This story started quietly. No big production. No long introductions. Just an early morning first meeting in Paris and a shared sense that we should let the city lead.
These photographs of Lily Chen were made during our first shoot together, moving through Paris with curiosity and trust. The work is now featured in GEZNO Magazine, and seeing it in print feels less like a milestone and more like a moment preserved.
We began near the Trocadéro. Early light. Open space. The Eiffel Tower standing watch in the distance without demanding attention. Lily arrived in a red dress from her personal wardrobe, paired with jewelry by Butones Jewelry. Nothing was overthought. The styling was intentional in its simplicity. Red against stone. Gold catching light. A strong silhouette moving through a city that knows how to hold history and modern life at the same time.
What stood out immediately was Lily’s comfort in her own movement. There was no need to over direct. Each pose felt like a continuation of the last rather than a reset. That rhythm shaped the shoot. We let moments stretch when they needed to. We moved on when the energy shifted.
At the Palais de Tokyo, the tone changed. The architecture is heavier there. Textured walls. Sculptural details. A sense of permanence. Lily leaned into those surfaces, letting the contrast between softness and structure do the work. These frames feel quieter. More internal. The kind of images that ask the viewer to stay with them a little longer.
Passerelle Debilly brought everything back to a human scale. The bridge carries traces of countless stories. Locks along the railings. The Seine moving steadily below. Here, Lily rested into the space rather than performing for it. Sitting. Reclining. Looking away. These images feel reflective, like the closing chapter of a conversation rather than the climax.
Red became the constant thread through every location. It carried confidence without becoming loud. It held warmth against the cool palette of Paris. The dress was not a costume. It was part of Lily. Paired with the jewelry from Butones Jewelry, the look felt grounded and personal rather than styled for effect.
This is the kind of work I return to again and again. Fashion and editorial photography that lives in the space between intention and spontaneity. Where the city matters. Where the subject brings their own story into the frame. Where the photographer’s role is to notice rather than impose.
Photoshoot Credits
- Model: Lily Chen
- Jewelry Designer: Butones Jewelry
- Photographer: Paul Tocatlian
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© Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved.
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