Paris Diaries : Autumn 2017 No One

When I was studying abroad in Italy I used to write in a paper journal with a pen. I literally wrote every day where we went and what I was feeling. It was my first trip abroad I didn’t know anyone and I went through a lot of growing pains. I have some of those journals but I haven’t had the courage to read them yet and this was almost 15 years ago. 

The Paris Diaries are a bit different as I put everything out there in the world and while I may not go back and read them yet this is my way of documenting the trip. For those of you who can’t make it to Paris or who have never been this is my way of sharing it with you. 

This trip is a bit different because I am going for a special project that will happen this Friday. It has nothing to do with me except I will be there documenting it with my camera. I don’t want to share too much until it is finished. If you have met me in person I may have spilled the beans. I have kept quiet on this for nine months. My family didn’t even know until I told them last week. I guess I was too quiet about this one. 

I decided to add on more time after the project was complete which is why I am in Paris in September and not my usual October. While I was hoping for an Indian Summer in Paris the weather does not look that way. I am leaving 70/80 degree weather for 60’s. Hopefully it is a little bit warmer than my time in April/May. Either way I am packing boots, scarves, and sweaters. Goodbye Summer. For my full list of what to pack in the Autumn For Paris. 

Since this is a diary I should tell you something about myself. I freak out before every solo trip. It is a bit of butterflies and nerves all mixed into one. It starts a few days before and literally ends the moment the plane takes off. Which for most people it is the opposite and they fear flying. Al of my trips are my own personal investments so I feel I have a lot riding on them. I have meetings and ideas to execute but I worry that things won’t go according to plan. It is a bit of a fear of the unknown. I call my sister before each trip and she now rolls her eyes when I call asking for her to calm me down. She reminds me I have done this a million times. 

Before I land in Paris I make a list of a rough idea of what I want to shoot. This time around I have had a lot of requests for specific blog posts so I want to make some of those happen. I actually try to make myself see the city for the first time again. This really helps my approach when I am shooting. If I pass by something that I see time and time again I will overlook it. The city has to look new to me. This explains why I don’t photograph Chicago. This also explains a bit why I don’t live in Paris full time, which has been an ongoing struggle for me. 

But I will say I think better in Paris than any place else. The ideas flow like water. I had so many ideas last trip that I wrote down in my paper journal daily. As soon as I landed in Chicago the creativity slowed to a trickle. I am looking forward to being back to get the creativity and hopefully get some of those ideas in motion. 

There are very long days ahead these next two weeks but I can’t wait to get to work and see old friends. I hope you enjoy the Paris Diaries Autumn Series. Let’s go to Paris!