Decorative Vents

These vent photos were taken in Bordeaux, France with the exception of the last one which was taken in Rome. Back in 2004 I first came across these things during the one day I had in Bordeaux. I was shooting film back then and only took pictures of three or four vents. This past summer finding myself in Bordeaux once again I took the opportunity to capture some. Unfortunately Bordeaux was again a one day stop over, but my wife was patience enough to let me take these photos. I love these vents, they're all unique and can vary in a myriad of ways. First of course is the pattern, like cattles brand for each house they have their own markings. Some are metal and new, while others are old and wood. The colors are usually subtle but beautiful in their own right. I have no idea what they actually vent. So far in my travels in Europe, Bordeaux is the best place to find them, these were all in the span of about 4 blocks. If I happen to find myself in Bordeaux yet again in a few years I plan on spending an entire day collecting pictures of them. Yup that’s right an ENTIRE DAY, I like them that much.