Quintessential Parisiens?

This photo poses the question of whether this somewhat older pair

(maybe not together) in the Paris Metro, are the 'Quinessential

Parisians?' Note his old-style hat and compare her facial expression

to the poster to her right, rear. Also, you are invited to compare

this use of 'threes' with others in my portfolio. Your comments and

critiques are invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly or very

critically, please submit a helpful and constructive comment. Please

share your superior photographic knowledge to help improve my

photography.

The word in the critique request is 'quintessential' (with a 't'). I am posting from a strange computer without my usual Google toolbar with spell checker, which I rely on heavily. Thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

 

Image Copyright 2007, John Crosley, All Rights Reserved

Nice photo John, although I does look to be a wider lens than the 70mm end of your zoom lens.

to whom I owe the thanks for even being on this site with so many photos, my e-mail address remaining unchanged, you have made a completely valid point.

 

The lens posting was by 'default' from a prior post; I am going to change it from a 70-200 mm f 2.8 E.D.V.R. to the actual lens used, a Nikkor 12-24 f 4, which is one of the two sharpest lenses in my arsenal (the first named is also extremely sharp and a mainstay (I actually have three, because often one is being worked on, as well as two or three 80?200 f 2.8 lenses, which are not vibration reduction.

 

I have two of the 12-24 lenses, so valuable to me is it that if I were to have to send it in for service, I'd literally be 'out of business' for shots such as this, and as those who follow my photography know, I'm always in business, with a camera (or two or more) always at my side or around my neck, just so I can post shots like this.

 

I appreciate the correction and will make it in 'details' and am posting this explanation so others can relate to your comment, which I ask you not withdraw.

 

Thanks again (for everything)

 

John (Crosley)

perhaps that human types... a little more air low and appear better.

 

pardon my english

I think you are saying (in your English) that for the people you want to see more 'space' -- 'air' below them.

 

Perhaps that would truly have been desirable, but I was unable to take and frame it without sitting on something or bending on injured knees, (or dropping to one knee, etc.)

 

What is desirable in 'street photography' is far different in its split second framing amid unknown reactions, than what one can obtain. It's lucky at all that I could get this shot with the three figures in it and the woman 'mirroring' the look of the person on the Metro poster . . . what I considered a true find, but the poster does not show well enough to truly elevate this photo.

 

I'd have to agree, that if (when the woman had 'that' look) perhaps if I'd been back a little bit, I could have made space underneath her for her feet, and same for the man, but frankly in street photography, there seldom are do-overs.

 

What you see is what you get, when it comes to posting, unless the figures were static for a long period, and I had the luxury of shooting in several different styles.

 

I'm glad you stopped to take time to critique. All critiques that are serious are taken seriously here.

 

Thanks.

 

 

John (Crosley)

Lucky man,, you are.... BTW.. nice area around Odeon...But looking in deap detail the picture,,, looking at the magazine the man is reading,, the place,,, and the watch on the right arm... the way he is wearing the hat (on dit le "berret" en Francais). I will forget the mobil phone in the hand.... He is not a real one,,,, Not a real french,,,and over all ..not a "parisien",,, not at all,, ,sorry... just a wrong fashion old man....But,, still a nice shot..

It was posed more as a question than a statement; for I wondered if they were the 'true Parisians' or not.

 

For the man at least, he is not, you have convinced me of that, but at least he appears a true Frenchman (we spell the chapeau *hat* beret, not berret, but that's of no matter -- true in the kind I formerly saw in Paris when I was in my '20s, regardless of 'details' which reveal otherwise; if not 'real' a good copy from 'olden times . . . .

 

;-)

 

It is precisely because of the nature of posting that comments are invited, and the word of a true Frenchman (with true street experience and stature, no less) is entirely welcome, even if you live in Barcelona.

 

For us 'outlanders', he certainly looks quintessentially 'French' and 'old French' at that.

 

Despite your disavowal, which I accept.

 

Don't be a stranger to these pages, mon ami, s'il vous plait.

 

John (Crosley)

I also know that Paris is a masculine name, and that the proper use is 'Parisien' (however spelled with 'es' or not) and not Parisian, but in common usage in English and in the United States, one uses Parisian instead of the more grammatically correct version.

 

Americans have a big problem with masculine and femine nouns, and the idea that Paris is masculine seems alien to most Americans together with the idea that as a city one might call it 'beau' instead of 'belle' -- a frequent problem with Americans who try to describe the beauty of Paris.

 

So, forgive my lack of 'French' coreectness -- I do know the difference (or think I do).

 

But I am an outlander, un etranger.

 

John (Crosley)

I've being living in Paris during almost 10 years. Everybody has in mind the "prototype" of every kind of citizen,,, I ve, for sure, in mind what's an Amercan guy looks.. and so on. But maybe, it's not the same for each of us. SO, I do think there is not a real answer about this pic. My opinion is, that's not a Parisien, The lady maybe more. For the magazin, for sure he is.. "Valeurs Actuelles". For the place.,, for sure,, one of the more centric Subway station. About,, is it a french?. Yes as a prototype foreing people has in mind. Not for me in the meaning this one looks completly artificial and out of the time, out of the place. I will find on the next week, a real French, with a beret in Paris. I ve one some where at home. You will be able to see the difference, the attitude,,,

Talking about the Feminin or Masculin for Paris. The rule is quite bit simple. When the name of the city is finishing by "E",, it s feminin, otherwise it's masculin. Of course, maybe some exeptions. That 's the same rule for the country names. (the the complete list with Clasification feminn masculin, you will see some exeptions: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/dglf/ressources/pays/FRANCAIS.HTM

 

See you

Sorry, I could't help myself.

 

That was what I thought at first and it just made me giggle. I thought at first who is that English guy thinking he's French.

 

My favorite thing about this picture is the lady and her face and the poster and the mimic. The crop makes no difference as even if you did have more space I would tell you to CROP it off because we want to see her face closer.

 

I think you did a great job with this one and I love that he looks like one of my favorite singers.

 

All SMILES!

 

~ micki

Maybe he is . . . traveling in Mufti.

 

Frederic Pascual knows more about it than we (have you checked out his work - it's outstanding? He's one of the finest street photographers anywhere, anytime.

 

I'm interested in your thoughts about the crop.

 

By the way, I like the work of Peter Gabriel, former lead singer of Genesis whom Collins replaced, for Gabriel's 'non-pop' work of immense complexity compared to Collins's 'pop' music, even though Collins's music is very catchy.

 

Welcome back to participation - soon enough I'll have plenty more to post (actually many are awaiting upload but too many to sort through and about 150,000 to sort through for overlooked gems, plus about 50,000 photos of which only the most obvious ones have been posted, leaving perhaps some real gems (this one is one as was the other one about 'lionizing' posted the same day, another.)

 

I just keep pressing that shutter release and amazing things keep happening and all the time they're different. I may repeat a genre (say posters as backgrounds), but I have a variety of different genres (I posted a landscape the other day, on a different service, that got rave reviews . . . if you can imagine that. . . . . )

 

I always enjoy your comments . . . your perspicacity is second to none.

 

John (Crosley)

 

 

I thought you were living in Barcelona - I guess I am wrong (or you have had some residence there).

 

As to the feminine/masculine, your rule is so simple, I am sooo glad you posted it; no one ever brought it to my attention before. I will use it often. I'll be looking up your reference, too, when it's not 5:38 a.m. into the next day.

 

I understand that the man looks out of place, out of time, but he looks like many Frenchmen did when I was visiting Paris at a younger age. How does the magazine say he's not a Frenchman? I'm confused by that.

 

But surely he could just be an affected American High School French Teacher who's a Francophile carried to the extreme, then couldn't he?

 

I miss hearing from you; stop by more often, will you.

 

I always love your work -- as I said above, it's among the best anywhere.

 

John (Crosley)

My last clarification about the magazine. "Valeurs Actuelles",,means "Actual Values" is a magazine very very close to the new French President. With this information you can close your analyse. And more if you pay attention, that the title is not hiden at all in the photo. I will come back soon. BTW ..did you see this serie (on the fisrt line..) http://www.fotoii.com/en/bestgrade

Thanks for your kinds..

PS: I am in Barcelona, I was in Paris between 1988 and 1999. I have the problem with the use of the past,, more complicated than the Feminin,, masculin

Funny shot. Yes, the face of the lady mimicking the one from the poster is truly catchy. I think the lady is more of a local Parisian because she has a regular bag from Franprix supermarket. She is not carrying a flimsy plastic one so we know that she might use this bag for more frequent shoppings. It is also ironic to read the sign advertising FNAC - the store of new technologies...and here we have a mature couple sitting underneath it. Perhaps a new vs old statement with the new on top. Unlike other societies, American culture values the looks of youth over the wisdom of old age.

Insightful comment; one could only be very familiar with the French culture to have made such a comment.

 

I happen very much to like the look of youth (at least female youth -- relatively anyway, anything under 30 or in certain cases, 40, which to me is very youthful, or can be, especiallty in a Western society, like France or its former nemesis, Germany).

 

Still I take a lot of photos of older people, they have more 'character' in their faces -- faces often which reflect how they've lived their lives, especially in Ukraine.

 

I never would have made the connection between FNAC and the older people; thanks for that insight.

 

Without the woman's face mirroring or mimicking the poster face, this would have been a non-starter and never would have been posted.

 

Also, your comment about her cloth bag, (not plastic) indicating re-use, adds to my understanding of this photo, for which I thank you.\

 

Merci beaucoup (be in France tonight, maybe at this very same spot, which is between Gare de Nord and the area around the Moulin Rouge. . . . god willing and the budget don't break.

 

(at the airport now for an 8-hour wait after an all-night bus ride -- eight and a half hours of sitting up, then don't even depart until 3:30 p.m. and it's only 7:00 a.m. and I've been here for 1-1/2 hours sitting. At least this airport (Kyiv) has a good Internet cafe.)

 

Regrettably, there's nothing much photoworthy at this hour/there's no light because the sun hasn't risen yet, and it'll be on its way down before my plane takes off, into the setting sun and into the land of higher than Hades prices (for an American).

 

John (Crosley)

A side note - in typing the above comment I mistakenly referred to FNAC as "magazine" when in reality I meant store. Of course, magasin is the translation of store in French. I have since corrected that embarrassing mistake. I can get mixed up when I think in one language and write in another. Also, the facial expressions can also relate to the ad on the far left side advertising the beverage with "maximum taste without sugar". Is that why they are making these faces? maybe not...oh well, just a thought.

I caught that comment just before I left Paris and couldn't reply timely.

 

I actually thought it was just some nameless financial institution.

 

('FNAC, your friendly and world beating financial counselors who will guide your wealth to new heights' or 'FNAC -- window to the world of financial wonders' or some such.)

 

I'm glad you clarified.

 

And I know the difference between magazine (Gazyette) and magasin. Magasin also is a Russian word -- they've got more than a smattering of French in their language together with many words familiar to Ango-Saxons.

 

(And unexpectedly the 'F' word is pretty universally known among young people even there, probably because of American cinema . . . and also 'rap' records, because the 'rap' they play there, even on the radio, could never be played on American radio -- it's too explicit for American audiences, but even movies on buses show nudity and rape scenes even with children watching. And the children could care less, because they're just not interested -- they can't relate. Americans often are far too sensitive to such things, especially in the South and those of more 'conservative' politics that derive from a certain mainly Western religion which I won't name.

 

The 'rap' and other lyrics can be 'x' rated and the older fogies don't even know, I think . . . or care!'

 

Thanks again for clarifying.

 

John (Crosley)