Today’s black and white cafe life photo may not be as dramatic as the rainy night shots from several days ago, however, I like it for documenting the ordinary. I know I’m just spinning stories around this picture, but it looks like a local French woman, not a tourist, checking life via her phone, sitting at a cafe. Maybe she went shopping and placed her purchases next to her on the seat. However, She has her handbag firmly in her lap to protect it from the Parisian thieves while oblivious to the life buzzing around her.

It took more effort than usual, but I’ve confirmed that this picture is in front of L’Escurial, a restaurant on Rue de Turenne. I knew I snapped this near Place des Vosges, which I featured yesterday. I then explored that area via Google Street View and matched the tell-tale visual cues.

I made this picture at an 82mm equivalent, which is longer than usual for a street photograph — it almost feels like cheating, giving a voyeuristic perspective. However, the telephoto nicely compressed the surrounding action, giving an impression of a bustling scene.

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