Wednesday, September 22, 2010

La librairie et le patron




I loved the stacks and stacks of books that the owner of this petite librairie attended so carefully. A gentle little scene you think?

Not so quick. He turned and scowled at Virginia right after I had taken my photos. She probably has the grumpy shot. I must get a silencer on that shutter.

21 comments:

Shell Sherree said...

"...the grumpy shot" ~ hahaha!! I love your black and white take on it, Genie.

Unknown said...

Hi Genie found your blog via Vagabond, glad I did your images are great, thoughtful and well composed. Enjoyed browsing. Will add you to my list to follow
Kev

Pat said...

Sorry I've been away; a bit under the weather. Yes, I love the French, but they don't often like to have their photos taken...but then, neither do I....but I sneak some....

Unknown said...

That is SO Paris! Attitude and all! ;) Just kidding, the French are lovely people, just a bit offish sometimes! XX!

hollyb said...

maybe he thought you were trying to photograph his bumm! (teeheehee) But he is quite stylish in his jeans, suit jacket and straw hat.

Starman said...

He's probably hiding from the mob and now you've given him away.

M said...

Love the photo and the comments. I marveled at this little shop -- How do the stacks all stay up? How do you select a book toward the bottom of the stack collapsing it? A little like playing Jenga!

Virginia said...

HA, now that was fun! He mumbled something at me as well. Well.......je ne comprends pas, Monsieur!!! :)
V

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Shell -- The only reason I didn't get a grumpy shot is that the chicken in me didn't get him face-on!

Picturit -- How great you found me on the day that I was cringing with my inability to "Photoshop" my offerings. I will be visiting back on your blog for instruction! Merci!

Bibi -- I hope that you are feeling better. I do not like my photo taken either and please don't show an unflattering side!

Shari -- If I am close I may ask for a photo but his little shop was so overpacked and he was so nicely dressed I could not resist.

Holly, ma fille, he is very close to our regular neighborhood and right across the street from your fave needlepoint shop.

Starman -- Actually, in good weather he sits outside on the wide sidewalk with almost as much displayed en dehors as inside. I can't imagine how he stuffs it all back into the shop at closing time!

M -- I agree and according to protocol, one would never attempt to retrieve a book on the bottom but request Monsieur's assistance, bien sûr.

V -- He was a bit crotchety and wagged his finger at you. I was hiding behind Marie, trying to become invisible. T'en souviens-tu?

Sara Louise said...

This shot makes me not feel bad about my guest room - it currently has stacks and stacks of books that I need to put somewhere. Maybe I'll leave it now and pretend it's just a little Parisian flair!

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Sara, I would go with, "It's somewhere between Parisian flair and a fashion/style statement," and leave it at that. Or you could tell them that they belong to Fifty and he does not like anyone to mess with his stuff.

Loree said...

Oh no - a grumpy Parisian man. Not good.

James said...

Very nice shot. Too bad you didn't get a picture of his scowl. :)

Anonymous said...

Your images are wonderful! I'll be adding you to my list of blogs to read. : )

Bergson said...

le noir et blanc va très bien à ce monsieur

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Loree -- He was grumpy that day and he looked so handsome with his straw hat, jacket and jeans.

James -- We'll have to see if Virginia has one. I have another shot (had a finger on the trigger) but it was made just before the one I posted

pearls -- Merci and I will check on yours.

Bergson -- Je suis d'accord avec toi. Merci.

Alexa said...

He was already grumpy because the book he needs is actually at the dead bottom of that pile! And scowl at Virginia? The nerve!

Anonymous said...

beautiful picture; i havent quite figured out how to comment on my own blog, but thank you for following!

Wayne said...

I thought V had a way with old fogeys.

You don't need a silencer Genie, you need a longer lens.

It's a great shot nevertheless.

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Alexa -- I think he is an old-school curmudgeon. He probably spends all day arranging and re-arranging the books.

Lauren -- You have some great plans for next summer. Thanks for your comment and visit often.

Wayne -- I think that I am speechless... (only for a nano-second!) I just deleted what I was going to say about "old fogeys" -- haha!

Amanda Summer said...

i wonder -- was this taken at shakespeare and company by any chance??