Photo of the Week

  The last few weeks here in Paris have been full of rainy days, so a few minutes of blue skies are treasured moments. After a photo shoot near Gare de Lyon, I walked towards Bastille and shot some photos of la Colonne de Juillet (the July Column) that centers Place de la Bastille just as the sun was starting to set. Parisians on their way home whizzed around the famous square in cars and on scooters and bikes. The July Column is a moment to the fall of King Charles X over three days in July 1830. It also pays tribute to the “July Monarchy” of King Louis-Philippe, an 18 year period of liberal constitutional monarchy in France. The column is topped by French sculptor Augustin-Alexandre Dumont’s golden “Spirit of Freedom” statue who is crowned by a star and who holds the chains from which he has broken free. It is interesting to imagine what future monuments France’s current history will inspire. Photo © Rachael Woodson Rachael Woodson is BonjourParis’ photo editor and an American photographer based in Paris. She received a BFA in Photography from the School of Visual Arts in New York and her work has been exhibited in Paris and New York. Her work has also appeared in publications including Nylon Magazine, The Boston Globe and Material Girl.