Photographing The Eiffel Tower at Night

If you ever have the chance to visit Paris, one of the absolute highlights is, of course, the Eiffel Tower. Riding the elevator to the top is an experience in and of itself — as you fly through the Tower’s metallic skeleton, you start to see flashes of the city shrinking below you.  When you come to a stop (after stepping past the fifteen-foot tall gears that turn the elevator’s cable), the view you see is maddeningly beautiful.

NIKON D7000 + 24mm f/1.4 @ 24mm, ISO 720, 1/15, f/1.4

There are three primary levels of viewing platforms on the Eiffel Tower.  The highest of these three is near the very top, and it was there that I found the most inspiring views.

I made sure to stay at the Eiffel Tower for sunset.  As the sky darkens, the city of Paris begins to grow brighter. It didn’t take long for the buildings below to light up in wonderful, intricate patterns.