Learn From Experience: Vincent Migrenne
I am Vincent Migrenne, a Parisian photographer who love immortalize his daily life. Square shaped, graphic and colorful, my photos reflect the world as I see it : poetic, urban and very often unusual. I am currently preparing the second edition of the Guide des Grands Parisiens published by Magasins généraux and Enlarge Your Paris.
I exhibited in New York till January 2021 at the International Center of Photography as part of the “Global Images for Global Crisis” exhibition. I also exhibited in 2019 at the Fisheye Gallery and in 2017 in the Paris metro for #photogRATPhie. The rest of the time, I am a copywriter at the BETC agency.
What are the rules of your photographic work?
My rule is “Là où mon regard s’égare” Wherever my gaze wonder. I spend all my time looking around me, searching for a photo to shoot. I have always a camera with me, even an iPhone. Life is full of images to immortalize. Just need to take time to look. I take photos every day, at every moment at any time. I like really much being in a new place, because it is a fantastic opportunity to take photos I never shot.
Tell us about an experience that definitely changed the way you work and made you grow.
One morning I was going to work and I saw a man doing balance on the thin guardrail of a small bridge above the Canal de l'Ourcq. It was foggy, calm, totally surrealist, It must have done a wonderful photo...but the time I spent to find for my camera in my bag, the guy had disapeared. Since this day, I have always a camera ready to photograph.
When you photograph with your camera do you notice the same things you notice with your eyes or do your eyes capture what the camera doesn't allow you to look at?
I see the photo before I shoot it. Sometimes the result is exactly what I expected, sometimes not. Sometimes I don't dare to take the photo, or I can't. Sometimes, by chance, a person is coming right at the good place. Taking good picture is a question of luck too.
If you were to create an open call, a contest, what kind of theme would you give ? What would you like to look at and why?
I like really much absurd situations, it would be a nice open call. I like when there is humour or a bit a poetry in photographies.
Tell us about your equipment, what kind of cameras do you shoot with what tools do you use and prefer?
Fujifilm X-T4, Ricoh gr3, or even iPhone 10. It depends the situation, if I have time, if I need to be discret, or quick…I always shoot with a squared format, It is the format where I see the most the lines to have a graphic composition.
What do you think is highly conflicting with the concept of photography?
Today it is really difficult to take pictures of people in the streets...People are scared about being photographed, being on the web…
Are there any books you would recommend?
A lot!
One of many: Angel of Ronan Guillou
Tell us about your creative process and if there are any particular techniques you use during your work.
I always take my photos a little wider than the final framing. This way I am sure of my final framing which is the basis of a good composition.
What do you do with the discarded photos?
I keep them for a while and then sometimes I try a new frame again and if that doesn't suit me, I throw the file away. Anyway, I always tell myself that the next photo will always be better than the one before, so I have no regrets.
Do you follow a particular photographer or magazine?
Fisheye Magazine
Vincent Migrenne