All my colour slides photographs were taken with a reflex camera 24 X 36 mm. With the exception of my very first photographs, carried out on negative film colour, I mainly used films from 100 to 400 asa according to needs of the subject.
The lens is, in my opinion, the determining element with returned catch of sight. The case can be of quality, if the lens is not it, it will be impossible to take " a beautiful " photograph. The situation reverses will be on the other hand much negotiable. The choice of the lens is closely related to the subject which one wishes to photograph. I use a range of focal distances going from the 24mm (large angular) to the 500mm (telelens). My favourite lens is a zoom 70-210mm also having a macro position. Very practical, it adapt to many subjects, covering an optical range, it reduces also the weight of my photo bag! I make a point of specifying that I does only very little Macro. It is rather what is called of Photographs brought closer, i.e. I zoom à.fond (210mm) by aiming at subjects which find at short-haul of my apparatus. I use same manner a telelens of 500mm with mirror. In short, I am used for myself of tele-objective not to photograph what is far but to seize what is close, thus sublimating dimensions and accentuating the details. These lens', from their nature (they " eat " the light), generally impose large opening of diaphragm, reducing of this fact the depth of field : a disadvantage which appears to be an advantage for my photographs bus making the background fuzzy, that emphasises the principal subject by isolating it from the bottom. The task is more difficult when it acts several elements having to appear in a same framework. It is then necessary to seek a plan of clearness making it possible to make the development on the most interesting subjects while taking account of the harmony of the forms in framing. In all the cases, I for a long time chose the use of the tripod (in brought closer Photography), sometimes constraining but ensuring the stability of the apparatus during release.
It is a rule Photographs some that I transgress with wish: the backlight. I like contrasts violent ones caused by a declining sun and luminous contours that it draws, such one will have around matter. Park with the burns of the retina: it is necessary to play of mischievousness when one presents oneself vis-à-vis to sun. A sun visor fixed at the end of optics or held with end of arm cures the veil of light that one meets in this case. Nevertheless, the luminous rays striking the lens directly cause very aesthetic irisations provided that one can exploit them. Moreover, these tele-objective, from the nature of their lenses, interpret sometimes beautiful way of glares of light being in front of or behind (out x-ray) the subject concerned. Thus, of the drops of rain shone upon transform into geometrical figures illumining the photograph of a bucolic magic.
Let us come now to the optical filters. I had the great chance that a friend, having forsaken his activity of photographer, offers a whole panoply of filters to me: Polarising, Radial zoom, Spangled, filter with facets, Gradation colours. I was useful myself about it only much later. He seemed to to me in effect which the filters of colour for example could allow to transcend a sand texture grey, sad and dull but that the resulting colour appeared often artificial and like plated on the subject. The facet filter, which multiplies the image, used in a conventional way appeared to me of a limited interest, doing nothing but reproduce the central subject in the angles while making it fuzzy of addition. It is by chance that I discovered a way of using the filters. Not having a gate filters not adapted with the 500mm, I decided to hold myself the filter in front of the lens and, the eye in the sight, I realised that by positioning the filter (colour in fact) slightly in skew, this one collected the rays luminous by the section and a such prism acted, causing coloured brightness. I hastened to apply this principle to the other accessories and I obtained finally interesting images. The result of the use of the filters depends of course on the adequacy on the selected subject. Employees advisedly, they can transfigure a photograph a priori banal. However, the filter does not make not all. It cannot explain to him only the success of a stereotype. And like any thing, it is necessary to know in using without misusing it.
Some words finally on my relation with the technique. I began in photography at the 14 years age, within the framework of an association where I learned the bases from the catch of sight and of Black development and White in laboratory. I took again a camera in hand only years later - see "Syl's biography" - . Strong of my experiment in Painting and Drawing, I have to approach the composition of the image instinctively. I therefore did not neglect this chapter in the studies that I carried out then thanks to the pounds treating of Photography. There is no universal receipt: with each one its path. Personally, I need a scientist mixes artistic intuition and techniqueal knowledge. It is a delicate balance. I would nevertheless tend to think that the technique is nothing different but a know-how in the absence of an artistic sensitivity, but that the artistic direction must nourish technique to evolve/move and be explored itself.
