Avenue de Clichy at night, Paris

Some of my earliest memories of taking photographs at night where from cities; both growing up in Pittsburgh and while on vacation one summer in San Francisco. I experimented a lot with time exposures and different filters. I was a fascinated with light and the way you could manipulate it with a camera. Black and white photography, while not as flashy as color at night, still has a unique power and mood that I love. Paris, with it’s unique architecture and nightlife also lends itself to similar possibilities as those cities I explored as a kid. I can see a “Paris by Night” project in my future some day…

Catacombs of Paris

Deep under the belly of Paris lie the extensive tunnels and paths of the catacombs. They stretch for over 180 miles through the southern arrondissements. A very small portion of the catacombs are open to the public and house an ossuary, where you’ll get quite familiar with bones and skulls. Skipping out on audio tours before at other landmarks and museums around France, this time we opted in. If you ever decide to take the tour, I would suggest splurging the few extra euros to get the guide. It will give you a nice overview of the long history the catacombs and limestone mining played in the development of the city.

In a strange way, this experience made me feel like I was in Ghostbusters and some ghost was going to pop out at any minute. While at first I didn’t mind seeing human bones as far as I could see through the dimly lit paths, after a while though it became a bit creepy. All in all I think its a fascinating experience and one that better keys you in to the rich and diverse history of this amazing city. For a more sensory experience, take a look at this BBC video story on the catacombs from 2011.

Paris, Alone in the City of Light

With a population of just over 2 million, Paris is a pretty large city. Like most cities though, there are places of quiet, where one can feel and be physically alone in the midst the city. That dynamic has always fascinated me. I am often on the lookout for those moments of ‘big city solitude’ to go along with the hustle and bustle most often associated with cities. Sometimes they even happen among the crowded sidewalks, cafes and traffic.

This collection of photographs is a small sample of some of the ‘alone’ moments I have captured on recent trips to Paris.

Paris, Metro Crossing the River Seine, Pont de Bercy

I don’t know if it’s because I grew up Pittsburgh, the “City of Bridges”, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve had a strong affinity for bridges. With the Seine snaking its way through the heart of the city, Paris is no stranger to bridges either. Before one of my recent trips to France I stumbled upon a photograph of the bridge at Pont de Bercy. Most recently updated in 1992, it connects the city’s 12th and 13th arrondissements. I really love the symmetry of it, especially how the stone work seems to blend so well together. While standing by the side of the river here, I took a series of photographs in both black and white and color. As much as I thought the color images looked good – especially because of the cloud cover – I think that the uniformity is better expressed through black and white.

For more detailed information on the bridges of Paris and the River Seine itself, check out the City of Paris and UNESCO websites.

The French Alps – Haute Maurienne Vanoise

Ample sunshine, fantastic scenery, outdoor activities galore – and let’s not forget the food – await all those who are thinking of making a trek to the French Alps in winter. I had long heard of the Savoie region of France but never understood its place in history or where it lay geographically. That all changed when I took a trip there for some cross country skiing and snowboarding.

I stayed in Le Villaron, just north of Bessans, and traveled as far north as the base of the Col de L’Iseran, the highest road pass in France, above the town of Bonneval-sur-Arc. Even though Bessans is a very small town, it was nice to stay even away from there, tucked away against the side of the steep valley amidst the few houses of the village. I made it as far south as Lanslebourg, to enjoy an incredible day of snowboarding at the Val Cenis Vanoise resort. Judging by the fact that it spanned four stations, had off-piste trails, and a huge variety of terrain to choose from, I thought that I would just hand over my wallet at the ticket counter. It was a very reasonable 31 euros for the day and I walked away feeling like I was the one who had successfully robbed a bank.

As the ski trails at Bessans were the primary point of the trip, I spent three days traversing the vast network of trails up, down and around the town. The trails offered their own interesting views of the river, town and adjacent valley and even at the height of the afternoon, the trails were never too crowded. The cold, crisp mornings and beautifully refreshing sunshine in the afternoons made for perfect bookends to an extremely satisfying days in the mountains. These photographs are from the Val Cenis Vanoise ski resort in Lanslebourg, Bessans and Bonneval-sur-Arc, pictured from top to bottom.

World Health Workers Week

This week people from around the world are holding public events, writing for the media and going online to talk about and celebrate the critical role that health workers play. In both the United States and less developed countries, health workers in rural and urban settings provide essential care that saves the lives of countless mothers and their newborn babies. Despite all they do, there is a huge global shortage of health workers, over 4 million according to the World Health Organization.

This is a photo I took when visiting with community health workers outside Iganga, Uganda for Save the Children. As a long-time member of the Village Health Team (VHT), Zeffa, left, is responsible for meeting with pregnant women like Justina, right, before and after she gives birth as part of her antenatal and postnatal care program. This ensures that Justina is educated about how to care for herself and how she can protect her newborn child from dying of a preventable cause.

Get involved and follow the conversation on Twitter at #WHWW or visit the Frontline Health Workers Coalition to learn more and show your support.

Basilica of the Sacré Cœur, Paris

The Louvre, Paris

Photographing the late day sunlight is by far one of my favorite things to do. It seems that I often have more of a sense of excitement with waking up early to seize the day (and the great sunlight). There is though something special and almost calming about the late day sun. And what better place to take advantage of  it than at the pyramid at the Louvre.

I thought I had seen just about every way to haul a kid around but I learned something new that day. Yes, you can put a kid on your luggage and walk around just as easily had he been by your side. I bet the little guy’s back was killing after this though!

The Eiffel Tower in Late Afternoon Light

Gare de Lyon, Paris

Passengers at Gare de Lyon train station in Paris walk through the main terminal building. It is one of the busiest trains stations in Europe and handles almost 90 million passengers a year. Most trains leaving this station, one of the six major rail stations in the city, travel to the south and east of France. It was built in 1900 as part of the Exposition Universelle.