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19.05.2008

"Mariage"

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Opposite my studio was this bar which has not much changed to this day, seeing some joyful activity and one or two friends I entered and was told they were celebrating the wedding of Jeanette, who had just married a monsieur from the north of France, quite possibly a “ Chti,” who was introduced as “château fort!” because of his teeth. I said I would offer them a wedding picture and rushed into my studio to get my camera - et voilà!

En face de mon studio, il y avait ce bar qui d’ailleurs, est resté à peu près le même ; y remarquant une joyeuse effervescence et quelques copains, j’entrai, et appris que c’était le mariage de Jeannette que l’on fêtait. Elle venait d’épouser un monsieur du nord de la France, peut-être un Chti, que l’on surnommait “château fort”, à cause de ses dents… J’ai proposé de leur offrir une photo en guise de cadeau de mariage, et j’ai couru jusqu’à mon atelier pour y chercher mon appareil… et voilà !

10.05.2008

"1978"

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These were my neighbours in 1978 in the Montmartre/Pigalle a little more like the atmosphere of the film Amelie Poulin than today. I was a still life photographer and took this photo for fun with my camera Sinar 10x8 inch and of course my studio flash lights as the available light was not nearly enough for this kind of camera and film. Great telephone no!!!

09.05.2008

"Henri"

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I met Henri in my local bistro, Le Barauder, Place des Abbesses in Jan 2005. he in fact was a “barauder” a worker from Marseille who travelled all over Europe working, restoring flats and houses, capable of plumbing, electricity, painting and building. It was cold outside 0° C and less, and he arrived every morning dressed as in the picture with a jacket for the convenience – pockets! But with his shirt open like in the picture. I was and still am taking pictures for an eventual book “Head to Foot” et voila!!

06.05.2008

"Chevaux"

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I was asked by an advertising agency in March this year if I could take portraits of horses a little like my portraits of people? Knowing little of horses but with 2 assistants who had a passion and experience with horses and of course the trainer who looked after the horses at the riding-jumping centre of the Courneuve, in the northern suburbs of Paris, I took the challenge. It was for advertising a 10 day show starting the 15th of May. The problem for professional photographers like me is one could easily think that with modern equipment anybody around the horses could have taken these shots. Yes that’s right, but, it was a rainy cloudy day, we could not wait a week or even a day for the sun. They where lit with studio lights, without the sun the results would have been less gay!


En mars, une agence m’a demandé s’il me serait possible de faire des portraits de chevaux, un peu dans le même esprit que mes portraits de personnages.
Ne sachant rien des chevaux mais avec deux assistants passionnés d’équitation et l’entraîneur du centre équestre de la Courneuve, j’ai tenté l’expérience.
Il s’agissait d’une publicité pour les dix jours du cheval en mai. Le problème des photographes professionnels comme moi, c’est que l’on peut croire, et quelquefois avec raison, qu’avec le matériel d’aujourd’hui, n’importe qui dans le monde de l’équitation aurait pu prendre ces photos. Or, le temps était couvert, il pleuvait par moment, et nous n’avions ni une semaine ni un jour pour attendre le retour du soleil. Les chevaux étaient éclairés avec des lumières de studio; sans soleil, le résultat aurait été moins joyeux…

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