Reymon de Real PhotographyCHANDELIER MANDALA
Posted on September 5, 2016
The opulence of the Château de Versailles in Paris, France can never be captured in a photograph. One has to be there to experience the luxury and lavishness of the place and understand the kind of lifestyle the French royals once lived. I found myself exploring one of the many rooms of the palace when my vision got diverted into a heavily decorated ceiling with a crystal chandelier suspended right above me. At first thought, the whole vision reminded me of a mandala, which is a geometric and religious symbol of the universe in Indian religions. In the case of my photograph, I decided to name it a chandelier mandala…a symbol of a lifestyle that most of us will never get to experience.
HALL OF MIRRORS
Posted on June 9, 2016
The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles was constructed in 1678 during the reign of King Louis XIV of France. It is the central gallery of the palace and features 17 mirror-clad arches reflecting the palace gardens from the 17 windows across the hall. When I took this photograph, I wished the entire hall was empty although the chances of achieving that in the most visited place in France was beyond impossible. I visited Versailles during the last few weeks of summer right about the end of tourist season and yet the place was packed with tourists from all corners of the globe. I guess I’ll just have to be content with capturing this famous hall with a good number of faces expressing fascination and awe over the opulence of the French nobility. The last royal residents of this palace was the family and court of King Louis XVI and his infamous wife…Marie Antoinette.
QUEUE OF THE SHADOWS
Posted on October 8, 2015
In 1682, Versailles opened its doors to anyone wishing to visit the palace and view its extravagant splendour. Lines of visitors were screened by guards who made sure that no one carried weapons. Visitors were also required to observe proper palace etiquette including wearing a hat and sword, which were available for rent. To this day, people continue to line up by the thousands to have a glimpse of this grand palace minus the need to rent a hat and sword. Instead, you pay an entry fee which comes with a free audio guide. While standing in line, I noticed the shadows formed by the line of visitors queueing towards the entrance of the palace. I thought it was an interesting photo subject noting that times may have changed but the long line of masses eager to see Versailles remains the same.
CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES
Posted on September 15, 2015
A symbol of nobility and tradition to the noble elite…a symbol of opulence and oligarchy to the masses…It was a beautiful day at the Versailles, it may have been a bit chilly in the mid 50s but the sun shone brightly and the sky was almost cloudless and deep blue. The grandeur was impressively overwhelming.
Reymon de Real Photography 