Sunday, April 06, 2008

Notre Dame at Sunset


Yeah, I can hear you from here: "another one of these sunset photos, how about some imagination?!" Well, what can I do? When I see that kind of light, on my way back home from the office, I can't help but digging out my camera and shoot. LOL. Besides, I'm currently in Chamonix (in the Alpes) so I had to upload a photo prior to my departure... I hope you're behaving well on this blog while I'm gone;) Have a wonderful Sunday. BTW: here is some interesting reading about Notre-Dame.

73 comments:

  1. Beautiful lighting once again Eric. It's a different perspective of Notre Dame than normal. It's wonderful as always!

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  2. Once again, Ra, God of the Sun.

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  3. Love the angle.
    Gives us plenty room for imagination so we can picture in our minds the Seine just ahead reflecting the sun rays and the people passing by, crossing the bridges, coming in and out of Notre Dame, tourists taking pictures... pretty soon everybody there will be able to enjoy this light until late at night... this atmosphere is one of the things I miss the most in Paris... sigh

    I'm behaving Eric, but Lynn.. well, Lynn is Lynn!

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  4. Absolutely gorgeous! My jaw dropped when I saw this photo. I enjoy all of them, but this is really stunning. Can't wait to be there...only 8 more weeks for me!! And I get to stay for a whole month...

    Carol

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  5. BTW, it's not past midnight in many places yet, but still, today (6th) it's our dear Lynn's birthday!

    Soooo: Happy Birhtday Lynn!!!!!!!!

    I'll stop by Cheltenham DP to celebrate with you properly. I hope Eric will drop by quickly to send you his wishes, I know you'd love that!

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  6. I love the contrast between the bright light hitting Notre Dame and the dark sky behind it. This is a beautiful shot! I wouldn't have been able to resist either.

    Hope you're having fun in Chamonix Eric!!! I have wonderful memories from my visit there and want to go back so much! Even though this is Paris Daily Photo, I'm sure no one would mind if you posted one or two fun Chamonix pics ;)

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  7. You can bombard us with sunset photos all your want. i love them and they make me fall more and more in love with your city!

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  8. we are currently studying gothic architecture in one of my classes...too bad the class does not include over-seas field trips!

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  9. Goodness, Monica, thank you! How lovely for you to say that here. Ahh, i'm really touched, yay i'm the birthday girl! lol.

    What a fabulous photo this is. The colours, angle, everything - as usual Eric.

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  10. Lynn: PS Sorry my happy birthday clip features someone else's name. I chose (that is, I "appropriated") it for other reasons. Hope you don't mind.

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  11. Happy birthday Lynn. So, judging by one of your recent comments posted here, this must be your 28th birthday. Do you like Champagne?

    That sunset looks warm. I love a royal blue and gold sunset like the one you captured. Maxfield Parrish use to paint a lot of sunsets. So you are in good company. Below is a link (a quick glance) to some of his sunsets.

    http://images.google.com/images?q=maxfield+parrish&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

    As soon as I saw your photo, I thought of him, because of the colors.

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  12. Gorgeous lighting! I just love the blue/gold together....amazing! Have fun on your trip!

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  13. Lois i adore champagne! 28 yes that'll do very well thank you he he.

    Lucio of course not, i love it, thank you, how sweet. Yay!

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  14. Happy Birthday, Lynn!

    Eric, what a beautiful picture. I am not sure when I'll get to Paris, but I hope it will be soon! I can only hope that I will get a picture as beautiful as these you feature here...

    Bonsoir!

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  15. Joyeux anniversaire to you Lynn!!! Have a wonderful and sweet day.

    Eric, lovely sunsets like this one, or like those of previous days are always wellcome! BTW, your captions are always so nicely written, each time. That is just a pure pleasure! Hm, what else? ;)

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  16. Thanks Christie and Corinne, i feel thoroughly spoiled !

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  17. Gorgeous light as always.Other's sunsets are always gorgeous, fantasic,wow etc.I bore of my own, but other's love them, and in turn I "wow" at other peoples.

    My tiny island may have beautiful sunsets, but it has a lousy server, hence the post on yeterdays pic today aswell as this one.

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  18. Lois: "Maxfield Parrish used to paint a lot of sunsets. So you are in good company." Good call.

    However...

    Eric: Just the other day you chastised me - not harshly, of course - for comparing the late afternoon light effect in your photo of the Tour Saint Jacques with one of Monet's paintings of Rouen Cathedral (okay, it may have been a bit of an exaggeration on my part) - but now you present us with this image, which is even MORE like the Monet! Surely, this time, it's not so much of a stretch to see the two as being at least a LITTLE similar. In any case, I'm sure this "heavenly" combination of medieval towers and facades bathed in rich, golden light can't be seen in too many other places around the world.

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  19. What a beautiful photo of Notre Dame ! The gold with the bright blue sky as a background is a wonderful combination. So sunny and warm !
    You might also like to add your photos of Paris to trivago, a multinational community of travellers for travellers.

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  20. Another amazing photo Eric! You sure captured the golden hour in Paris; and those clouds sure cooperated so that Notre Dame just pops out of the photo with that great light highlighting the towers.

    So you're in Chamonix! If you took the train, does the conductor still sing out "Chamonix Mont Blanc; Chamonix Mont Blanc"? I so remember that from 1984. Did you find your phone?

    Happy Birthday Lynn! I'll raise a glass in your honor tonight!

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  21. Lucio, Thank you. We have a Maxfield Parrish painting here in SF. It is in a bar of all places. It's called the Pied Piper and it has a blue and gold sunset. It is in the Palace Hotel bar on Market Street. It's a big painting -- covers most of the wall. I go there once in a while just to look at it. It's beautiful. You can see it here.

    http://luke.vox.com/library/photo/6a00bf76c9a9fb93b500c2252014538e1d

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  22. Oh Eric, please don't stop with the sunset in Paris series. {sigh} These photos are so beautiful. Thank you for posting from the Alps, hope you find your phone soon. :)

    Happy Birthday Lynn!!! You are fab, put on your hippy jeans and head out for some festivities. ;)

    Here's a little song by Tom Chapin

    "Happy birthday, happy birthday we love you
    Happy birthday and may all your dreams come true
    When you blow out the candles one light stays aglow
    That's the love light in your eyes wherever you go"

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  23. Oh, I love photos of buildings all aglow! Splendid and thanks for sharing it.

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  24. Yeah, right, Eric, like people are really going to complain about beautiful sunsets on Parisian landmarks? ;)

    Good job again, and thank you for all the thought and time you put into coming up with something different every day.

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  25. Awesome photo. Would like to see it in person some day.

    Rhonda Olin - Google Me

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  26. Lois: Thanks for the link. Actually, if you imagine the Pied Piper as a proxy for the barman, it's current location doesn't seem strange at all.

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  27. It must be terrible to have to live in Paris and see such heartbreaking beauty every day. However, I think I could bear it. Eric, you are forgiven for presenting sunset photographs so long as you don't ever stop.

    Lynn, happy 28th!

    John and I went to the Getty today and enjoyed a small exhibit of Fragonards. There were also some Louis-Davids, including this lovely portrait:

    http://www.abcgallery.com/D/david/david37.html

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  28. No sunsets over Notre Dame by Eric Tenin, though. Certainly not with the sky looking like a watercolor.

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  29. I've never seen Notre Dame from this perspective - tres belle! I agree with others, I will never tire of sunset shots - bring 'em on! Hope you're having a great vacation, Eric!

    Bonne anniversaire, Lynn - here in California, you're still a day younger - hee hee. Let's have a Kir Royale - clink, clink!

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  30. Incredible photo, Eric! The contrasts of the sun and sky are striking.

    BTW...Happy Birthday Lynn! Have a Coke, I mean soda, pop, soda pop, lemon squeeze...eeks!!!...your choice on us! :-)

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  31. Birthday girl, I went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner tonight and I asked if they had Champagne -- I was going to send you a virtual toast. They said, No we don't have Champagne -- hey, they have fortune cookies though. I took the liberty of opening your fortune cookie which reads: "He who has imagination without learning has wings but no feet." BTW This Chinese restaurant has many brightly colored lanterns hanging from the ceiling with gold and red tassels -- a feast for the eyes. Also, the fortune cookie was invented in San Francisco by a Japanese man. But that is another story. Have a fabulous birthday.

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  32. Hi Lucio,

    I was going to email that Piped Piper painting to Eric when he was telling us about the rats in Paris -- I took too long, and he was off on another subject. Lighting is bad in a bar for any artwork of merit. Vigee LeBrun said, a badly lite painting is like a badly played piece of music.

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  33. Petrea: Aaah, the Getty. I confess, I almost fainted when I saw VanGogh's "Irises" in the same room with one of Monet's studies of Rouen cathedral. God, that VanGogh is fantastic!

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  34. You have such amazing photos! I am in love with them! The lighting is divine! Maybe someday my pictures will be as good as yours!

    http://pinky23.blogspot.com/

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  35. Hi Petrea, Thanks for sharing that about the Getty. They say, David is the father of modern art. That is why modern art books usually start with him and move to the present. I think he was good at the beginning of his career. However, he got bought. Napoleon made David paint him tall as Napoleon was short. David gave up more ideals than that though.

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  36. True, Lois. Yet I loved the huge, glorious Louis-Davids at the Louvre, even if they were "bought," as you say. I guess I got caught up in the pageantry. And a couple of the pieces they had at the Getty were certainly bought-and-paid-for portraits for the wealthy. But that's why I chose the link I put up; I thought that portrait was more intimate than his usual. Something special.

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  37. When we lived in Paris last summer, my favorite thing to see everyday was the beautiful light of the sunset on Notre Dame. It is magnificent. I was just hoping yesterday that you would have a picture like this sometime. Thank you! It's beautiful!

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  38. Hi Petrea, Yes, I agree, David is a genius, and you can get caught up in large format (pageantry). I prefer painting in large format. There is a section at the Louvre devoted entirely to large format. That's were I go first and then branch out. Speaking of bought -- There was a commission that David did when he was in his "classic" phase. His painting was so minimal, that the woman refused to pay for it when it was finished. Artists just weren't doing "minimal art" in those days. It is said to be one of his masterpieces. BTW the painting is called "Mme. Recamier" and you can see it at the Louvre. He did this painting way before the French Revolution. It's my favorite -- that and "Socrates Drinking the Hemlock" which is at the Met in NYC.

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  39. Photo: Simply glorious! C'est magnifique!

    And happy birthday, Lynn! Here's to a great "28th" year ;)

    MZM

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  40. hey
    thank you for the pics!

    much enjoyed!

    hungry singaporean (metaphorically). would love to visit Paris, one day...

    have a great life!

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  41. Eric it is the end of my week, and it has been a tough one. It was grueling to say the least, but when I clicked onto PDP and saw this shot of Notre Dame I felt a sense of calm flow over me. Funny how photos or thoughts of Paris can be so consoling when I feel almost overwhelmed by the cretins I deal with on a daily basis...LOL!! Merci!! This is a stunning shot, and I know I have gazed at Notre Dame many times when it was bathed in almost the same beautiful light. It was for many years a tradition for me to spend a portion of the month of April in Paris for my birthday. Not this year though, :-( perhaps next year?

    **Lynn...Joyeux Anniversaire from one April[Aries]baby to another!! Enjoy!! You deserve a trip to Paris!! Now, get your things and head to the station!! LOL!!

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  42. Bonjour everyone,
    I'm a Danish Paris aficionado, and I have been watching Eric's beautiful pictures for quite a while, but I never read the commemnts before recently, and I must say that you are a wonderful lot, so I would love to join in from now on. Hope you will welcome me in your midst, though I haven't got my own blog.
    Have a nice sunday !

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  43. I do like the contrast in colors, Eric. From the looks of the clouds you are better off in the Alpes.

    Abraham Lincoln in Brookville, Ohio now playing the part of Mrs. Zac Efron's employee.

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  44. Jennifer thank you so much! Thanks all for your Birthday wishes. I've got my hippy jeans, wishing it was really only my 28th, sipping champagne, soda, and having a great time! he he thanks. Drop in to Cheltenham for a virtual party. lol!

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  45. I'm stunned and delighted that you should open a fortune cookie for me Lois thank you! he he, so - "He who has imagination without learning has wings but no feet." Hmm. I think i have wings, but i feel i have feet too. lol the restaurant sounds divine.

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  46. I'd have a hard time resisting that shot, too. Beautiful light.

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  47. Sunset light in Paris is beautiful as in few other places.... but are those storm clouds in the background? It's been raining nonstop in Richmond, VA, for about 3 days now. The grass is so green but I'm thinking we might need to start building an ark...

    And happy birthday, Lynn! :)

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  48. Welcome Bettina, happy b'day UKLynn, and if you read my comments on yesterday's pix, Petra, the video on Marie A. was indeed the one from PBS and is soooomuch cheaper on Amazon! Darn!

    The sunlight bathing on Notre Dame makes it look even more majestic.Looks like a painter painted the highlights like that, rather than a photo. Beautiful.

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  49. Welcome, Bettina. You don't need a blog to comment at all. I wish that were more clear on blogger, I think more people would participate.

    Thanks, PHX, I did see that yesterday.

    Lois! I googled the paintings. Not the same as seeing them in person, of course, but it refreshes the memory. Too bad Mme. Recamier didn't have the foresight to recognize the beauty of that gorgeous painting.

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  50. Hey girls guess what? I've had 'grosses bises' from ... Eric.... for my birthday! Hey hey!

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  51. oo.. nice.. nice.. why is it called notre-dame?

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  52. LYNN: when was your birthday??
    hey.. happy birhtday gurl!! mwauh!!

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  53. Thanks Anon. and Qwaudzkhiiiiiii. It's today!


    I hope all goes well when the Olympic torch reaches Paris, it's been hectic today in London, many many protestors against China hosting the games in view of the current troubles re: Tibet. One attempted to wrestle the torch from the carrier's hand. Many were floored roughly by police. I think their voice will be heard in Paris too? You have many more demonstrations than we do in London so i wait to see what will happen. Peaceful i hope.

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  54. NEWS FLASH -- I just saw on France24 that Charlton Heston died. It was reported in the article "After a World War II stint as a gunner in the Army Air Corps, Heston headed to Broadway, where he briefly supported himself with nude modeling between acting jobs."

    When I was an art student at the Art Students League in NYC, someone there told me that Heston use to pose nude there for painting and sculpture classes.

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  55. NEWS FLASH -- I just saw on France24 that Charlton Heston died. It was reported in the article "After a World War II stint as a gunner in the Army Air Corps, Heston headed to Broadway, where he briefly supported himself with nude modeling between acting jobs."

    When I was an art student at the Art Students League in NYC, someone there told me that Heston use to pose nude there for painting and sculpture classes. So, it appears it wasn't just a rumor.

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  56. BTW I use to pose nude there too; I'll save that story for another time.

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  57. This is bringing back memories. There was an old woman from Paris, Claude, that use to hang out at the Art Students League then. She would set up shows. Someone told me that she posed nude for many of the great painters in Paris when she was young. I asked her, she said, yes, she didn't want to talk about it though.

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  58. Here is a sunset painting I did. It's called "Pagoda in Golden Gate Park"

    http://www.loissimon.com/031_31.htm

    BTW this painting glows under black light.

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  59. Wow! Lois, you're really good! Thanks for sharing!

    Qwuadzkhi: Notre Dame means "Our Lady" as in Virgin Mary. If I'm not wrong ... :)

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  60. Thank you -- I appreciate your compliments Alexandra. I hold them close to my heart. I use to see that sunset when going home in the evening and I would say to my daughter, "Look honey, the sky is on fire". It is caused by tiny particles of metal in the air coming from the exhaust of cars. The tiny pieces of metal act as mirrors reflecting the sun.

    Qwuadzkhi: We have a Notre Dame des Victoires here in San Francisco. They do the mass in French and high mass in Latin.

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  61. My daughter went skiing in Chamonix when she was on exchange in Annecy,FR in '04-'05. Did you go skiing? I hope you are having a marvelous holiday.

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  62. Whaa amazing view Eric.
    You wouldn't have been able to take this picture today: it was snowing and the sky was totally white...
    No snow during winter but snow in the first days of spring. What's wrong with the weather?..

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  63. lois..There is a 10:30AM Mass at NDV on Sunday in French. The Latin Mass is at St. Patrick's at 10:30AM. NDV has been my parish church for over 30 years! It is a beautiful little church, and the French community is still prevalent there as it is the French National Church in SF. ;-)

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  64. Nice work, Lois, very unique and colorful! Thanks for posting it for us to see.

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  65. LOIS SIMON: oh.. cool..!! do they hold masses in french and latin occasionally?? :]

    ALEXANDRA: thanks for the info ! what came into my mind was the hunchback of notre dame.. hehehe... but it never really occurred to me to look in the dictionary to find out what notre dame means.. hehe..

    LYNN: yey!!! happy happy birthday!! may you have a blessed birthday, Lynn!!! love lots, qwaudzkhi.

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  66. Qwaudzkhi: Hehe, the hunchback is something quite different, for sure! lol.

    Lois: You're ever so welcome.´I really meant it. :)

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  67. Salut!!
    I just made a memory trip, back to Paris!
    Thank you for that!

    CrazyTourist2

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  68. How could anyone be tired of a sunset photo when each day brings on a new one never seen? :) Beautiful photo...thank you for sharing.

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  69. I like this very much! great picture!

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