To say that the Arc de Triomphe is an iconic monument would be an understatement. Second if only to the Eiffel Tower itself, it’s the most well-known and easily recognizable structure in Paris, France. Designed by the neoclassic architect Jean-François Chalgrin, it was inaugurated in 1836 by the French king Louise-Philippe. The Arc de Triomphe serves as monument to the armies of the Revolution and the Empire.

At the center of Place Charles de Gaulle, one can enjoy the 360-degree view from the observation deck. At fifty meters high, the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile provides unobstructed panoramic views of the entire city. The étoile or "star" of the juncture was formed by it’s twelve radiating avenues and grand thoroughfares.

While tripods are not allowed atop the structure, I made the best of the available sunlight to carefully handhold my camera and rotate it around an imagined axis for this series of images. Late in the afternoon on the crisp autumn day, I blended three exposures in each input frame to compensate for the difference of the light in the brilliant sky above and dark shadows of the streets below.

I wanted to capture the expansive view with a VAST photo, both to provide an ultra-wide perspective, and for the added resolution to view these sites in detail on a large format print. To the south stands the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame along the Seine River to the southeast, and Sacré-Cœur to the northeast. At the eastern end of the well-known Avenue des Champs-Élysées at the center of the image stands the Louvre. With it’s beautiful architecture, rich history, fine cuisine and fine wine, it’s difficult to not be swept up in the romance that makes up Paris, France.