The Best Photo Spots in Paris, Chosen by a Local Photographer

I've been photographing couples, families, and solo travelers all over Paris since 2013, and I get asked the same question almost every week: "What are the best photo spots in Paris?" There isn't one single answer. It depends on the light you want, how many people you're willing to share the frame with, and the mood you're going for. I shoot video as well as photo, so a few of these spots also come up naturally when video is part of the session. Here are the spots I come back to again and again, and why.

Bir-Hakeim

This is one of my favorite spots in Paris. It's far less known than Trocadéro, even though the view of the Eiffel Tower here is just as stunning. And unlike Trocadéro, Bir-Hakeim stays workable all day, you won't get shut out by golden hour the way you would there. The Pont de Bir-Hakeim is a double-decker bridge, part road, part metro line, with an iron structure that frames the Eiffel Tower in a completely different way than Trocadéro. You get leading lines, texture, and a bit of Paris' industrial side alongside the tower, and because the bridge is long, there are several distinct angles and compositions to work with in a single session, not just one fixed shot.I've written a full guide to shooting at Bir-Hakeim if you want to see it in more detail.

It's also a bit of a movie location: Christopher Nolan shot one of the key scenes of Inception here, the mirror scene between Ariadne and Cobb, which makes it one of my favorite spots for video too, if that's part of your session. It wasn't picked by accident, the structure of the bridge is one of a kind. Passing metro trains add motion and sound to a session, which some clients love and others find distracting. I usually time shoots around the gaps between trains for the calmer shots, then let a train pass for a few more dynamic ones.

You don't have to pick just one of these two. Some clients focus the whole session on a single spot, others start at one and add a few shots along the Seine on the way to the other. If Trocadéro is packed when we get there, we'll often start at Bir-Hakeim instead, work our way over with a stop by the river in between, and finish with a few frames at Trocadéro once the crowd has thinned out.

The Three Palaces

These three spots naturally fit together in one session. All are a few minutes' walk from each other, so a single 1 to 2 hour session can cover two up to three completely different backdrops without losing time moving across the city, and it's an easy setup to change outfits between locations if a client wants more variety in their gallery.

I call this trio The Three Palaces: the Louvre, the Palais-Royal, and the Tuileries Gardens all belong to what were once three royal palace sites. The Louvre started as a fortress before becoming a royal residence, the Palais-Royal was literally built as one, and the Tuileries Palace once stood at the edge of the gardens until it burned down in 1871, the gardens are what's left of it.

Quite a few clients bring up Emily in Paris before we even start, the show was actually filmed in this exact area, which probably explains why so many of them recognize it right away.

The Louvre

Most people think of the glass pyramid, and it's a strong shot. But the Louvre offers more than that one angle: the inner courtyards, the arcades, and the details on the building's facade all give you options beyond the postcard version everyone's seen.

Light is what changes the most here depending on the hour. Early morning and the end of the day give you a softer, warmer light on the stone facades. If you're going for a night session, the pyramid lit up after dark gives you reflections across the glass and the surrounding architecture that you just don't get during the day.

Palais-Royal

This is the spot I recommend most to clients who tell me they don't want the "obvious" Paris photos. The striped columns in the courtyard (Buren's Colonnes) create a graphic, almost sculptural backdrop that photographs like nowhere else in the city. No monument in the background, no crowd of tourists, just clean lines and color.

It's a small, contained space, which makes it perfect for a focused session, and it's just a few minutes on foot from the Louvre. Fewer people know about Palais-Royal, so even midday you can usually find a clear frame.

Jardin des Tuileries

The Tuileries give you something none of the monuments can: space, symmetry, and greenery. The long tree-lined allées, with the Louvre framed at one end, create a sense of depth and scale that works beautifully for walking shots.

They're also one of the more forgiving spots weather-wise: overcast days still look good here, since the greenery does a lot of the work. Cafés and food carts are dotted throughout the gardens too, if a client wants a café moment as part of their session, this is usually where I bring them, plenty of choice and a genuinely beautiful setting to sit down in for a few frames.

I've filmed a few elopement ceremonies here too. Mornings especially are calm enough for vows, and the gardens give you a backdrop without needing anything else around you.

Montmartre

Montmartre is where I send clients who want Paris to feel a little more lived-in, a little less monumental. The steep, cobbled streets, the ironwork lamp posts, and the view over the rooftops from near the Sacré-Cœur give it a completely different texture than the rest of this list, older buildings, no big roads cutting through, and a hill that changes the light as you move up or down it.

It's also the spot with the most variety packed into one area: quiet side streets a few minutes from the crowds, the carousel near the Sacré-Cœur steps, and sweeping views over the city. I usually build a session here around movement, walking from one street to the next, rather than staying in one fixed spot, which also makes it one of the better spots on this list for video.

None of these spots is the "right" one on its own. I pick between them based on who I'm shooting, the light that day, how much walking someone wants to do, and what kind of photos they're picturing when they book. A solo traveler with an hour to spare gets a very different plan than a couple doing a full afternoon session. If you're not sure where you'd fit, get in touch and tell me what you have in mind, I'll help you build a plan around it.

You can see real sessions shot at each of these locations in the portfolio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a photoshoot in Paris?
Not for most of these spots. A few specific cases do require one, shooting inside the Palais Garnier (the opera house), for example, or shooting in front of the Louvre during the day if it's an elopement or any session with a large gown. Early morning or evening sessions at the Louvre don't run into this.

How long does a typical Paris photoshoot session last?
I usually recommend 2 hours if you want real variety, enough time to cover two or three spots without feeling rushed.

How far in advance should I book a session?
The earlier the better, especially if you have a specific date in mind or you're visiting during spring or summer. I'd reach out as soon as you know your travel dates to lock in your preferred slot.