Back on the X...

Two weeks later, I still think it was great, but really hard. Yes, the second European Winter X-Games were really exhausting, especially when you cover a such event alone, or almost alone (thanks to Kristy who did some good shots for her first time in the French Alps!).

Hard as every day you had to shoot all day long, including the trainings if you want some different pictures. Hard as every day you had to walk in the snow with all you camera stuff, speak to the security guys that you want to be here and not there (was the accreditation really useful?!). Hard as every night you had to upload your photos of the day (with the hasardous internet connection of the press center...). Hard as every night you could go to a party and get some drinks with friends (but, honestly, I did it only 2 times!). This was hard, yes, but fucking good! Good to be in Tignes, good to meet some really good ski photographers I appreciate, good to shoot the best riders in the world, good to work hard to get the best images you can...

9 days later...

Once again, it was the Fashion Week in Paris. And once again, it was long and hard. But I think these 9 days were the hardest and the most exhausted of all the Fashion Weeks I did (well, I didn't do a lot, maybe 4 or 5).

Okay, let's go for the statistics : 9 days of non stop work (ok, 8 for me because I had a day off), 24 shows + 6 backstage coverages, 11 different places (Hotel Westin, Hotel Meurice, Le Grand Palais, Palais de Tokyo, etc.), 12680 photos taken, 1845 photos uploaded, 1 night without to sleep, a 16Go CF card (with 2 shows inside) cancelled by error (thanks to SanDisk Rescue Pro for the recovery!), a LOT of work, not a lot of sleeping hours, some really beautiful girls, and... When is the next Fashion Week?!

"Production Privee" is coming

At the end of the 2010 year, I went in Andorra to celebrate the new year with some good friends of mine for few days. Unfortunatly we didn't have a lot of snow, so we didn't ski a lot. But sometimes you are at the good place at the good moment. I knew that my friend David George was launching his first bike component company with Damien Nosella and I was very excited to see the first stems and bars prototypes as David was just back from Taïwan. They just started to do the very first tests of the almost finalized products with Cedric Gracia when I was there. Cool!

So David told me to take one picture of their very new direct mount stem, which is really beautiful and well made, for a first press communication plan. I finally did also all the graphics of the following letter. In a way, I'm now a part of this new adventure with "Production Privee", I'm glad and I wish all the best to them for the future. Guess I'll give you more news soon.

"Sacby" Quentin Caffier

Some news from Quentin Caffier and Sacby collaboration. We did these images few months ago. More photos on Quentin Caffier's blog. You can also visit the Sacby website homepage.

Photo by Quentin Caffier. Model : Iveta @Idole. Make Up : Guilaine Frichot. Style by Lorraine Diard Robino. Photo assistant : Richard Bord

"Rallye Neige & Glace" day 3

Thursday was the last day of the "Rallye Neige & Glace" and another day of blue sky. I would like to thank you all the organisation for their incredible work. Here are some more pics.

"Rallye Neige & Glace" day 2

Another sunny day before the last day for the "Rallye Neige & Glace 2011". Here are few pics from today. Enjoy!

Rallye Neige & Glace 2011

Three days from now I'm in the Jura for the "Rallye Neige et Glace" organized by Zaniroli Classics. It's been a long time for me without being in contact with classic cars for a race. The job is not easy, you have to wake up early in the morning and to work late to edit your photos. But this year there is almost no ice or snow for the rally, a bad point. It seems it's the same in the French Alps... The good point is that we have a nice blue sky everyday. I'm proud to share with you some pics I took from saturday night (day -1) to today (day 1). It's time for me to go to sleep, I had a big day!

Peridy's "Bat" garage

On our way to the "Rallye Neige et Glace", we made a stop, Tom Zaniroli and me, to a huge garage in the Jura : the Peridy's "Bat" garage! Sam Peridy was just prepared his custom mountain bike for the Urge Cabo Verde last saturday in his awesome garage, one day before to take his flight. Every riders are now in Cabo Verde to ride the most beautiful places of this country. Looking forward to see the Sven Martin's pictures...

Digital noise...

"Hey Richard! Do you wanna come to see my new band Po-Len live at OPA Bastille, Paris?" I said to Morgane, the band singer, and a good friend of mine : "Yes, of course, I'm sure I'll have a good moment!"...
Yes, I had a good moment seeing Po-Len live and Kazako, another music band with great singers and musicians. The problem is that I had my camera with me... So I did my job! Oh, wait, I tried to do my job... Because if you know this little pub, called OPA Bastille, you already know what I'm talking about : the stage is really small and the light, for photograhers, is like you were in the dark! Hard job. In these cases, my 50mm f1.4 is my best friend to take some pictures in the "dark". But with my wide angle lens, it's not the same and I had to shoot at 6400 ISO at 1/15sec sometimes. I can tell you that the Canon 7D doesn't like this, at all! If you have one, keep shooting at 3200 ISO max with a good light, or you'll get a lot of noise...

Po-Len // 6400 ISO 1/25sec f/3.5

Do you like your hairdresser?

During a studio photo shoot for a cool barbershop in Paris with my friend Quentin Caffier, I saw these scissors that Vivien was using on a model. I guess it was the first time I saw such a big pair! So I decided to make a quick portrait of Vivien, the haidresser, backstage with the ambiant light. These pics make me laugh as Vivien looks like a psychopath with his scissors. Are you sure your haidresser is not a psychopath? Hahahahahahaaaaa!
;-)