Archives: 2012 February

Most girls dream about one day going to Paris France, from the first movie they watch such as Funny Face, Moulin Rouge, Amelie, The Dreamers and many more; it captures them. Though they’ve never been, though they’ve never touched or seen it up close, Paris seduced them and made them fall in love. Fall in love with the idea of beauty, love, art, romance, flings, fashion, cigarettes, heels, red lipstick and the life of a parisian woman. All they wish for is to experience something more, to feel something greater then ever before.

I, Erlinda Goldie 24 year old young lady got to experience the life of a parisian and the dreams of most young girls out there.

As you land at the airport you don’t feel as though it is real. You start to realize that you are in France when strangers around you are speaking a language that you don’t seem to comprehend. Then it hits you wow I’m in France , I am where every girl has dreamt of going since they feel in love with it’s beautiful city, Paris.

I lived in Paris for a year and even thought I didn’t experiences all the amazing things Paris had to offer I have to say Paris seduced me in a level I never thought possible. Paris doesn’t seduce women with fake promises, false hopes and money. It seduces us by simply being it’s beautiful old self. By letting us bring out a part of ourself that we knew we had but didn’t quite know how to let out. It’s not our wild side nor our romantic side it’s a side that makes us feel a little braver then normal, more adventures then ever before, and a style of gracefulness and class comes over us. It’s no longer about how we’ve viewed ourself back home but how we wish to view ourself in this beautiful city called Paris.

As you walk through the streets of Paris you will see how Paris is oozing with art and culture. You’ll hear music in the streets, lovers walking hand in hand with smiles on their faces, bakeries smelling of freshly baked goodies and cafe’s filled with people looking out onto the streets, people watching while drinking their coffee and conversing with friends/loved once and/or co-works. As you start to look at people all around you, you begin to notice their style. No matter if they are a rocker, goth, fashionista or just an average plain Jane, there is away they combine everything together to make it look timeless and sheeck. No mater what, they have a sense of style and they know what works for them.

When you go shopping you stop looking at clothes that you were comfortable wearing back home but start looking at clothes that not only make you feel new but make you feel like you have arrived at a point in your life that change is no longer hard to do but easy to achieve. It makes you want to explore your body and dress it up to show off your curves with elegance and posh. You want to look the best you can for pretty much everything you are doing, even if it’s your grocery shopping or doing laundry.

I don’t know what it is about Paris but it really puts you in a trance whether you wish for it or not. It’s surreal how much you change. I like to think I’ve changed for the better and have grown as a lady and became more of a women. Paris has been a good thing that I experienced in my life and I hope other women out there really enjoy it as much as I did. Put that nice black dress on, heels and red lipstick and have a blast in a city that will make love to you like you’ve always fantasized.

Here are some self-portraits of myself while in Paris. Enjoy xox

The reality of pursuing photography in a new foreign country that you have no friends, no connections and nobody to really talk to is hard. I moved to Paris France a year ago, it was the most exciting and thrilling thing I had ever done in my life. I had and still have the dream of my work becoming something big, something people can love or hate, something that can move people in any way possible.

Paris is one of the cities to be when you want to pursue photography as your career. Now as much as Paris has all the things you need to “make it” as an establish photographer it has also A LOT of walls for you to break through or clam over (which ever way you wish to make your entrance). Not to mention coming from a smaller city where photography wasn’t as big, the competition is a lot greater and better here (no offense to my fellow photographers back home). So you have to make sure you can sell yourself well. Photography is your business if you can’t market yourself then you will have problems.

Here is how my experience was when I lived there.

When thinking about moving to a country such as France make sure you know the language or some what know it or at least be good at languages so its easy for you to pick up. (Something I lacked in)
Be prepared to be doing a lot of paper work if you are not a French citizen or part of the European Union. France is known for its crazy paper work but its even worse for out siders. (It’s not as easy as you think moving to another part of the world)
Once you’re going through the proses of getting your living/working papers in order you will have time to build your new portfolio because even though your old portfolio got you in the door you need a new one to keep you in the room. So do your research and contact every agency in town and ask to meet with them.
Start going to parties, mingle with people. This wont be as hard because a lot of people in the entertainment/fashion industry speak english and a lot of them are just like you or were once just like you and can usually help you out.
While everything sounds pretty simple so far and somewhat the same as it was for you back home to start in photography you have to remember, while you are doing all these things you aren’t working! So all your savings are flowing like water from a tap and it wont stop till your paper work is in order and that will take a good 4-7 months (shorter time if you start meeting people and they share loop holes or have connections)
Make sure you make a budget as soon as you can when you come to Paris you will need it and you must live by it if you wish to survive. At some point you will realize you need a part time job (good luck with that).

When I was back home in Toronto Canada I was oblivious when it came to “making it” as a photographer. Sure you hear it from many people. Friends and acquaintances saying it isn’t always about the talent and the photographs you produce its about ”WHO YOU KNOW”. Moving to Paris makes you realize that those people were right. Connections are the key to successes. It’s true, it matters who you know and who ever says otherwise is lying.

So if you are an outgoing person and friendly and can mingle and connect with people pretty easily you will

a) have a good and easy time making friends/connections

b) find it hard to be in a new environment that even though people are friendly they don’t really have an interest in making new friends since they are happy with the friends they have now.

I have noticed that Parisians stick together and also have a lot of friends that they have known since they were babies. You will think its the same everywhere you go and I agree it is but here it’s extreme. From what I’ve notice and from what others have shared with me Parisians aren’t that interested in making new friends. Don’t worry though, there are a lot of great English, Canadian and US pubs and restaurants here that you will meet people just like you. You will make friends in time don’t be discouraged.

A lot of my friends back home were asking me how Paris treating me while I was there and how much did I enjoy it? In all honesty as beautiful as Paris was. I missed home. Who wouldn’t right? Paris does have it’s beauty and inspiration but it didn’t have all the people that you have grown with as an individual and also as a photographer.

At the end of the day my dream of becoming a photographer was slowly coming to life. It will take awhile before anything comes together. Everything takes time and for those that are inpatient like myself will have a hard time believing anything good will come out of it. Don’t let it get to you and make sure you don’t forget why you moved to Paris for. As long as that dream is still strong you can do it.

Here are some photographs I’ve done while I lived in Paris. Enjoy