When I started my Montmartre coverage a week ago, I highlighted the architectural differences between this neighborhood and the one near my hotel. Montmartre was grittier than the upscale Les Halles. However, this picture shows some lovely buildings in this area of Paris. In fact, if you compare the detailing, the buildings look remarkably similar to these.

I shot several compositions from a similar angle at various focal lengths. I loved the detailing of both the foreground and background buildings, which had a worthwhile difference in shading when converted to black and white. Small shifts in framing made a big difference.

I picked this version with some perspective correction. I like the relative balance between both structures, and you can see the street signs on the corner of Rue Ronsard and Place Louise Blanquart. Pop those streets in Google Maps and look at the Street View. The Google version looks more raw with graffiti-covered store shutters. Yes, the neighborhood has some fine architecture, but it clearly looks less upscale.

I did some exploring in Street View and noticed the two other scenes where I shot the previous two pictures. They are both within a block of this building.

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