Samuel & Virginie SV Photograph

THE INTERVIEW

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

We are Sam and Virginie. This is not a macho way to introduce ourselves to start with Sam, but this is also connected to our company name, SV Photograph, as VS Photograph doesn’t speak to us. We met in France, where we were born. Sam spent his childhood in the Northeast of France. Me, Virginie in Mayotte, a French territory in the middle of the Indian Ocean, next to Madagascar.

Where do you call home?

Home is our creation, our bubble? Finding the perfect place is complicated, so we create ours. The 2 of us, our dog Matari (rescue from Tahiti that follow us to Canada) and our cat Duchesse.

Where do you live now?

After 5 years in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, we moved East to the next province. We are now based in Southern Alberta, a land of traditions.

Are you traveling a lot?

We did… we saw a lot. But we are doing domestic travel only. The pandemic shows us that beauty is everywhere. We spent more than 20 years in France and do not know it as well as in Europe. So we don’t want to make the same mistake again, and we are discovering Canada and creating bigger and bigger circles. But there are some countries that we still want to see.

Are you self-taught or schooled?

Sam is self-taught, and I’m schooled. But we have to be realistic. We are all more or less self-taught, and the school can only teach you the technical aspect of an art, but you have to create your Artistic identity.

How did you get into photography?

I was doing it at school, working on my black-and-white pictures in a lab. When we met, Sam and I started taking photos together.

How long have you been a photographer?

I have done photography for as long as I can remember, but we have been full-time pros for 12 years.

As you look through the viewfinder, what is the most critical moment in capturing your image?

Well, the most critical moment is to have the eye in the viewfinder and not to be lazy and do it with the cream. We will talk a lot with the model/customer. Sam and I know each other well, and as we create the photo’s atmosphere by telling a joke or playing with some movement, we can anticipate when it will be the perfect time to click.

How would you describe your style?

Sexy, definitely sexy. Playful, fussless.

What do you think makes a truly memorable photo?

Authentic expressions and natural editing.

Do you have a muse or favourite model?

We have some. They are not models but like to pose for us. We know each other well, and we are still very connected even if we do not see each other often. We know that each of us has someone or something that inspires our life and work.

Can you tell us the factual basis of your inspiration?

Jean-Paul. You know Jean-Paul? I’m joking! Jean-Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint-Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, classic painters, perfume advertising, Asian movies, Russian literature. Everything in our education was turned into photography.

What does fashion mean to you?

Coat-hanger, short glory, drug, and mental health issues. This is a world that will have to change.

What’s the craziest/funniest thing that ever happened in one of your shoots?

We are not golden shower fans, but dogs have a hard time remembering that. So, a few bags were damaged during photo sessions. However, customers gave big smiles in return, so this is all right.

What photographers from the past or present have influenced you the most?

Auguste Belloc, Francesca Woodman, Ana Dias, L Ramachandran…

What has been your favorite photo location or session?

We like sand, rocks. Deserts are very inspiring. We love to work here with hoodoos on the badlands. It sometimes creates some savannah looks that are just amazing.

What type of cameras do you shoot with?

We are Canon EOS. 5DMIII and 6DMII. We tried with Sony, but it didn’t work and we returned to Canon.

We are sometimes thinking of going with PhaseOne. But that means to change 6 cameras as we don’t like to cross camera’s brands.

If you had to choose one lens, which would it be and why?

We like to photograph between my Tamron 35mm, my Sigma 105mm and the Canon 85mm. The 35mm will be my favorite choice if we have to pick one only.

What is your favourite photography accessory other than your camera?

Our Godox AD200. We have 6 of them, they are game changers.

How important is Photoshop in your final images?

You mean editing, right? LoL. We are not Photoshop but a mix between Lightroom, Neo, and Affinity. We like to say that we do not edit a lot. But the truth is that we do. We respect the person’s figures and do not change them. We like to work on colors, sometimes remove some objects, add a little bit of magic, and remove a little bit of skin issues. We are gentle with the people and more challenging with the decor and landscape.

Do you play music while shooting? If so, what are you playing right now?

No, we don’t. Sometimes, for the model, we are not listening to it. Yes, a lot for the editing. We are an English pop and French Electro people.

What advice do you have for somebody who wants to pursue photography?

Be ready for big changes, work like crazy, and study hard to have backups if needed. I truly love my job, but I’m not sure I would start photography today if that were the case.

What lies ahead for you?

We are thinking more and more about an exhibition and a book. But for now, we are mainly restarting the business as we had the move 10 months ago. This process is getting longer and longer now.