Loreine

This angelic look is one of her sides but actually this girl is a real badass ! Authentic is one of the qualities I love the most about people, and she is like that, if something is wrong she will let you know but also if she likes you it's genuine and there is zero hypocrisy. She has a strong character and commitment to everything she does, the kind of ally you would like to have if the end of the world is coming, she will do everything what is in her power to save the planet, you and herself.

The thing that bugs me is the fact that people almost never see the fragility that strong girls are also having inside of them, they just think "oh she is strong, she will handle it", yes of course we will, but sometimes we want to have the shoulder to cry on when we are feeling weak.

Laura

She is the kind of girl I easily fall in love with. Rock'n'roll, cool, funny, crazy, rebel, intelligent, sensual, mysterious, talented and so on... From the moment I met her I had a crush on her, we became friends pretty fast. We had a lot of meaningful conversations and I saw different sides of her. It's amazing how the most joyful people can be also sad and vulnerable, but this is the kind of duality I love about human beings. Complex personalities are the most fascinating if you ask me.
Our last wish was leaving everything and hit the road of USA together, who knows maybe one day we will...

MUA : Daria

Eleonore

Our paths crossed last year in a subway. I was going to meet my friends for the dinner and I took the subway line, I usually don't, to join them. She was sitting in the wagon just in front of me, the light was hitting her golden hair and her hypnotizing blue eyes, the saddest eyes I've ever seen. She looked like a fairy or some fragile magical creature trapped in the darkest place. The other thing that caught my eye, except her melancholic face, is the way she was dressed : girly doll like dress, heavy black boots and the backpack. There was something very special about her. So before I went out on my station I gave her my visit card telling that I was a photographer and was willing to make the pictures of her, she looked up on me with her big sparkling eyes and the brightest smile appeared on her face, she said something like : "oh thank you", and I stormed out of the train. I have to say it was a big step for me because it might look really creepy when strangers are showing that much of interest in someone, plus I'm pretty shy and unsure of myself. But I did it and was kind of proud.

She wrote me back few hours later, her name was Eleonore. We've decided to meet each other for a coffee. My intuition was right, she was an amazing creature : very sensitive, talented, beautiful, with an unusual past. It was very easy for us to bond. She moved out from Paris before I could take the pictures of her but we stayed in touch. And when about two weeks ago she told me she will be in Paris for few days I jumped on the occasion to make a quick photo-session with her.

It feels incredible to choose people you want to take pictures of, because usually I don't. I rarely make the pictures for myself lately because, I guess, I found it too egoistic and it seemed more appropriate to work for others. But this experience shows me that I'm wrong and that the personal work is as important as any other, or maybe even more, because it opens up your soul in a complete different way.

Somnambule

This is my first video, made last year with two talented friends : Grigori Richard and Elsa Muse

fading sparks

There is a certain kind of special people you meet with whom you fall in love almost instantly, for no particular reason, it just feels like some sort of a karmic relationship. You see them all the time, think about them all the time, even if you live far away you always manage to talk to them often. Everything starts very fast and you can't imagine how you lived without them before. You see them as your soul siblings and say "I love you" more than you probably should.
And then all this magic goes away. They disappear completely or you fight all the time and suddenly no one have time for one another. Weeks, months, years are passing by and maybe your paths are going to cross again or maybe not. And I think it's a good thing. Not all relationships are meant to last, we can loose a track of friends or lovers but still have that fuzzy warm feeling about them and the time we had together. It doesn't mean you don't love each other anymore, it only means your time has passed. As if you were two shooting stars crossed in a flight : intense but brief.
I don't believe in coincidence, all meetings happen for a reason and I think we all have lessons to learn from one another. We should cherish each moment in relationships because even if it is not going to last it will make you understand something very meaningful. The most complicated and painful thing is to let go and accept without trying to retrieve it, because once the spark is gone you can't have it back but you can find another one with someone else and keep the old one as a beautiful memory.

to all my past loves and friendships

Seine

a cinemagraph we realized last year with my lovely Elsa...

model : ElsaMuse

Jeanne Dandoy

we've met with Jeanne last year in the middle of the summer. from the first few shots I was impressed with her interesting way of moving, her melancholic smile and her obvious pin-up charm, and even though she looked a bit nervous in front of the camera each shot was good.
"my father was a photographer", she tells me "and used to make pictures of me all the time, but I actually didn't liked it, I had the feeling that he was never really satisfied with me". 

I don't know why but for me it's more fascinating to shoot someone who doesn't like camera than someone who feels very secure about it. it has always been this way, I think I love challenges and the fact that people can trust me and show their true emotions even if they have some sort of apprehension at the beginning.
few minutes later Jeanne opened up to me and we had such a great time together !

model : Jeanne Dandoy, Venin Agency