Best Places for a Photoshoot in Paris

Best for

Engagement, elopement, honeymoon and anniversary sessions

Best time

Sunrise, or the last two hours before sunset

Route

Trocadéro to the Louvre in about three hours

Best months

April to June, September and October

Good to know

No drones over Paris; keep the setup light

Paris is the easiest city in the world to photograph badly. Every corner looks like a postcard, and by ten in the morning every postcard has a crowd in it. The difference between a rushed photoshoot and a beautiful one is rarely the location itself. It is the order of the locations, the hour you arrive and knowing where to stand. We are Vadim and Irina Pastuh, a husband-and-wife team of destination wedding photographers based in Lisbon, and Paris is one of the cities we come back to most. These are the eleven places we use again and again, all photographed during our own sessions.

01Trocadéro

The classic view of the Eiffel Tower, from the wide esplanade of the Palais de Chaillot. It is the one place every couple asks for, and for good reason: the tower stands right across the river, framed by nothing but sky.

When

At sunrise. By nine the esplanade fills with tour groups and selfie sticks.

Light

Soft and even in the morning, often with a light haze that makes the tower look painted.

Tip

Use the side stairs and the balustrades, not only the center of the esplanade. They give depth and fewer people behind you.

02Avenue de Camoëns

A short, quiet street in the 16th arrondissement, a few minutes' walk from the Trocadéro. It ends at a stone balustrade above a long double staircase down to Boulevard Delessert, with grand Haussmann buildings on both corners, cobblestones underfoot and the Eiffel Tower rising over the trees.

When

Right after the Trocadéro, while the morning is still quiet.

Light

Backlight from the tower side early in the day, which gives a soft glow.

Tip

Sit on the balustrade for the classic frame, with the tower over the trees, then step back onto the cobblestones for a full-length photo. It is a residential street, so keep voices low and the shoot short.

03Pont de Bir-Hakeim

A two-level bridge with the metro running on top and a pedestrian walkway below, lined with a long iron colonnade. The repeating columns make one of the most graphic frames in the city, and from the bridge you also get the tower over the Seine.

When

Early morning. Later in the day cyclists and runners pass through constantly.

Light

The colonnade stays in shade, which is flattering for faces even on a bright day.

Tip

Watch the bike lane. We shoot down the center walkway between passing cyclists.

04The Seine quays by Pont d'Iéna

Below street level, the cobbled quays along the river put the water, the stone arches of Pont d'Iéna and the tower in one frame. It feels far from the traffic above, and there is room to walk instead of standing still.

When

Morning or late afternoon. Avoid the middle of the day, when tour boats line the quay.

Light

Reflections off the water open up the shadows under the bridge.

Tip

Cobblestones are uneven. Bring flat shoes for walking between locations.

05Rue Saint-Dominique and the cafés of the 7th

For a more relaxed, everyday Paris: café terraces with red awnings, zebra crossings and the slim silhouette of the tower at the end of the street. This is where we take couples after the classic views, for photos that feel like a walk rather than a pose.

When

Mid-morning, when the terraces open but the streets are not yet busy.

Light

Narrow streets keep the light soft until about noon.

Tip

Order a coffee. A few frames at a terrace table are some of the most natural of the day.

06Quiet side streets with the tower at the end

A few streets away from the café terraces, the 7th arrondissement is full of calm residential streets that line up with the tower: Haussmann façades on both sides, wrought-iron balconies and the Eiffel Tower filling the end of the street. Early in the morning they are almost empty, which makes them perfect for a slower, cinematic frame.

When

Early morning, before the traffic and the parked delivery vans.

Light

An overcast sky works well here and looks beautiful in black and white.

Tip

A vintage convertible turns the street into a film set. Park it close to the curb and keep an eye on the crossings; these are real streets with real traffic.

07Pont Alexandre III

Built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, the most ornate bridge in Paris: gilded statues on tall pillars, stone lions at both ends, Art Nouveau lamps and a view down the river to the Eiffel Tower. It is our favorite place for the last light of the day.

When

The hour before sunset, when the sun sets downriver to the west, behind the tower in autumn and winter.

Light

Warm, low backlight along the Seine, and the gilded statues glow.

Tip

Use the stone balustrade and the lions as a frame, with the tower between the couple. Then walk down to the quay for photos under the bridge as the city lights come on.

08Petit Palais

A short walk up the avenue from Pont Alexandre III, built for the same exhibition and designed by Charles Girault. Its wrought-iron entrance gate, gilded and full of curls, is one of the most striking backdrops in Paris, and the wide stone steps give room for a long train.

When

Early morning, before visitors arrive, or late afternoon on the way to the bridge.

Light

The gate catches the light beautifully; a slightly overcast day keeps the gold from burning out.

Tip

Keep the steps clear for visitors. It is a working museum entrance.

09The Louvre pyramid

The glass pyramid by I. M. Pei in the Cour Napoléon, surrounded by the palace on three sides. It works for every style, from a classic wide frame to a close portrait with the glass behind.

When

At sunrise. Once the museum opens, the courtyard turns into a queue.

Light

Morning sun on the palace façades gives a warm golden tone to the stone.

Tip

Shoot the wide frames first, while the courtyard is empty, and the close portraits later.

10The Louvre courtyards and arcades

Step away from the pyramid and the palace offers endless frames: long stone arcades, old street lamps, staircases and archways that frame the pyramid from a distance. Even on a busy day, a few steps into the arcades give you calm and symmetry, and the contrast between the deep shade and the sunlit stone is made for black and white.

When

Any time of day; the arcades stay in open shade.

Light

Soft, reflected light off the pale stone. Perfect for portraits.

Tip

Stand in the dark arch at the foot of the steps and shoot through it: the couple on the steps stands out against the sunlit arcade behind them. It is one of our favorite black and white frames in Paris.

11Jardin des Tuileries

Between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, the royal garden with its fountains, statues and the famous green metal chairs. It is the place to slow down at the end of a session and take a few relaxed photos.

When

Morning or late afternoon. The garden opens at 7 or 7:30 am depending on the season.

Light

Open and bright, best when the sun is low.

Tip

Pull two green chairs to the edge of a fountain basin. It is the most Parisian frame in the garden.

PlanA three-hour sunrise route

This is the order we use most often. It follows the light and stays one step ahead of the crowds.

• SunriseTrocadéro, while the esplanade is empty
• +30 minAvenue de Camoëns, a five-minute walk
• +50 minPont de Bir-Hakeim and the quays toward Pont d'Iéna
• +90 minRue Saint-Dominique and a café terrace
• +2 hShort taxi ride to the Louvre, courtyards and arcades
• +2.5 hTuileries Garden to finish

For an evening session, we reverse the idea: the Louvre and the Tuileries in the afternoon, then the Petit Palais and Pont Alexandre III for sunset. In June the sun rises before 6 am; in December, after 8:30 am, which makes winter sunrise sessions very comfortable.

We often start an hour earlier at the hotel: getting ready, the dress, a few quiet portraits by the window. It makes the session feel like a story, not only a walk past landmarks.

StyleWhat to wear

Paris rewards simple, timeless outfits: a long dress or a classic suit, white, black, cream or soft pastels. A long train looks wonderful on the Trocadéro and the Petit Palais steps, but plan comfortable shoes for walking between locations; you can change in the car or carry heels. In spring and autumn bring a coat for between frames. Mornings on the river can be cool even in June.

RulesPermits, drones and logistics

Drones: filming with a drone in Paris is prohibited without a special exemption from the Préfecture de police, and only approved professional companies can apply. For a couple session, plan on no drone at all.

Permits: shoots in public space are handled by Paris Film, the city's film office. Productions with small crews and light equipment can register with a simple declaration. A couple session with handheld cameras is much lighter than that, and we keep it that way: no tripods, lighting stands or blocked passages in busy places. Museums and monuments such as the Louvre have their own rules for organized shoots.

Getting around: the route above is mostly on foot, with one short taxi ride across the city. We plan the order around your hotel.

Real sessionsSee full stories

Most of the photos in this guide come from our own sessions in Paris. See a full one: Shima and Aria in Paris →

More from Paris: From Paris with Love, James and Megan, Kelly and Camille.

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