I am a self-taught photographer and I began my photographic journey as a Street Photographer in Paris (France) in the early 90's shooting exclusively in Black and White following the steps of practitioners like Edouard Boubat, Robert Doisneau, Andre Kertesz.
My practice went from Street Photography to Landscape Photography when I arrived in the United States (1996) in the Washington DC area after introducing myself to the works of Edward Weston and Ansel Adams to later (re)discover in a more comprehensive manner the works of Paul Strand.
Back to Street Photography with an emphasis on Documentary during a 4 year stay in Cotonou, Benin, West Africa (2001-2005).
Black and White work mainly but started working with color films more and more because getting color films processed was easier than black and white's.
Back to the United States I had to redefine my photographic approach as my family status changed. I kept experimenting a lot with color and developing processes.
Adopting digital photography in 2008 marked my total transition to working exclusively in Color. And to work in Color means to know about Light, how these two work together, influence each other.
Focusing on Light widely opened up the scope of my practice in terms of subject matter, even though color can set limits to what is workable because of its demands as well as photography's demands for clarity and harmony.
In 2010 Light has consciously become my main subject. Light directs my gaze and I employ myself to stage her the best I can.
"What is the nature of this invisible thing called light whose presence calls everything into view-excepting itself"
A quote from Catching the light by Arthur Zajonc.
The shortest answer for me at the moment is "Magica!", "Powerful!" and "Forgiving".
The moment dictates not the subject. The moment is one of revelation and revelation comes through the light.
Light falls on everything without being prejudiced. Light harmonizes things of different nature.
In practice I find myself attracted to compose visuals with multiple layers to illustrate the richness and the complexity of life, and minimalist compositions to extract the core essence of things.
I have inscribed my practice into the fabric of my daily routines which allows me to affirm a better connection to my immediate environment, to my life.
Through the works I probe how far I can stretch my photography and subsequently I come to know what it seems to be reduced to, or limited to at a certain time in my life, somehow meeting face to face with my own growth, my own limitations, my own definition of self but also the limitations of my environment.
Click here to edit.