Seaside sensations. By Caroline SCAVENNEC & Clara MARTIN

Little French paradise next to the sea

Big villa by the sea

The environment in which we find ourselves influences our feelings and thoughts. We visited a town on the French Riviera and one on the South Carolina coastline…

Cassis, on the Azure Coast, is about 20km from Marseille, on the most touristic coastline of France. It has a charming harbor typical of the coastal villages of the south of France. We took this photo last summer. We chose not to use black and white because we wanted to bring out the beauty of those lovely colors: the bursting blue of the shining sky and clear water and the flaming colors of the little houses in the background. We chose a landscape format. The sea and boats are in the center of the photo. In the background, each pretty house has its own style. It was like a little paradise, restful and warm, bathed in light. It was a real pleasure to take photos. 

The second photo was taken during a February school trip to Charleston, USA, a town in South Carolina, on the East coast of the USA. We chose to frame this photo like that because to show the “bulk” of this splendid villa. The environment is verdant. On the right is a palm tree, which shows that the climate is subtropical (warm and wet in summer, fresh and dry in winter). There are several floors in this impressive villa next to the sea. How different from the little houses of the French harbor town! The colors are less present on this picture, it seems less jolly than the French landscape, but Charleston is not a tourist destination like Cassis. The colors are quite cold: stone grey, fir green, pure white. The light of the sun gives a calm atmosphere to the scene.

Source of inspiration. By Pauline CHAPPON & Mathilde MARCILLIERE

A fountain for peace

A fabulous fountain

The first picture was taken on a windy sunny Sunday in a small town in the Auvergne called Les Martres de Veyre. I like this fountain, built in 2008 to celebrate the twinning with Arcozelo, a small town in Portugal. It is built in Volvic stone. On the right of the fountain there is a fish. The little thing in blue  is a plaque where we can see the coat of arms of Arcozelo. In the background there are houses. This is the lower part of my town. In the foreground there are flowers. I love this small friendly park, it is a great place to relax. There is a river next to it. The sounds of the river and the fountain are very beautiful. Many of the townfolk, including myself and the mayor, went last summer to visit our twin town, as it was the 10^th birthday of the twinning. I love this fountain because of what it stands for: peace among nations.

  

The second picture was taken at midday, on a beautiful but nippy Tuesday, in Clermont-Ferrand. I was with my friends. In the background, you can see part of the historic center of Clermont-Ferrand and in the foreground there are lawns and benches. I love being near a fountain, listening to its soothing sound, just sitting on a bench among the flowers and trees. This grand fountain, in dark Volvic stone, is called the Fontaine d'Amboise and I'm fascinated by it. It is now in the Poterne square, having been moved several times over the years. Jacques d'Amboise asked a sculptor to make it in 1511. There is an inscription in Latin on it and the elaborate decorations are typically Renaissance, there are masks and garlands adorning it. At the top, there is a statue of a man wearing an animal skin. It is obviously a prestigious historical monument and adds to the inhabitants' sense of civic pride.

These fountains are in different towns; one is recent and the other is much older. They are proof that fountains have always been an important part of the urban environment.

Serenity and stress. By Juliette CAYLOU & Samuel JORGE

We wanted to take a picture of the Jardin Lecoq to show how beautiful Clermont-Ferrand can be. This 5-hectare park, designed by Paul de Lavenne, dates from 1912. Birds fly all around the garden, the trees are grand and there are flowers everywhere. People are happy in this place of serenity, after school or work, away from the cars; they can relax and try to forget their daily problems.

There is noise and pollution in the second photo. People suffocate in this city; smiles are rare, and everybody is always in a hurry. It sometimes feels like a prison. But, because people have to work and shop, stress is an inevitable part of city living.

City life is sometimes calm, sometimes busy.

Public vs private. By Mayssane BENHADID & Tessa CAZENOBE

The first picture was taken on the 15^th of October in a corridor of our high school. We wanted to go home; we were tired and worried about the amount of homework we had to do for the next day. It was very quiet. We could hear whispers coming from the classrooms. We smelt dust. We were cold; the central heating had not been turned on yet. We took this picture in black and white in order to emphasize our feeling of insecurity. Our school was built in 1849 and its corridors are gloomy: steel lockers, old-fashioned doors, blue and grey tiled walls. When we walk down the corridors we are afraid of how others might judge our way of speaking, dressing or behaving. Sometimes, the other pupils tease us. The photo reflects how we feel…

The bedroom picture was taken during the holidays in Mayssane's warm, cosy and comfy home. We smelt the chocolate cake that Mayssane’s mum had just made. We chose a colour to contrast with the black and white photo. The bedroom is full of colours: the bedspread and pillows, the big painting above the bed, and the wooden chest of drawers. Birds were tweeting in the garden. When we took the picture we were joyful and quiet. There are the basics things that you find in a bedroom: a big bed (for big naps), a desk (for the courageous pupil) and a wardrobe (for fashionistas). Bedrooms can be places to have fun or work in. This is our private environment, a place where we can do whatever we want, we can be ourselves without fearing others’ judgment. We feel free and safe there.

The contrast between our photos makes us think about how, living in the city, we move between the private and the public spheres. Our bedrooms are private “safe” places where we can be ourselves, whereas the bleak corridors of a school are “dangerous” public spaces where we are afraid to be ourselves…

The best of both worlds? By Camille FERNANDES & Camille NIGON

The daily to and fro

The peaceful path

We took the first photograph in Malintrat. It was a cloudy, nippy, mid-September, morning. We could feel a slight breeze and it was wet. We chose black and white to emphasise the negative aspects of the scene. We see a road with lots of traffic. We were tired and the noise and pollution put us in a bad mood. Drivers were impatient and used their car horns. It was grey and ugly. In the background is the ‘Poste RTE’, founded in 1950. It has a high voltage (up to 63,000 Volts) so it is a little bit noisy too. It both produces and distributes electricity so it is an important service provider of the area. Our title for this photo is: The daily to and fro because it shows a moment that lots of people repeat each day; they go to work, take their children to school, whatever...

In the evening of the same day, we took the second photograph; it is completely different though it was also taken in Malintrat. We gave it the title: The peaceful path. Even if it was still cloudy with a little bit of wind, the temperature was now unusually mild. Nature’s greens and browns dominate. We felt free and happy and could hear the birds.  This is a nice place to go for a walk to. You can relax  there after a hard day’s work.

Malintrat is a place of contrasts; you can have negative or positive feelings there, depending on the spot you are in and the time of day. Malintrat is a dormitory town; it has both rural and urban features. That is why we like our town.

A tribute to an innocent man. Mathilde JOUVE & Aurore PAILLER

Tribute to an angel

The way to heaven

The first photograph was taken on October 2^nd 2015 on Edouard Michelin Avenue in Clermont-Ferrand. We took this picture without any effects, directly in front of the subject. It shows a graffiti tribute to a boy called Wissam El-Yamni who was killed by accident by a policeman. When we took the picture, we felt touched, curious, cold and astonished. We heard many cars because it was on the side of a street. We called this picture “Tribute to an angel” because of the manslaughter of this young boy. It's a black and white graffiti. We can see an old man, who seems worried, holding a young, naïve-looking, boy with long black hair. We also see the slogan "Vérité, justice" on the left; this means that Wissam's family wants to know the truth about what really happened. "Wissam" is written on the right. This beautiful work of art is by Vinci Vince.

The second photo was taken on October 9^th 2015 on Victory Square in Clermont-Ferrand. We took this low-angle shot of the cathedral's west front without any effects. There were people all around. We felt good, warm and happy. It was a sunny day and it put us in a good mood. We chose to entitle this picture “The way to heaven”. This church was built by Hugues de la Tour in the 13^th century. The architect was Jean Deschamps. For us, it's a religious building with a beautiful and pure architecture.

The common title of these two pictures is “A tribute to an innocent man” because, though there is a contrast in scale, both pictures show how people express their pain for someone who has disappeared: the graffiti is a tribute to Wissam, the cathedral commemorates Christ. 

A city’s public art and great buildings give the city its “colour”, its particular character. A cityscape is surely largely defined by its memory space (“lieux de mémoire” in French), that is: places that make us remember people and events that were (and often remain) important for us, the inhabitants. They are often calm places where we can go to remember and to feel better.

Time and tide. By Maxime AUDIGIÉ & Anja RALAITSIZAFY

 

Rest

Movement

The top picture, taken in April, shows a panoramic view of Monaco with lots of buildings and a harbour with dozen of boats and yachts. We added a black and filter to make the picture look “old”, to emphasize the feeling of solitude, and to make the people who look at this picture feel that time has slowed right down. It was a sunny and warm day but there was a bit of cooling wind which made the moment nice and relaxing. We could hear the sound of the waves and the seabirds, and smell the flowers (we took this picture next to a beautiful garden). We were really feeling good at this moment: it was so calm because of the distance between this place and the centre of the city where there is all the activity.  The distance adds to the sad calmness of the picture. 

The second picture, of a large Washington street, taken in July on a hot and sunny afternoon, shows people, numerous parked cars and many buildings, including a church. It was such a noisy place: the cars were making so much noise and I could hear lots of people talking. There was so much going on; the photo captures well the hustle and bustle. The smell was not unpleasant. The heat was unbearable.

These two pictures are contrasted: black and white quiet and calm, versus colour noisy and busy; slow versus fast.

Lonely city. By Elodie BALDET & Wyame AMAZIGH

Losing myself...

Getting lost...

The first picture, of the Color Me Rad event, was taken on the 4^th of October 2015 in Clermont, in the Place de Jaude. It is a 5 km charity run followed by a concert. The runners and spectators throw coloured powders at each other; here, there's a lot of pink!

This is a happy crowd scene with crazy people laughing and dancing and having fun together. Everyone is looking in the same direction. Most are wearing sun glasses. You want to be part of the event, even if you do not know the people in the crowd. You want to enter the picture and join in because happiness is contagious. But, all these people can also be a little scary too; you might get lost in the crowd…

We took the second photo on the 28^th September 2015, in a Clermont street not far from our high school. It's a black and white picture, with many shades of grey. It is dark and rather sad. This silent narrow street is lined with flats. The shutters are closed; you feel lonely here, unwelcome, lost. In front of the balcony, there is emptiness, darkness. It is a melancholy atmosphere.

Both these photos are about the feeling one sometimes gets in the city: feeling isolated. In a crowd of people you do not know, do you belong? In an unfamiliar setting, are you not out of place?

Dirty old towns. By Flavie CHAZEAU & Jean-Baptiste PEYRAT

Rubbish (i.e. not very good!) management...

Belching trashcans

Rubbish management is very important in a city; a dirty city is unpleasant for the people who work and live in it. Holidaymakers won’t be interested in visiting a city which is not clean; cities will then become poorer if they are not kept tidy.

Both pictures are about how rubbish is managed in cities. The color picture illustrates the problem, and the black and white one the solution.

The top picture was taken during my holidays in Naples (Italy) last October. I’ve enhanced the colors of the pile of rubbish to highlight the different types of waste (plastic bags, etc.) and also to show the fact that it is unpleasant to see. The colors don’t look natural and they contrast with the garden behind. Moreover, the low camera angle shows up the large quantity of rubbish. The smell was very bad. It was a sunny afternoon (strangely, the street lamps were on). The large plastic containers were almost completely covered over in trash. Behind, the garden was deserted, probably because of the smell. This city’s waste management is not, apparently, very efficient! This picture makes us think about how to improve our environment…

The second picture was taken on a Sunday in early afternoon in a street of no particular interest near my house. The choice of black and white is to signify the seriousness of the subject. The bins are nicely lined up, standing in front of a residential area. The rubbish is sorted by type. The weather was sunny and mild. They was nobody in the street. At the moment the picture was taken I could hear birds and the noise of people nearby. The unpleasant smell was of rotting food. Otherwise, it was interesting to see the attempt to impose order on the potential mess. We French like to impose order and we tend to respect our environment. In France, it is compulsory to sort rubbish; every house needs to have at least two bins (one green and one yellow) and you can have a third (brown) one too. The dustmen pick up the trash to be recycled every two weeks. This recycling system is good from an economic, environmental, and social point of view.

The first photo shows the chaos when rubbish is no longer managed properly; it contrasts with the second one which shows relatively good urban waste management and the resulting cleanliness.

Waste bins are present in different places in the city, mostly near living areas. The bins are made available to all the citizens but some people don’t use them correctly; they do not bother to sort their rubbish. The cleanness of cities depends on citizens but also on the dustmen; when the garbage collectors go on strike (as was the case in my holiday photo), the city becomes very dirty and the citizen cannot do anything about it...

Choose! By Orane MAUTRET & Léa BAUDRILLARD

Insecurity

Everyday life

The first picture was taken on the 26th September in Rue Prévioté. We added a filter to make the picture look "old". There was no sound and it really didn't smell nice. We were cold and it was a little windy. There was a lot of light above and it was disturbing. We didn't feel safe, we were a little anxious and afraid of getting lost. In this squalid street, with its dirty walls and old shutters, no one can feel safe. Everything we look at (the windows, doors, drainpipes, street lamps) seems to be old, dirty and in need of repair. We gave our photo the title "Insecurity" because what people feel in this dark place is insecurity; something terrible could happen to you and noone would know about it! For us, the paving stones represent the old Clermont, and the old shutters and walls mean poverty; the place has been abandoned by people. When we took the picture, there was a lot of light but the photo is not very luminous...

The second photograph was also taken on September 26th but in Rue des Gras. We added a filter to give "warmth" and to bring out details. The place was noisy and full of life. We could smell food and perfume. It was a little cold but it wasn't windy. We felt safe. There was plenty to look at in the shops. The paving stones are all nicely aligned and clean. The shop windows bring modernity to the street. We entitled this picture "Everyday life" because people are here to do ordinary things: some shopping, meet up with their friends.

The common title to these two pictures is: “Choose!”. It is people's lifestyle choices which determine if they decide to go to a street like the Rue Prévioté or to one like the Rue des Gras. We can clearly see the contrast between these pictures. In the first one, we have a narrow, squalid, dark, abandoned street, whereas in the second, we have a friendly, clean street full of busy people. It shows that people reject the old and prefer the new (or, at least, the modernized).

Today, we do not have the same values as before. We are more materialistic and appreciate large, anonymous, crowds. We have forgotten the old, secret, silent Clermont... Our second picture expresses what cities should be like today: lots of shops which give us the feeling of not lacking anything and people in the streets making us feel safe. We choose progress!

Buildings, some brilliant, some sad. By Thiefaine MERCIER & Cindy HONG

The globe of my city

Sad grey building

The first photo was taken in the afternoon of the 14th of September after class. It was sunny and a little wind made the trees dance and the leaves fall. I was quite happy to be out, because the week had been awful. I raised my head, and was blinded by the sunshine reflected on this enormous building in front of me. The IFMA is a mechanical engineering school founded in 1991 in Aubière. The shiny globe is surrounded by the several parts of the school, which is in the middle of many houses and green space. “This is my town!” I thought, proudly. This building expresses confidence; it is a good example of modern architecture. I added a filter effect to show up the light, and the reflection of my city that we can see on some parts of the globe. I entitled it The globe of my city, because, in Aubière, we all consider that the IFMA is the most attractive part of the town. The globe, which refers to Earth, makes us think of the beauty of our planet and the joy of being alive, but also about the progress of technology. Technology has been the cause of lots of pollution, but is now the means by which we will protect our environment. We are all proud of this building.

The second photo I took on the same afternoon. I see this building in Anatole France Street every day and I often ask myself why it is there. It's modern, but it's also very sad! It is surrounded by less ugly buildings, so it really stands out like a sore thumb. These apartments are not attractive. I feel sorry for the people who have to live in them. Though modern, it is just a grey and unlovely block of flats. I call this photo simply Sad grey building because that is what it is! It is a very ordinary and ugly building. To accentuate this I used a black and white filter which reflects the atmosphere of the place. 

The urban environment should be fun and exciting. Luckily, some buildings have a story to tell and their architecture shows faith in the future!

City sounds. By Guillaume BECKER & Armand PRADIER

The sound of silence

The sound of speed

These two photos were taken on different days in mid-September 2015. Both of them were taken in Clermont-Ferrand.

The first photo is of Notre Dame du Port. We took the picture to get a wide angle effect because it was the only way to be able to see the entire building. It was taken in colour to bring out the lovely beige colours. On the right is a Latin cross. There are several small and medium-sized windows.

The weather was pretty cold with a greyish sky and we could feel a slight breeze. There were few visitors. Surrounded by silence, we could only hear our own voices. Some people were smoking cigarettes close by. We were both in a good mood.

Notre Dame du Port is a Romanesque church built during the 11th century, destroyed by the Normans and rebuilt. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1840.  Romanesque churches are characterised by a simple construction and the use of stone.

A church is a way to escape negativity and represents tranquillity, hope and peace to us.  It can also be a place to remember loved ones. The building has such a simple and different look from any other church in the area and blends so well into its surroundings.

The second photo is of Clermont-Ferrand train station and we didn’t use any form of effect. However, we took the photo from a certain angle because it revealed what the area is like. We chose colour because we wanted people to see the different elements in the picture as well as the main colours dominating this picture. Originally constructed in 1855, its latest renovation was in 2014-15.

The weather was cloudy with some clear sky and a temperature of about 20°C. There was a lot of wind as can be seen by the movement of one of the trees. It was busy and quite noisy due to the cars passing by and the people around us talking on their telephones. We both felt bored because we didn’t know what to do during our lunch break. There was a pervading smell of kebabs and car fumes. We can see the road and a bus stop showing that this place is a high-traffic area. One can also see the station’s escalator and main entrance with a large clock at the top of the building. The level of air pollution and noise is high.

The way sound informs people has changed. In a church, people know when a service starts due to music being played and the bells ringing. At a train station, however, people hear announcements transmitted through a loudspeaker. This shows that technological evolution changes the way sound is heard. A church is often quiet whereas a train station is always noisy because of the traffic, people’s conversations and the trains.

Both of these building are part of the urban landscape but while one is a cultural place, a place of worship, the other is purely practical and part of the transport infrastructure. Both have different purposes: the church is a place to pray and reflect and the train station is a place to get to or to leave.

Your assignment?

What is the purpose of your assignment?

The purpose of your assignment is for you to share your thoughts and feelings about the environment in which most of us live, work and play: the city. In other words: how do YOU experience the urban environment?

What do you have to do?

You will work in pairs to comment an aspect of city life using annotated photos.

Here is a list of words ("themes") that might inspire you (to help you find an aspect of city life to comment): flows, energy, waste, pollution, water, noise, light, green spaces and initiatives, guerrilla gardening, people, crowds, solitude, private/public space, art, architecture, monuments, hidden places, fun, timewasting, night life, advertising, signposts, problems, urban-rural divide,  boredom, civic pride, sense of place, belonging, innovation, activism, foreigners, new inhabitants, places we meet, change, conflict, decay, traces, tribes, danger, waiting, sacred and profane, details, labyrinths…

First:

Take a high-quality photojournalism-type photo of somewhere in your/a city. It can be a place that you know well, or not at all, or that you find interesting, or that you dislike, or that brings back memories, whatever... Then take a second photo (not necessarily of the same place) which contrasts with the first.

Second:

Do the following written work:

1. Note where and when you took the photos (try to explain your photographic choices such as format, black and white or colour, angle, effects, etc.).
2. List what you heard, smelt, and felt physically (the wind, the temperature, etc.) in the places where you took the photos and also how you felt emotionally (bored, curious, happy, whatever).
3. Describe in detail each photo (try to describe also how - if at all - the photos reflect your mood at the time you took them).
4. Give the photos a title each (explain your choice of titles).
5. Note what you know about the various elements that make up the picture (for example, if your photo shows a cathedral, give historical details about it); you may need to carry out research.
6. Note what significance the various elements that make up the picture have for you personally.
7. Give your two photos a common title (explain it).
8. Explain clearly the contrast(s), in form and/or content, between the two pictures.
9. Explain what, for you, the photos (together) "say" about the urban environment (about the place, about social values and practices, about events past and present, about social-spatial divide, etc.).
10. Note the feelings, positive or negative, your photos conjure up for you regarding the city.

Third:

Send an email to Mr Nettleship (ortisbateau@gmail.com) with, as attached documents: your two photos in jpg format + your written work on a Word document. Work sent in any other format (PDF, etc.) will not be marked! Don't forget to put your names, your class, and your school name on your documents and on your email!

The DEADLINE is Monday 29 February 2016

You may ask for help with this assignment up to one week before the deadline from your DNL and English teachers.

Your photos and comments will be published on this blog.

Nota bene: Do not take pictures of people you do not know (other than of an anonymous crowd in which it is difficult to distinguish individuals). You must have the permission of the people who have accepted to be included in your photo(s), to post the photos (in which they are shown) on this blog.

Marking scheme: 

There is a mark out of 20 (coefficient 4) for this assignment.

Maximum of 10 points for the photos (are they good quality, i.e. is there a real effort at taking a photograph like a "real" photojournalist? + do the photos "stand alone", i.e. do they "tell a story" with no accompanying comments, just the titles?).

Maximum of 10 points for the written work (one point for each of the ten stages of the written work, cf. above, + quality of the English).

The haves and have-nots. By Ilham AMJOD and Naïla DALI

Clermont-Ferrand is a city of contrasts, especially regarding its architecture. Our two photos prove it.

The first photo was taken in the historic centre of Clermont-Ferrand, in the Michel de l’Hospital square. It shows 19^th century bourgeois apartment buildings that are handsome, not very tall, welcoming. The flats are probably quite big. Their balconies are tastefully decorated and the windows are pretty impressive. The people who live there can afford to pay expensive flats.

The second photo was taken in the Saint-Jacques district where there are several, identical, high-rise blocks of low-cost council flats. These are tall and white. In the foreground there are a few little trees. The windows are extremely small, like those of a prison. The inhabitants do not have much living space.

In Clermont-Ferrand, as in most cities, there are wealthy areas and poor areas, and the type of housing reflects that very clearly.

Now and then. By Valentin ANDRIEUX et Gaspard GOUT

The first photo was taken on Sunday 25th of January 2015 and it's an interior view of the Saint Joseph covered market (close to Massillon) at nightfall. It was cold and there was nobody there other than in the restaurants around the square. Built in 1892 by the André Michelin workshop, this building is rectangular, the walls are brick and, from half-way up, glass. There is a large central skylight.

The second photo was taken at the Centre Jaude2 on Saturday 24th of January 2015. The sun is shining on the building. There was a light breeze and it's the middle of the day so the city center is busy. This place always smells of cigarettes and food. The building is very modern with an enormous bay window. Most of the time there are lots of people walking around; dwarfed by the building. On the left, there is a restaurant, while on the right, there is a children's carousel. In the middle, there is a fountain, and there is an apartment block in the background. This photograph shows that the city centre is an important place. It shows the “good side” of Clermont because it's a really modern building and a useful centre for trade. I took the picture in black and white to give it a little sad atmosphere.

These photos remind us of the good times we've spent in these places, and they also make us see how interesting these buildings are. I personally think the old building, though underused today, is actually nicer than the garish modern one.

City life is in the details… By Alix-Marie DARDEN

I took the first photo from my apartment window during the first week of the winter holidays. It was a rainy day and the light was not really good but this brings out the lugubrious atmosphere! We can see a wall which is not really useful. It is just in front of my bedroom so I do not have a great view. Next to it, there is a really dark volcanic stone wall. This part of the building used to be the rooms of the staff when the house was a large aristocratic residence.

I took the second picture in my living room which is the most comfortable place of my apartment. I don’t know if this is the original moulding, because the building had to be renovated. The lamp was decorated by my mum. I love the floral patterns of the ceiling and the coloured flowers of the lamp and the light.

The most important place of a town is actually where each individual has his home. How you experience the urban environment in general is going to be somewhat conditioned by that private space… 

The challenge of greening Clermont... By Astrid PEZERON DUBOIS & Nikita GELLET

In the first photo, we can see the famous Jardin Lecoq (famous in our city at least!). It was created in 1780 by the well-named Abbé Delarbre. It is named after Henri Lecoq, a famous botanist from Clermont-Ferrand.

The photo shows us that within the city centre it is possible to find a green area; the lawns, fountains, many trees and glorious flower beds, shows us that the city of Clermont-Ferrand values the environment. There are even ducks and swans in the biggest pond. It is a big, peaceful and safe, place in the hustle and bustle of this city. The garden is nice for people of all ages: young children can have fun in the playgrounds, and people can sit, talk and daydream at the garden café. The students from the faculties opposite often lounge about here.

The second picture, showing the gate of one of the Michelin factories, shows that the city also has an industrial side. Michelin, a multinational company, has its headquarters in, and it is the main economic pillar of, the city. 12,000 Clermontois are employed in its factories and offices. Numerous street names and monuments remind us of the importance of this family business.

“Greening” a city is difficult; the Jardin Lecoq obviously contributes to the sustainable development of Clermont, but the few Michelin plants still within the city inevitably pollute. However, the city’s international renown comes from its industry, not from its parks...

Nature is bigger than ourselves... By Marie HAMON & Baptiste JOIRE

The top photo was taken on 15th January 2015 near Martroise lake, next to Les Martres-de-Veyre in the Auvergne. When we took the picture, about 8am, we only heard birds. This magnificent blue, pink and orange sunrise left us speechless. We felt Nature awake, the fresh breeze in our hair. Marie used to play on the little hill you can see silhouetted in the centre of the picture. When she was five years old, Marie’s elder sister threw her into this pond. She couldn't swim very well and her mother screamed in panic. Her father saved her...

I took the picture of this frightening storm from my bedroom window on 29th September 2014. I live in Trémonteix, a neighbourhood of Clermont-Ferrand. It was cold outside. A wet dog odour came up from the street. The only lights are from the neighbours’ home and from the lightning bolts. The difference between background and foreground is not clearly defined. I think this is the best shot I have ever taken!

These photos, where light and dark is the subject, evoke Clermont-Ferrand and its surrounding area. They show that Nature can be both destructive and beautiful and, though we live in an urban environment, is always present.

Hidden potential… By Antonin LAUPRETRE

I took these photos on the 22nd of February.

The first photo is the view from Chateauguay at nightfall. It was cold and dry, which is not unpleasant. There are silhouettes of trees in the foreground, lights in the background. The lower part of the photo is a deep black. The light is from Clermont-Ferrand, in particular from the industrial area of Ladoux; it diffuses slightly into a fine mist present on the surface of the Limagne plain. This industrial area is dominated by the Michelin buildings and the Michelin test track.

In the second photo, you see the Urbalad building under construction. It’s impressive by its size and the fact that it passes over the high-speed track. It will accommodate 1,600 workstations!

These photos show that Clermont is, contrary to what many people think, a city that has big potential. It's true that, at first glance, the dark-stoned city appears defunct, but this is a misconception. Working in Clermont is a good thing because it is in fact very modern and you have the advantage of being close to the countryside.

Modernizing Clermont-Ferrand. By François SUAREZ & Dana HUSSEIN ASSAN

I took these pictures late morning. It was about 10°C and cloudy. There was the noise of cars and of the tram which stops opposite the shopping center, Rue Gonod. It was very calm and there were few people because it was during the holidays.

The first picture shows an old, dirty-looking, building in Rue Bonnabaud near Place de Jaude. There are only three floors. It is situated near the city center so it is well-situated. I can imagine the dark and dilapidated flats within.

The second photo shows the very attractive modern frontage of the Carré Jaude2, a shopping center completed at the end of 2013. Lots of people visit its fifty shops every day. Carré Jaude2 is 13,330m². There are shops, a very big cinema, a 4-star hotel, offices, and 320 flats.

These two places are situated very close to one another but they are very different. They date from different periods: a relatively old, modest, brick building to house people with modest means near the city center at a time when the urban environment was much smaller and there were few cars, and a very recent building to meet the needs of shoppers who come from the outskirts of the city for the most part (they use public transport or park their cars in the underground car parks) and wealthy residents.

The contrasts are glaring: small versus big, old versus new, redundant versus dynamic, poor versus rich, ugly versus attractive. The only thing these buildings have in common is that they are in the same area of the city; how long before the rest of the older parts of the city center are at last destroyed?

As I gaze upon the sea... By Axelle PERCIE du SERT

I spent my holidays in the most fabulous region of the world! I took these two pictures in Quiberon in Breizh on February 17^th during my holidays. This beautiful location was a simple fishing village and it has become a busy tourist destination. 

The first picture was taken at the seaside when the sun was setting. There was hardly any wind. In the foreground we can see the sea. Little waves are lapping the rocks. There’s pebbles and a little further off a bit of sand. In the background: houses, small buildings and hotels on the waterfront which make up part of the city. I could watch this landscape for hours.

The second picture is of a pleasant square in the city. It’s winter so there aren't lots of people because, though it is very sunny, it’s a bit cold. In the summer holidays, all the town squares of course have a lot of people. In the foreground, there are tables and chairs with folded sunshades in front of restaurants. There are little shops in the background. It is a place for tourists who want to take advantage of the sun and the sea in summer.

These two pictures show two different environments nevertheless situated in the same place. The first is the landscape around all the built-up area, the second is a square within the town. The two pictures are fairly representative of the not-so-little town in which there are very few ugly concrete buildings. There is hardly any pollution here.

Quiberon is a good example of urbanization. Amenities were set up to improve the living conditions of the tourists and inhabitants and to take better advantage of the seashore as a tourist attraction. The urban area has spread but has been made attractive to attract tourists in summer. Many small businesses have been set up to cater for them (hotels, cafés, shops, etc. The sea is an indirect source of profit...

But are all these improvements really necessary? Sure, Quiberon is a nice place now with all modern comforts, but the urban lifestyle does produce a lot of waste and pollution which inevitably has a cost and an effect on the natural landscape on which the local economy ultimately depends. In our efforts to modernize, we should not forget the simple joy of a seaside sunset, the beautiful waves crashing onto the rocks…

Pedestrian shopping... By Célia LAMBEL, Clarisse COMBRONDE & Nina FABRE

The first photo was taken Place de Jaude, just in front of the Galeries Lafayette on the 14th February at about 6pm. We could smell crepes and hear music coming from the two kiosks on the square. The sky was already dark, the lights were on and there were still people walking around. It was getting cold and there was humidity in the air because of the light rain falling. Even if the weather was not great, it was nice walking around.

The second photo was taken in Aubière, near Clermont-Ferrand, on the 15th February 2015 at about 4pm. We were facing the Carré Sud mall and there was a lot of traffic noise. We could smell exhaust fumes from the numerous cars passing by. It was a bit windy and the sky was really dark because of the rainy clouds. The weather was very bad but luckily it wasn't raining yet. The temperature was pretty cold, about 8°C. We didn't feel like staying there any longer.

The first photo shows the Galeries Lafayette. The four-storied building is impressive. On the ground floor we can see the light coming from the store windows and from the inside through the glass doors of the store. It is winter time and there are no more leaves on the trees. On the right the red parasol is shut. The lighting emphasizes the contours and details of the building.The store was built by the architects Léon and Marcel Lamaizière in 1906-1907. Built on the Parisian model, the building contains a metallic skeleton masked by an envelope of white ashlar, with large bow-windows bays on two levels. The glass is the original glass. In Beaux-Arts style, the building takes its inspiration from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. It used to be called Nouvelles Galeries. I often go shopping there with my mother or my friends. It reminds me of the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. It is the chic department store of central Clermont-Ferrand. They sell different kinds of products: clothes, make-up, jewelry, etc. It is part of a department store chain.

The building in the second photo is long, covered in wood panels, with several shops. It has large windows and a grey roof. In the foreground there is a big and empty car park. There are two naked trees. There are a few cars in the car park but not as many as we’d expect in such a busy place.This shopping mall is one of the most recent. The architecture is pretty nice and modern. I often stop there because it is on my way to the library.

In the first picture, we can see an old white building, and in the second a brand new mall made of wood with panoramic windows. The two pictures perfectly illustrate two ways of doing the same thing (shopping) within a city: walking around in the upmarket pedestrians-only downtown, and going to the mall on the outskirts of the city. Before, people used to walk to the shopping district, it was a place where you met people (it still is). Now the cities are spreading, more and more shopping malls are opening right outside of the city. You must use your car to go there. We think malls are cold and impersonal.

A National Park near Marseille. By Esperance PELLISSIER de FELIGONDE

I come from Marseille. I left this city last year. I took these photos in April 2014 while sightseeing with my penfriend. We climbed one of the highest hills of the region. From 'Marseilleveyre', you have one of the most beautiful views of Marseille and the Mediterranean coast. The photos were both taken from the same place. I just had to turn round to take the second photo. But the view is very different; it contrasts a lot with the first one.

On photo number one, you can see the huge city which is Marseille. It was so windy that day that I couldn't hear anything but the wind blowing. This wind is called the 'Mistral'. My hair was a mess! It was very hot and I could smell the Mediterranean Sea air. It was gorgeous! In the second photo you can see some islands.

Ninety per cent of the National Park we were in is in the sea and ten percent is near to the city.

At the bottom you can see a heap of limestone. On the left, the sea and a marina. In the middle of the picture, the ‘Prado’ beaches and next to them, on the right, the racetrack. Spreading into the distance is the city. In the background, on the right, we can see a small mountain range. The blue sky dominates the scene. There are clouds which look like a dove. It's amazing! In picture two, you can see the ‘Marseilleveyre’ in the foreground. Then, in the middle of the photo, there’s the Mediterranean and two small islands. At the top of the photo, are the horizon and the sky.

The first photo shows essentially the central part of Marseille. This part of the town has a great significance for me because I lived there for many years. This part of the city is full of souvenirs. On the left we can see the ‘Port de la Pointe Rouge’. This port is situated next to my former house. On the right hand corner, there's the ‘Velodrome’ stadium; this place is a mythical place because it is where you can attend football matches and see the ‘Olympique de Marseille’. In the background, you can also see the only skyscraper of Marseille. This building (tower CMA CGM) is the head office of the third largest container shipping group in the world and is number one in France. The second photo illustrates the ‘Massif des Calanques’ with two of its islands, called ‘Plate’ island and ‘Riou’ island, which are uninhabited, situated in the south of Marseille. 'Riou' constitutes the southern extremity of the Marseille region. They are both part of the 'Riou' archipelago. In 2012, 'Riou' integrated the ‘Calanques’ National Park. It is administrated by the National Park.

The pictures show opposites: the metropolis, big and overcrowded, and the sea, source of freedom and space...

The photos say that two different worlds coexist. When you have the chance to live in a big city situated beside the sea, you can at the same time have the benefits of the city and the benefits of the seaside. The urban environment here is confined but the sea is a source of freedom.

One of these photos gives me positive feelings, the one which represents the proximity of Nature. You feel free when you watch it. I can't say that the second one makes me feel negative but the photo shows a city which is very crowded and makes me feel  less free.

The National Park was set up for nature conservation, but it is also an amenity space for the people of the city which is really necessary when you think of the social tensions of Marseille...

4th world. By Léa GOIGOUX & Axelle HABAY

The first photo was taken on February 15^th in Dubaï in the United Arab Emirates. It was at the Marina of Dubaï, in a rich neighbourhood. It is in the centre of Dubai; all around are typical buildings of this city: very large, to accommodate many people. The berthed boats belong to the city or to individuals. It was about 6pm and it was still very hot, even if there isn't as much sun at this time of the afternoon. We could hear the birds singing, some people who were running or chatting and sometimes something fell in the sea. It was quite calm. Everything around me was very tall and really impressive. We could smell the sea and the atmosphere was heavy, there wasn't any wind.

The second picture was taken on February 17^th also in Dubaï. It was at the Deira souk, a market in the centre of Dubai, in a quite poor neighbourhood. We see small buildings. There is also scaffolding and a construction site (a wheelbarrow, planks). There is a man dressed traditionally, he throws his garbage and, in the background, there is a café. It was about 2pm and it was a sunny day. The temperature was around 30°C. We could hear people shouting, tourists taking pictures and carts which rolled up. Everybody was quite agitated. It was a very colourful place with people who were trying to sell a lot of different things to tourists. We could smell so many different things but essentially the smell of food.

In the first picture, we see beautiful, large, boats and tall, new, buildings, which show the rich side of Dubai. In the second image, we see an old man in flip-flops looking rummaging through trash in a neighbourhood with old, very modest, buildings. This shows the poverty of some neighbourhoods of Dubai.

Though only a few kilometres from each other, these two neighbourhoods are very different regarding their populations, architecture and standards of living. The first photo shows a wealthy neighbourhood where residents own boats and large buildings. While in the second picture, there is a small café, workers and modest buildings. It was taken in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, where the bins are very close to the houses. When we look at these two photos, one might think that this is not the same city or even not the same country. But this is the reality of Dubai.

For me, these photos show that within a same city, there are so many different neighbourhoods. In these neighbourhoods, people group together according to their origin. People also group together according to their social class and their level of wealth; we can see that, in the second picture, the environment is poorer than in the first one. These photos reveal that some neighbourhoods are older than others. We can see that the first picture was clearly taken in a more recent place than the second one. Because of this contrast, different activities are practised according to the age of the place.

For me, these photos show the inequality between two parts of the same town. On the one hand, everybody can see that people don't really have good life, the streets are quite dirty and seem to be perpetually under construction. And, on the other hand, there are people who have so much more than what they really need to live correctly, like yachts, for example. As I said in the previous paragraph, closed communities are also very present and I don't think that it is a good thing for social organization. In spite of these aspects that I find absolutely negative, I have to say that these two landscapes are quite impressive. In the first one, the buildings are really high and the space is well-built. In the second one, it's very interesting to visit a neighbourhood which is not perfect, nore has it changed for years. These two landscapes show the differences which exist between two neighbourhood within a same city.