Planetarium

The Zeiss projector at the Palais de la Découverte has an undeniable presence. It is both a piece of scientific equipment and a sculptural object, an embodiment of precision engineering turned into theatre. Under the dome’s dimmed lights, the machine sits like a mechanical deity, ready to conjure the heavens onto the curved canvas above.

Photographing it was a matter of honouring its shape without reducing it to a mere technical diagram. I centred the composition to give the machine the stature it deserves, allowing its symmetrical arms and lenses to extend outward in all directions. The warm backdrop of the dome was a natural contrast to the cooler, magenta-tinted light bathing the projector’s base—lighting that helps separate its forms from the background without overcomplicating the palette.

Exposure was a subtle game here. Too long a shutter, and the highlights on the metal would burn; too short, and the shadowed contours would lose their definition. The balance held, revealing the textures of its surfaces while maintaining a sense of drama. Depth of field was kept deep enough to render the entire apparatus sharp, yet shallow enough that the dome walls quietly softened, ensuring attention stayed where it belonged.

This is a portrait, not of a person, but of a machine whose purpose is to create wonder—ironically, by showing us the stars through something that never leaves the ground.