Paris Through The Lens Of Our A Level Students

Published by The King Alfred School on Tuesday 6th of December 2022

Bella in Year 12 told us all about the recent Photography trip to Paris.

“On the 11th of November, my fellow A level classmates along with Julian, Sophie, Cliff, and I headed to Paris for the weekend. Paris is a scenic and dreamy city where art and photography has thrived over the last century. When arriving we were immediately plunged into an indescribable city. In the late 19th century, Paris saw the birth of photography and became the centre of culture and creativity with artists, writers, photographers, and thinkers all united. Before the work of Hussmann, who redeveloped Paris into the city of wide boulevards and parks we know today, it was extremely congested, dirty, and unpleasant with a lack of an effective transport system. With the introduction of gas lamps, artists began to shoot the city on black and white film.

The city was full of simple yet detailed structures which juxtaposed elegantly with each other.

Despite overpacking, all 22 students made it to the hostel (thanks Cliff) and after dropping our bags we began to explore the city. We visited galleries, the Carter-Bresson foundation and MEP where we immersed ourselves in bohemian culture. We were lucky enough see work by Ukrainian photographer Boris Mikhailov, Henry Cartier-Bresson and Martin Parr.


With Cliff’s help we negotiated the Metro (“backpacks on your fronts, and don’t split up”), had dinner in Montmartre then began our night photography on black and white film, mimicking the late 19th century pioneers.


On Saturday we shot the characters and scenes around the canal before visiting Photo Paris. The exhibition introduced us to the work of photographers from around the world. We discovered new techniques and processes which have inspired us. AFTER TWO HOURS we finally were able to convince Cliff to let us see the Eiffel Tower where we modelled our tourist t-shirts.

We were up early on Sunday for the flea market where we explored the various stalls before another of Cliff’s long ‘promenades’ back to the station pushed many of us over the edge (Ubers may have been called!)”