My History

Early Days

My father introduced me to photography when I was about ten years old.
I started with a Voigtlander camera with an external cell. Then quickly I used a Nikkormat with a conventional 50mm lens. Passing succesfully an exam, I earned a Nikkor 200mm F4 for my Nikkormat. Later, I used some extension tubes for some macro. . Testing what I considered unconventional, I made a combination of macrotubes and my 200 mm to avoid being too close to the bees, wasps etc and shooting details. I keep thinking this way : Why not ? what happens if ? ...
In 1976, I took this first picture (uncropped) with my 200mmm, trying to be invisible and silent to get close to the bird. The noise of the wind, the waves were of a great help.

Discovery of Computer Graphics

In parallel to amateur photography, I had the chance to work, learn, discover computer graphics in its early days named Computer Aided Graphics on Radar-like Tektronics screens. (who remembers Bob Abel as the pioneer of a ww magic industry. From that Jurassic period, I went naturally to 3D and computer graphics workstations, graphic art animation, rendering, scientific simulation,both 2D, 2.5D, 3D and even 3D based-voxel rendering with PixarII image computer. I have been Pixar product manager in France for several years, til the end of the manufacturing of the hardware (and subsequently the Chap-software family). Science, Image, Discovery, Magic ... What else one can dream of ?

Galapagos Milestone.

Images, movies and storage issues are tightly linked. I began to be a specialist in storage issues (at a time when storing 1 terabyte on disks cost 700 000 usd) and solutions. I negociated a ww contract with an American manufacturer and left France for Southern California for a while. During my free time, I practiced wildlife photography (egrets, pelican, ...) and tried to manage wind effects on stacks of quadlines kites.
My collection of optics was extended by a 1000mm Nikkor mirror lens, and the famous 400mm/3.5 Nikon telelens.
On my way back to France, I made a detour to the Galapagos Islands with a small group of professional photographers and biologists. Away from the clockwise typical tour and tourists crowds. Not only we had time to take pictures, but animals were not frightened by us, some were curious to discover us... I even dived among hammer sharks and reef sharks or played with sea otters, mimicking each other. This trip opened my eyes to an even more need to approach / understand our environment and its magic and pace. In addition to thousands of 'normal' photography, I unsucessfully tried infra-red photography on marine iguanas. Why not :)

Photography as a Gipsy in a tiny Caravan

Back to Europe, after a lot of health problems and two brain strokes due to overwork and stress, I remembered life could be very short, that being definitely paralyzed as my numerous neighbours in hospitals was not an option. Trying to discover and understand a little the magic and sophistication of the Nature surrounding us was much more valuable. Some professional photographers liked my way of protraying birds, and supported me in dramatically changing my way of life. Still trying to go one step further, I also worked on extreme macrophotography to share the magic of the inside of flowers: pollen and nectar balls. Resulting exhibition have been associated to some official programs promoting Science nationwide.
Today, I spent my time in my micro caravan towed by the smallest 4wheel car, instensively using solar panels for my energy, trying to have the smallest footprint and bringing back another look to our immediate environment. Because Magic is there too.
I am now located in almost a paradise : Les Corbières Maritimes, a triangle Narbonne, Carcassonne and Perpignan.

This website is a substract of my work. Enjoy the visit and bring back home some of its magic :)