A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR.

I began my career in the Graphic arts and photography in 1986. After a bit of regional travel I decided to set out to see the world, and in 1989 landed in Paris, France – and I've been here ever since.

What I love most of all about this city is its visible history. In my first years here Paris' architecture was a panoply of detail that reminded my of some romanticised idea or other, but as I learned of its real past all the pieces began to fit together into a picture more complete. I at first spent my time photographing things I loved but knew nothing about; learning about them gave me an excuse to do so again in a different light.

This site is a bit all that. Three expositions and a three-year book project has given me history enough about this city to start photographing again, and this site is how I intend to go about it. Instead of an expo, instead of a book, I've decided to make these web pages a live combination of the two.

I'm being a bit naïve in publishing my work here. Books earn one's keep and so do expositions, but as this project will take at least a year to complete, I'll do it at my own time and pace in addition to my usual occupations. If ever this site should become popular (successful should be a better word) I can very well imagine spending more time on it. I have not yet had my fill of Paris' history, and I'm looking forward to what could possibly be my longest and most intent effort on documenting all I can of it.

In the meantime, I would be very grateful for any interest shown by you, dear reader, through your writings or the purchase of any of the work I've presented through this site. In that, I hope I have accomplished my goal of presenting this city's history in a way accessible and comprehensive to you all.

Happy promenading, and no doubt see you along the way,

Josef M. Schomburg.