'Underneath the Arches...', a photo from Midi-Pyrenees, South

Photographer's Note

...as the lyrics go, in the immensely popular 1931 song by Englishmen Flanagan and Allen. But they were singing about a railway bridge and the homeless men who slept beneath it during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Perhaps there will be another long depression, stemming from the deflation of the debt bubble, and no doubt the homeless will return in numbers to places like this.

For those who are interested, here are the lyrics of the famous song:

Underneath the arches,
We dream our dreams away,
Underneath the arches,
On cobblestones we lay.
Back to back we're sleeping,
Tired out and Worn,
Happy when the daylight comes creeping,
Heralding the dawn.
Sleeping when it's raining,
And sleeping when it's fine,
Trains rattling by above.
Pavement is my pillow,
No matter where I roam,
Underneath the arches,
We dream our dreams of home.

The Pont Neuf carries no railway, and I've not seen any homeless people sheltering beneath the arches closest to the Garonne's banks, although I admit I've never looked there during the cold night. I've certainly seen men sheltering below bridges spanning Toulouse's canals. This photo was taken around the middle of the afternoon, this time from the north side of the bridge. Because the view is to the south, any photo taken from this position will be contre-jour; I manipulated the angle to try to eliminate as much of the bright back-light as possible, and waited for some walkers to provide focal points. Through the farther arch one can mount steps to the Quai Tounis and walk back across the east end of the bridge. Here, one can see the bricks which have made Toulouse famous as the pink city, or 'La Ville Rose'.

tyro, snunney, pajaran, jlbrthnn, jhm, UlfE, skippy007, Kielia, josepmarin, Angshu, Charo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

tyro (30513) 2011-12-20 6:24

Hello Andrew,

Oh, dear me, I can actually remember that song!

Another fine picture from your Toulouse sojourn, well composed and with excellent lighting. The figures walking along the river bank add interest as well as complementing the composition's strong lead-in line. Good colours and, as always, exquisite sharpness. Perhaps not quite so captivating as your last two pictures from this spot, but a fine picture nonetheless.

Lovely!

Kind Regards,

John.

snunney (130967) 2011-12-20 6:32

Hello Andrew,
The partially lit arch makes an interesting natural frame for the sunlit wall beyond in this well composed image as well as helping to give the scene depth. The people walking along along the riverside contribute to the mood. Good colours and sharpness. You may well be right about the use to which arches like this may be put to in the near future. We live in interesting times. I too am old enough to remember Flanagan & Allen singing this song on the TV.

cebe (1491) 2011-12-20 6:55

Hello Andrew,
Beautiful photo carefully planned and realized, with excellent composition. Good usage of the round shapes of the bridge to frame the scene, and the strait wall bringing the eye into the photo. Pleasing details like the trees following the shape of the bridge and the ideal position of the walkers.
Cheers, Claude.

ChrisJ (171194) 2011-12-20 6:58

Hello Andrew,

Seems like we've both taken to bridges of late. Good sharpness & I like the silhouetted couple walking away at left. Nice reflections & the overarching bridge frames the scene well. Tfs!

wolf38 (30) 2011-12-20 7:01

Hi Andrew. For this photo you've found the perfect picture frame. Fine composition. Everything is very nice to look. The people in the picture are perfectly integrated. Well done. Rgds, Wolfgang.

holmertz (101956) 2011-12-20 8:41

Hello Andrew,
This is an elegant composition using the curves of the arch very nicely. On each side of the other arch in the red brick wall we see a couple of persons perfectly placed along the road. It's interesting to read that you waited for them, because their positions are too good to be just a coincidence.
Kind regards,
Gert

saxo042 (38078) 2011-12-20 11:26

Hi Andrew,
A very pleasant scene! But if you watch this picture with half-closed eyes you will see two ellipses and some straight lines. A well composed geometrical picture!
Kind regards
Gunnar

rbassin (27472) 2011-12-20 11:59

Hello Andrew
Une trиs belle composition avec un POV bien choisi; la voыte s'ouvre une magnifique perspective.
Bonne soirйe
Roland

pajaran (114867) 2011-12-20 13:22

Pozdrav.
Vrlo interesantan i dobar teks o mostu sa pesmom ...
Lep pogled ispod luka mosta na reku i zid, dobra kompozicija.
Dobra ostrina snimka, kontrast i prikaz lepim bojama i fotografijom.
Lepo mesto za setnju pored reke.
Sve najbolje.
Paja.

Google.

Hello.
Very interesting and good tex on the bridge with the song ...
Very nice view beneath the arch of the bridge over the river and the wall, good composition.
Severity Good shot, nice contrast and color display and a photo.
Nice place to walk along the river.
All the best.
Paja.

finlay (1585) 2011-12-20 14:02

Andrew

Super pov whereby you have captured two arches in one. The larger arch acts as a frame for the shot. The people below the large arch catch the eye and help to convey a sense of scale. Perspective and depth of field excellent.

Finlay

francio64 (39888) 2011-12-20 15:25

Hi dear Andrew,
bella vista attraverso l'arco con una buona profonditа.
Elementi umani ad animare la scena.

TFS!
Francesco

ifege (46891) 2011-12-20 21:59

Ah you're been on the road in Europe again and a cold time for it!
Great use of the arch to frame the scene.
Have a great Christmas where ever you spend it.
cheers
Ian

CLODO (45116) 2011-12-20 22:49

Hi Andrew

A splendid framing with the arch of the bridge along the Garonne river, and 2 wlkers hand in hand at the strong point.
I don't know the song you write in your note, but listen to this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VrEeAxSiLc
It's Toulouse sung by Claude Nougaro.
Cheers
CLODO

patdeph (35750) 2011-12-21 5:06

hello Andrew
I like very much this POV through the arch of the bridge,under wich we can see the little black silhouettes of the couple,the other bridge giving an impressive depth,and the water with the reflections a nice brightness.Excellent!
Regards
Pascale

jlbrthnn (76043) 2011-12-21 6:06

Hello Andrew,
You looked for and found a very interesting point of view, it is very skillful. The composition is magnificent, with these two walkers. Excellent neatness and depth. Bravo.
Have a nice day, and Merry christmas!
Cordially
Joлl

jhm (211734) 2011-12-22 4:01

Hello Andrew,

You shows us very nice the old brickwork bridges.
You chose a very well angle this care for depth and perspective.
Composition and presentation are superb.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John

Royaldevon (85606) 2011-12-23 2:51

Hello Andrew,

I like your pov where the f/g bridge acts both as an upper border and, also, as an arch through which to draw the eyes. The figures create interest and give a sesne of scale, as the viewer moves towards the second focal arch. A pleasing, overall image.

All my best to you and your family for a happy, peaceful Christmas,
Bev :-)

UlfE (14641) 2011-12-23 5:29

Hi Andrew,

What a fine series of this bridge in Toulouse! This photo is the best of the three of the series. Very well-composed. You really make use of the shapes and lines in your composition. The inclusion of the couple is perfect. Personally I always think about if people could have been better positioned. An option would have been to wait until they had passed the white sign on the wall but then they had been farther away and smaller so I believe this is a perfect choice. TFS and have a great Xmas!

Ulf

skippy007 (12510) 2011-12-24 4:53

Hello Andrew, I like this composition it's well thought out, imaginative & very effective with plenty of depth where everything is in focus from the first arch in the FG right through to the end of the brick wall. I like the silhouetted couple not only do they add life & interest but also fit in well with the title & note. I will take this opportunity to wish you & your loved ones a happy & safe Christmas.
Take care
Regards
Santo

Vasa (515) 2011-12-24 16:36

Hello Andrew, freind,

Well known bridge by many post cards. This position (and composition) is more ambicious than your previous post. At least, I find it superb, with two peoples on the left side.

Have the best Christmas and the end of the Year.

Warm regards,

Branko

jemaflor (146258) 2011-12-29 4:10

Hi Andrew,
Well seen this pov, interesting result with two archs and composition with people and reflections on water.

Disabled_A (0) 2012-01-08 14:17

Hi Andrew,
I think you created an excellent composition, the angle for the photo could not be chosen better than this one! It shows an excellent perspective view, and creates a little nostalgic mood :)

my very best wishes!
Elena

Silvio1953 (220553) 2012-01-16 0:49

Ciao Andrew, lovely composition with walking couple well framed by great arch, fascinating reflections, splendid light and wonderful natural colors, very well done my friend, ciao Silvio

Nard (6972) 2012-01-20 12:21

Hi Andrew
Nice notes and very interresting POV. I like the curve made by the bridge opening to the perspective. The silhouettes of the people walking are a important part of the composition and add life to the scene. May be a bit of over-ex on the water and the sky but not so simple regarding your position in the shadow.
Regards
Bernard

Kielia (24077) 2012-01-25 7:54

Hi Andrew,
another excellently composed impression of this fascinating bridge with the remarkable architecture. Your POV works very well: the perspective is also excellent. My compliments also for the nice note!
Warm regards
Harriet

josepmarin (59385) 2012-02-18 6:40

Hi Andrew,
this one is your 300th photo here; congratulations!
I like the graphical effect that you have obtained, playing skillfully with the geometry of the elements, by means of an elegant overlapping of the arches.
The couple who walks below the arch adds a great vitality, and the photo has a good luminosity, thanks to a good work with the exposure.
Well done.
Best regards,
Josep

npecanhuk (79329) 2012-02-18 17:25

Hello Andrew!
I truly enjoyed this one here too!
Many details caught my attention: the presence of the couple in the distance, the repetition of arches in this clever composition, the reflections on the water surface!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

Angshu (56760) 2012-02-22 2:09

Hello Andrew
You achived an interesting framing here...a bridge through the arch of another bridge & best is of course the smaller arch under the diagonal line of the bridge.ice one indeed...a photographer's shot, well thought of & executed
Best Regards
Angshu

Charo (51290) 2012-02-28 15:19

Hello Andrew,
A great catch through the arch of the bridge shows the river walk.
Excellent composition with very good depth and optimum light and details. Bravo!
Best wishes,
Charo

siudzi (34141) 2012-06-07 1:05

Hi Andrew,

Excellent shot captured with an amazing framing and perfect composition. The visual effect based on a brilliant concept is unique and so effective! Very well done.

Warm regards,
Malgorzata

jmdias (114240) 2012-10-11 7:26

andrew

excellent pov and framing catching these 2 arches and the small personages walking in the scenery. I liked the light and the sharpness too. TFS.

hugs

jorge

divail (8334) 2012-10-14 18:19

Bonsoir Andrew,
Les courbes des arches, les unes dans les autres, crйent une composition trиs harmonieuse. Les reflets dans l'eau ajoutent une belle lumiиre. J'aime beaucoup.

Diane

mjw364 (1466) 2013-03-07 4:13

Hello Andrew

interesting shot with a lot to take in - curves, line, reflection good exposure in all areas, focial point of interest from the walkers, framing of the trees by the arch. Well composed.

TFS

Mike