Seine Cruise Photography Guide – Angles, Reflections, and Best Light

A Seine cruise hands you Paris’s greatest hits in motion. With a little planning you’ll come home with crisp, cinematic frames instead of blurry memories. Here’s a field-tested approach — where to stand, what to bring, and the exact bridges and turns that make the magic.

Gear and settings (phone and camera)

Phone

• Clean the lens and turn off HDR for night (it can smear light trails)
• Use 1× (main) lens at night; ultrawide sensors struggle in low light
• Lock exposure and focus by long‑press; tap to adjust brightness

Camera

• Shutter priority or Auto ISO with a minimum shutter around 1/125–1/250s
• Stabilize by bracing against railings; IBIS helps but boats still move
• A fast 24–70mm (or 24–105) is perfect; bring a 35mm or 50mm prime if you love low light

Accessories

• Slim microfiber cloth to block reflections
• Wired earbuds if audio guide runs on your phone (Bluetooth can lag as you shoot)
• A light layer; you’ll spend more time on deck than you think

Where to stand on the boat

Open deck corners (bow or stern) give clean 180° views and fewer heads in frame. If wind is strong, pick the leeward side (downwind) for hair‑safe portraits. On glass‑roof boats, step to doorways or open sections between window frames to avoid vertical struts in your composition.

Reflection control on glass boats

• Move closer to the glass and shoot at a slight angle
• Cup your hand as a “flag” around the lens (or use a small matte cloth)
• Ask staff to dim nearby cabin lights near blue hour if reflections become intense

The can’t‑miss moments by landmark

• Pont Alexandre III → Gilded lamps + Eiffel Tower: shoot wide at blue hour
• Musée d’Orsay → Belle Époque facade with boat wake as a leading line
• Louvre quay → Long classical wall; pan for smooth water streaks
• Île de la Cité → Bridge arches as frames; look back for tower alignments
• Notre‑Dame → Go portrait orientation to include towers and reflections

A golden-hour playbook (60–75 min cruise)

T‑20 min: Board early; claim a deck corner spot and test exposures T‑0: Depart; start on the sunward side for warm light on facades T+20: Shift to capture Pont Alexandre III symmetrical shots T+40: Blue hour begins; reduce exposure by ~0.3–0.7 EV to keep sky saturated T+55: Landmarks switch on; hold 1/125s to avoid motion blur as lights pop

Dinner cruise adjustments

Interior reflections are stronger; sit slightly away from bright cabin lights and shoot during brief deck breaks between courses. Window tables help, but don’t force shots through reflections — enjoy the meal and do a separate sunset sightseeing cruise if photography is the main goal.

Bottom line

Anchor your cruise to golden hour, shoot from deck corners, and work with — not against — the glass. Paris will do the rest.