An extraordinary (Olympic) photo: Vadim Ghirda captures the sunset framed by the Arc de Triomphe

PARIS– Vadim Ghirda takes a closer look at his AP photo of the sunset framed by the Arc de Triomphe.

All photographs are unique, but this one has an extra element of “uniqueness”: there are only a few days a year when the sunset is framed by one of Paris’ famous landmarks, the Arc de Triomphe. This year it takes place during the Olympic Games. It’s a small but valuable piece in the huge puzzle of photographs produced by all my AP colleagues, which will, in the end, paint the BIG picture of a historic event, set against the backdrop of iconic Parisian sites.

I tried to take the photo on August 1st, but I had no luck. It was a cloudy night. Trying, though, is the first step to achieving anything – I met an enthusiastic photographer sporting an old classic film camera, a “veteran” of this sunset photo, who said he tries to photograph it every year. I learned that the next day the sun’s position will actually be better. He also pointed out a better position to take it. I arrived more than 2 hours before sunset on August 2nd, thinking that I will have time to move around and find the perfect place to photograph. Dozens of enthusiastic photographers with tripods, tourists or local residents with cell phones were already crowding the “perfect spot” arguing with the police officers, who were trying to keep them away, worried about their safety, as the traffic was quite busy at that time. I barely found space to squeeze into the center of the Champs Elysees and wait.

I’m not a fan of technical details, I’ll just say that it was shot with a long lens, to get that compressed perspective that would focus attention on the sunset, but capture the busy Champs Elysees below. The ideal moment was extremely brief, to the point that with all the pressure to find the ideal angle, I wasn’t sure I had succeeded.

The simple answer is: it’s in Paris and includes world-renowned landmarks and a rare sunset during the Olympics. But that’s not why it works for me. I see a symbol in almost everything around me. (It’s tiring). Capturing this was, to paraphrase Elton John, a way of not letting the sun set on the world. Photography stops time – who doesn’t want this superpower? I’m glad I had the opportunity to interrupt another fascinating moment.

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For more extraordinary AP photographs, click here. For AP’s complete coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Click here.