The Dancer – © Jean-Philippe Polo
Our personal inclinations and the nature of our work lead us to observe rather than simply see. This is why some of us regularly practise photography, alongside producing several dozen images per second on film sets.
And because some of these photographs generate keen interest, the Union invites you to discover them at an exhibition opening its doors at the Post&Prod studios in Boulogne, on 1 June.
For Roger Deakins, who has just published a selection of his photographs in Byways, photography is a way of taking visual notes: “These are personal sketches, which are different from what I accomplish as a cinematographer.”
It is quite different for the majority of the Union members sharing their creations with us in this exhibition. One thing their images have in common? A game of hide-and-seek with Time, an evocation of its omnipresence, even when a “snapshot” forces them to favour one moment over another.
Deprived of the ability to capture the transition from one moment to the next with a camera, the Union’s cinematographers convey its essence through a thousand stratagems: they suggest movement, make the present resonate with distant memories, explore the off-season of a ski resort, and many of them even go so far as to suggest a narrative through a single photograph, giving the viewer material to imagine the before and the after.
The exhibition’s philosophy is well summarised in the catalogue introduction:
“Although specialists in the moving image, we are also fascinated by photography, which lies at the heart of our profession and our aesthetic concerns. Freezing time and movement, focusing on composition, working in an exclusively solitary manner rather than as a team: our approaches are manifold. Complementary to our profession, our practice of photography both questions and enriches it.”
This exhibition is a first for the Union. Some of the prints will be available for purchase: “Each exhibitor has chosen their own format: framed prints, under glass, American box frames… There will be something for everyone.”
The 16 exhibiting members:
Jean-Philippe Bouyer is a keen explorer of street photography, capturing everyday street life with a small Canon Powershot. He shows a strong interest in the dynamics of multicultural neighbourhoods, illustrated here by his work in the Belleville district of Paris.
Catherine Briault documents the ski resorts during the off-season, transformed into strange ghost towns. Her series reveals a surprising emptiness once the snow has melted, questioning the model of the tourism industry and territorial urbanisation.
Delphine Desbrueres loves to capture the poetry of the moment, which can arise anywhere. Her series “Âmes en Ville” captures the grace of a light, the harmony of lines and the coincidences that turn out to be rendezvous.
Aurélien Dubois works in collaboration with director Nicolas Bary to create portraits of French cinema personalities. His photographs confront the reality of everyday life with virtual consumption, creating an atmosphere that is both familiar and unreal.
César Dumay-Houard delves into the world of fire, capturing the fleeting moments of those who dare to handle it. His images navigate between darkness and blinding light, conveying a burning passion for danger and exploration.
Jean-Claude Flaccomio mixes analogue and digital to capture the details and essence of life in Provence. His photos reflect the slowness of rural life and a nostalgic evocation of the Provence of yesteryear.
Sarah Guillaumin Haddad reassembles memories to create a new narrative. Her work “Pour le meilleur” explores the interplay between memory and reality, where memory ultimately alters the perception of reality.
Michele Gurrieri documents the marginalised communities of Genoa through touching and revealing portraits. He takes a particular interest in trans sex workers who have found in this neighbourhood a possibility to freely express their identity.
Samuel Lahu ventures into the smoke-filled streets of Toulouse, one day in March 2023. “The air is heavy, charged with anger, and the street gradually fades away.”
Thomas Lallier has been scrutinising the world through his lens since adolescence. He focuses on essentially empty spaces, light and patterns in all their forms, in a rather documentary approach.
Pascale Marin shoots instinctively, transforming fleeting moments into frames from imaginary films. Her photographs, captured on three continents, are like frozen memories: a pattern in Senegal, a movement in Ecuador, and an emotion during the filming of “L’Indomptée” by Caroline Deruas-Peano.
Céline Pagny documented life in Niger between 2000 and 2009, capturing in analogue through a 50mm GO lens the duality of the seemingly empty desert and the intense gazes of the children.
Jean-Philippe Polo loves dance, gesture, body movement, cinematography and photography. He seeks movement in the “stillness” of photography and has learned to appreciate the “quietude” of a cinematic shot. For him, photography is a personal expression and cinema a beautiful collective conversation.
Isabelle Razavet seeks to push photography towards abstraction and purity, attempting to evoke states of being — and their interrelation.
Cassiana Sarrazin is in search of unexpected vibrant moments, capturing surprising instants such as a solitary bird in India or the seemingly crumbling bell tower of Laon Cathedral.
Clémence Thurninger, passionate about cinema and photography, captures the essence of her travels around the world. Her triptych is an invitation to dream, using specific equipment for each panorama.
An exhibition destined to make its mark
Sarah Guillaumin Haddad, co-organiser of the event for the Union’s “Expo Photo” group, is fired up: “This is our first exhibition, a kind of test. Bringing together 16 exhibitors, distributing their works in a space large enough to fit them all, finding dates that suit everyone: for me, it’s completely new, incredibly exciting, and there will surely be things to fine-tune for the next one. But that’s normal — we’re organising all of this in our spare time, while working as cinematographers. We’re giving everything to make this event unforgettable.”
You are warmly invited to the private viewing, which will begin at 7:30pm on 1 June.
Link to event details on Facebook
Download the exhibition catalogue in PDF here
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Practical Information
Studios Post&Prod
88 bis, Avenue du Général Leclerc
92100 Boulogne-Billancourt
Metro Billancourt (line 9). The studios can be accessed directly from the metro exit, through the courtyard at numbers 88, 88 bis and 88 ter.
Open until the end of August 2023, Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm.
Some exhibitors have chosen to sell their prints. Prices will be displayed on a brochure available on site, but will range from €200 to €450 per print.
