FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Election Night
Paris
France
At the beginning, my knowledge of photography was mostly limited to a few photojournalists. I applied the same logic to everything - a lot of training, and behaving like I was being payed to do it. In the context of reportage, it took the form of documenting many events that I perceived as important or meaningful, over the course of a few years.
Here, the documentation of the French Election Night, which is a hard thing to pull off when you don’t have a press card :)
Here, the documentation of the French Election Night, which is a hard thing to pull off when you don’t have a press card :)
FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Vote, First turn
Paris
France
On the day of the first turn, I was doing street photography. I started to seek voting centers, mostly located in public schools, during my walk, and to behave as if I was working on this subject for a newspaper.
SECURITE GLOBALE DEMONSTRATION
Photographing an entire demonstration from beginning to end
Paris
France
The day following the Sécurité Globale demonstration was marked by my discovery of the spicy taste and the lovely effects of tear gas.
At this point, I realized that working on french demonstrations without the proper gear and accreditation could be dangerous. I haven’t done it since, but I do know how to behave in these situations now, and I could see myself doing that professionally.
At this point, I realized that working on french demonstrations without the proper gear and accreditation could be dangerous. I haven’t done it since, but I do know how to behave in these situations now, and I could see myself doing that professionally.
EXTINCTION REBELLION ACTIONS
Following a movement accross countries
London, UK
Rotterdam, NL
When I went to London for the Sony Awards in 2019, I discovered Extinction Rebellion in its first weeks. They were occupying the Waterloo bridge, very close to Somerset House, as well as Oxford Circus. From the point of view of a french person, the pacific, slow demonstration, and the peaceful relationship with the authorities were extremely surprising and interesting.
A few years later, in 2021, I returned to Rotterdam for Rotterdam Photo Festival, went for a photo walk, and crossed Extinction Rebellion again.
It is interesting to read the difference of visual language between the two events. Just 4 years separate them. Style evolves and fluctuates.
A few years later, in 2021, I returned to Rotterdam for Rotterdam Photo Festival, went for a photo walk, and crossed Extinction Rebellion again.
It is interesting to read the difference of visual language between the two events. Just 4 years separate them. Style evolves and fluctuates.
NOCTURNE
Illegal street parties after curfew
Lisbon
Portugal
Returning to Lisbon in the summer of 2021 to add a final layer of work to Territories, I became fascinated with the extreme character of the illegal street parties that happened every night in the Bairro Alto neighborhood. I had a very intense few days: I would photograph buildings during the day for the book, and photograph parties during the night. It was good training for low-light street photography too.
Somehow, these nights felt like the cristallisation of every feeling the pandemic created in me. An intense desire to be young, careless, to let go, contradicted by a strong sense of guilt and fear of the unknown. People behaved with excess. It was all too much. Every evening finished in violence, sometimes long before the arrival of the police.
Somehow, these nights felt like the cristallisation of every feeling the pandemic created in me. An intense desire to be young, careless, to let go, contradicted by a strong sense of guilt and fear of the unknown. People behaved with excess. It was all too much. Every evening finished in violence, sometimes long before the arrival of the police.
COVID-19
Informal documentation of the first months of the Pandemic
Various countries
In February 2020, I was taking trips to finish the Territories book. So I experienced the first months in many different places, as I had to shorten trips, return to the Netherlands, and in the end move back to Paris. Since I was traveling, and as usual in my training mindset, I was also doing street photography all day.
The photographs here are from the Netherlands, France, the USA, Italy, Guadeloupe, Portugal.
The photographs here are from the Netherlands, France, the USA, Italy, Guadeloupe, Portugal.
DEMONSTRATION TRAINING
Various events crossed when doing street photography
Various countries
I was told at some point that young photojournalists were put on demonstrations as first assignments, to be tested. So I started to document a lot of demonstrations, when I crossed their paths, to test myself. Later on, I did it more intentionally.