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InspirationPhotography

Photographer tests his luck with the usually reserved French to take stunning street portraits

You've recently enjoyed discovering the wonderful London street photography of Alan Schaller. Now it's time to unleash his greatness yet again with a series of stunning street portraits of the usually reserved French in Paris.

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Black and white street portrait of an older man wearing a dark fedora and coat, smoking a cigar, with a blurred Parisian street in the background

Although Schaller has lived in London for most of his life, he is half French on his mother's side. On a recent trip to see family and friends in Paris, he decided to take his camera and see if street photography in the City of Light would be any different from the streets back home.

He explained: "I have not visited Paris in a few years, and have never been with the intention of doing photography. Being a French speaker I feel very comfortable there, and it seemed a good choice. I like travelling all over the world doing street photography and connecting with the people of the countries I visit in a meaningful way. Photography helps me achieve this. Many of the pictures I took in Paris were spontaneous and candid, but I asked for permission to take shots more often than usual. The etiquette between subject and photographer in a street context is very different in Paris to London. I have found in London people do not mind having their photo taken candidly, but the French are more particular in this way, so I felt out of respect, I should sometimes ask people for permission to take a portrait."

Schaller continued: "The point of the series, was to try and gleam a sense of the characters of Paris, and to share the results with the world. I feel that Parisians are generally very different to Londoners, and I hope the pictures reflect that in comparison to my London work. Even the quality of light was different. It was very cloudy for the duration of my trip, but the light was very diffused and even, perfectly suited to black and white photography."

Discover more of Alan Schaller's work at www.alanschallerphotography.co.uk. Or check him out over at the Street Photography London collective.

Via direct submission

Man wearing glasses and dark jacket smoking a cigarette on a Paris street, captured in black and white by photographer Alan Schaller
Black and white street portrait of a woman looking upwards on a Parisian street, with blurred buildings in the background
Black and white portrait of a woman with long dark hair and a scarf, photographed on a tree-lined Parisian street
A man in dark clothing stands in a weathered courtyard beside a dilapidated building with external stairs, wooden construction materials and wheelbarrows scattered around
Woman with dark hair and crossed arms looking directly at camera on a Paris street at night in black and white
A woman seen from behind gazes at her reflection in a bus or train window, where a man's face is visible on the glass beside her
Elderly man in dark coat and checked shirt stands on a Parisian street lined with historic buildings in black and white portrait
Black and white street portrait of a woman sitting at a café table, viewed through a window, resting her head on her hand
Elderly man wearing a dark beanie and coat smiles at the camera on a Parisian street lined with classical buildings
Woman with blonde hair and glasses wearing a dark turtleneck at a café table in Paris, with other patrons blurred in the background
Black and white portrait of an elderly man wearing glasses and a flat cap, smiling at the camera with blurred Parisian trees in the background
Man in grey coat looking at camera in tree-lined Parisian street, black and white portrait
Elderly woman walking through a busy Paris Metro station with crowds of passengers and illuminated exit signs overhead in black and white
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