There is something magnetic about Paris: how the light shifts over the river, how a café terrace at dusk holds infinite little dramas, how a winding alley feels like a secret told in whispers. In Paris Je t’aime, Peter Turnley invites us into his Paris, one seen through fifty years of devotion, observation and deep feeling. His choice of black and white lets grain, shadow and form carry story instead of colour, and the result is timeless yet rooted in memory. These are not simple travel photographs, but framed moments that echo across time: a couple turning with a smile, a man reading a newspaper in the morning light, the Seine reflecting the city’s pulse. The book draws you in, quietly urging you to pause, look again, to find the gesture you did not see the first time.
This is a book that slows your breathing. Turnley invites you to pause with every page. You see a couple leaning together by a river rail and you wonder what they whispered. You notice a waiter’s sincere glance as he serves a lone customer. You imagine what music might have played in a café at twilight. You naturally drift into the moment. There is affection in this work. It feels sincere, the kind you recognise instantly if Paris has ever held a place in your heart. When Peter shares photographs on his Facebook page, his words often express connection, and he signs many posts simply “With Love”. The same sentiment lives in this book. It feels right.
Paris feels like a memory we continually revisit
Peter Turnley — Craft, Legacy and a Personal Connection
I first discovered Peter Turnley through John G. Morris and his book Get the Picture. Morris wrote about the Turnley twins and their early devotion to storytelling. In 1995, I attended one of Morris’s lectures and bought his book. It was signed. I lent it to someone, and it never returned. Years later I found another copy, unsigned, yet valuable for the photographic history inside it and for the introduction it gave me to Turnley’s work.
It is so very difficult to choose a favourite from this collection of images, but two remain with me. One is Café de Lacour, Rue Saint-Paul, 1975 — a frame that captures the gentle intimacy of everyday Paris. The other, Rue des Guillemites, Le Marais, 2011, appears on page 90. I remember first seeing it on Peter’s Facebook page; even then it touched me deeply. Seeing it again here, printed and sequenced among these moments, feels like revisiting an old friend.
Turnley was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1955, but Paris became his true home early in his career. He studied at the University of Michigan and later continued his education in the French capital, where he worked as an assistant to the celebrated photographer Robert Doisneau in the early 1980s. Since 1975, he has continually photographed the life of his adopted city — its tenderness, humour, and quiet sensuality providing a lyrical counterpoint to the stark realities captured in his photojournalism. Over the past four decades, Turnley has also documented major world events in more than ninety countries. His work has appeared frequently on the cover of Newsweek and earned recognition from the world’s leading photojournalism organisations. Yet what endures most in Paris Je t’aime is his abiding appreciation for humanity and connection in the city’s quieter, more intimate spaces.
“Photography has always been for me, first and foremost, about sharing moments of life… that represent feelings, perceptions, and observations about the world around me.”
— Peter Turnley, Leica/LFI Interview (2020)
What Photographers Can Learn
- Light with intention: street lamps, reflections and window light serve emotion as well as clarity.
- Gesture as narrative: a tilt of the head or shared glance carries story without words.
- Sequencing for immersion: the flow of images creates experience, not simply a collection.
Turnley sees feeling, not performance. In Paris Je t’aime, that understanding makes Paris feel alive and always within reach.
Where to Buy
You can purchase Paris Je t’aime by Peter Turnley from the official website.
Details: Limited edition hardcover (320 pages), each copy signed. Price: US $85. Worldwide shipping available.
Special Collector’s Edition: book plus signed and numbered print, US $495, while stocks last.
Review by Wilf James, Photographer
Images © Peter Turnley, used with permission.
