Search Results

Behind the scenes Photoshoot Feat. Agnes Bodda & Maeva K. [Part I] Lingerie, boudoir, glamour sessions, or whatever you call them have always been challenging for me and still are. I have my own rules and limits in terms of expressions and poses. I try not to cross that line that leads to erotic pictures and further down the road porn. So far I have organized these private sessions in places that were not that inspiring compared to where I usually work with dancers and circus artists. But as a photographer, you have to make it work, you have to make it interesting, you have to adapt to any type of situation. The challenge is to find simple poses that will suit each model whether they are experienced or not. My goal is to make every session unique and use the best way I can to the location I am in. So how do I do it? In this first part, I will show you the different images I made during morning time and share with you the thoughts behind some of the shots and how we made it possible. The first session I had was with Agnes Bodda ( @agnes.bodda ) a french performer and pole dancer. That morning I discovered that beautiful beam of light and decided to use it as our main source. I decided quickly to add a bit of flash to fill in the shadows and to have a little bit more control over the overall contrast. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/320sec f/5.6 ISO50 Something I should do a bit more often is to change my perspective. I frequently shoot in extreme low angles, and for this one, I decided to shoot from above. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/320sec f/5.6 ISO50 Before the light completely changed in the room we decided to make this final shot using the couch. Using the furniture or any accessories in the room always helps. Make your model sit, lean on something it will help you when you will be out of posing ideas. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/320sec f/8 ISO50 In a previous post, I talked about how I made a lot of images in bathtubs. This is one of them! Again a change of perspective and another way of using the space to your advantage. Of course, it helps when your model is a gifted dancer. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/3.5 ISO500 The classic "on the bed" shot! I tried with and without a flash and ended up not using it. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO250 For this 2nd session made in the morning, we were a bit more prepared and knew that that beam was coming. This time I made a few images without any flash and let parts of Maeva K. ( @mkcorspri )disappear into the darkness. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/320sec f/6.4 ISO50 Black & White or color? Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/250sec f/6.4 ISO50 That mirror was in the hallway, and I thought it would be a shame not to use it! I used once again à flash to fill in the shadows, made a few images with and without it with different poses. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/320sec f/6.4 ISO50 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/4 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/320sec f/7.1 ISO50 This one is the only one I kept without the fill provided by the flash. I wanted to guide the viewer's eyes directly on her reflection. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR 1/320sec f/5.6 ISO50 This image is probably my favorite of this session. The one I had in mind from the very beginning. Two Broncolor lights placed left and right in HS, and my classic down low full reflection composition. Big shoutout to Maeva for being bendy and compact enough to almost completely fit in the frame. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/160sec f/4 ISO160 So this is how I managed to create different looks and how I tried to adapt to the model I had in front of my lens that morning. Bringing out my model's personality and strength and doing my best to make each session unique was my main goal. In part 2 , I will show you what I was able to make in the same space but with the afternoon light that changed completely my approach and consequently the resulting images. Check out part II: 5 models 1 location Boudoir BTS Photoshoot [Part II]

Behind the scenes Photoshoot Feat. Ophélie Ferrand, Marianne M. & Océane [Part II] If you haven’t read part I already I urge you to do so! Just kidding, I've done this bad joke before, it really doesn’t matter, you can read and watch this one first and go back to part I later . These sessions were not easy to make, especially when you try to find a way to make things different each time. Apart from an image or two, I try my best not to replicate a setup and image twice. Check out part I: 5 models 1 location Boudoir BTS Photoshoot [Part I] You will see that in part one, I used the space differently. The light in the morning was completely different and changed the mood of each room completely. This highlights the importance of knowing the space you shoot in. If you have the luxury to visit your location beforehand, do so. This is a must if you want to be efficient on the day of your photoshoot. The light in the afternoon was soft, or at least compared to the one we had in the morning. No beam of light but a light bouncing off the buildings facing our windows. The consequence of that is a lack of light for some shots, so I had to use a little bit more my Strobes on a few of them. For example, for the image of Opéhlie F. ( @nala.fit ) down below Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/7.1 ISO250 My flash for the following image was placed camera left to accentuate the light coming from the window. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/7.1 ISO250 We used that mirror again, but this time we used it near the window without any flash. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 R LM OIS WR Macro 1/160sec f/4 ISO1250 I had to use the couch again, an easy prop that helps make new poses. I was going for a dark mood initiated by the mirror shots. But since we were in the middle of the living room, I had to use at least one flash. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/100sec f/2.8 ISO200 No exception here for the bedroom images. The light coming from the windows was too weak and changing too much, so I used one flash for more control. And last but not least, for this image, we only opened the window camera left. No additional light was used to make it. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR 1/125sec f/3.5 ISO2500 The 2nd model to join me in the afternoon was Marianne ( @marianne_maigre ) . The approach was different as we started with backlit images in the bedroom. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR 1/100sec f/2.8 ISO125 I added more light to her body by simply moving her closer to the window (and almost outside). Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR 1/100sec f/2.8 ISO100 An image that was made with and without a Strobe. We ended up opening all the windows and using only the light available for a more "natural" look. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO250 And for our final image, I simply placed a flash camera left. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO100 For this final session, I was accompanied by miss Océane ( @lazybabe ). I decided early on that this session would be different in terms of lighting. Very little use of the window light, in fact, we closed the window for almost all of our shots. I used 2 strobes almost on all the shots except for the one in the chair and in the bedroom. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4.5 ISO100 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO50 We really went further with our "dark" contrasted look. Almost crushing the blacks, and with a higher contrast compared to the images made with all the other models. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/3.5 ISO100 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/5 ISO50 This is the only image that we made with only the light coming from the windows that we actually kept. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR 1/100sec f/3.5 ISO500 With the sun slowly setting, that additional strobe camera left was needed for the look I was going after. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/3.5 ISO250 So that's it! 5 models, one location, and multiple scenarios, moods, and vibes. Don't be afraid to try and experiment with things if possible on your own shoots. You can even borrow a few ideas here, use them as a starting point and then make them your own. Which session was your favorite? Tell me in the comments! My next Lingerie shoot will be held outdoors, I can’t wait to show you that one! Until then, keep on creating. If you missed it, here is part I: 5 models 1 location Boudoir BTS Photoshoot [Part I]

So I didn’t want to make one of these what’s in my bag article but, this is a question I get asked again and again on Instagram, YouTube, and email. What camera do you use, what lenses… oh I forgot what Tripod is, is maybe the number item that gets everybody excited apparently. So this is it, at least in the video I will tell you and show you the gear I used for 75% of my work the past 2 years (almost) plus a few bonus accessories I always carry with me and that I really found useful. I used to be a Canon shooter and I still do use Canon gear, but if you’ve been following me lately you probably have noticed that I’ve been using Fujifilm recently. At first the Fujifilm GFX50s and now The Fujifilm GFX100. I won’t tell you how and why I ended up using this system because I’ve shared my thoughts on these cameras already. Fuji GFX50s my thoughts as a Dance/ Circus photographer Fujifilm GFX100, Medium format for the mass? This article and video are not sponsored, so I might say bad things on some of the items I have, so if you are one of the brands concerned by this and you are not happy about what I am about to say, then send me a check and I will make another video, just for you! So let’s start with the bag it’s the LOWEPRO PRO TREKKER RLX 450 AW II and I hate it. Yeah, I am honest I don’t like it. I’ve had multiple bags from this brand and this one is the worst. I chose it for the convenience of having wheels because of my back problems, and to be able to use it as a regular backpack. To be fair this feature is nice and not bad at all. What is less cool is the lack of compartments and the handle that eats way too much space inside. I thought I would be able to fit any mounted DSLR and mirrorless camera, but I was wrong. You cannot leave any tripod plate screwed underneath it because you will have to force a little to close the bag. So imagine a grip or putting a GFX100 or a 1DX inside. I said it earlier, I am working with Fujifilm gear now. The GFX100 is my go-to camera with the following lenses: GF 120mm F4 LM OIS WR Macro, GF 110mm F2 R WR, GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR , GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR , GF 32-64mm f/4 R LM WR and GF 23mm f/4 R LM WR! I also carry with me the Insta360 oneX! That good old 360° camera that helps me capture 360 degrees videos of my photoshoot sessions makes some of you guys sick. I mount it on my camera on the hot shoe mount and hit the record button, and voilà, I can now worry less about my behind-the-scenes video and more about my shoot, because I can do it later in post. Plus I save a bit of money because I don’t have to hire someone to film for me (just kidding). I carry all this in a pouch provided with the bag, which is the only good thing about it. I also have a set of Hex keys, that I often use to tighten my tripods or screw some other useful parts, like accessories on My Ronin S. I always bring a few spare batteries ( Rechargeable LR6 ) of course and a quick charger for my Broncolor remote. A waterproof and shockproof SD, Compact flash carrying case with a few spare cards (LXH/LYNCA Memory Card Case Holder) An SD, Compact flash, and CF express card readers (Lexar 3.0 SD and CF card reader and Angelbird CF express card readers) I might get rid of this soon because now CF express cards are dominating the market. And now my tripod! The Manfrotto 190 go, I love it and hate it at the same time because it’s light, I can shoot down low with it and I have been throwing it around for years now and it still works. But the thing is for portrait shots, if your camera is a bit too heavy, it simply won’t handle it. I am currently looking for a lighter, sturdier tripod that can handle heavier cameras. Any suggestions? I also use these light Manfrotto Stands but I recently discovered that they are a tiny bit fragile. So if you can carry with you the good old C stands, do so! In my lovely Bag, I also can carry a MacBook Pro and in the very few pockets, I have 2 card readers. Another important item, or let me correct myself, 2 important items I always bring with me when I travel: 2 LACIE Porsche Design USB-C Mobile Drive (2TB) for redundancy. You don't want to lose your precious footage. And last but not least, it has nothing to do with photography but thought it would be nice to share this with you, I carry this everywhere I go now. This EKSTER "Parliament wallet" is a very useful and stylish item I've been using for months now. I needed a small device that could carry my credit cards and my business cards. The most important thing for me was that it had to be really compact. They even do a steel-slimmer version of this if you don’t like the leather look. In the back you can slide in a tracker... but why you may ask? Everywhere I go I lose stuff and my wallet makes no exception. I just empty my pockets and go shoot and then I spend several minutes looking for it. With this tracker, I can easily find it, because I can "ring" the tracker with a push of a button from my phone. It even tells me when I am too far from it and thanks to the dedicated app. But I am getting off-topic here, just check them out, it's a really cool device. I think I did it, that’s what is actually in my bag and pocket when I travel for a job in 2020. I mentioned the broncolor remote earlier, I don’t always carry it with me, of course, only when I need to use strobes. I have a separate bag for the 2 x 800ws Siros L Broncolor flashes I use for my on-location photoshoots. Now I can send this link to anyone who asks me what I use for the next 12 months… unless I change a big chunk of my gear before… who knows. What about you? What camera do you use for your work?

It’s always nice to give a 2nd life to a picture. These days the majority of our work ends up online and only a few projects are used for prints, posters, and even magazines. So when I received these in the mail, I was really pumped to see one of my images that was created back in May 2019 on the cover of the first edition of the French Magazine "PULPE". This image was part of a series I made with dancer Hélène Bernadou inside the Château Pape Clément. I was testing the Fujifilm GFX50s back then figuring out if that camera was for me, and also experimenting with new ideas for possible future projects… but more on that soon. "Pulpe is a full-fledged media bringing together several channels: a magazine, but also a blog, video clips and social networks. "Pulpe le magazine" is another way of approaching a tourist destination, with an elegant line and fun and quirky content." Read the magazine online (French) The website If you wish to see how this cover was made and the complete gallery: Fuji GFX50s my thoughts as a Dance/ Circus photographer

Behind the scenes video feat. Monica Barbotte This photoshoot was particular. For every photoshoot, On a typical session, I try to create different scenes, depending on the number of images needed. For each scene, we experiment with variations in poses and sometimes compositions, and on this one, I am glad we did. Usually, my client will choose a variety of shots and at least one from the different scenes created. But here she actually rejected a bunch of images and chose variations and different versions of only a few scenes. I was surprised, but as long as my client is happy, I am happy. I love her selection, and I was reminded of something I learned a few years ago. I now always try multiple poses, change a few details, and sometimes stay a little longer in the same spot and slightly change my composition. The idea at the time was to over-deliver and give a wide variety of images and options to my client. And you know what, almost every time, they end up taking more images. This is kind of a typical private dance photoshoot session. I wish to thank Monica, a professional dancer I met a few years ago who trusted me for her pictures. Underexposing my background, and increasing the contrast and shadows of my images with one light is still something I love to do: Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO200 For these stairs shots, I asked you guys on Instagram which one you preferred… uncropped or cropped, and of course which pose. You guys didn’t seem to agree on a particular shot. Personally, I prefer the uncropped versions more. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO2500 This is how much the addition of light changes everything. Down below, without a flash… (and as a bonus the before and after) Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO500 and the following images I added a Flash camera right with… Which ones do you prefer? And finally, of course, I had a few smoke grenades in my backpack so I had to fire a few for at least one image... and because you guys are awesome, another before and after just for you! Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/5 ISO400 You may have guessed, that the last image is a combination of multiple images. What I loved in this session is the amount of freedom she gave me. Sometimes I have tons of restrictions and don’t have that much room to express myself. Here I almost got to do whatever I wanted. Hope you enjoyed this one, I thought this blog needed a little more dance photoshoot behind the scenes these days. I really hope you learned a thing or two here, if not, then maybe next time. Until then, take care and have a good one.

Behind the scenes video feat. Manon Vergé Today, we will be discussing colored smoke grenades because It has been a while… 2 years ago (already) I did a fitness photoshoot in an abandoned place. The type of place I usually never choose for a photoshoot, but I needed an open space near the city that would allow me to use colored smoke grenades without getting noticed too quickly. BTS – Fitness photoshoot with Smoke Grenades Feat. Ophélie Ferrand When using Smoke grenades you have to make sure nobody lives near the location you are using them. Otherwise, you will have to warn the population and ask for a permit from the local authorities. The reason for that is simple... People might think something is on fire and call firefighters for nothing, or you might just annoy people who never asked to be intoxicated with colored smoke. You may have seen this image on IG… Well, this image was our only attempt that day. We fired only one grenade for this one because people who were living nearby threatened to call the authorities if we didn’t stop… Lesson learned. I was supposed to make several photoshoots using these colored smoke grenades back in 2017 when I first purchased a bunch of them. But I ended up using them sparingly because I didn’t have the time, and because they represent an additional cost for anyone booking a shoot with me who wished to use them. So I used them from time to time when possible on commissioned shoots and personal projects. How to Make EPIC SMOKE GRENADES pictures! Now we are in 2020, and I kind of have a little experience with them now. I have my way of utilizing them in my work and always knew how I wanted my smoke to interact with my models and environment. I never wanted my models to touch the grenade or hold it. I wanted to keep the chaos but still wanted some control and have the smoke to be visible across the entire frame. I quickly knew that the best way to do that was to use a mix of multiple photos in photoshop. From as little as 2 photos to sometimes 6 or 7 depending on the result, you wish to achieve. To make it seamless I sometimes add a little bit of digital smoke. I’ve had comments of people telling me that I would save time making it all digital. I just don't want to go down that route. There is nothing like the real thing, and the “happy accidents” that you may have when the smoke gets in the way when it swirls between objects is something really hard to make in post. Plus like in films, I want my models to interact with something real, something on set, and not just pretend… and I think that I will always have that approach when possible. I use ENOLA GAYE Smoke Grenades the EGX series are the best for me because they provide a thick saturated smoke that I love. You have less than 90 seconds to make your images, so this requires a rehearsal for your poses and some lighting tests. If you plan on trying it for yourself, you will soon realize that for one picture, it will take you some time. So during this standard Fitness photoshoot with the amazing Manon, I thought that I would at least make one image with a bit of smoke and we ended up making 3 of them. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/640sec f/4 ISO100 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4.5 ISO320 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO800 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO800 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/400sec f/4 ISO100 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/640sec f/6.4 ISO100 Of course, we made a few standard shots like we initially planned. Isn’t she amazing? Tell me which one of these images you preferred. I've got my favorite. Keep in mind that with this kind of image where you know photoshop will be an important part of the process, you’ve got to think and prepare each scene beforehand. Composition, how you will expose, whether you’ll be using a tripod or not and if you will need a clean plate, a picture without anybody in the frame, no smoke, no light stands, and so on… This is crucial if you don't want to spend hours in photoshop afterward. We are back in lockdown in France, so I will keep on posting only one blog post per week. I was planning on doubling the amount but I am afraid to run out of content by the end of the year. I really hope y’all are safe and well, don’t do anything stupid! Spread some love, and until next time please have an awesome one. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR 1/250sec f/4 ISO50

Review of the BENQ SW321c This is one of the biggest mistakes I made during my early years as a photographer. Minimizing the importance of a good monitor. And you can add on top of that the importance of a well-calibrated screen. This might sound stupid to a lot of you, but when I started I thought “hey, I have a MacBook pro” I see a lot of photographers working with them and they are bloody expensive so the screen must be good enough straight out of the box. Boy was I wrong… But then I had weird feedback on some of my images but didn’t really pay attention. I had weird results on some of my printed images but thought maybe this was the printer’s fault. And then in 2016, I made my first big exhibition, and during that time I was no longer working on a MacBook Pro but on a dell workstation. The person in charge of the printing for this exhibition called me directly and asked me if that magenta tint on some of my images was on purpose and if the blacks were deliberately crushed on others. The opening; My first exhibition / Vlog #7 At first, I thought that we were not looking at the same images but then I discovered I was missing something, my colors were "off" and some of the details in the shadows were buried by my screen. So with the budget that I had later on I purchased this 32" inch PD3200U Benq monitor and quickly saw what and why I was doing things wrong. The difference was night and day. I now calibrate my screens regularly with the "I display pro" and the bigger screen helped a lot for all those details. My prints came back to me and looked more like the images I initially had on my screen, no more bad surprises… I was happy, or sort of… With the years, you gain experience, you train your eye and every detail now have its importance. For big projects, I wanted to be sure I had the right tools to deliver the best work I can. And that’s when the BenQ SW321C comes in. Paper Color Sync Technology to Simulate Photo Print Effect on Screen, Uniformity Technology for Screen-Wide Color Accuracy, and 99% Adobe RGB Color Space were the main reasons this screen got my attention. This screen has 10-bit Color Depth which allows smooth color gradations. No more bending in solid blue skies that you might get with an 8-bit screen. The uniformity technology offers precise color from corner to corner for a consistent viewing experience. I now use the Palette Master Element software provided with the screen to calibrate it. It's easy to set up, I was quickly ready to work. The Shading hood is really welcome here especially for me because I have a window placed slightly behind my desk. Of course, I always work with the blinds partially or completely down because I prefer having my screen being the brightest element in my room every time I color grade and retouch an image or a video. I said this earlier this screen will give you 99% of Adobe RGB, 100% of sRGB/Rec. 709, and 95% of DCI-P3/Display P3, which should give you realistic color representation for almost all your work. I can finally finetune my blacks, shadows, and contrast much more precisely, and also not worry (or at least less than before) about the results on paper. I also like this little Hotkey Puck G2, a useful tool for me because my screen is sometimes a bit out of reach. I can dive into the menus and change the settings of my screen quickly without messing directly with the monitor. I like the overall design of the screen and the multiple ports available make it easy to use with a desktop PC, or any laptop... and last but not least the price... If you wish to purchase a screen of that level of quality these days you will have to pay a ton of money. The Benq SW321c is available in Europe for around 1.8k €. After months of use, I really believe you get plenty for your money. It will still be out of reach for some, but if you consider getting serious about your work if you want to make photography your profession, your main income then you have to seriously consider owning a high-end screen. I didn’t want to rush into a review without fully utilizing it on multiple projects, and never review a product that I don't use in my own workflow. I paid my first BenQ monitor full price and loved it, but this one was sent to me by BenQ and of course, you've guessed it, I am going to keep it. BenQ told me I was free to say whatever I want about this monitor. So this is my honest opinion, but I thought that this piece of information was worth mentioning. Guys, tell me in the comments below, what do you use, what monitor do you use for editing and retouching? Tell me in the comments below. Any cool screens you want to recommend? More info about the screen: https://www.benq.eu/en-eu/monitor/photographer/sw321c.html Plus d'infos : https://www.benq.eu/fr-fr/monitor/photographer/sw321c.html Chopez le votre/ Grab yours: https://cutt.ly/mgDY46X or https://www.ldlc.com/fiche/PB00336944.html

1st thoughts and hands-on I finally got my hands on the EOSR5 (a few weeks ago) and didn’t release my thoughts on the camera earlier because you probably have watched hundreds of other reviews on it already. So I didn’t need to rush into this one...I got the camera, used it on a couple of jobs, and here we are weeks later! I had the RF 28-70mm f2 but only for 72h and the combo RF 50mm f1.2 and RF 85mm 1.2 DS separately for a longer period of time. The idea was to use the R5 like I would use any other camera. I used it as my main body and had the canon 1DX3 as a backup. The following are my first thoughts about the ergonomics, general build, feel of the camera, and performances in relation of course to the type of work that I do and to what I expect from a camera these days. If you are interested in the video capabilities of this camera, sorry… I won’t talk about this here or just briefly… in fact I filmed the talking head of my video with the 1DX3, so no video footage here from the R5. If you are patient enough, there will be a few videos made with the camera (fully or partially) on my other channel and of course in a blog post here. The first things I wanted to test, was the eye, and face autofocus... Plus the 12 mechanical fps! I did use the 2 lenses wide open quite a bit, something that I do not usually do. CANON EOS R5 & RF85mm f/1.2 DS 1/250sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 CANON EOS R5 & RF50mm f/1.2 1/800sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 First, the ability to focus anywhere is really something I enjoy in these new mirrorless cameras. The autofocus of the R5 is amazing. It can easily be an action camera, although I didn’t have the opportunity here to push it to its limits. It’s great in almost every situation. In extreme lowlight situations, it performs decently but I wouldn’t rely on it 100%. I am a little bit biased when it comes to the overall ergonomics and form factor. I’ve used Canon cameras for years, my first DSLR was the 550D (T2i) so I quickly felt at home. I hated the touch bar on the EOSR and was missing the joystick so I am so happy they put it back on this one. 45 mp is plenty enough, for 90% of the photography I do, the rest is for special personal projects or specific client needs, and for that, I found that the Fujifilm GFX100 is the right choice for me. I’ve been shooting less motion, less movement the past months because of the limitations of the autofocus system of the GFX line. I have to admit that the difference here is night and day. I said it earlier, this could be used as a sports camera the 12fps, and the amazing servo mode. CANON EOS R5 & RF50mm f/1.2 1/800sec at f/6.3 ISO 640 CANON EOS R5 & EF24-70mm f/2.8 (EF to RF adapter) Broncolor SirosL (800ws) 24mm - 1/200sec at f/3.2 ISO 320 CANON EOS R5 & EF24-70mm f/2.8 (EF to RF adapter) Broncolor SirosL (800ws) 24mm - 1/160sec at f/3.2 ISO 320 I also found it great for the work I do with flowing drapes and fabrics because it allows me to have multiple shots of the fabric and find the perfect shape with just a few bursts. Last but not least, I have to talk about these new RF Canon glasses… They are amazing. They are built to last, quick and responsive, and they deliver outstanding images with details and sharpness from corner to corner even at wide apertures. CANON EOS R5 & EF24-70mm f/2.8 (EF to RF adapter) Broncolor SirosL (800ws) 24mm - 1/200sec at f/2.8 ISO 400 CANON EOS R5 & RF28-70mm f/2 Broncolor SirosL (800ws) 28mm - 1/160sec at f/2 ISO 320 So let’s sum this up, I really enjoyed and salute the performance of the Autofocus, eye autofocus, and tracking, photography-wise, it is a great camera. I almost have nothing bad to say about it, at least nothing bad worth mentioning. Unless maybe the price… This is supposed to be the Mirrorless equivalent of the 5D series. And CANON has been raising the prices for each new release. This is what basically stopped me from preordering this camera. This and the terrible marketing at launch. The R5 claimed itself as an amazing tool for Hybrid shooters and even a revolutionary tool for filmmakers. It is not… I’ve tried to make videos for my channel and I managed to only make 2 of them. I usually do one long take that will be around 15 to 35 minutes long. With the R5 we are limited to 29minutes of recording, and if you film yourself with its best 4K (4K fine or 4K HQ) the camera will overheat and you will only be able to film in basic 4k afterward. If you are a filmmaker a videographer or a hybrid shooter, the moment you turn on this camera the overheating countdown starts for you. And depending on where you are shooting, the ambient temperature, the amount of footage you are capturing both stills and 4K HQ, you will rapidly find yourself worrying about whether or not you will still be able to capture your images. You will film beautiful images with this camera, but you can only rely on it as a B or a C camera. Unless you need high frame rates and the autofocus in these high frame rates the 1DX3 is a better choice. So now I am still weighing the pros and cons of this camera. If this camera in Europe was sold for 4K euros or less, I would probably already have it in my hands. Don't get me wrong, it’s a great camera and personally, it would save me from learning a new system all over again. Let’s wait a few months… who knows, the price might drop after Christmas, and Canon will solve the delivery problems they are facing right now and they might add new options in future updates. If you are not much into video, then this camera might be perfect for you. Otherwise, try to get your hands on it and test it for yourself. What are your thoughts? Did you get yours, did you test it? Let us know in the comments below.

Make it Simple Behind the scenes video feat. Jessica & Lauriane This is the type of behind the scenes video I tend to share less on this channel and this for multiple reasons. One of the fun things about having a YouTube channel for me is to be able to go back in time and relive some fun moments. See me younger... and of course, cringe over my past work. But as a whole, I love it, especially now because there are a few of you who show up every week and I can share these moments with you. Simple, stripped-down sessions... with me and only me and my camera. Sometimes with one light and sometimes with the sun which is also a light. And If I want to be honest, far from the castles, museums, and all these fancy places I shoot in, I actually shoot more in ugly, common places than you think. This is the truth, these are the sessions I propose on a regular basis. Nothing fancy, just me and my camera and my client of the day or model because I still do sometimes shoot for fun. You can make cool images with very little and that's what we did a few months back during these 2 separate sessions in Lyon. When my environment isn't great I often shoot through or near textures, bushes, or trees with tight long focal lenses. This helps me isolate my subject have a lot of things going in the frame and avoid all the ugly parts of the location I am shooting in. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO 100 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO 100 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO 50 Jessica and I have worked together in the past, so we can get to work right away. The sun was playing hide and seek with us so I tried to block it and have her in the shade as much as possible and used my flash to balance my shot. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4 ISO 50 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/125sec f/4.5 ISO 50 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR Broncolor Siros L (800ws) 1/800sec f/4 ISO 100 I have to stop the video right here because this photoshoot was great up to this point. Unfortunately, I have no images of what happened next but I am going to try my best to describe to you what happened. I wanted to make a few images near the water, with my flash on a light stand without my assistant. It was windy that day and we had to work fast. We joked about that time in 2016 when one of my strobes fell headfirst into the ocean. Do you see where I am going? Yes, my broncolor SIrosL fell again head first in the water. I had my GFX100 in one hand jumped towards my flash and grabbed the light stand with the other hand. Since my hands were full I had to land on my elbow which smacked the concrete floor. Half of my body was in the water, my model reached out to me and I gave her the GFX 100 right away. It took me 5 seconds to get back up and pull half of my flash out of the water. Yes, the best half of it was taking a bath. So of course the session stopped there, I dried with what we had my gear, packed up, and rushed to a friend's apartment where I used a hairdryer to save what could be saved. Long story short, I had to prepare my 2nd shoot of the day that was just a few hours away. This is the reason why the following was done with natural light. Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR 1/160sec f/4 ISO 50 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR 1/160sec f/4 ISO 50 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR 1/500sec f/4 ISO 50 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR 1/200sec f/4 ISO 50 Fujifilm GFX100 + GF 30mm F3.5 R WR 1/30sec f/4.5 ISO 125 What a day, I can laugh about it now because it was a few months ago and I had time to digest all of this. I was really mad at myself that afternoon so now when looking at the images, I am kind of proud of myself because I wasn't at my best. I really want to thank Jessica who supported me all the way despite the very short session we had that morning. And huge thanks to Lauriane for understanding my strange mood that afternoon. Lesson learned this will not happen a 3rd time! By the way... my flash still works.

Behind the scenes Feat. Clara P. I’ve shared of few of these sessions on this channel in the past, but usually, they happened indoors, in a nice fancy apartment, house, or an hôtel room. Sounds boring? Well Yes and no, you can always find a way to make it interesting, even in the most common places. So this time I want it to change things a bit and bring this one outside. Of course, you have to do this with someone who doesn’t mind making such a session in an open public space instead of a private bedroom. To spice things up, we added a few accessories… Because it’s me of course! This is the type of work I might propose for a brand with a limited budget. The reason for that is that you don’t have to include in your budget the cost of the location, and I can handle almost the entire session alone. This is not totally the case here but you get the idea. The more accessories you add the more expensive the shoot will be. It sounds obvious, but sometimes you can get carried away and be too generous with what you offer to your clients. It is a nice and easy way to step away from the classic bedroom images or studio shots. The only risk is the unpredictable weather, sometimes we had to wait for the sun to come out a little. I made these during that time I had the EOSR5 for testing, so it was a while ago. It was also the perfect opportunity to test the RF 85mm f1.2 DS and the RF 50mm f1.2 lenses wide open, to add that little dreamy look & feel to our images. CANON EOS R5 & RF50mm f1.2 1/3200sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 To strengthen the color of the lingerie she was wearing we used matching fabrics. CANON EOS R5 & RF50mm f1.2 1/3200sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 But we also made a few simple shots. The sun was hitting her on her left side and went down gradually behind her as the session went by. CANON EOS R5 & RF85mm f1.2 DS 1/3200sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 CANON EOS R5 & RF85mm f1.2 1/800sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 When the sun was completely behind her, I decided to do just a shot or 2 with a flash. Nothing crazy, my flash was placed on the same axis as the sun, becoming my back/ sidelight. And of course, we had to go crazy a little… CANON EOS R5 & RF50mm f1.2 1/2500sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 CANON EOS R5 & RF50mm f1.2 Broncolor Lights (SirosL 800ws) 1/5000sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 I promise the next lingerie, swimwear, or boudoir photoshoot I will share here will be crazier and we'll try to be more creative! Hupe props to my amazing assistant Marlène, and of course, thank you, Clara ( @clara.is.back ) for trusting me for your images!

Behind the scenes video Feat. Louise Djabri & Julie Charlet It took me a long time to share these pictures! Of course, you all know that the videos on my YouTube channel are not posted in chronological order. So, this session happened in Toulouse a few months back during the days when I had the Canon EOS R5 in my hands with the RF 50mm and RF 85mm lens. I also had the EF to RF adapter for my EF lenses (that I no longer have). This session was special, not because I had 2 wonderful dancers but because one of the 2 was pregnant! CANON EOS R5 & EF 24-70mm F2.8II L (+ Adapter) Broncolor Siros L 800ws 24mm - 1/200sec at f/2.8 ISO 400 A quick look at my Instagram or my website, and you will obviously realize I am not a maternity photographer. Julie and I had a lot of difficulties meeting again and when we finally had the opportunity… she was 8 months pregnant. Since this session happened a few months back, you guessed it, she had her baby by now. She actually gave birth to her son a week after this photoshoot! Congrats to the new parents. So back to this session, a pregnant woman couldn't stop me, I just thought that this would be the opportunity to learn a thing or two... For this one, we were lucky enough to work inside la Cour des consuls , a magnificent hôtel in Toulouse. We had a small window to work with, so we had to work fast, which means that I will end up not doing half of the things I planned. I had my talented assistant Marlène with me again who has become a flying fabric expert over time. CANON EOS R5 & RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Broncolor SirosL 800ws 1/200sec at f/2 ISO 50 CANON EOS R5 & EF 24-70mm F2.8II L (+ Adapter) Broncolor SirosL 800ws 1/200sec at f/2.8 ISO 400 All the images in this video were shot with my Broncolor Siros L 800ws used as my main light source. It was during this session that I knew that the Canon R5 was a great camera. I only had the camera in my hands a couple of hours before the session, but I felt comfortable with it right away, and I am pleased with the results we got. If you haven’t seen my review on the camera , be sure to check it out. CANON EOS R5 & RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Broncolor SirosL 800ws 1/80sec at f/1.4 ISO 50 CANON EOS R5 & RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Broncolor SirosL 800ws 1/80sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 CANON EOS R5 & RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Broncolor SirosL 800ws 1/200sec at f/1.2 ISO 50 CANON EOS R5 & RF 85mm F1.2 L USM DS Broncolor SirosL 800ws 1/80sec at f/1.2 ISO 100 CANON EOS R5 & RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Broncolor SirosL 800ws 1/80sec at f/3.5 ISO 400 CANON EOS R5 & RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Broncolor SirosL 800ws 1/200sec at f/2.2 ISO 250 Before you leave 2 things: Some of you apparently didn’t get the memo. I have a 2nd YouTube channel, with some of my video work. And the following announcement will be in French: Le 16 décembre prochain, je donnerai un WEBINAR ou WEBINAIRE en partenariat avec BenQ. On discutera photo et particulièrement mon travail avec la danse, de mes débuts à aujourd’hui avec quelques petits conseils qui pourront peut-être vous aider pour vos prochains shoots “danse”. L’inscritpion est gratuite : Cliquez-ici J’espère vous voir Mecredi 16 Décembre à 18h ! Ne Ratez surtout pas ce rdv. For all of you who don’t understand french, you can still stop by and say “Hi”, you still might learn a thing or two. Let's hope that maybe we’ll have another opportunity for a Webinar but this time in English. Until next time please take care and have a good one!

What a strange year. I had less work in 2020 and it was without a doubt my less creative year. It was supposed to be a special one for me, with lots of changes business-wise. A transition in my activity towards more video work and exploring new grounds in my photography. Nothing of what I planned this year actually happened, and that’s ok because oddly, I learned so much this year. I met a lot of amazingly talented people this year and I took some time to explore all the other things in my life I left on the side because I was too busy working. So things got delayed, it’s life, shit happens, let's hope next year will be better… The following images are from one of the last photoshoots I did this year and an example of why it is important for me to test things over and over again. These were made a while back while I was discovering the Canon EOS R5. We played with fabrics again, tried a thing or 2, and most importantly we had a lot of fun that day. The goal of this session apart from this new camera I was using for the first time, was to try new ways of achieving images with flying fabrics and huge dresses with a limited crew. When I say limited, I mean me and one assistant. Usually, I need at least 2 other persons to manipulate these fabrics if not three. You probably saw the first attempts in previous videos and this is another one of them. Outdoor lingerie photoshoot Behind the scenes. Creative Dance photoshoot behind the scenes Perfection comes with repetition and although you will never reach perfection, you will become more efficient with time and reduce your chances of failure. For this photograph, I hid light in the other room on the right to fake the sun coming from the window. CANON EOS R5 & EF 24-70mm F2.8II L (+ Adapter) 2X Broncolor Siros L 800ws 24mm - 1/200sec at f/2.8 ISO 160 For this next one, I hid the main light in another room you cannot see on the left side of the frame taking advantage of that window. My 2nd light was on the opposite side filling up the shadows. CANON EOS R5 & RF 50mm f1.2 L USM 2X Broncolor Siros L 800ws 1/160sec at f/2.8 ISO 50 This one was fun to do… I’ve been placing my models on a stool or a small ladder a few times recently. Just to gain a bit of height and to add that surreal feeling to the image. What we did with the white fabric is the base of future bigger productions, I really cannot wait to create these pictures! CANON EOS R5 & EF 16-35mm F2.8II L (+ Adapter) 2X Broncolor Siros L 800ws 16mm - 1/160sec at f/2.8 ISO 50 I needed to try these ideas multiple times to experience the randomness of the whole process and see if I can gain any more control for future iterations. Basically, these sessions for me are almost like a creative lab and real-world rehearsals. This helps me be more confident for future demanding jobs. To know that I have a few tricks up my sleeves, that I have made a few times in the past helps me psychologically. CANON EOS R5 & EF 24-70mm F2.8II L (+ Adapter) Broncolor Siros L 800ws 24mm - 1/160sec at f/2.8 ISO 100 A few days later we met with Tiare again because these experimenting sessions are not reserved for my photography. I said it earlier, I was supposed to produce a couple of videos this year, but before that, I wanted to test different tools, different techniques, and ideas. I am still looking for the best compact hybrid video camera and lenses for my work. Other videos are available on my 2nd channel, be sure to check them out! So far, I used the 1dx3, The EOS R5 , and the Fujifilm GFX100 … We’ll see next year what I will actually use. Let’s hope 2021 will help us forget 2020 quickly. I want to wish all of you who have been supporting me and my work so far a joyous Holiday season and a happy and peaceful New Year. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones, stay safe. And if you have to remember one thing and only one thing… Love is the key! See y’all next year.