Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Metro ramp at La Madeleine


I remember taking this photo at the Place de la Madeleine. My eyes immediately caught sight of the metro ramp where people were going up and down in a sort of artistic urban ballet! I finally ended up choosing this one because I thought it was the most aesthetic. Don't ask me why!

36 comments:

  1. That's a ramp, not a staircase? Interesting! How do people keep from tripping?

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  2. .. the angle of the stairs creates a nice effect ..

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  3. Yeah, guitare, for one thing it's got me convinced that it's not a staircase!

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  4. I think it is esthetically pleasing because of the starkness and the various type of lines going in so many directions, yet repeated.

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  5. Tall Gary: I haven't a clue as to how you find the pictures in the internet, but keep silent as I think you do magic.
    The Simone de Beauvoir picture you found yesterday is better than the one I took, too!!!!!

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  6. Cool shot! I like it, too. Something about the posture, somehow, it works. Well done.

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  7. Suzy: GF! GF! GF!

    Wow I really like this shot. Beautifully timed. Beautifully worded 'artistic urban ballet'........sigh, Eric, sigh....... :)

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  8. The angles and the grays are nicely balanced. That's why! It is a really good picture, Eric. Hope you are having a wonderful time in NZ and AUS!!

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  9. Tall Gary: Thanks for the link yesterday to the rollerblade post.

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  10. Eric --wonderfully graphic in shades of gray! And of course she's checking her cellphone.
    Woo hoo, Suzy GF!
    BTW, TG -- I also loved your rollerblade link.

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  11. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing Eric's PDP photo of the rollerbladers yesterday, Harriet. And for Alexa that must have been again. Please don't forget to also thank Eric in the first place (I know, we all do).

    Harriet, I, too, remember the amazing cacophony when that fast-rushing, seemingly never-ending river of in-line skaters took over the entire Boulevard Sebastopol from side to side and as far as one could see. That was my first ecstatic night in Paris.

    In today's PDP I like the way the woman mimics the colors found on the stairs: the grays with darker folds and at the top—bright highlights of warm colors; pale yellows on the stairs; and on the the woman, sun-blazed yellow-white and strawberry blond.

    OK, PHX-CDG—Mum's the word.

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  12. It's a terrific photo, for the reasons everyone has noted. And do you all feel that everything about it leads up the stairs, to the left? It practically moves that way all on its own.

    Suzy, I think they are stairs. Perhaps the French use ramp/stairs differently than we do? Anyone know?

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  13. "The Grey Lady"

    I love the play on grey or gray.

    In France, to be "gray" {être gris} means to be drunk. Accordingly, to be extremely drunk is to be "black" {être noir}. In the U.S., the college slang verb to gray was used around 1900 to mean to get drunk. ~ Zoé

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  14. Hi everyone, just checking in after a few days away from the Internet - and even cell phone coverage!

    I see you're still visiting PDP regularly and leaving comments, thank you.

    I'm still in New Zealand - just arrived in Queenstown after 2 days in Doubtful Sound - a magnificent place albeit very humid - they have 7 meters of rain every year on average!

    In 2 days I'll be heading to Australia and will have a little more time to rest!

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  15. Hi Eric, very nice to read you.
    Always very nice. It's like a special postcard from you and I love it :) It's raining here in Paris, too... At least, we have the same weather ;)

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  16. We don't ask why, Eric, because it's obvious: all these lines, the strange staircase (due to your point of view), the gradation of different greys. The only thing moving is this young lady.
    I really like your choice.
    BTW Eric, you took the métro?! Whaaa :p

    Yes girls, they are stairs. I know them ;)it's the exit of the line 14.

    Have a nice trip far from the civilization!!

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  17. You think you're going to be resting when you visit Australia, Eric? Oh, heh heh ~ and for your next joke?

    This is a lovely subtle shot. If it is indeed a ramp, the trompe l'oeil is amazing.

    TG, yes, thank you so much for the rollerblading link yesterday {and thank you, Eric}. I think I spotted Alexa.

    ET Suzy, congrats!

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  18. It is aesthetic! I like it, like the simetry of it.

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  19. The angle and all the greys makes this photo;Great shot !!!

    Nice to see you here again, Eric. Have a continued great trip !

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  20. Does no-one else find themselves feeling slightly giddy when looking at the picture? Something in the movement messes with my mind (or my inner ear I think)! Great picture though and I find myelf building a story around what the lady is looking at on her mobile.

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  21. Glad to find out that Eric is alive and well. We all wish him a continued safe journey and as much rest and/or excitement he wants. But being in the same nation as Shell Sherree pretty much eliminates a chance at the former.

    The angle of the stairs brought to mind M.C. Escher's Ascending and Descending.

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  22. Good job, Gary, the Escher theme is part of the fascination in Eric's photo. Lines, lines, lines, direction, but...no movement, as the woman seems frozen in place. The phone is an electronic portal to the outside world into which she is about to emerge. It's like she's checking: do I dare go out there? Like Prufrock asking, do I dare eat a peach? A 21st century Modernist photo!

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  23. Do I dare eat wild rice from Minnesota?

    Jeff, last night John and I ate some of the rice you imported for us. We mixed chopped apples, raisins and walnuts in it, and stuffed it all into an organic chicken and roasted it. Fab. Merci.

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  24. 'Cause it is beautiful, Eric. As many photos, just a feeling that all parts get well together.

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  25. De rien. I'm glad you liked it. Sounds like the perfect poultry dressing. That kind of 'comfort food' would be good today here: set temperature at 30 degrees (-1 C), add snow to an underglaze of rain, which always results in a delicious frosted driving nightmare. Bon appetite! Look out for that car!

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  26. Nice shot...and of course like every city person around the world that goes down into the bowels of the "underground" to ride a subway, metro, tube etc...she is checking her portable as she climbs back into the daily grind of her world.

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  27. Tall Gary I too thought of Escher! I find that work fascinating.

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  28. I see you're still visiting PDP regularly and leaving comments, thank you.

    Thank YOU for keeping the pictures coming while you're on vacation. Enjoy your time off away from the daily grind. Bring back a Kangaroo or something ;)

    MC Escher: a total genius! Love the stuff!

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  29. Escher, yes!

    Thank you, TG - {I think?}. Eric may intend to rest but he's so adventurous and there's so much to do and see here, he will find it hard to sit still. Nonetheless, if relaxation is what you want, dear Eric, I'll be happy to apply zinc cream to your back and fan you as you lie on your beach towel eating macadamia nut and rum & raisin ice-creams while taking your iconic Tenin ground level snaps of the beach volleyball players.

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  30. C'est mon site préféré de cette année ! Merci Parisian sympa! Beaucoup de plaisir, de fun, de renseignements! Quelle belle idée, une photo par jour!

    Bisous d'une Americaine sympa (oui, ca aussi, ca existe!)

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