Porte de Paris
Standing at the northern edge of Lille's old city, Porte de Paris is a triumphal arch built in 1692 to celebrate Louis XIV's conquest of the city, and its ornate Baroque stone carvings make it one of the most photogenic historic monuments in northern France. Shoot from straight on to capture the arch's symmetry, or position yourself at a low angle to emphasize the sculpted reliefs and the allegorical figures crowning the structure. The arch frames the street beyond it beautifully, so using a moderate wide-angle lens lets you include both the architecture and the urban context. Overcast days work particularly well here since soft, even light brings out the texture and detail in the carved stonework without harsh shadows. The surrounding square gives you room to step back and compose with foreground elements like the paving stones as a leading line into the arch. (Lille, Hauts-de-France, France)
