Snowstorm on the Champ de Mars

I looked out of my living room window late Wednesday morning and to my delight I saw the most perfect snowflakes falling from the sky. An hour later it was an intense blizzard of white showering down at high speed, then whipping around up and across and down, finally sticking to the pavement. I love when it snows in Paris. The white blanket makes this visually jaw-dropping  city even more breathtaking. I sometimes talk out loud to myself, am  I really here? The days of deciding between color or black and white  film are over, but when it snows it doesn’t matter because black and white images are created even when shooting in color. I let it snow  until late afternoon so there would be a thick cover on the ground and then I prepared myself for the adventure of trekking through the Champ de Mars. New boots on and covered in my warm down jacket, I set out to see the Eiffel Tower during white-out conditions approaching dusk. I was hoping that the light would be extremely flat (very little contrast) in order to give a feeling of emotion to the images less than the literal iconic tower we are so familiar with. My lens quickly was covered with snowflakes as I positioned myself for the right moment. Technical Details – Canon Eos 5D Mark II, 45mm, ISO 100, F 8, 1/30 shutter speed. For more photography by Clay McLachlan: Beyond the Bread Basket: Recipes for Appetizers, Main Courses, and Desserts by Eric Kayser, Clay McLachlan, and Yair Yosefi French Cooking: Classic Recipes and Techniquesby Hubert Delorme, Vincent Boue, Clay McLachlan, and Paul BocuseEric Kayser’s New French Recipes by Eric Kayser, Yair Yosefi, and Clay McLachlan City Segway Tours are great for seeing Paris in a different light. You’ll see more, have more fun, and not feel tired at the end of it. These are highly recommended and truly a great thing to do during your stay. Fat Tire Bike Tours are another great way to see the city. You’ll get the company of an expert guide, the use of a super-comfortable bike, great tips and advice about what to do while in town and an exciting, informative and educational experience. zChocolat: “World’s Finest Chocolates by World-Champion Chocolatiers.” zChocolat’s selection is handmade by world-champion French chocolatiers following a 400-year-old tradition of passion and zealous adherence to purity. A single bite is an instant of pure seduction and sensory bliss one has never experienced before.