December 19, 2017

Happy Holidays: Paris in Sparkle Mode

The Famous Galeries Lafayette Holiday Tree (Photo © Sarah Fauvel)
Winter weather (snow!) and glittering holiday lights mark the beginning of the holiday season, when the City of Light starts to really sparkle. From the joyous department store decorations to festive sapins in the street to the holiday fairs in St Germain, La Defense, and Bercy Village, every neighborhood has its own way of celebrating.

Galeries Lafayette Window (Photo © Cassandra Parkinson) 
Photography instructor Meredith Mullins and a merry band of adventurous WICE photographers went in search of the essence of the season.

Photographer Cassandra Parkinson Takes Aim (Photo © Rick Braswell)
They captured candid street moments, the beauty of moving lights (with camera twirls and zoom bursts), lively store windows, and the glory of the Galeries Lafayette traditional tree (well, not so traditional this year).

Holiday Tree Swirl (Photo © Christina Sepulveda)
After their night on the town, the photographers submitted their favorite photos for the Holiday Sparkle competition, juried by visiting luminary Jerry Fielder (Curator and Director of the Yousuf Karsh Estate).

Famed Portrait Photographer Yousuf Karsh with Curator
(and Holiday Sparkle Juror) Jerry Fielder
“A difficult choice,” Jerry said, but a final selection was made. He complimented the group on their mastery of difficult lighting situations, something that is prevalent in night photography, especially during the holiday season (with bright lights and deep shadows).

And the winner is … (drum roll please) … Tracey Benneweis.

The Holiday Sparkle Winner (Photo © Tracey Benneweis)
Congratulations to Tracey for her image of Place de Saint-Germain-des-Près, with dramatic lighting and just the right touch of human presence and mystery.

Honorable Mention Award (Photo © Johanna French)
Honorable Mention Awards go to Johanna French for her image of the glittering corner near Galeries Lafayette, Rick Braswell for his image of life in the street during the holiday shopping season, and another of Tracey’s images capturing the black-and-white mood of the Galeries Lafayette rooftop (The Cube Bar).

Honorable Mention Award (Photo © Rick Braswell)

Honorable Mention Award (Photo © Tracey Benneweis)

Two "People's Choice" Awards go to Sarah Fauvel and Tracey Benneweis.

People's Choice Award (Photo © Sarah Fauvel)
People's Choice Award (Photo © Tracey Benneweis)
We applaud all the photographers and wish everyone a happy holiday.

The Sparkle Team (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

And, we look forward to your joining us in a 2018 Photography Course. 

Joyeuses Fêtes et Bonne Année.

© Meredith Mullins



Blog Post by Meredith Mullins