Gary Zuercher’s work of photographing all the bridges of Paris at night is a remarkable and captivating endeavor. Over the course of five years, the American photographer dedicated himself to capturing the ethereal beauty and grandeur of Paris’s iconic bridges under the cloak of night.
Using traditional analogue photography techniques, Zuercher meticulously crafted a series of stunning silver-gelatin prints that showcase the bridges in a mesmerizing glow. His images evoke a sense of timelessness, as the bridges are illuminated against the darkness, their intricate architectural details and ornate designs accentuated by the play of light and shadow.
He shot only at night, on film, in black and white and mostly in Winter. He developed the film in his darkroom in a nineteenth-century Haussmannien building in Paris and developed the prints in his darkroom in Washington, DC. When the shooting was finished he then spent another year researching and documenting the fascinating history of each of those bridges.
Zuercher’s photographs are not mere snapshots but rather carefully composed works of art, each one a testament to his patience, technical mastery, and keen eye for capturing the essence of these historic structures. From the grandeur of the Pont Alexandre III to the understated elegance of the Pont d’Austerlitz, his lens has immortalized the bridges in their nocturnal splendor, revealing their unique personalities and how they seamlessly blend into the Parisian cityscape.
Through his dedication and artistic vision, Zuercher has created a remarkable body of work that not only celebrates the architectural marvels of Paris but also invites viewers to experience the city in a new light, quite literally. His photographs are a love letter to the bridges of Paris, capturing their timeless allure and ensuring that their beauty will be preserved for generations to come.
He describes his project this way:
After an evening dinner and one glass of French wine, it can be difficult to leave the warm environment to go into the nighttime winter cold to take photographs. Once underway, however, the warmth and comfort of home is quickly forgotten. Winter is an enchanting time to be alone along the Seine. It is a time of serenity and emotion. It has been a moving experience to spend cold winter nights alone communicating with the river and the bridges.”
His Paris bridges work is currently held in the permanent collections of the Library of Congress and Georgetown University.