Galierie de Paris

I put up a gallery of some of my work from Paris. Some of the images still need a little work, but it's a pretty good example of what I've been doing here.

Enjoy!

Galerie de Paris

Minuit Paris

A few more from the wee hours excursions...




And to prove I was actually out in the daylight once in a while...

Dimanche à Paris

A few people have asked me what my little apartment in Le Marais looks like. It's small, but perfect for my needs and I put together a rather Picasso-like photo montage of it.

My midnight excursions have been continuing here. I've been walking between 10 and 15 miles a day, setting out in a direction with a particular type of photograph to make and I don't come back until I know I have it.

And sometimes there are surprises along the way. Last night I was walking along the Seine on Avenue de New York, past a large building with a huge courtyard. I heard the thumping of deep bass and drumming. As I walked up the stairs to the terrace, I saw that a large rectangular reflection pond area, which was now dry, was full of kids. And in the middle of it all were a couple of fire performers.

I continued on and took a picture of Le Tour Eiffel from the same place I have since 1994 along Avenue Albert de Mun. It's become sort of a tradition for me to take a picture from that nondescript place.

Earlier in the day I visited Maison Europeenne de La Photographie Ville de Paris. There was an exhibit there by an artist called Georges Rousse who creates large photographs in a series called "Bending Space" where he painstakingly paints shapes in open spaces but can only be seen correctly from one specific vantage point. The shapes appear to hover in mid-air, yet they are actually painted on the walls, stairs, pipes, beams and other characteristics of the space.

As i walked through the gallery, I thought it was quite apropos. So many times I find myself walking around a problem not being able to figure it out. As much as I try, there doesn't seem to be an answer until I look at it again from a very specific vantage point.

Most of the time when I travel, I get a very specific clarity of vision. On this trip however, I'm left with more questions than answers. Perhaps before I leave Paris, I'll find the specific place to stand to figure some of those out.

Paris Foncé

I've turned into a bit of a vampire in Paris. I've been making photographs almost exclusively at night while I've been here. The images are different than any I've made before here. There is a dark quality about them. And not just because it's night. Or maybe it's just what I'm perceiving in them as I edit them down.

You decide.

Elle n'est pas morte

An hour ago I saw a young woman jump off the Pont Neuf bridge into the River Seine trying to kill herself. I was standing in the middle of the bridge and had just pulled out my camera trying to decide if the light was right to make a photograph of the sun beginning to set when something on my right side caught my eye. She didn't get up on the stone wall, she had a running start and in one bound was up and over.

At first I wasn't sure what was happening. She was ten feet away from me when she jumped. I watched her fall, arms and legs still moving as she hit the water on her stomach. It was clearly not a dive. I continued to look down wondering what to do waiting for the lifeless form to surface.

I looked around at the others on the bridge with me, all of us helplessly no knowing what to do. Then suddenly she surfaced.

I saw a look of pain in her eyes as her head bobbed on the water. She said nothing as the current began to take her west down the Seine. She was conscious and when she was about 50 meters away I saw her begin to kick and stroke. But she was still nowhere near the river bank.

I could hear her begin to yell although I couldn't understand what she was saying. I just continued to watch her head drift down river, still wondering what to do.

My heart was pounding. I was paralyzed. Finally after about two minutes a police boat sped to her and pulled her out of the water.

I stood there for a few more minutes looking to my right at the wall that she jumped from so close to me. It was then that I realized that at no point did I even think to jump in after her. Perhaps if when she surfaced, had she not been moving I would have. Perhaps I was waiting to see if she needed help.

Clearly she did, but probably not in the way I could have. Maybe she didn't want my help.

She was a very pretty woman. Straight, shoulder length brownish hair. Probably in her late 20s or early 30s. She was dressed in jeans and a simple shirt. She did not have a purse or anything with her when she jumped.

It has been a very strange week here in Paris. I have photographs to post, but I think I just need to have a cigarette now and consider what I just witnessed.

Pictures another time. When my heart stops pounding.

Bonjour de Paris

"Do you know Paris?"

I was unpacking and my landlord, Eric, stopped by to check on me and make sure everything was good.

"Yes," I said. "It feels like being home again."

My apartment is in Le Marais, so I've been hanging out on the right bank for the first few days. But it seems like I have so many memories here that I'll be heading back into some of my favorite rive gauche neighborhoods before too long.

My french is a bit rusty, but I've pretty much been speaking only french since I got on the plane and it seems to be coming back. Eric seemed surprised that I knew so much.

I told him I was a photographer and showed him my portfolio, especially my work in Paris, although he seemed just as interested in my nudes. He's a great guy and a phone call away in case I need anything, but I told him he probably wouldn't hear from me until we meet back up the day I depart.

I found my Paris feet very quickly this time. I'm feeling like one of the Parisiens, dodging the tourists with their maps out. I've done almost no shooting since I've been here, just getting familiar with the pace I've grown to love over the years, but I did make one image of Notre Dame during my evening walk.

I've been testing a new 3D lens I brought with me. I'm looking forward to using it, but it's more of a long lens than I usually shoot here with and I have to really get far away from my subject to compose a good image. This image here is not with that 3D lens. Just my 28mm that has become my go to lens when I travel.

And speaking of, I'm traveling extremely light this time. When Morgan and I were here a few summers ago, we arrived with six suitcases full of clothes and shoes because we were shooting so much fashion on that trip. This time, I went the other direction. A backpack and one small carry on suitcase. One camera. Three lenses and couple changes of clothes. That's about it.

Feels better to get back to basics this time.

Billy Sheahan April 2008 Postcard

When I was in high school, I was the lead singer and keyboard player for a garage band. At the time, we were pretty sure we were the real thing. I remember one week discussing with my band mates that perhaps we didn't have to study for our chemistry exam the following Friday because we might get signed before then. Luckily we studied for the test anyway.

So when a friend of mine recently asked me if I would photograph one of her favorites bands, The Advisory, lots of memories of that time came streaming back. We spent a few hours in the morning photographing the band in my studio and then out and about the warehouse district in my neighborhood.

It was a lot of fun and the band were really having fun giving me the usual band poses I remember doing in the mirror with my own band all those years ago. There's something about band photos that I've always enjoyed. A way of putting a face on the music. The face of hopeful dreams... with a dose of attitude thrown in.


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Continuing on billysheahan.com is the Gallery of the Month. If you like the image of The Advisory on the postcard, you can see more similar images here and select Gallery of the Month.

And the new Trainyard images went over so well last month that they've got their own permanent gallery.

For those of you who spend enough time staring at computer screens, Postcard subscriptions through the mail are still $25 for 12 months. Details here.

You can also receive this postcard, free, in your email inbox every month by signing up here. You can unsubscribe at any time at the same link.

Thanks for viewing my work.

Billy

Back to Life

I feel like I just graduated from accounting school. I've literally spent almost every waking moment in the last month recreating the entire financial history of the photography business from scratch. My accountant and I agreed that the software I had been using was slowing me down and we decided to bite the bullet and switch to something else.

I think it was a good idea and as of last weekend, we finally got caught up. And now I can begin to add sleep back to my schedule once again.

So my calendar has changed overnight from business to pleasure. It seems as if I'm making up for lost time. When someone says, "Are you free for dinner next Wednesday?" I actually have to look it up now, and more often than not, the answer is, "No, I'm already out to dinner that evening." Very funny.

But it's been nice to catch up with everyone. Lots of good stories to regale people with.

I'll have to write more about the wonderful experience I had in Santa Fe, but for now I'll simply say I spent time with a lot of great photographers including once called Sarah Cramer who took this great photograph of me on the site of some Native-American ruins.

And if you haven't clicked on the Gallery of the Month, which is something new at billysheahan.com, you can see more work from Santa Fe there.

Back in Chicago, we had the Great Chicago Blackout last Saturday night to elevate awareness of electricity consumption, and here's a panoramic view of that night from my roof. It's been good to get away from the tiny tiny columns of numbers!

And now I must go, because I'm writing this at Starbucks and I can no longer stand to listen to the idiot on his cell phone next to me blathering on and on about things he should be talking about in his office. Sheesh.