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Storm Clouds Converge Over Paris In This Hyper Fast Timelapse

Ominous weather hangs over the Arc de Triomphe and other iconic Parisian locales in the gorgeous timelapse, "J'adore Paris."

Videographer Paul Richardson went to Paris to capture the city's grandest sights—both old and new—in riveting timelapse fashion, perhaps calling attention to the contrast between classic Paris and the sleek, newer business district. When he got there, however, he found that a thunderstorm was creeping toward the city—a gorgeous complement to the timelapse art form.

"I felt very lucky to have been in Paris when the massive thunderstorm started," Richardson says in Vimeo description for J'adore Paris. "I had seen the weather forecast, and made sure to position myself in among the skyscrapers. The storm started off slow, but very quickly built up to be absolutely ferocious. The lightning was hitting almost every other second, and some bolts were taking up the entire sky." Richardson took complete advantage of roiling clouds, capturing the sky as it blackened over classic sights like the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, as well as on the glass-encased skyscrapers.

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One particular shot—a warp-speed journey down the Champs Élysées—expertly surges the viewer through Paris life (there's even one clip of a baguette-wielding biker), the power of the incumbent storm, and the beauty of classic French architecture. Scenes like this highlight the dichotomy between the old and new within the city, and the raging thunderstorm adds a possible editorial undercurrent that emphasizes the director's thoughts about the distinction.

If he comes to New York we wish him luck dealing with our congested roads—he'll have to fight an army of taxis to get a shot down Broadway to rival his hyper-speed tour through the Champs Élysées.

To barrel through more of Richardson's videos, check out his website here.

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