July 22, 2015

Argot/NYC


When I enter NYC, I stay a couple of days at my friends place Argot. I met her 3 years before on a press trip in Mardin, Turkey close by the Syrian border. She is writing for a New York paper, I am invited as a photographer. It clicked between the two of us and we work on an own format of a magazine just half a year later. We share a bed and become real friends. When I stay with her and her husband Steven in their place in China town, I ask them to get portrayed by me in their bed, together as a couple to show their love that is full of ease, flesh and fur.

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Nothing but New York. In bed with Argot and Steven, Lower Eastside. nov 22/13

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EYES WIDE SHOT

August 24, 2014

FRENCH GIRLS / Ajaccio


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Or the goddess of the foam fountain

I meet them at the beach, four french girls traveling the first time without parents. When we decide to meet later at the fountain of Napoleon, I already see my spot for this shooting: the fountain is totally covered with foam, because the city cleans it exactly that night. The foam looks like clouds, but the water is dirty as hell. The girls are brave enough to go inside with me. They first turn into tough cookies, than into goddess and after sending me their text about the process, I believe, they also turned into woman on this trip, maybe that night.

 

groups9 groups8 left:Clara, right:Laëtitia

groups7  groups10 left:Elisa, right:Julie

Elisa: “Maybe she’s just fed up that people thinks she’s a baby. Now she leaves her shadow side bring back to surface. She assert herself as a strong woman, she’s watching her back and stay current. She’s turned through her future, and leave her past behind.”

Laëtitia: “Maybe she is just pretending. Pretending to be a strong woman, pretending to break the rules without worrying about the consequences, pretending to spit at the face of people. Or maybe not. Maybe she should just accept she accepts herself, accept she has changed, accept that you can change while remaining the same person. Stop being in identity quest. Stop lying to herself because in her heart she knows, she knows she is strong thanks to her past. Stop pretending and assume its transformation. She must leave the knots in her stomach. She is a warrior. And now she does not want to be afraid anymore.”

Clara: “We can’t judge someone by the cover of the book. Too many people did it. For them, she’s only a frail and angelic doll they have to protect.However, this is not true. She is a strong woman who can act with her own weapons, without help.”

Julie: “Muscles and the template are not everything. Appearances mean nothing. We find our strength in several areas, such as reflection, patience and self control.”