Versailles

Whirlwind

     

Quiet Again

The ladies left this morning after a week crammed with sightseeing and ducking from the rain.

We went up the Eiffel Tower on Thursday finally completing our try at taking Siena (15 years ago we couldn't because the elevator operators were "on strike").

Movie wise we just passed the 1/2 way point this weekend. 15 out of 30 days behind us. I'm not sure I'm ready to leave yet. This has been a really fun trip and I've felt unusually comfortable here. A bit lonely now that my place has cleared out though I must admit.

Time to start catching up on the various things I have cooking like time lapse and photos!

Way Out, Way Under

We were in Nucourt today...

View quarry in a larger map

 
At a place where (supposedly) the Germans assembled V2 rockets(!). It's also the quarry that bore the stones that were used to build the Arc Du Triomphe.

Beautiful and surprisingly cold inside.

Sunny Sunday

Getting ready for the girls to arrive... tomorrow mid day.

It was beautiful out so I took an almost 5 mile walk! Shooting more time lapse of course.

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 Here's the base of the street that I live half a block from...

 

Deep Thoughts

Memory Lapse

So... Today I started out looking to bump my mini to 8Gb of RAM. After striking out at the Apple store yesterday I Grabbed a Velolib' "borrow-a-bike" today...

Went to two places "in town" then, striking out went way across town to and area with "many informatiques". Success!

Then I told the ADs that I'd stop by for lunch and guess what... good thing I did. There was a bunch of shots this afternoon. Mainly set extensions but all way underground in the "private catacombs". These are without bones and here's a taste... With guide and without!

Lost Yesterday

Ah... I realized that I forgot about posting yesterday! Yikes.

The unit was shooting near my place so I walked over for lunch. Then got a weird "variable" ND filter that I thought was amazing. Unfortunately it works by opposing two polarizing filters and when shooting at certain subjects (like the sky!), you can see rings. Leading me to declare that this ND is NG (no good)!

That's a drag!

Oh well... the quest continues!

Here's one of the seemingly endless "lock bridges". Lovers seal their love in a lock, attached to a fence along the bridge. There's a bunch around.

I had dinner at a groovy cafe near my place to end the evening.

All Over Tuesday

A little bit of everything today...

I started the morning at editorial to go over what we shot last Friday. I'm going to start some rough temps while here.

Then on my continued quest to find a decently color balanced and non polarizing effect ND filter, I once again walked all the way along Boulavard Beaumarchais which has tons of camera shops. No luck. There are some expensive options but I may just get what I want cheap on the internet, mail to Hammerhead and have the girls bring on Monday.

Then hopped the Metro to go over to set. Interestingly a long section was over ground.

From there I got a ride up to the production office and had a meeting w/ SFX about the burning car, etc. Then headed off (one last time, in vain!) looking for a final camera shop and ended up walking home.

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I'm thinking about heading over the the Eiffel Tower once again... I haven't had a chance to see it at night and it's relatively nice out.

Getting Late

This "sun going down at 10PM" thing is hard to adjust to.

OK - Here's a smattering. Out again today, first hoping to get a better color balanced ND filter for my regular lens. Found a great looking camera store... Closed Sunday! Most of the town seems to be in fact. So off to the Eiffel Tower to "Time-Lapse Sight-see".

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Drizzly all day and chilly(!) at least compared to the last week. It's been in the 80s and today topped out at 55º. I know - complain, complain. It did have the positive of keeping the crowds way down!

Here's the ND filter I made for my fish-eye lens. 2x ND 12 lighting gels over a tape roll core (which happens to fit the lens perfectly!).

And here's a "teaser" of some of the shots I've made over the last few days. More to come, sound, etc. but you'll need to be patient.

Then I came home and FaceTimed my mom and dad on their 59th anniversary(!). Funny story - They had forgotten!

Finally here's the verdant courtyard at my place, inside the ever present doors of Paris.

Saturday Stroll

I decided I would make the Nespresso store my destination for the day and struck out trying to beat the predicted 4PM rain. I also shot a bunch of time lapse with my fisheye lens fitted with a home built ND filter... actually 2x ND12 light gels from electric taped to a tape roll core.

View Saturday Stroll in a larger map

It finally poured around 9PM but has settled to a light drizzle.

Tunnel 360º

Here's a couple of 360ºs from yesterday...

Paris Underground

Today we were at an abandoned train track, along which, deep in a tunnel is a dug out entrance to part of the Catacombs...

Bats in my Belfry

Today's location... Church of St. Vincent de Paul

Then my metro stop... Gare Du Nord

Including a weird "meta fisheye" selfie...