (in "Breathless" and "The Finger Man") and, of course, Alain Delon (in almost every film he made with Melville).

5:22 AM  
Blogger Tall Gary said...

Oh oh. If you look closely at the books on his tie you can see that most of them are written by L. Ron Hubbard.

By the way, I wonder what that weird outline around the photogapher is all about.

5:23 AM  
Blogger Petrea said...

Tall Gary you made me laugh!

5:29 AM  
Blogger Lucio Crispino said...

Tall Gary: Mmm, judging by the uniformity of the blurred background, I'd put my money on some "tweaking" in Photoshop, but I could be wrong. Not that there's anything with a little tweak. After all, even analogue photographs are manipulated in the developing process in order to produce the desired effect.

5:35 AM  
Blogger Michael said...

I didn't realise that there were so many people afraid of clowns! What's THAT about?

I can't put my finger on it, but this photo looks like he's maybe a private investigator to me.

And TANYA! How dare you suggest that there could be another Paris Daily Photo?!?!?! That would be considered a sin here!

7:04 AM  
Blogger Lucio Crispino said...

Michael: I'm not sure why some people find clowns so freaky, but I do know there's a word for it: coulrophobia.

7:14 AM  
Blogger retnanda said...

allo

i love your pictures...
just found this page..

warm regards

7:16 AM  
Blogger Michael said...

Thanks Lucio! I found this link to Coulrophobia also. I find it somewhat bizarre, but guess everyone's afraid of something.

7:32 AM  
Blogger Lucio Crispino said...

Michael: My pleasure!

Although I've never been afraid of clowns, I do find them a little creepy. Cindy Sherman, the contemporary American photographer, captures what can only be described as their "uncanniness" in a recent series that I find particularly bizarre and unsettling:

"Cindy's Creepy Clowns"

Just for the record, I'm an arachnophobe.

7:49 AM  
Blogger Lucio Crispino said...

Michael: Or, better still:

"CCC Redux"

8:00 AM  
Blogger mari. said...

How adorable. I'll keep a look out for a picture of your looking through a camera.

8:04 AM  
Blogger beth_kate said...

i found your page browsing, its really interesting, made me feel like i was on holiday, it really cheered me up because we've had some terrible weather in england this week !

8:54 AM  
Blogger lynn said...

I know that Carrie in 'Sex and the City' is afraid of clowns. I'm not bothered by them but i had to send one home once; i'd hired him for my son's birthday and a third of the little guests hated him. He went home early with a party bag and a wasted cheque.

The photographer's clothes are somewhat dated. It's like Eric planted him there from another era. Only his backpack is up to date. A very interesting character to find, Eric. Or... did he find you? Brr.

10:59 AM  
Blogger Tall Gary said...

Ah, Photoshopping. Eric has a good eye for that as well. Thanks Lucio.

And for the term coulrophobia. I don't know that it is to the degree of an irrational fear but I have always thought of clowns as creepy. The discrepancy between image and reality. But what are you going to do? To have spent such a part of one's adult life watching the beautiful trapeze artist or lovely bareback rider go off arm in arm with the strongman or lion tamer. What else can one do but paint on that long-ago, heart-ache obliterated smile.

Or the image itself, no discrepancy involved. That is some "Collection of Evil Clown pictures" at the bottom of Michael's Wikipedia "Coulrophobia" link.

Who would ever choose the clown?

Just thinking of a scenario:
"Oh baby. Thanks for waiting with your arms folded, scuffling impatiently around the sawdust on my dinky trailer floor while I gaze at myself in the mirror trying to get this gunk off my face. Can you hand me that quart of mineral oil? I'll be ready to hold you in my arms and cover you with kisses within a half hour.

"You can wake up now. I'm finished.

"What do you mean take off my shoes before I get in bed? I'm not wearing clown shoes anymore. Those are my actual feet."

11:19 AM  
Blogger MisFriz said...

I hope to someday visit your lovely city for real...until then, thanks for "taking me there".

1:03 PM  
Blogger Tanya said...

Aw sorry Michael,lol. Of course no other pdp could compete!

As for the fear of clowns, I don't get it? I think there's regular real people out there that are 10x more freaky than any circus or rodeo clown,lol.

1:12 PM  
Blogger leo said...

love B&W pics. this is indeed parisian. beautifully captured.

2:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonyme said...

Did you notice the lion's head next to the Wallace fountian?

3:12 PM  
Blogger soYa ToYa said...

I Love all your fotos, but this one is...Amazing!!!

3:21 PM  
Blogger The Lone Beader said...

Haha! That's great! :D

3:46 PM  
Blogger Italy for You said...

great! you took this "epiphany"!

4:40 PM  
Blogger Sailor Girl said...

I wonder if he also has a blog?!!!
Ah ah ah!!! Yu made me laugh!!!

4:44 PM  
Blogger Gillian said...

I love this shot - worthy of Cartier-Bresson himself.

Your subject could be Monsieur Hulot in that raincoat!

5:20 PM  
Blogger Tomate Farcie said...

The real question is: what were you wearing, Eric? ;)

5:21 PM  
Blogger Petrea said...

Yes. Clowns: icky, not scary. Just icky.

5:43 PM  
Anonymous Elaine Cooke said...

That sure wouldn't happen very often taking a picture of oneanother,would it?

6:10 PM  
Anonymous Poor child said...

great pic! thanks for sharing!

6:26 PM  
Blogger eva ;) said...

For a long time I've thought that the French were arrogant and self-centered and now you've proven me all wrong. And I'm glad.

Everybody has always said that one day they want to go to Paris and I've never understood them. What's so special about the Eiffel Tower or the Mona Lisa...

But these pictures... They're nothing like the usual sightseeing-photos and I think they really show the real Paris. The only things I have truly wanted to see in Paris are the Curie Institute and the Curie Museum and also rue Pierre Curie. (hint-hint) (Yes, I'm addicted to physics and the Curie-family)

Your pictures are so... real, if may say. They really make me feel as if I were there. The black-and-white photo(s) are especially good.

I guess I should wrap it up now. This is actually the first blog that I have seen, that has a point and I think I'll start coming here regularly.

Eva-Maria (Estonia)

7:04 PM  
Anonymous jeff said...

This is appropriate and timely. I was viewing some Cartier-Bresson photos yesterday at the Mpls. Inst. of Arts.

Now, as to the Scientology demostration: this other photographer may be one of them, seeking out people spying on them. Watch out! It's the next chapter of the microfilm in the park transfer novel. Remember a few months ago on PDP?

Happy St. Patrick's Day to those on the Green Isle. May you be in heaven an hour before the devil knows you've died.

7:05 PM  
Blogger Coltrane_lives said...

Love the B&W...does remind me of an "Inspector" Clouseau type. How's the weather in Paree? Looks cold.

7:05 PM  
Blogger ~im just only me~ said...

What a gorgeous photo and such a great "inside joke" :)

7:19 PM  
Blogger Michelle said...

Love your blog, love the photos and love Paris! Spent one night there flying on to Ukraine. I thought it would be an overrated tourist trap with rude people. It was gorgeous, the people were normal and not rude even when I tried my bad French and I was IN LOVE! I will stop back by!

7:23 PM  
Blogger lynn said...

Monica you were telling us the other day about how Brazil girls love to dress; WELL!!! You simply have to go to M et Mme Benaut's at Adelaide Daily Photo, to be redirected from there to Menton Daily Photo. I see what you MEAN!!! Gosh.

7:45 PM  
Blogger oldmanlincoln said...

I hope you get a chance to come over and see me wearing my blog wig, Eric. You might get a laugh out of it. Some others have. LOL

I like your photographer's photographer posted today too.

8:06 PM  
Blogger ShutterSpy said...

C'est super!

8:34 PM  
Blogger Dogeared said...

Trust me when I don't get effusively praising often, but I LOVE this photo, it's so evocative and yet playful.

You should definitely print and frame it.

8:40 PM  
Blogger Qwaudzkhi said...

hehe magnifique!

if i was that guy, i'd probably say,
"oh la la!!! he's taking a photograph of me just like i'm doing right now! better look good!"
hehehe

i could do some good laughs!

:]]]]]]]

8:53 PM  
Blogger Monica said...

This is a fantastic shot. Great how the backgroung is out of focus and yet so in context. Reminds me of Doisneaus photos.

9:12 PM  
Blogger Monica said...

Lynn you got the idea. I bet you can easily picture me wearing something like that. That's me going to the beach, plataforms and tassels all over. And some feathers in my hair too.

As if...

You better ask Michael what a Girl from Ipanema looks like. He knows very well, I'm sure he can describe to you. She doesn't look like a carnival parade, she's more bossa nova style.

9:14 PM  
Blogger lynn said...

Lovely, Monica. No i knew you'd never look like that, much better! Ipanema, there's a famous model from there right? It's in the back of my mind but can't recall the details.

9:44 PM  
Blogger Monica said...

Lynn most famous brazilian models come from the south of Brazil, like Gisele Bundchen. From Ipanema there is the real girl from Ipanema, the one that inspired the song. I said Michael could tell you all about her because he just learnet that she's real and was very surprised.

He even offered to sing Girl from Ipanema to you guys during the next picnic... he he

10:06 PM  
Blogger Monica said...

Eric I just got a "I heart Paris Daily Photo" mug from Zazzle!!!

It was a gift from - guess who - Phx of course!!! I'm in love with it. Now I have 2 PDP mugs.
Oh and also the button you gave me last year!

I bet Phx is helping increase your sales at Zazzle!

10:11 PM  
Blogger lynn said...

lol i know it. That's the one i was thinking of! Trust Michael. Pah. lol.

10:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonyme said...

guillemette was not eric in a cafe near the sorbonne entrance of the luxembourg park - the foutain rings a bell
another uestion what is the nationality of the person with camera french swiss german i can t see ..

10:16 PM  
Blogger Steve & Cricket said...

Cue deep voice : " TOM CRUISE SCIENTOLOGIST ! "

==Alaska

OH no , Tom and his cult are going to track me down ;-)))

PS : I'm Tom Cruise

10:48 PM  
Blogger Eric said...

Hi everyone. Sorry not to be very active in the comments box these days, but I have too excuses: 1) I have a lot of work at the moment, 2) Pollens have started to attack and I suffer from bad allergies which kill me.

It won't last, please forgive me;)

But I'm glad you enjoyed this photo, cause I like it very much too ;)

10:54 PM  
Blogger Lucio Crispino said...

Everyone in - and behind - this photograph is disguised: the background figures by the soft focus, the clown by his costume, the photographers (yes, Eric, I do mean you) by their cameras. I like that. Indeed, it seems apposite that we only half glimpse their identities, as this is explicitly an image about the making of an image. I like that, too.

10:57 PM  
Blogger Anna said...

I stumbled across your blog, and thoroughly enjoy the photos and your point of view! I was in Paris twice last year and could not get enough of the city! J'adore les photos!

12:39 AM  
Blogger Tall Gary said...

Wow. The lion head in the pattern of leaves by the Wallace Fountain! Thanks anonymous. This photo is building as much drama as Antonioni's movie "Blow Up."

12:58 AM  
Blogger guille said...

Anonyme, I would like to understand what you're talking about but I don't...

1:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonyme said...

There is no doubt that Eric used the gaussen blurr filter in Photoshop. The give away is the halo around the man's hat.

I also like the library shelf of books tie.

It looks like that may be a very expensive Leica SLR the gentleman is using. The mark of a very wealthy tourist. I know of no pro who uses Leica SLr equipment. Maybe old M2 and M3's, but not their SRLs.

The photo is still very nice.

6:26 AM  
Blogger Gecko said...

I wish I found this blog sooner, these are fantastic snapshots of Paris. Can't wait to see more! ;D

7:11 AM  
Blogger babooshka said...

I love this shot, timeless and comical. This site is far too addictive. Stops me doing my won blog and photography,by perusing this one. think it should could with a health warning.

1:00 PM  
Blogger WAVECRITTER said...

Brilliant! Could not have been better timing, lighting, and the black and white sets the stage! :)

4:18 PM  
Anonymous Flo said...

I like this picture very much. I looked at it and thought the background looks quite nice, with this old woman looking a bit like a clown.. then read and found out it's a clown.. :)
love your blog (not only the pics but also your comments)

6:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonyme said...

I have to agree with Anonyme who entered a comment at 6.26 a.m. I think it's okay to touch up shots, but there seems to be a thin line all around the photographer shown. I hope it's just to add a gaussian blur. And yes, I think it is a Leica he's using.

Good photo anyway!

8:16 AM  
Blogger Kim said...

Eric,
This photo is an instant classic! The figures are somewhat timeless and could be from any of several decades. The composition is perfect, and the black and white treatment has made this one of my fave pictures of yours of all time. Would that we could see his capture of you at the cafe! Please be sure to Zazzle this one!
Kudos!
-Kim

7:05 AM  
Blogger bleuet said...

Super - breathtaking - c'est rare de voir de photo en noir et blanc et ceci on plus d'effet. Merci de partager ces photos avec nous.

5:37 PM  
Blogger Thiên said...

That's fabulous, Eric!

4:28 AM  
Blogger Thiên said...

That's fabulous, Eric!

4:28 AM  
Blogger Swaantje said...

I like this picture!

3:56 PM  

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