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Post by woody77 on Aug 25, 2013 9:44:54 GMT
A Tyrannosaurs Rex in Paris? Yep. A parisian sculpter has created a 'life size' sculpture of a T-rex, in polished aluminum. It's beautiful. Although it's a small life-sized specimen. It's been shown in various indoor spaces, but was recently installed at the docks of the Bateau Mouche on the bank of the Seine. I headed down to see it on day in July after going to my bank (which is vaguely nearby).  DSC_5540 by aaronwood77, on Flickr  DSC_5551 by aaronwood77, on Flickr would have loved to get closer, but I'd need to have tickets for riding the boat to do that. So I had to settle to taking distance shots with the long end of the zoom lens.  DSC_5535 by aaronwood77, on Flickr These zoomed-in shots show up much detail went into it.  DSC_5544 by aaronwood77, on Flickr  DSC_5554 by aaronwood77, on Flickr It's sitting on a reflective sheet that lights it from below, creating beautiful effects. It was a partially cloudy day, and as the clouds passed in front of the sun, it was continually changing in the light. Wonderful.  DSC_5555 by aaronwood77, on Flickr And I had to take at least one image and turn it into a high-contrast black and white.  DSC_5544-2 by aaronwood77, on Flickr |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2013 12:00:06 GMT
Great photos, and I haven't even seen it yet in person. I keep telling myself that I'm going to go. Have you seen the window display of Louis Vuitton on the Champs Elysées at the moment, also using the dinosaur theme?  |
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Post by woody77 on Aug 25, 2013 12:17:32 GMT
No, I hadn't!
I've actually not been to the Champs Elysées this year at all. I've been in the area (and under it, for the FDR metro station), but I really haven't gone down that way. I really should.
Honestly, I wouldn't bother with the sculpture unless you were also going to the Bateau Mouche. It's readily accessible, inside the gated area for ticked passengers. Unless I was misunderstanding the arrangement of things there. And that particular dock is best traveled to via tour bus. It's one of the few places I've found in the city where I felt very, very out of place on foot.
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Post by woody77 on Aug 25, 2013 12:49:39 GMT
I posted these elsewhere, and someone asked for a night shot, so I went looking to see if I could find someone having taken them. And I found this great article: www.weather.com/travel/t-rex-takes-bite-out-paris-photos-20130705Which has night-time photos, as well as the story behind it. The T-rex was molded from castings of a real skeleton, and was commissioned by the daughter of the owner of Bateau Mouche, to help promote contemporary art along the Seine. |
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Post by lagatta on Aug 25, 2013 13:56:41 GMT
Thanks, it is lovely. But I've already taken a bateau-mouche, and have no burning desire to do it again. When I'm in Paris there are so many other things I want to do, and now this site has offered me new things to discover.
As for Louis Vuitton, it is proof that only dinosaurs (of the human variety) want to shell out for ridiculously overpriced luggage.
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Post by tod2 on Aug 25, 2013 14:50:37 GMT
Wonderful photos of that shiny prehistoric creature Woody77! Wonder how long it could take the weather?
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Post by woody77 on Aug 25, 2013 16:10:46 GMT
tod2 - being cast aluminum, my guess is that it will take the weather for a while.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 25, 2013 20:09:48 GMT
Gee ~~ I wonder if they'd let me have that when they're through with it, since I just adore it!
Love your pics, Woody -- the way you positioned T. Rex with those landmarks is great.
Any idea if the advertising brontosaurus(?) & the gleaming predator are linked in some way, or is it coincidence?
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Post by fumobici on Aug 25, 2013 20:22:14 GMT
Actually depends on the casting alloy, some will retain a waxed polish for months or even longer outdoors whereas other alloys will almost immediately start forming a hazy patina but either way eventually the Al in the surface of the alloy wants to react with the oxygen in the air and form a almost ceramic hard oxide coating. Essentially the same oxidizing process is used to anodize aluminum to protect or color it.
One hopes it wasn't clear coated, which will quickly yellow and peel.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 3:28:39 GMT
I would hope that the artist would know what kind of finish to put on it for outdoor display.
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Post by woody77 on Aug 26, 2013 12:39:33 GMT
Bix, it was fun walking around it and seeing what angles I could make work. It would be even more fun to get up close to it with a wide-angle lens. The first photo I saw of it was a wide-angle sunset with it appearing to be headed for the Eiffel Tower.
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Post by nycgirl on Aug 26, 2013 18:13:44 GMT
Amazing photos, Woody! That sure is a fun sculpture. Just when I think there isn't a way to take unique photos of the Eiffel Tower...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 18:19:20 GMT
The T-rex probably mistook the Eiffel Tower for a T-rex girl with a big butt and fell in love with it.
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Post by lugg on Aug 26, 2013 19:19:54 GMT
Really fabulous photos, thank you Woody.
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Post by woody77 on Aug 29, 2013 10:51:15 GMT
nycgirl - I think that the way to get interesting photos of the key landmarks in Paris is to step back away from them. Just about every photo of the Eiffel Tower is taken from Champ du Mars to the Trocadero. Iconic, but well, overdone. Trying to get good photos of Notre Dame was also difficult (another upcoming write-up). Mostly for that I had to get far enough away from it to actually get it into frame with lens other than a super-wide.
kerouac - nicely done.
lugg - thanks!
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