Photography outside the workshop

Outside the workshop photography as exploration and source of inspiration

Outside the workshop photography takes on a new dimension.

It is no longer only a witness to know how or to a precise gesture but becomes exploration idea and source of inspiration.

Whether through studio photography or photographic walks outdoors the approach remains the same the eye opens relaxes and moves freely. 

Often there is no defined theme no predetermined subject. One sets off without particular expectations simply letting curiosity guide the gaze. 

Nature textures plants trees stones and the play of shadow and light then become true fields of observation almost visual laboratories.

Observing the world differently

In these moments photography acts like a silent dialogue with the world.

It invites us to look differently at what usually goes unnoticed. 

A torn piece of bark a crumpled leaf moss spreading over a stone a fragment of rusted metal a reflection in a puddle. Each element has its own story its own lines its own contrasts. 

Sometimes it is a tiny detail that catches the eye the vein of a leaf a crack in a trunk a glint of light on a matte surface. 

At other times it is a broader composition that emerges spontaneously a natural balance between shadow and light between fullness and emptiness that invites framing. 

In nature photography nothing is fixed everything depends on the moment the light the wind the movement of branches and seasonal changes. 

The image often emerges as an encounter a fleeting instant that must be captured before it disappears.

The studio as a field of experimentation

Studio work by contrast offers another form of freedom.

Here everything is calm motionless almost silent.

A simple object is placed on a neutral surface a lamp is adjusted a background is moved and the object is already transformed. 

Shapes become more legible materials reveal themselves differently volumes change according to the angle or the intensity of light. 

In this controlled environment an everyday object a tool a dry branch a piece of fabric or a fragment of metal can become a subject of study. 

One observes its texture its irregularities its traces of use. 

One looks for what in it might evoke something else a memory a miniature landscape an atmosphere. 

The studio thus allows objects to be explored from a new angle rediscovering their aesthetic and symbolic potential.

A slow and sustained attention

But whether in nature or indoors the intention remains the same to look more carefully.

This photographic approach whether documentary or experimental is based on a form of sustained almost meditative attention. 

It requires slowing down observing subtle transitions between one material and another and perceiving nuances that escape the first glance. 

Photographing in this context means allowing oneself to be surprised welcoming what the world reveals without warning. 

It is never a forced process. 

The image appears when it chooses to appear and sometimes it does not come at all.

But even when nothing is photographed the gaze itself is exercised and refined.

A source of inspiration for the workshop

This way of observing naturally feeds the work in the workshop.

Textures noticed outdoors can inspire a finish on a miniature piece. 

A shadow seen on a tree trunk can recall an ancient motif and become a decorative element. 

A light encountered along a path can help reflect on the lighting of a photographic scene in the studio. 

Everything observed outside the workshop becomes a form of visual memory a reserve of ideas to which one can return later.

Thus photographic walks are never truly disconnected from craft work they nourish it indirectly by enriching sensitivity and broadening the vocabulary of forms and materials.

Opening the way to experimentation

Visual exploration can also make it possible to move beyond habits and dare new experiments.

For example a play of shadows observed outdoors may inspire deeper exploration of chiaroscuro in the studio. 

A natural texture may suggest a different way of approaching detail photography on miniature objects. 

A flower or a piece of bark may offer structures that later reappear in mechanisms volumes or silhouettes of fabricated objects. 

Likewise certain natural scenes provide an ideal counterpoint to images produced in the workshop bringing breath rhythm and visual diversity that enrich the overall photographic work.

A constantly evolving gaze

Photography outside the workshop is therefore both a space of inspiration and experimentation but also a field where the gaze is educated.

The photographer learns to anticipate variations in light to compose quickly and to accept the unexpected.

Each outing is different each studio session opens new possibilities.

There is no routine.

The only constant is this curious attentive gaze always seeking what escapes the first look.

The poetry of the simple

Ultimately whether one is outdoors facing a miniature or immersive landscape or indoors in front of an ordinary or strange object the approach remains unchanged to observe to allow oneself to be surprised and to seek the discreet poetry of simple things.

These photographs whether taken in nature or at the heart of studio experimentation bear witness to the same relationship with the world and the same desire to reveal what is right there but not always seen.