Sunday in Paris

I love Sundays in Paris. Church bells are chiming all over the city; the small streets near my apartment are quiet and free of traffic. I start my day walking toward the Seine. I love to browse the used book stalls on the sidewalk along the river.

“Les bouquinistes” along the quais have been a tradition in Paris for centuries.

If you are a connoisseur of rare books, and you have time and patience, you may find a treasure. As far back as the French revolution there were dealers who salvaged books from raids on aristocrats’ libraries.

Some of the well established bouquinestes’ specialize in unique collections, such as rare Jules Vernes, old art volumes, graphic novels, or old comics.

In the beginning these dealers would arrive in the morning with boxes of books which they would take back home at the end of the day, but at the start of the 20th century, green painted “boxes” were allowed to be permanently installed so the sellers could leave their books overnight.

This trade is strictly regulated; each seller is allowed four of the dark green painted boxes, three of which must contain books. The fourth can sell items such as prints, collectors’ postcards, and souvenirs.

There are about 200 sellers stretching along both banks of the river, so you can easily spend hours here. Unfortunately, I don’t have hours… of course this may be a good thing, as I really don’t want to be carrying books home.

Most of the books are in French, but with art books it doesn’t matter, and I’m sorely tempted by an old book with beautiful
Toulouse – Lautrec prints, but it’s big and thick and heavy … do I really want to add this to my luggage? I gave it a pass, but I’m still thinking about it, and may go back.

Another stall has old photographs. I love to look at these faces from the past. I try to imagine what kind of lives they lived. I’m like a detective, looking for clues in their clothing, staring into the faces, looking at their hands for signs of work, wedding rings, anything that might tell me something about them. These were real people, not just faces on a piece of paper. Real people with hopes and dreams just like you and I. I wonder why and how there photos ended up in a bookseller stall. Why hasn’t their family kept these images of loved ones, of their ancestors? This is what I love about photography…the magic... stopping time, recording memories, people, moments.



11:30 AM
Ok... enough fun, time to get to work. I stop at a small café for a quick croissant au chocolat and caffe au lait, then on to the 10 train and out to the site.

3:30 PM
Nadal has dropped the first set 6-2 to Soderling, but is up 4-3, so I’ll keep my eye on that one and see how it goes. Murray has defeated Cilic in the fourth round .. Good work Andy!!

4:15 PM
Uh Oh, its 6 all in the second set, Nadal/Soderling , and the Swede took the first ..what’s going on here? Why does everything happen at once? I need to go shoot Azarenka and Ivanovic, but if Nadal is loosing I need that too… you see it’s not easy being a photographer. The writers can just watch it on TV then go get the quotes, but I have to actually be there.. Ok .. Rafa just won the breaker 7-2, so I know that its going four. I’ll have time to at least shoot one set of the girls. Anyway, I think Rafa will win now, so I’ll get him again in the quarters.

6:10 PM
Well, I guess I spoke too soon. I’m on the Azarenka Ivanovic match, Az is up 4-1 in the second, I look up at the scoreboard and see to my horror .. Soderling has won the third set .. he is up two sets to love against Rafa. I grab my gear and head to Court Philippe Chatrier. The photo pit is packed .. the photographers are smelling blood. Fortunately, I’m small and manage a seat in the first row in the corner. Soderling is serving up aces, and Rafa can’t break. The tension is almost unbearable. The fans are chanting RAFA, RAFA but still applauding for the Swede, appreciating the great tennis he is playing. I’m sure this is the best match of his career. Rafa is fighting, but Soderling is coming up with an answer to everything Nadal is throwing at him. It’s dark and a little windy, and it feels like rain is emanate. I’m sure that Rafa is praying for a downpour right now, while Soderling is trying hard to end it.

Tiebreak in the fourth .. everyone is on the edge of their seat .. is it possible the four time champion here could go out to the 23rd seed in the fourth round? Impossible. For sure he will pull it out. Soderling is up 6-1 in the breaker!! Can the Clay Court Champion win 7 points in a row? Well, I guess the answer is no. Soderling wins the breaker 7-2. Does he have something against the Spanish, first 14th seed Ferrer in the third round and now Rafa in the fourth. No one can believe it. In typical reserved Swedish style, he throws his arms in the air, but does not give a big match point photo op.

Rafa wave’s goodbye to the fans, and it’s over. Is it the short hair.. Is Nadal having a Samson moment? Does he need his long locks back?

I'm editing my photos .. he looks so sad, but it's probably my favorite photo of the tournament so far.

Just saw the score on Azarenka , Ivanovic ..Unbelievable .. both the men’s and the women’s’ defending champions out in one day.

8:45
Took a break to enjoy a very nice wine and cheese party in the press dining room, but now have at least 500 images to edit and post, so I’m ending this blog for today.