night lights

[SmartWombat]

You'll recognise it of course.
I couldn't think of anything other than centering it.

Oh and for those who love megapixels, these are as shot on floppy disk with a Sony Maciva.
Sometimes less is more, less to twiddle

[CLKunst]

The first one is just gorgeous Paul, love the moody sky and the searchlight. I've heard that you aren't allowed to sell images of the tower at night because it is "a light show" and thereby copy write infringement. I'm also familiar with the Sony Mavica and am stunned you got such a great picture with it. We use them in my summer photo program for 7th graders and I've had nothing but trouble (usually the disc is the culprit).

The second seems underexposed and I can't see enough detail to tell wether it's an upshot or a down shot. If it is a down shot how the heck did you get out over it?!?!

[SmartWombat]

Up shot. Most of the light is going sideways, so you see little of it.

Wikipedia is great...

Images of the tower have long been in the public domain; however, in 2003 SNTE installed a new lighting display on the tower. The effect was to put any night-time image of the tower and its lighting display under copyright. As a result, it was no longer legal to publish contemporary photographs of the tower at night without permission in some countries.[1]

The imposition of copyright has been controversial. The Director of Documentation for SNTE, Stéphane Dieu, commented in January 2005, "It is really just a way to manage commercial use of the image, so that it isn't used in ways we don't approve." However, it also potentially has the effect of prohibiting tourist photographs of the tower at night from being published as well as hindering non profit and semi-commercial publication of images of the tower.

In a recent decision, the Court of Cassation ruled that copyright could not be claimed over images including a copyrighted building if the photograph encompassed a larger area. This seems to indicate that SNTE cannot can claim copyright on photographs of Paris incorporating the lit tower.


[1] ^ In the United States, for example, 17 USC 120(a) explicitly permits the publication of photographs of copyrighted architecture in public spaces. In Germany this is known as Panoramafreiheit


I'd be very interested to know if this interpretation of 17 USC 120(a) is correct !

[Copy_Kot]

I like both of them... The first image is OUTSTANDING! In fact I think it's one of the best I have ever seen of the tower. My girlfriend is dying to go to Paris, I hope she doesn't see that image (maybe we'll go this spring )

[SmartWombat]

I recommend the Mercure Gobelins - cheap and pleasant.
We stayed there 3 times while it was part of the Jardins de Paris group.
http://www.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en...CYS22AKHko3EDw

Spolier warning !
Don't let your girlfriend read this.
Do the usual tourist things during the day, but at night don't go to the tower direct.
Take the metro across the river to Trocadero.
Walk straight towards the river, through Palais de Chaillot.
Only towards the end of that walk will you see the tower, it's a nice surprise
That gets you to the first vantage point and you can linger there a while.
Perhaps get her photograph with flash balancing the lights on the tower - take a lightweight tripod and get both of you together !
(Oh that reminds me, the Cullmann travel set is small, light and versatile)
Then walk down the steps, brave the traffic - hey at least it'll be on the correct side of the road for you!
Stroll across the pont d'Iena and straight to the tower for night views of Paris.

[Greg McCary]

I love the picture of the tower. What's the blue light? Is it for planes or what?
Greg

[Ronnoco]

Up shot. Most of the light is going sideways, so you see little of it.

Wikipedia is great...

Images of the tower have long been in the public domain; however, in 2003 SNTE installed a new lighting display on the tower. The effect was to put any night-time image of the tower and its lighting display under copyright. As a result, it was no longer legal to publish contemporary photographs of the tower at night without permission in some countries.[1]

The imposition of copyright has been controversial. The Director of Documentation for SNTE, Stéphane Dieu, commented in January 2005, "It is really just a way to manage commercial use of the image, so that it isn't used in ways we don't approve." However, it also potentially has the effect of prohibiting tourist photographs of the tower at night from being published as well as hindering non profit and semi-commercial publication of images of the tower.

In a recent decision, the Court of Cassation ruled that copyright could not be claimed over images including a copyrighted building if the photograph encompassed a larger area. This seems to indicate that SNTE cannot can claim copyright on photographs of Paris incorporating the lit tower.


[1] ^ In the United States, for example, 17 USC 120(a) explicitly permits the publication of photographs of copyrighted architecture in public spaces. In Germany this is known as Panoramafreiheit


I'd be very interested to know if this interpretation of 17 USC 120(a) is correct !

The copyright law specifically states what can be copyrighted and that definitely does NOT include buildings and that definitely does NOT relate to photos of light shows either.

No one is legally restricted from taking photos of a building, light show etc. and using that photo as they see fit.

Ronnoco

[SmartWombat]

Just the top of the lightshow, two searchlights one each side of the tower that swing around making it look like a lighthouse at night stranded in the middle of Paris.

[yakkosmurf]

Yes, the tower picture is fabulous. I wish I'd had a better camera when I visited Paris.