Paris

  • ON THE ROAD

    ON THE ROAD

    Tokyo to Paris
    by Phil Penman
    The itinerary was etched not on paper, but in the sole of a worn shoe: Tokyo through Vienna, then onwards to Paris. It became the framework for a relentless, month-long geometry of movement across a continent, a visual diary bound by the hours just preceding sunrise.
     
    The day, invariably, would begin around 5 AM. This hour—still, cold — was deliberately chosen. It is the world's breath held, the fragile meniscus between the slumber of night and the brutalist awakening of commerce. To walk these quiet streets was to watch life, in each city, not merely begin, but unfurl.
     
    Every city possessed its own distinct, almost tactile, character at this hour. There was the hushed reverence of Tokyo, where the first, solitary figures emerged like ghosts from the neon canyons, giving way to the smooth, efficient rush of the earliest commuters—a precise, organized energy. Then the imperial chill of Vienna, where the grand, baroque facades of the Ringstrasse seemed to stand in silent, dignified judgement of the first tram grinding along its rails. Finally, the atmospheric density of Paris, the pale light catching the zinc rooftops.
     
    This transition—the slow, creeping accumulation of people going to work, the intensifying drumbeat of traffic, the collective, surging rush and energy—became the singular subject of the lens.
     
    The instruments of this pursuit were the Leica M EV1 and the uncompromising clarity of the Leica M11 Monochrom. Used with a variety of lenses. They were perfectly suited to capturing the silence before the noise.

     

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  • STYLE ON THE STREETS

    STYLE ON THE STREETS

    PARIS
    by Phil Penman

    The best thing about street photography is the cool people I get to meet. This recent portrait from Paris was a highlight. I admire anyone that takes the time and effort to look good, and I love a unique style.

     

    I shot this with my new "King of Bokeh" Leica lens and added some grain in post-processing as well.

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  • THANK YOU

    THANK YOU

    PARIS WORKSHOP
    by Phil Penman

    A Big Thank You!

     

    A huge thank you to everyone who attended my Street Photography Masterclass in Paris!

     

    It was a true pleasure to meet all of you and witness your passion and unique perspectives as we explored the streets of this incredible city. I hope you found the class inspiring and that you came away with new skills and confidence in your craft.

     

    I genuinely look forward to crossing paths with you somewhere else in the world—perhaps at another workshop or simply shooting side-by-side!

     

    Best wishes on your photography journeys. Keep creating, keep exploring, and keep telling those incredible stories!

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