This week on the blog, we follow a young French photographer with a particular love for concrete and contemporary architecture: Chloé Le Reste.
From Paris to Tenerife, let's travel with Chloé to find beautiful angles in this series of 16 photos in full resolution, let's go!
A few words about you, how did you start photography?
I started to get interested in photography when I was about 15 years old. At this time I was experimenting to shoot mostly nature and landscape. A few years later, after high school, I studied in Architecture school where we had photography lessons in the first year. They weren’t architectural-oriented as we covered various topics.
Besides, we made that school trip to Copenhagen in the second year, which has been a trigger for me. There I took a lot of pictures of contemporary architecture.
A couple of years later in 2016, I decided to share some pictures and created my Instagram account. From there, I started to shoot buildings more often. As my interest was growing, I decided to become a professional photographer, firstly as a side job. I am now full-time dedicated to this activity since autumn 2018.
Did you try other photography styles? Or architecture has always been your favorite one?
When I was younger, I enjoyed taking landscape pictures while traveling or in surroundings. More recently I also tend to shoot more portraits and people photography, but architecture and spaces remain in the background. I would love to learn more about studio photography and still life as well.
Can you briefly explain your creative process for a great architecture photo?
The creative process depends on the context and the aim of the picture. When I am shooting for a personal project, it is really intuitive. Sometimes I plan to shoot a particular building, sometimes I go out to discover new places and shoot randomly.
In the first case, there are few points I am taking into account before shooting, including the weather forecast. I also plan the hour and if necessary, I check the direction of the building on a map to know how it will be enlightened according to the time.
In a professional context, it is about looking for angles that will emphasize the spaces, while carefully respecting guidelines and the client’s identity. For architecture, straightening the lines is often important.
Read on: Colorful and minimalist architecture photography by Pierre Châtel-Innocenti and From high-end retouching to professional architecture photography, the path of Matthias Dengler
Is there a particular building in the world you dream to photograph or a specific goal you wish to reach?
Actually, there are quite a lot of buildings that I would love to photograph. I wish each one would be easily accessible!
As dream building to shoot, there is the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by Oscar Niemeyer or the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan by Zaha Hadid. Currently, I also wish to shoot some Tadao Ando’s architecture as I find concrete really inspiring.
About your photography gears, what are your favorite tools?
Regarding photographic equipment, I am using a reflex camera which I am really happy with. I often combine it with a 24-70mm zoom lens as it is very versatile, or 50mm lens for more detailed pictures. It is also lighter for travels.
For professional matter, I enjoy using my 24mm tilt-shift lens which is great for architecture to avoid the convergence of parallel lines. Otherwise, I mostly use my 16-35mm because wide-angle is convenient for interior shots. Tripod is also a must have to ensure gear stability.
Do you have projects for the future like workshops, personal series or travels?
Beside professional projects, I will travel to Japan during March, which is really exciting as I never been there. The architecture and environment seem totally mind-blowing and I really look forward to discovering this place.
To see more from Chloé:
All photographs copyright Chloé Le Reste and used with her permission.
Prodibi is the quality, powerful, and easy way to showcase and share full-resolution images online. We help photographers display stunning images on the web and mobile.
Try it for free on Prodibi