France photography opportunities are going to be best captured by those with patience to first capture a photo with the eye and then the lens.  Where some countries seem to have almost set up the perfect photography op for tourists, France can be more subtle at times.  Angles, heights, contrasts, and timing all become part of the components of the perfect France photography moment that will make your photo a piece of art.

Obviously one will want to travel along and capture French shop entrances, displayed pastries in bakeries, cafes, sunflower fields, and the wonderment of the infamous architectural structures of France.  What is less obvious is that these France photography staples can become a photographer’s crowning jewels when patience plays a part.  Specific times of day, shooting photos from beneath, above, and through one structure to capture another are what will distinguish a French masterpiece to record your journey over another less thought out shot.

France photography isn’t complete without a few rolls of black and white film exposed in the camera bag.  The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Champs Elysees with the Arc de Triomphe in the background and an architectural shot of an old French building will be ones to put on your must have list black and white list.  Give yourself a French photography lesson on the fly.  Try taking the same shots at different times of day and on completely different days.  DSLR photography will allow you to study your shots one day and prepare for the next to perfect them to your liking.

Wide angle lenses will give you opportunities to capture France photography in its true sense, architectural pieces in the background and people in their everyday life in the forefront of the photos.  History meets present day photos are great for storytelling.  Don’t worry about shooting the locals, they’re used to it and don’t like it, but it’s your shot go ahead and record your moment as long as it doesn’t invade anyone’s privacy.

While tripod shots would be great to capture the City of Lights, you may find Paris security less than pleased.  Straight point and shoot photos won’t get the same attention from security officers.

Museums are a must visit and France photography collections aren’t complete without photos of the museums themselves with their artistic details, people within them admiring the art, and outside the museums enjoying the day or evening.

Paris markets and shops are great opportunities for still life capture and one subject shots.  Rides into the countryside of France will afford vast opportunities for scenic shots which might include the impressive French Chateaus, vineyards and wineries, and the sunflower and lavender fields found near Provence.  Again, patience and a study of the France photography possibilities with the eye of an artist will be well worth it when the lens clicks.

France is all about art and history.  There is art in how grocers display foods, bakers produce pastries, shopkeepers display goods, designers create fashion, art has shaped history and has shaped the country.  That should come through in your photos.  To best capture France photography moments one must be patient and become more than a photographer.  The photographer must become an artist that does not paint or sculpt but points and shoots.