Influenced by Horizons Collection

This week we had to do an essay based on an exhibit that inspired us during the previous week. I choose the Antoine Gonine (Hopefully all the names of photographers are spelled correctly in this; it was hard to decipher my notes!) Exhibit from the exhibit at the Maison Européene de la Photographie. I had originally wanted to do a series of portraits in the style of Jehsong Beck, or possibly street scenes like Marc Ribould's photos, but at the end of the day I came back to the Horizons collection. I guess it was just meant to be.

Currently: Crazy busy

Decisive Moment Part 2

Ok so since I didn't have to take photos for class last week, I decided to keep looking for a "decisive moment." I took this photo of my friend at Chartes and it was my favorite shot of the week.

Currently: excited for Italy

The fall of the Berlin wall

Anyways, as you probably know yesterday was the 11th of November so everyone was celebrating the end of World War I, and last week was the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. I am so glad I got to experience these two events in Paris. In the US I don't think I would have appreciated these two days as much. It's amazing to see the way everyone in Europe remembers these important dates.

Me in front of the Arc de Triumph on Nov. 11th. They had a huge flag up, and they also had something going on at the tomb of the unknown soldier.

Everyone here has been anticipating the 20th anniversary of the Berlin wall for a while. One chocolatier, Patrick Roger (I've sampled some of his chocolate before, delicious!) even built a chocolate Berlin wall to commemorate the occasion. I attended a free city wide celebration in the Place de Concorde.The event was amazing. They had amazing music playing while they projected images onto some of the buildings behind the orchestra. Some of the images were just stuff like shots of the musicians up close, but they also projected old photos of the Berlin wall. It was a really moving site actually.

Some of the images they were showing at the memorial presentation.

Everything was light up, there were tons of people, and they had a whole orchestra there. They had all the cellist in individual stands/box things that were covered in graffiti (like the Berlin wall) and they would spotlight them at different times throughout the songs.

So the video is kind of hard to see. There were a lot of people and it was dark, but the audio is worth listening to (I think you actually see some of it towards the end).

Anyways, I was so glad I took the time to remember some very important bits of history these last two weeks. It has definitely been a highlight of this trip.

Another picture from the Place de Concorde, there is a tiny French flag in the background (Although, I'm blanking on what building that is right now).



I love this picture by Cartier-Bresson of the Berlin Wall. I learned about him in my photography class. He is amazing.
(http://www.ttx-net.sk/georgie/Cartier-Bresson1.htm)

Currently: Really tired, despite all my naps today (train rides are a good place to catch up on sleep, lol)

Decisive Moment

So I was really excited for the last photography project. It was all about capturing the "decisive moment." Sadly, I never really felt like I got that moment! I ended up using this picture which I actually took a while ago and don't like that much(There was only one I really liked from this week and it didn't really seem to fit the theme). But this week we aren't taking photos (going to photo exhibit instead) so I think I'll continue this theme on my own for another week. Who knows maybe I'll find that perfect shot!

Currently: Excited for Normandy

Clinical trial 1A: Results: Bittersweet

Paris to me has been a magical place of meringue, savory fillings, and whipped cream. But what is it that makes a pastry so irresistible? Does everyone hear the siren call of dark chocolate? I realized that this question could not be explained by my usual photography frivolity. This called for something more serious. At first I was intimidated by the magnitude of my task, but if Bill Nye taught me anything it is that everything can be explained with science. So I began designing my experiment. I came up with a plan to capture the average person's reaction to the delectable thing we call dessert.



I would take a Lenotre pastry and strategically place it in a public place for anyone to encounter and secretly watch from the side lines. Would they be horrified at its abandonment? Would they worry about where it came from or would they just take it and stuff it in their mouth without a second thought? There were risks to be sure. But it had to be done. My assistant helped me set the stage. Pretending to be absorbed in a phone call she walked away from a bench leaving behind the pastry in a box.



A few heads turned as they walked past, but no one was bold enough to go up to it. Finally a family sat down on the bench. I was slightly dismayed when the woman pushed the box to the end of the bench and nibbled on an inferior Mars bar instead. But I didn’t let it detour me from my scientific observation. Surely no one could resist the pastry for long or think that it had evil intentions.



Sadly the experiment took a tragic turn when the woman, in an attempt to position herself on the bench for a photo, callously thrust the innocent pastry off the edge. I was in shock. I know I am supposed to be an impartial scientific observer, but this was too much.



After this catastrophic turn of events the experiment was promptly terminated and all other test groups abandoned. The remaining subjects were disposed of through proper channels.





This was my photography assignment for the topic food. I had so much fun doing this little experiment! My roommate Haidy is my partner in crime, or assistant :), in case you are wondering.

Currently: excited that my French seems to be improving (slowly, but surely lol)

A few of my favorite things

Ok so instead of inundating you with my usual marathon stories of the events and historical artifacts I've seen recently I thought I'd simply write a list of my ten favorite things about Paris study abroad so far (By the way I considered not making the title the obligatory Sound of Music reference, but yeah...couldn't resist).

1)Favorite French habit

Fresh bread and cheese at the end of dinner every night. Yum.


Look at all those yummy cheeses.

2)Favorite Dessert

Chocolate. All this fancy foreign chocolate has ruined me.

3)Favorite Day Trip

Monet's garden. I went twice.



4)Favorite Museum

Right now it's a tie between the Tate Modern in London and Cite de l'architecture & du Patrimoine. Haidy and I wandered in the last one this afternoon, and I wasn't expecting much. But it was just so fabulous.Maybe that's why I like it so much; I've always loved surprises. However I still have many, many museums on my list.

5)Favorite Snack

Sea Salt and Vinegar chips. I got some at the train station in London and fell in love.

6)Favorite Parisians (aside from my wonderful host family of course)

Dog owners. They take their dogs everywhere here. It's hilarious.



7)Favorite place to sit

By the Pompidou center. There are always tons of people doing street performances or some other crazy thing. Very Entertaining.

8)Favorite Walls

Fontainbleau. Ceilings are pretty awesome as well.



9)Favorite fashion trend

Scarves. Seriously I wear one almost every day.

10)Favorite Pastime

Wandering. You never really know what you'll run into here.



So basically I just wanted an excuse to post a picture of this cute little teapot store (I actually encountered a cuter one, but my camera was MIA so this one will have to do).


Currently: Enjoying the sound of rain outside my apartment and catching up on SYTYCD