I can no longer remember if it was merely good fortune that I spent the sunniest day of my short trip to Paris photographing Notre Dame or if I saw this great light and knew that had to be the day I would take in one of the best known landmarks of the city. Nonetheless, I look at the awesome skies and the warm light and am so grateful for that opportunity. In the midst of winter, a short visit could have been cursed with a litany of gray days.

I think this is one of those photos that shows how much fortune smiled on me that day. I love how the yard in front of the church is bathed in warm light. Even the street lamps glow almost as if they are lit, yet it's all from the warm sun!

Notre Dame de Paris is truly rich in details. Where the general form of the front of the church is typical for a Medieval Cathedral, it's the ornamentation that makes it clearly French Gothic. It starts with the prominent Gallery of Kings over the doors, but if you look closer, you'll see the church practically drips in Gargoyles and other statues and decorations. Notre Dame definitely has a style and voice of its own. Knowing that the church was very nearly razed after the damages it suffered in the French Revolution, I'm so pleased that this work of art was ultimately restored so that future generations like ourselves could appreciate and record its beauty.

Notre Dame de Paris is a UNESCO world heritage listed site.