Something shifts in Paris when the clocks go back.
Daylight saving time will end at the end of October, and with it comes something that most visitors do not immediately think of as an opportunity. The sun sets before 5:30pm now. The city lights come on earlier. And Paris after dark, which is already one of the most visually spectacular things this city does, arrives at an hour when most people are still out and about rather than winding down for the evening.
That is the window I have been waiting for. Two of my most popular and limited sessions are back, and if winter Paris is anywhere on your radar, this is the time to pay attention.
Paris Afterglow Is Back
The Paris Afterglow session is built entirely around the city at night, and the earlier sunset that comes with the end of daylight saving time is what makes it possible.
Here is the thing about photographing Paris after dark that most people do not fully appreciate until they see the results. The Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour on the hour. The Seine reflects the lights of the bridges and the buildings along the banks. The streets in the 7th and 16th arrondissements glow with a warmth that feels cinematic in a way that no daytime session can replicate. And at Pont de Bir-Hakeim in the evening, with the metro running above and the tower lighting up the sky beyond the arch, the images look like something out of a film.
Now that darkness falls before 6pm, we can start a session in the late afternoon, catch the last of the natural light as the city transitions, and be right in the heart of the evening glow before 5:30. That is the magic window. The sky still has colour in it, the city lights are on, and everything is caught in that brief overlap between day and night that photographers spend their whole careers chasing.
It is called Afterglow for a reason. The session runs in that last stretch of daylight through the first full hour of darkness, and the results are unlike anything you get at any other time of year.
Introducing the Enchanted Christmas Night
December in Paris is something else entirely.
Every December, the square in front of Hôtel de Ville transforms into one of the most magical settings in the city. The theme changes each year, which means no two editions of this session ever look quite the same. But one thing that always comes back is the carousel. And if you know anything about Paris at Christmas, you know that a carousel in front of a floodlit Hôtel de Ville, with fairy lights everywhere and the cold air making everything glow a little more than it should, is exactly the kind of scene that makes people stop walking and just stand there for a moment.
The Enchanted Christmas Night is a session I offer once a year, in December only, shooting exclusively around Hôtel de Ville and its surroundings. It is joyful and a little over the top and completely wonderful, and last year it became one of the most talked about sessions I offer.
Think about what those images look like. The two of you beside the carousel with the lights behind you. A family portrait with the grand facade of Hôtel de Ville dressed for the season. A solo portrait in the middle of it all, looking like you belong on the cover of a holiday magazine. These are not the usual Paris photos. They are Paris at its most festive, and most generous with its beauty.
The Enchanted Christmas Night is available exclusively in December. It sells out every year, and it will sell out again. If you are visiting Paris this December, or if you have been thinking about planning a December trip, this is the session to build around.
Why Winter Paris Is More Than You Expect
There is a perception that Paris in winter is grey and cold and not quite the city you imagined. And some days, yes, it is cool and overcast. But winter Paris also has something the summer cannot offer. It is intimate. The crowds are thin. The locals are out and the tourists are fewer, which means you experience the city at a pace that actually lets you be in it rather than just passing through it.
And then there are days, sharp and clear and cold, when the winter light hits the city and everything is luminous. The Seine looks like hammered silver. The stone of the buildings goes from grey to almost white. Pont de Bir-Hakeim in that kind of light, with the Eiffel Tower sharp against a pale blue sky, is one of the most quietly stunning things I have ever pointed a camera at.
Winter Paris rewards the people who show up for it.
How to Book
Both sessions are available now, and both have limited availability given the time of year.
The Paris Afterglow runs from November to March, timed to the earlier sunsets. The Enchanted Christmas Night runs in December only, and availability is genuinely limited.
→ Book Your Winter Session Here
The city is lit up. Come and be part of it.
Dan Umareta is a Paris-based portrait photographer specialising in travel sessions for couples, families, and solo travellers. All sessions include professional editing and delivery within 48 hours.