In Search of Piétons

by Bill Bolton

This is a photo documentary showcasing a collection of 25 uniquely different illuminated pedestrian crossing signs discovered all across France in the early 1990’s.

This book about pedestrians is anything but pedestrian. It is multifaceted in that it covers detailed photographic techniques, an interesting and distinctive collection of double exposure photographs on color film all taken at night, unique adventures and descriptive details.

The take-away message conveyed by this book is to, ‘encourage people to explore, to go by foot, to roam about.

48 pages, Paperback

First published February 12, 2015

About the author

Bill Bolton is an author, amateur photographer, inventor, veterinarian, deck designer/builder and more importantly a seasoned modern day flâneur with an insatiable desire to explore and discover.

Reviews

[Trang Tran · Rating 3 out of 5]

( 3.5 stars ) I really liked the introduction and how he got me into thinking about the importance of a little walk, how good it does for the body and so on. Another turning point about this photodocumentary, is how it helps me realize that such litte details can amaze us so much if only we took the time to look at it. We are surrounded by an invisible force called time. Always rushing somewhere. And what's better to represent that than pedestrian crossing sign? Those signs irritate not only the drivers but also the pedestrians themselves if one of them is in a rush or have no patience to simply wait their turns.To be honest, if I had encountered this book at a library I would not personally take it for it is not my genre. I think it's tricky and hard to review this kind of book since I don't know much about photography ( to tell you the truth I was lost in the Photography Techniques Chapter) and there are not enough stories for it to be reviewed like a novel (which is what I do usually). I have to admit that reading about the fact that the author actually takes time to photograph in the middle of the night and plan this out all in advance is quite impressive !
Finally, one of the things that I really love about this project is everytime you purchased this book, a portion of the amount will be donated to two important charities: Cancer Fit, Inc and Best Friends Animal Society.

You can find the entire review here : https://bookidote.wordpress.com/2015/...

Trang
Book Blogger and Reviewer

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

My knowledge of "pietons" was lacking until this lovely little book came into my hands. Pieton is the French word for pedestrian. The author of this book spent part of the early 90's working in and around Paris. He set a quest for himself...to photograph these unique French pedestrian signs. Most of the time he needed a stepladder along with his camera and a wily sense of timing. Also...most of the time...he needed an extreme amount of good luck. At times he was even questioned by the French police. His goal was to photograph these pietons and above all to find the "elusive" man in the hat pieton. I will let readers enjoy this book and discover the man in the hat mystery on their own.

There are five lovely chapters at the beginning of the book which clarified any questions I had about the author's process. The search, the technique, the adventures are clearly explained. The remainder of the book is the pietons themselves in all of their simple red and green beauty.
This book was thoroughly fascinating for me especially because you can also match up the locations to google maps to see where these pietons are...in Paris! How cool is that?

My copy was provided by the publisher for my honest thoughts. That is what I have conveyed.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Ultimately, this book was possible because a man went out for a walk.’

So, what can possibly be interesting about pedestrian crossing signs in France? While I thought about whether to accept a copy of this book for review purposes, I found myself remembering my experience of pedestrian crossings as an 11 year old back in the third quarter of the last century. Curiosity prompted me to say yes, and thus started an interesting journey.

Bill Bolton has included photographs of 25 different piétons (illuminated pedestrian crossing signs) he discovered while travelling through France. His photographs show both the red and green figures of the sign. The book also includes a detailed explanation of where each piéton is located, as well as the photographic exposure parameters. So, the reader can see each photograph, can appreciate the effort taken to take each photograph and (courtesy of google maps) follow a link to see the intersection where the piéton is located. I’ll confess that I didn’t follow the links on my Kindle, it was much easier to do that on my computer. Even then, seeing the piétons in situ was less important to me than appreciating Bill Bolton’s photography and I’ve not followed every link.

Seeing 25 different piéton images made me smile. Each piéton seems to have a different personality: there’s André (image 2), who seems to be sauntering, while Guillame (image 6) looks to be on business. Antoine (image 11) could be in a hurry, while Victor (image 12) - the man in the hat - seems very purposeful. Gérard (image 20) is something of a minimalist. What do these different piétons tell us about these different locations? Now I’m wondering how many different illuminated pedestrian crossing signs there are in the world? Hmm.

Back when I was 11 years old, one of my responsibilities was supervising younger children crossing a busy road to return to school after lunch. We had guidelines for operating the pedestrian crossing (so as not to stop the traffic too frequently) but the most important aspect was ensuring that the younger children knew not to step off the pavement when the sign was red. My memory is that those signs had words, not figures. How pedestrian.

These images are delightful. The accompanying text is informative. The book is more than the sum of its parts: it has me wondering about beauty and function.

Note: I was offered, and accepted, a copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: In Search of Piétons, by Bill Bolton Sept 25, 2015
Smart, interesting, familiar, and creative are a few words amid others that surface as I search to define Bill Bolton’s work with “In Search of Piétons.” A treat to follow for any reader, Bolton grabs your attention and brilliantly takes you on an adventure in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. By using Google, Bolton offers a guided tour by directing readers to France circa 1990’s.
I adore the creativity and genuine flow of the dialect. Growing up near France, his journey reminded me of the time I had spent there. The photos used are well grouped and deliver his audience the opportunity often typically taken for granted.
I am happy to give Bolton five stars. His journey is filled with life. Who would have guessed one may find a journey while waiting for a light?

Kristin Blizzard
September 25, 2015
Author of: What Murphy Didn’t Know, Secrets to Pushing and Marketing Your Book, Works of Blizzard

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book from Goodreads. What an original and creative book. I learned about France walking around there and taking photographs of the very unique walking signals. The photographs are great and I really enjoyed this book.