Paris from Montmartre

Gotta love the view from Montmartre.

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

Because of its unique architecture, for Paris at least, and its location on top of a hill, Sacré-Cœur has a tendency to stand out.  While the building is beautiful both inside and out, the surrounding area, which is full of swindlers, sex shops, and strip clubs, is anything but.

La Tour Eiffel

I somehow feel guilty for going to the Eiffel Tower.  It's like the act of standing there and taking a picture immediately marks me as a tourist.  I guess when it comes down to it, though, I am a tourist.  Staying here for a few months certainly won't make me Parisian, let alone French.  

Even though the Eiffel Tower gets kind of a bad rap from locals, it's hard to deny its iconicity.  For most of the world, France is the Eiffel Tower.  Might as well go and see what all the fuss is about.

Sainte-Chapelle

Cathédrale de Chartres

Notre-Dame de Chartres

About 80 kilometers from Paris is one of the best preserved Gothic cathedrals in all of Europe: Notre-Dame de Chartres.  It looks a little worn out, which is no surprise at its being over 800 years old, but it is still absolutely amazing.

Nikon P7000 - 17 images stitched with Autopano Pro

Notre-Dame de la Croix

Joined some of my classmates as I tried to help them find a Best Buy like store (we made it thanks to my blind faith in Google Maps, thank you very much), and I found this on the way.  It's in the 20th arrondissement, off one of the main streets, and was kind of a surprising find.  Across the street from it was some cool graffiti, which I'll post later.

Nikon P7000 - 5 images blended in Photomatix Pro

Hôtel de Ville

The Hôtel de Ville is a massive building just across the river from Notre-Dame de Paris, and it is also just a 2 minute walk from where I'm staying.  They have an ice rink and merry-go-round out in front right now, and it's fun stand around and watch all the different people pass by.

Arc de Triomphe

Nikon P7000 - 29 images stitched in Autopano Pro

Notre-Dame de Paris & the Seine

Notre-Dame de Paris along the Seine

Paris is a wonderful place for taking Panoramas.  Even though I don't have my nice camera or pano-tripod setup, I've still managed to take some decent photos.  This one was taken just after the sun had set and they had turned on the lights at Notre-Dame de Paris.  The things on the chain-link fence are locks with people's names or initials inscribed upon them.  Quite a beautiful sight.

Nikon P7000, 30 images stitched with Autopano Pro

San Diego Zoo

Yun Zi 

There's something about this Zebra that makes me smile :-)

Ever wonder what the inside of a snake's mouth looks like?  Wonder no longer.

The primates were in a very pensive mood this day.

Anza-Borrego State Park

            
      

           

          
      

 

                  
      

                  
        

          
      

Delicate Arch Panorama

Lucy & Frodo

  

Lucy and her beastly buddy Frodo.

Milky Way

Milky Way

Nikon D700 with 20mm f/2.8D Nikkor @ f/2.8, 30sec, ISO 6400

  

After finishing my movie of our Big Island Adventure, I've started working on another one of my night photography.  This shot of the Milky Way was taken at Arches National Park this past January.