When you think about Paris, you probably think about the Eiffel Tower. Or, you might think of the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, or Notre Dame. Four high-quality sights to see and photograph from all angles. And your results will no doubt be amazing and canvas worthy (see hello canvas for ideas). But they’ll be just like everyone else’s photos who’s ever been to Paris and pointed a camera at the grand old things that stand out on any tourist map. If you want truly original pieces of photography, something that people will want to look at and hold and scour for more clues, you need to get off the beaten track.
Getting lost in a city is the best and fastest way to find tremendous subjects for photography that you didn’t even know were there – and sometimes, these things may be temporary or only ever likely to happen at that exact moment, so a good wander is entirely called for. I know this to be true because once upon a time in Milan, Italy, while backpacking with a friend, we took a wrong turn and discovered to our utter joy that we had stumbled upon a group of free-runners, climbing all over and jumping between buildings. That’s one photography set that still gets requested by friends and family.
So, how can you get lost on purpose? It’s a little harder than it sounds. Another time, I saw a travel photographer (complete with a tell-tale tripod) ask the bus driver to stop just outside of town on our way into Oslo from the airport. The driver commented to me that it was easily a 40 minute walk into town from there, with nothing to see but an industrial estate. Clearly, there’s a way to do this right…
Ask for places to eat
Ask at your hotel or hostel for places to eat. Be explicit that you don’t want anywhere on a main road or any kind of chain restaurant. Ask for a café, preferably down an alley where the crowds rarely venture. You might think businesses that need footfall wouldn’t be hidden away, but there’s often plenty of choice – this is your chance to snap all sorts of tucked away gems.
There’s something about rivers
Life came from the ocean. And ever since life crawled out of the briny sea and dried off in the sun a bit, it’s been obsessed with jumping back in. People gravitate to rivers. Follow the meander and you’ll no doubt see artists, street performers, romantic couples sharing a boat ride, and a million other fascinating subjects.
Flea markets
Flea markets offer local insight and levels of intrigue. Scuffed old bikes and pristine dance shoes labelled “only worn once” tell their own instant stories. Ideal for close ups!
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