We’re showcasing a beautiful gallery of food photographer Michael Shay’s personal work today. A wordsmith and poet in his own right, Michael’s words are the most qualified to do justice to the gorgeous photos.

“Le Marais started as a fortified church outside the walls of Paris in 1240 AD. In the 17th century it was the preferred residence of French nobility. After the French nobility moved on in the era of Versailles the district became a popular and active commercial area hosting one of Paris’ main Jewish communities. Today though the Jewish community’s influence can still be seen Le Marais it is one of Paris’ main localities for art galleries boasting many trendy restaurants fashion houses and is also the center of the gay community in Paris. I spent a week in Paris this last spring. One afternoon I took my camera, armed with a Lensbaby 2.0 selective focus lens, and documented life in Le Marais. One of the photographs was taken in the cafe near Victor Hugo’s residence where he was said to have worked on Les Miserables. My favorite discovery found all over Paris as graffiti is a phrase, ‘regarde le ciel’ or ‘look at the sky’ ”

Last week, we all got a reminder of how quickly things can change. How your life can literally blow away in seconds, and when it’s over, you must return to the washed out wasteland where your home once stood. Polara Studio may be based out of Portland, but we have family, friends and colleagues who all call the east coast their home. In fact, our own Michael Shay was in New York visiting family and managed to get one of the last flights out of the city before Hurricane Sandy began ravaging the seaboard. These images are a selection from Michael’s trip, and serve as a reminder of one of the greatest cities in the world.

There are many organizations reaching out to help rebuild, and donations are always welcome. In fact, last weekend hundreds of runners from the cancelled New York City Marathon descended upon the city and ran an unofficial race with many of them making their way to Staten Island to drop off supplies to one of the hardest hit areas. The following charities and organizations are accepting donations of all kinds, and can be contacted for more information on how to help.

American Red Cross

AmeriCares

Architecture for Humanity

Feeding America

New York Blood Center

World Vision