Sorry but… did you know I went to Paris? Not sure if you’d seen… it’s not like I’ve been plastering it all over my social channels recently. Oh wait.
Okay but being serious, you guys have gone NUTS over the Paris content and it literally makes me SO HAPPY to see how much you’ve loved it. It was the most insane and intense trip I’ve ever been on and I wish I could do it all over again.
A question that has popped up time and time again is WHERE IS THIS and I know exactly how that feels because you would not believe the research we all did before the trip. We literally stalked Parisian bloggers to try and track down the exact street they shot on, the location they were at and how they managed to get no one in the background (some girls are wizards I swear).
So, of course, your local little traveller is making your life a hell of a lot easier than ours was, and compiling a location scout of where we took our pics. Firstly I just want to say that Holly was an absolute legend and literally made a map of all the locations we wanted to visit. I mean, that girl is an organisational wizard… she’s also done a Paris guide blogpost – so check hers out HERE.
As well as giving you the locations we shot at, I’m going to be inputting a little petiteelliee commentary on how to get the best shot there – what angle to go for, what time is best to visit and how to nail the pose. The things we do for the gram.
Hotels
The biggest thing when it comes to any city break is finding a nice hotel. We stayed HERE and it was honestly the most gorgeous hotel. It was so affordable for 3 people and was such a central location. Also, the added benefit of a Parisian balcony… hell yes.
Arc de Triumph
An absolute classic location for a Paris shot and one that you couldn’t miss. The Arc De Triumph is an amazing shoot location but not the easiest when it comes to getting the shot. It’s heaving with tourists all pushing through to get their own pics and the cars in the background are relentless.
Tip 1- The best advice I can give is to go as far to the right as you can, I find there’s not as many people shooting there – the majority try to get a straight on shot of the famous landmark. But if you just go a little further to the right of the island, there’s much less of a crowd and, actually, I quite like the angled shot.
Tip 2- To try and make the landmark the main feature of the shot, ask your photographer to get as low as possible and angle the camera higher. Not only will it make your legs look longer, but it won’t make the cars in the background as much of a prominent feature.
Avenue De Camereon
I LOVED shooting on this street for one main reason. It. Was. Empty. I’d seen so many bloggers getting their shots on this street and hunted it down on the gram. I kind of expected it to be a tourist hotspot because of the amazing view you get of the Eiffel Tour but we were literally the only ones there. Perhaps it just not as well known as a photography spot, but we had a blast being able to spread out and get our shot without the pressure of others jumping in the background.
Tip 1 – the balcony is amazing if you want to sit with the Eiffel Tower behind you, it has steps below so isn’t a big, scary drop underneath.
Tip 2 – experiment with angles! As well as getting the tower in the background, you can move around the street to get different shots with just as gorgeous views.
Rue De L’Universite
Another absolute corker of a shot. This really is THE street to come and get your Eiffel Tower shot. But unlike Rue De Camereon, everyone knew of this location. It was absolutely heaving and such a popular spot for bloggers and tourists alike. We came late afternoon so I would recommend maybe coming in the morning to beat the rush.
Tip 1 – don’t just copy what you see on Instagram. I’d seen so many shots going straight down the street which, don’t get me wrong I absolutely loved. But when I arrived, I wanted to do something a little different. I spotted the crossing just over the road and decided to shoot there from a little bit of a different angle. I’m so happy with how the pics came out and I love how different the shot is!
Street shots
One of the many beauties of Paris is that you can get amazing shots at almost every turn. The Parisian streets are such a dream and so picturesque. Of course I had to make the most of them and shoot my shot on a few.
Tip 1 – Timing is key, if you wait for the traffic lights to be in your favour, you can get next to no traffic in the background of your shot
Tip 2 – Utilise the middle islands. Much like London, Paris has a lot of islands in the middle of the road where you can stand almost undisturbed.
Palais Royal
I had seen sooooo many shots of bloggers in the Palais Royal so I just knew I HAD to get a shot there. First thing I want to say is that the Palais Royal is right next to the Louvre – a lot of geotags on Instagram were wrong and seriously confused us.
Tip 1: Play with angles – rather than shooting straight down the pillars, try playing with angles and positions to get the shot perfect.
Bridge Alexander III
Arguably the most beautiful bridge in all of Paris, bridge Alexander III is the perfect location for an amazing shot for the gram. The architecture on the bridge is next to none that I had seen before and definitely a place to go for a good pic.
Tip 1: BRING A HAT. It gets really windy on the bridge as the Sienne acts like a wind tunnel. I’d recommend bringing a hat so that you don’t look like a frazzled sailor trying to get a cute pic. A beret is always a good idea.
Tip 2: Try both on and off the bridge. I got a handful of shots on the edge of the bridge, shooting straight down to really show off the architecture. I also got some shots actually on the bridge with the Eiffel Tower behind me. Both great shots that I am so in love with.
Metro Stations
Of course, the shot with a retro metro sign is a must in Paris. These are quite easy to stumble upon because they are everywhere.
Tip 1 – shoot these later in the day, around rush hour you’ll have a lot of foot fall behind you of Parisian wanting to use the Metro. If you shoot around 11 then you’ll have a practically empty background
Tip 2 – Match your outfit to your location. I found this Topshop trench online and just KNEW I had to wear it in a Metro shot – I just love how well they match!
Paris at night
OF COURSE I couldn’t miss out one of the biggest shots of the entire trip – Paris at night is one of the most magical and awe inspiring places. The way the Eiffel tower glitters is so beautiful. I must admit though, I was absolutely freezing in these pics. Totally worth it though.
One thing I do want to note though is that the tower only glitters for five minutes every hour, on the hour. So you have to be quick to catch it!
Tip 1 – Utilise your flash. Night time shots can be so grainy if you don’t shoot with the flash on.
Tip 2 – For god’s sake, bring a coat.
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