
The early afternoon light after the storm in Paris always feels familiar. Soft. Forgiving. The kind that lingers gently on skin and stone. It was Déborah’s first day back, and everything looked just as she remembered. Only quieter. Slower.

She had just stepped off the train. Her curls still catching the breeze. Her floral corset, woven like a vintage tapestry. The last time she walked these streets, she was deep in a grueling internship. Deadlines. Pressure. No time to look up. This time, her time was hers. A train ride, a walk, a pause by the river before meeting up with friends.
So we wandered. Looking for somewhere that felt right. We chose Le Pont de Bir Hakeim for the shoot. Beneath the weight of steel and sky, where the Seine moves like a slow whisper and the Eiffel Tower looms in and out of frame. She leaned into the railing, half-lost in thought. The kind of posture that doesn’t perform for the camera but exists in spite of it.
Her skirt flowed like wine. Deep and rich and pleated with movement. The floral top, a personal piece she styled herself, mirrored the season. Still in bloom, but inching toward something softer. Her necklace, designed by Butones Jewelry, felt like a talisman. Small. Round. Weighted with quiet meaning. She held it like a thought she wasn’t ready to say out loud.
We walked. Across the bridge. Down stone steps tangled in vines from yesterday’s storm. Past the old Citroën Traction Avant rolling slow through the street. The wind caught her hair, playful and persistent, teasing it into motion. She didn’t fight it. Just closed her eyes and let it sweep across her face.










These portraits captured quiet moments. Small, passing moments. A gentle return. A personal celebration. The kind of shoot that unfolded naturally. Styling came easily. Emotion spoke without needing to be explained.
She leaned into the metal pillar beneath the bridge, the Eiffel Tower softly blurred behind her. I photographed her as she was. Still, but not static. Bold, but not loud. The energy of someone who has known exhaustion and come out the other side with grace. Who knows how to let a city in again.
Later, on a sunlit bench painted robin’s egg blue, she tilted her head and met the camera. A look that was part curiosity, part defiance. Then back to softness. The way people do when they feel safe in their own skin.


That’s what struck me most. The comfort. The absence of hurry. The freedom to wander and not be chased by time. It was a photoshoot, yes. But it felt more like a sketchbook. Each frame a loose gesture. Each pose a thought unfinished.
We wrapped just before she went to meet her friends. No fanfare. No rush. Just the end of a quiet stroll that happened to be documented. Sometimes, those are the shoots that linger longest.
If you’re a brand, designer, model, or creative looking to tell your story through visual narratives like this one, I’d love to collaborate. Let’s create something together. Something honest. Something beautiful.
Photoshoot Credits
- Model: Déborah
- Wardrobe Stylist: Déborah
- Jewelry Designer: Butones Jewelry
- Photographer: Paul Tocatlian
© Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved.