INTERVIEWS
What’s on red carpet? (interview)
1.How did you become a fashion, celebrity and entertainment photographer?
Great first question ! I can’t even remember where my passion for photography began. If my memory doesn’t fail me, I recall a photograph of myself, age 3, with a plastic camera toy around the neck. I guess that love for photography was always there from the get go. My passion for photography truly encompasses all kinds, from portraits to landscapes, fashion of course, and I have a huge love affaire for Sports Photography too (I should have been in Tokyo covering the Olympics right now). I repeatedly heard by friends and strangers looking at my pictures that I should be seriously comtemplating doing it professionaly. This idea kept growing until a point where I decided to give it a go. Being a movie afficionado from a young age, I was determined to get closer to this fascinating world that is cinema. I worked my ass off to showing my early (but curated) selection of photos to media outlets, of which one, Project Daybreak, was interested in me covering some major entertainment events. If you read this interview, I am grateful and thankful for your trust and appreciation guys !
2.What was the first red carpet you photographed at?
Not technically counting as a red carpet event, but to me it totally counts as a major film festival out there, I started by covering the Trieste Film Festival. The first one that had a proper Opening Ceremony with talents arrivals, photocalls ahead of screenings and Q&A events held right after was the International Film Festival in Rotterdam. But as far as carpet with red colour are involved, my very very first was the Locarno Film Festival. I have the fondest memories of this 2015 edition as I entered their photographic contest dedicated for the professional photographers and managed to win the top prize for a photo immortalizing movie director Catherine Corsini kissing her lead actress Cecile de France.
3.It must be so exciting to photograph at major film festivals like Cannes and TriBeCa! Likewise, there’s almost always a lot of pressure too! At such events, things move super fast and you probably capture millions of shots! Photographs are released almost immediately during an event. How do you choose which photos to share to the media within such a short space of time and do you edit the photos before marketing your images?
You’re totally right ! Shooting at festivals like Tribeca, Venice or Cannes is not even fast, it’s hectic. Between shooting and editing you have to be super organized in your workflow. I myself now work for photo agencies that expect photos to be ready for customers (mostly magazines, daily newspapers and specialized websites) within minutes after the event is over. Most of the photographers covering these events are one-man operation, so they not only shoot but upload the thousands photo taken within the last hour or so on their laptop, maybe backing it up to an external hard drive, then select, quickly edit, caption and send their photos to their media, not forgetting to eventually recharge the batteries and getting ready for the next red carpet or party to shoot. Some of the biggest agency like Getty, Reuters or AFP have their camera wired, which means they shoot and their photo travels directly to one (ore more !) editors which select, colour correct, caption and boom, the photos are online. I heard that, at the Olympics, it only takes (and has to take !) 90 seconds from the moment a Getty Photographer releases the shutter until the photo is available online. This is gobsmacking. As far as my selection is concerned, I do not have an editor working with me, so I do this job myself. I usually remember clearly which moments were pivotals and expect which photos I will be sending. 20-30 high quality photos sent within 30min after the event is over is my goal. Believe me, this is tough. Having in mind the photos I wanna send, I need to make sure ultra-quickly those are perfectly exposed and tack sharp. If so, I go ahead and proceed with entering the relevant metadata according to the IPTC guidelines. In plain english this means headlining, captionning and adding tags to each selected photo so they can be easily accessed and found by media customers. This is compulsory otherwise your photos, even if wonderful, will be rejected by your agency. By the end of the day, instead of going to have dinner or sleep like a normal would do, I take some time to send up to another batch of the best 60-80 photos per event attending during the day my agency. A day that can start with the first photocall at 9am and the last red carpet ending at midnight is a typical day at the Cannes film festival.
4.Can you share a memorable moment you’d had from one of the film festivals you’ve photographed at?!
I had the chance to be present at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and captured what is known in the profession as maybe the most beautiful « montée des marches » that ever happened in Cannes. On May 12th, Julia Roberts went barefoot on the Cannes Red Carpet.... From what I remember, it was her first-ever appearance in Cannes, she was there to attend the Money Monster world premiere. Sublime in a flowing black gown, displaying a radiant and serene smile, being so professional, taking her time posing and giving eye contact to as many photographer as possible, making her way floating on the red carpet to the sound of cameras clicking and flashing flashes. A sublime, unique and magical moment.
5.What camera do you typically use for red carpet photography?
Let me have a little aparté here. I see many photographers literally obsessed by their material, to a point where they themselves conceed they make money just to be able to afford a new gear, whereas the latest camera body or lens. On the other hand, I am skeptical when I read « specalist » blogs affirming that a good photographer would be able to shoot even with the worst camera. That is simply not true. I’d love to see these experts shoot a basketball game with a point-and-shoot camera. Even your most performing smartphone won’t be of any help some events where speed is the essence. So, coming back to your question, I generally bring my Canon 5D Mark III along 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. I not only like but need the full frame sensor this camera offers, and the versatility of the zoom lens, which allows me to take group shots, full body single portraits but also tight headshots and details. I notice some colleagues bring along 2-3 camera bodys with various lens attached but I prefer being as light as possible so it’s less taxing on my body by the end of the day. The camera offers the possibility to capture up to 6 frames per second. This seems pale compared to the Canon 1DX Mark III and its 20 frames per second capability, but in my opinion, 3/6 frames per second is not only good enough for red carpet photography, it also limits the already super high number of shots captured during a single event, let alone a full shooting day. Limitations are generally considered a negative thing, but more often that not they can be liberating. Not having to carry then shoot with 3 different camera bodies and different lenses, not having to scroll through more photos than you already have
6.A lot of your work is published in black and white (shoutout to your Instagram page !) Is there a reason you prefer this effect over colour ?
Thanks so much for the kind words 😉 And that’s another very cool question. My mother keeps on asking me that one. Actually I keep separated what I send to my agency, which will always be published in colour, to what I keep for my website or my @theinvisiblesilence instagram page. I have a thing for black and white photography, pleading guilty as charged. I like the simplicity and sheer force of black and white. It has this artsy look and timeless quality. I was always drawn to the work of great photographers like Ansel Adams or Robert Cartier-Bresson. Annie Leibovitz has shooted exquisite celebrity portraits in black and white. In an era where colour is the norm, other than for aestetics reasons, I feel black and white being being a decision, a choice to be different. Look at it this way...at the beginning of the cinema, movies were in black and white, then came colour. Those were technical reasons. But think about it, even recently, some amazing movie directors have chosen their film to be shot in black and white for aesthetic reasons, and are masterpieces : La Haine, American History X, Nebraska, Frances Ha, Cold War or again Roma. Don’t they look fabulous?
7.You often photograph at Cannes Film Festival which sees a lot of celebrities every year! Are there any celebs you’ve been starstruck by or can recall being lovely to photograph?!
Let me start with the loveliest of them all, whether inside or outside the red carpet : the great Jessica Chastain. She’s a not only a fantastic actress, very photogeneic, she’s plain adorable. I have photographed ravishing supermodels like Naomie Campbell, Eva Herzigova, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Doutzen Kroes or Elsa Hosk...nothing to complain about. But about being starstruck it always happen when I get the opportunity to photograph the legendary Robert De Niro.
8. Taking the perfect picture at the right moment, when you’re in a crowd of photographers looking over a busy red carpet must comes with some stress! How do you prepare yourself in capturing these fast-paced red carpet moments at the angles you want?
You use the word preparation and that is it. You need to be prepared. You need to keep an open mind and attitude as you cannot know in advance what is gonna happen, but preparation is key. Making sure your lenses are clean, batteries are charged, memory cards not full and inside the camera, that you have your accreditation around the neck, wearing your bow-tie and black shoes in Cannes1 – these are things you need to do and be sure about, but focusing on getty ready is already a good stress reliever. Arriving ahead to position yourself in your designated area, ahead enough of the event starting time, making sure you have the correct settings. The crowd aspect on high profile events is absolutely to take into account. More especially with the number of photographers in Cannes, meaning we are toe-to-toe or elbow-to-elbow with one another. I won’t be lying if I said when I started, being a rookie finding myself shooting alongside experienced photographers, it was a little bit of the intimidation game, being pushed while shooting or yelled at to be destabilized. I guess this happens in every working sector, as a rite of passage. It was important being confident in my abilities, respectful to others but not willing to concede grounds, and at the end, things are not terrible even despite being competitors. There is always a way to shoot differently, and with experience, you get granted better position on the red carpet which makes your life easier as a photographer.
9.Camera equipment can get heavy and you have to arrive way before the talent does! Are you allowed tripods etc. In the photographers corner and does it get tiring when photographing a busy film festival?
Tiring you say ??? It’s gruelling (lol) Tripods are not allowed, due to space restrictions, and technically speaking neither are monopods, even if I spotted on some occasion one or two photographers sneaking those in. Even if it is more tiring to carry all that equipment by the end of the day, I really enjoy my camera to be hand-held and not attached to tripod/monopod. To get the best possible and more various shots, I value maneuverability over personal comfort.
10. Is there anything you can share that would surprise us about photographing on red carpets?
It’s even more fast-paced than it seems, don’t blink or you will miss. It won’t be a surprise for sure, I am the happiest person doing this. You feel alive, in the moment. Photographing events where the most talented people on the planet converge, being taken care by the world’s best make up artists, hairstylists and dressed by the best fashion designers is quite something.
11.Do you have any tips for photographers wanting to break into the industry?
For an aspiring photographer looking to build their portfolio, what would be the best approach to attending public events as part of the media? Try, fail, try again, keep at it, be resilient, start local then regional, national and grow to a point you cannot be ignored any longer, know the industry and subjects you photograph to get an edge, practice so much you will make all possible errors before entering the big stage, accept you’ll still make mistakes, be kind to yourself and more especially to others. And above all, put your heart into your photographs.
Muck Rack (profile)
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Italo Flamenca (blog post)
Focus On: Javier del Álamo, Éboli
L’isolamento era ancora agli inizi quando Mickaël Chavet, fotografo professionista e autore dell’account Instagram “The Invisible Silence”, si inventò un’iniziativa che avrebbe tenuto con il fiato sospeso gli amanti dei volant per tutta la durata della quarantena.
Si trattava nientemeno che delle prime Olimpiadi di Moda Flamenca: una competizione che avrebbe messo una contro l’altra le collezioni presentate da 50 designer all’ultima edizione del SIMOF, con lo scopo di eleggere un solo vincitore.
Ogni giorno, nell’ultimo mese, Mickaël ha confrontato i modelli di due stilisti nelle sue storie di Instagram, invitando i follower a votare per proprio preferito. Come in un vero e proprio match sportivo, si è passati cosí dalle eliminatorie agli ottavi di finale per poi approdare ai quarti, alle semifinali e alla partita per la medaglia di bronzo… in un frenetico crescendo verso la resa dei conti.
Lo scorso Sabato 25 Aprile abbiamo finalmente conosciuto il vincitore, e forse non è quello che vi sareste aspettati. La collezione più amata dagli instagrammer di tutto il mondo non appartiene, infatti, ad uno stilista affermato, ma ad un emergente: il sivigliano Javier del Álamo.
Nel rivolgere a lui i nostri complimenti (e nel rinnovare l’applauso a The Invisible Silence per la divertente iniziativa), ne approfittiamo per ricordare la sua collezione Eboli, che ha aperto l’edizione 2020 del SIMOF nella cornice della sfilata di Emprende Lunares.
Rennes School of Business - Portrait d’Artiste (Mar. 2, 2022)
Peux-tu te présenter ? ton parcours académique et professionnel ?
Bonjour à tous! Je m’appelle Mickael Chavet, né en 1982 à Rennes, passionné de sport, cinéma et photographie. A l’issue de mon magistère en Sciences du Sport à l’ENS Cachan j’ai décidé de rejoindre la première cohorte du MSc in Sports & Tourism Management de notre Rennes SB, en 2005, afin d’acquérir des compétences managériales et du monde des affaires, en langue anglaise. Après ce cursus, je suis parti à Liverpool où j’ai occupé le poste de Staffing Manager au sein de la compagnie aérienne American Airlines. De façon toujours plus récurrente, mes amis et collègues, voyant mes photos postées sur les réseaux sociaux n’ont cessé de me dire que je devrais devenir photographe professionnel à temps plein. Petit à petit l’idée a effectivement germé dans ma tête. Associant des principes de gestion managériale à mon coté plus artistique, je me suis jeté dans le bain et me voilà aujourd’hui photographe à temps plein.
Peux-tu présenter ton métier et tes projets ? Comment est rythmé ton quotidien ?
Je travaille comme photographe, et depuis le départ l’idée était de travailler sur les événements les plus prestigieux au monde. Là où on lit et entend souvent que la qualité photographique relève du matériel, je suis d’accord que cet aspect est important, mais à mon sens, ce qui l’est encore plus est la nature de ce qui est photographié et non pas le moyen technologique utilisé.
J’avais donc, non pas comme rêve, mais comme objectif, de réussir à devenir photographe officiel de manifestations telles que le Festival de Cannes, la Mostra de Venise, et plus récemment encore, des Jeux Olympiques. Ces événements sont prestigieux et ce qui se fait de mieux au monde, réunissant les meilleurs talents dans leurs spécialités.
En dehors de ces événements ponctuels, je travaille de façon étroite avec le monde de l’entreprise afin de créer les images adaptées aux valeurs de mes clients, qu’il s’agisse de photographier des produits, portraits corporates, ou de relater les évènements d’entreprises par exemple.
Outre l’aspect pur et dur de production (shootings), j’ai un travail en amont de préparation pré et post shoot. Le pré inclut des activités telles que la sélection des évènements, la gestion des demandes d’accréditation, se tenir constamment informé et à jour sur les différents secteurs que je couvre (mode, sport, cinéma), la formation continue sur les techniques photographiques et de post production, la communication marketing (site web, lead generation, communiqués de presse) et la prospection. Typiquement une fois le shooting effectué, la post production, dans le milieu événementiel, consiste en une phase de sélection des meilleurs clichés, son légendage impeccable dans les règles IPTC, les envoyer au plus vite aux agences avec qui je collabore via FTP afin que les photos soient immédiatement disponibles à l’achat et donc à la publication sur les différents médias intéressés. La concurrence est rude, les photographes de Getty Images aux Jeux Olympiques, entre le moment du déclenchement et la parution d’une photo en ligne, le lapse de temps est seulement de 90 secondes. Sachant qu’il n’est pas rare de déclencher 2000 photos par évènement, la maîtrise du workflow est essentielle afin de voir son travail publié.
Quelle est ta plus grande réussite ? Le cliché dont tu es le plus fier ?
Sans vouloir paraphraser Richard Branson, le CEO de Virgin, répondant à la question à propos du plus beau jour de sa vie : Demain. J’avoue ne pas penser en terme de cliché dont je suis le plus fier, car je suis intimement convaincu que je ferai sans cesse de meilleurs clichés à l’avenir. Ceci étant dit, je tâche aussi de penser en termes de reconnaissance, et à ce titre, avoir eu l’honneur et le privilège de photographier les Jeux Olympiques, un vrai rêve depuis mon enfance, je ne peux être que fier. Je pourrais donc répondre à votre question quant à un cliché en particulier, celui de notre Judoka championne Olympique, et Rennaise (!) Clarisse Agbegnenou, lors de sa victoire en finale des Jeux Olympiques de Tokyo 2020. Ma photo a été choisie par le journal Libération pour la couverture du 27 Juillet 2021.
La rencontre qui a changé ta vie ?
Là aussi il me serait difficile d’en isoler une seule.
Au niveau académique, j’ai une reconnaissance énorme envers Jens Blumrodt, le directeur de programme du MSc in Sports & Tourism Management, pour avoir cru en moi et m’apporter sa pleine confiance. Je me rappelle comme si c’était hier de notre toute première conversation lorsque je suis venu à Rennes SB pour découvrir le programme et comprendre s’il était adapté à mon projet professionnel, et vice-versa, afin de jauger si je pouvais être un candidat de ce programme.
Ensuite, et d’un point de vue personnel, la rencontre avec ma fiancée Annalisa à Liverpool en 2007 au sein de l’American Airlines a profondément changé ma vie, pour le meilleur.
Quelles sont les valeurs que tu portes dans ton travail ?
Qu’il s’agisse de valeurs transmises par mon environnement familial, les arts martiaux pratiqués depuis mon plus jeune âge ou mon parcours académique, je suis un défenseur des valeurs de respect des autres et de soi-même, d’humilité, de sincérité, de courage et d’audace afin de se fixer des objectifs ambitieux et de tout faire pour les atteindre, ainsi que d’ouverture mentale dans le sens d’une conviction qu’il soit toujours possible de faire mieux ce que l’on fait et d’un renouvellement permanent des objectifs. La créativité est une autre des valeurs cardinales pour mon métier.
Quels conseils donnerais-tu à un jeune diplômé qui souhaiterait suivre ton parcours professionnel ?
Je ne pourrai que l’encourager. Passer par une école de commerce pour poursuivre un parcours professionnel artistique pourrait sembler contre-nature. Pour autant, si c’était à refaire, je ne changerais pas une virgule. Je constate quotidiennement que les enseignements dispensés par Rennes SB sont non seulement utiles mais indispensables. Très (trop) souvent penser uniquement à l’aspect artistique peut être un frein pour le succès dans ce domaine, pour lequel, comme tout autre secteur professionnel, avoir de solides connaissances et compétences managériales est un atout sérieux.
Ta passion c’est la photographie, as-tu un talent caché ?
Je ne sais pas si on peut parler de talent, mais je suis un gros travailleur. A partir du moment où je me fixe un objectif, je mets tout en place pour y parvenir, sans compter les heures. J’espère aussi avoir un certain œil photographique, je pense pouvoir reconnaître ce qui sera une bonne image à partir de l’observation.
Le mot de la fin ?
Si tout va bien d’un point de vue sanitaire et des conditions d’accès en Chine, je devrais pouvoir vous rapporter de jolis clichés des Jeux Olympiques de Pékin qui commencent le 4 Février. Je croise les doigts.
Retrouvez Mickaël sur LinkedIn : Mickael Chavet | LinkedIn