We’re seeing a great many searches on the Arcangel website for images of Paris!

Paris and its districts are among the most frequently searched locations on our website. Many stories are set in this amazing city, across genres from Romance to Thrillers. 
We would strongly encourage photographers and illustrators to cover this amazing city!
Here are some ideas to get you started…

Landmarks: 
The museums, cathedrals, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Seine Bridges, the Saint Martin Canal…. 

Remember, book cover images need to be driven by atmosphere and narrative. Try to go beyond the typical tourist destination shots!

Be aware, however, that certain landmarks – including the Louvre Pyramid and the Eiffel Tower Illuminations – are protected by copyright. You can find out more about property releases [here].

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Distinctive neighborhoods: 
Montmartre, The Marais, Pigalle, The Bastille, Belleville, The Goutte d’Or, the alleys of Saint-Germain-des-Prés…. 

All kinds of neighborhoods can be settings for fiction, with different characters, cultures and social groups. 

The streets themselves with perspective for backgrounds would be effective, but you may also want to include characters to cover all literary  genres.

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Cafes: 
Paris cafés are a very distinctive cultural icon and a popular subject! 

Try to capture the Parisian atmosphere, paying attention to fabrics, seating and design. Look for rows of tables, the glass facade, a pair of gloves on a chair, a newspaper… 

Please include characters, such as a couple having a conversation, but be inventive – it could be a romantic meeting or planning a murder! 

Groups of friends having a coffee and thoughtful people sitting by themselves would also be good subjects.

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General settings : 
The rooftops of Paris, balconies and window views  (outside and inside), front doors with pots of flowers, shops, signals…

General views of the city make for great backdrops and will always be in demand!

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Illustrations: 
We’ve picked out examples of photography but all of the above can be applied to illustrations as well!

Illustrations can also be the perfect medium for capturing the quirkiness and romance of Paris and the Parisian lifestyle. 

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Parisian Women: 
This subject comes up very frequently from designers all over the world. “French Woman” has been among our most searched keywords recently.

It’s difficult to avoid resorting to cliches here, but we can guess at what clients expect to find when they search for a Parisian woman: someone chic, sophisticated, intelligent  and interesting – and probably a brunette with dark eyes! Think Anne Hattaway, Eva Green, Maribel Verdu, Rachel Weisz, Audrey Tautou…

We recommend creating strong, pensive characters to fit this brief. In terms of costume, we would suggest not too much makeup, with plain, sober and timeless clothing. You can always add the typical french beret.  

To complete the effect, set your model in the streets of any of the neighborhoods above, sitting in a typical Parisian cafe, looking through a balcony, walking by the Seine… 

General tips:
 The following tips apply to most photoshoots but keep them in mind for Paris in particular… 

• Shoot both at night and in daylight; 
• Cover a wide range of angles and crops when shooting characters;
• Think about possible genres, from thriller to romance;
• All eras are needed, but especially contemporary and wartime; 
• Leave copy space for designers to work with;
• Remind to add the keywords Paris and any Specifics (such as a landmark)