Interviews Working with light from the darkness
A self made photographer, Philippe Schlienger believes it is the responsibility of every artist to present his vision to the world through his work. His photographs reflect his real-to-life approach and “bring out the inner beauty of subjects”. With his work being featured in numerous fashion magazines including Elle, Vogue and Flair among others, he stands head and shoulders above his peers. He has also done marketing campaigns for top brands like Christian Dior and Estee Lauder. In an exclusive interview with Fotoflock.com, he talks about his ingenious rooster images, art photography and upcoming work.
How and when did you start photography?
I started 20 years ago by printing in a laboratory. I’d like to say that I learned to work with light from the darkness of the printing room.
Have you had any formal education in photography?
No formal education for me! I am proud to be a self-made photographer although I taught photography for a decade in a well-known Parisian art school. I used to start my courses by saying: “Don’t expect to learn photography from a teacher, just shoot and work with light as much as you can!
How would you define your style of photography?
It’s graphic, essential, as writing with light a shape as simple as possible.
Your work has been showcased in museums and public collections. Was that something you worked towards?
It is the duty of a creator to show and exhibit his work and his vision of the world. And once a picture is made, it is always gratifying to notice that the public see their significance in the picture. In fact, the emotion that a picture communicates does not belong to the author but to the public. That is the interesting part of showing my pictures: finding out what people see in it.
What I love in my career as a photographer is that I have no idea of what I will work on in the coming years… I let the future surprise me.
Your rooster images have made quite a wave, could you please tell us a little more about those?
I did not wake up one morning thinking: Great idea, I will shoot roosters! It came to me from an old gardener that I hired to help me work in my garden. He was collecting briding roosters just for the pleasure of it. He was in love with his 49 roosters and he was taking care of them in the tiny court of his modest house. One day he asked me to shoot them just for him. That is the beginning of the story… there is text I wrote about it in the book, Roosters Edition Assouline.
Could you share with us one of the most interesting shoots you have done till date?
Well no because it is a humoristic - pornographic image that is impossible to show! With this image, I have understood that the humanity imagined images but some of these images should not exist because they broke the limit of what is possible to represent or not. The image is on my site but you need a password to view it! The title of the series is hysterical object.
Art Photography… what does it mean for you?
Art photography doesn’t mean anything to me. I am just a photographer. A group of people who have authority, power or money, decide at a certain moment that this person is an artist and this person produces a piece of art and that this piece of art is worth a lot of money. Great! Fine! But it is just a subjective decision that can change at any moment of our history. So I make pictures to find my own truth, to understand what is my imagination, from where I come, where am I going, for the pleasure of meeting people, to enjoy life and what I see, etc… But not at all to be recognised as an artist.
What is the kind of work you still enjoy?
What I love in my career as a photographer is that I have no idea of what I will work on in the coming years… I let the future surprise me. Actually, I am working on the brand new technology of 3D photography. I have three books in preparation, four series in progress, five assignment to respond to and 1,000 ideas per minutes!
Which photographers have inspired you?
I don’t really have a Master Photographer who inspired me. I am very eclectic, while a series of a photographer can enthuse me, another one can disappoint me.
Some work of Atget, Blossfeld, Irving Penn, Mappelthorpe, Toscani, Andres Serrano interest me.
You have to your account a lot of literature on photography and you teach as well, do you enjoy theory as much as the practical?
I am not an intellectual but I have a lot of intuition when I work. I cannot analyse the things I see, but I don’t know why, I feel that this object or this light on this face means something, tells a story visually and hides an idea.
So I let the public, the collectors, the art critics, writers and journalists react to my images in the way they like to do. I am always interested in their emotions or reactions in front of my pictures. But there is no premeditation in my intention of making a photograph, except for myself.
It is really hard to stop using software at the right point but that was the same problem in the dark room.
What are your thoughts on the use of Photoshop and other software in photography?
It is like any other tool: You have to use it because it is a fantastic way to obtain exactly what you see. However, if you use it too much, if you let the tool control your hand, then you lose your personal intention (the shaking of the hand). It is really hard to stop using software at the right point but that was the same problem in the dark room. Photography and creation in general is a succession of choices and digital photography does not change anything to that fact.
What does Philippe do when not behind the lens?
I have to say that I don’t shoot so often. I don’t have a camera around my neck 24 hours a day. In fact, sometimes, I spend da
ys without shooting. Around me, they say that I am lazy but they are wrong! It takes time to make an image. And to make an image, you have to see it perfectly in your soul. I call that ‘Previsualisation’. The result is never exactly the same as my idea of it but not totally different either. So, when I am not shooting, I am previsualising.
I also spend a lot of time looking at pictures. I can devour thousands of magazines! And I love to play with my kids!
What are your thoughts on printing in photography?
For me printing is part of the photographer’s job as much as shooting. As I told you, I started to print pictures in the darkroom before shooting. Then I thought: I love to print so I should shoot pictures to print them!
Ink jet is a fantastic technology. A friend of mine is a very important engraver on copper; He had worked for Belmer and I made him discover inkjet printing years ago. Since then, he is keen on it. Besides, it is much more ecological than silver print. It gives you so much possibility to explore the potential of the paper. Keeping a link between the hand, the touch and the contact with the material is essential. That is why I love books as objects and I like to frame my prints myself.
What equipment are you using currently?
Sinar 4x5 P4 large format camera
Hasselblad V and SWC with digital back
Canon 1Ds Mark III
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Photos by Philippe Schlienger | Fotosocial
