Chromatic Tales in Paris

The Paris Vignettes series features the inspired work of street photographer William “Bill” O’Such in themed installments

Most of my street vignettes live in the stark elegance of black and white, but occasionally, color brings out a different story — or a different viewpoint — in an image.

After crossing the bridge (“traversant le pont”) and heading back toward Le Marais, two couples, almost identically dressed in red and black, caught my eye (“rouge et noir”) at Chez Julien, sitting as if perfectly posed. The energy of color also highlights individuals: one evening walking back toward Palais Royal, a young woman enjoying her music and meditating, the colorful yellow dress (“meditation et beauté”) standing out against the classic Paris backdrop; or another riding a pink motorbike making a delivery (“moto en rose”).

Another pattern that emerges with color is the bond between people and their animals. Whether it was a woman in Parc Montsouris with a bird (“une femme avec son oiseau”) or another with her cat walking through the park near Bercy (“une femme avec son chat”), the shared life is suddenly more vibrant. That evening after dinner near République, I glanced right and caught someone heading home in a stunning floral outfit, the pattern reflecting the greenery of the street (“retour chez elle”).

The challenge in street photography is often capturing the moment when a person’s look either contrasts or coheres with Paris. But sometimes, the situation just pops up as one is sipping a drink and someone unique wanders by your table (“sa vie en rose”).

Finally, there are the reflections that show an entirely different dimension in color. Whether they are store windows (“reflets au resto”) creating a multi-layered blend of Parisian life, a metro car where people are reflecting on their day (“reflets dans le metro”), or when people are reflecting the posters around them (“deux hommes”), these chromatic tales are everywhere.