The guide
What the river gives a brick city
Toulouse is dense, close and uniformly warm in colour. Streets are narrow, and even the large squares are enclosed by buildings of similar height and the same material.
The river breaks all of that. It puts two hundred metres of open air into the frame, a sky over it, and the whole old town lined up along the far bank.
For a photographer it is the only place in the city with genuine distance, and it is why almost every session here ends up on the water at some point.
Where to stand
The right bank, on the Prairie des Filtres side, looking across. Pont-Neuf to the left, the dome of the Hôtel-Dieu, the roofs behind. Late afternoon and after sunset.
The quai de la Daurade, on the near side, for close work: brick walls, steps down to the water, and the plane trees along the top.
The pont Saint-Pierre, in the middle of the river, for the widest frame of all. It is busy with traffic and takes about five minutes to work properly.
The twenty minutes after sunset
This is the specific reason to book a session here rather than in the streets.
Once the sun has gone, the bridges and the dome are lit, the sky holds blue for another twenty minutes, and the water reflects everything. Faces are lit softly from the sky rather than harshly from the side.
It is the strongest light available in Toulouse and it costs nothing but patience — most people leave when the sun goes down, about ten minutes too early.
What it suits
Couples, for the reason above. Families earlier in the day, on the Prairie des Filtres, which is flat, grassy and easy with children.
Also portraits against the brick of the quay walls in late afternoon. Prices are on the rate card.