Paris region
“Portraits d’après nature”
& “Ph’autoportrait”
Initiated in 2021-2022 at the Saint-Jean high school of Apprentis d’Auteuil in Sannois (95), the photo projects are back for a 2nd edition! 12 Landscape and Gardener students took part in Portraits d’après nature, and 12 Personal and regional services 11th grade students in Ph’autoportraits, again with the support of artist photographer Carine Deambrosis.
Project supported by the Fondation Foujita.
Cyanotypie project: Portraits d’après nature
In this project, the 12 CAP Landscape Gardener students were introduced to an old photographic process, the cyanotype, developed on paper and glass plate. Carine Deambrosis’ presentation of the world of photography – from the equipment used to an introduction to shooting with disposable cameras and developing the images – enabled the young people to understand the different stages of this technique. Once they had acquired the basics, they moved on to the heart of the workshop: cyanotypes. The production process began with the selection of the subject to be processed, then the young people moved on to harvesting the plants. Once the material had been prepared, they set about composing the cyanotypes. Fifteen minutes or so after exposure to the sun, it was time to develop their work!
Silver photography project: Ph’autoportrait
At the same time, the 12 students in the 11th grade Personal and regional services program have embarked on a silver-based photography project focusing on self-portraits. The aim? To showcase their emotions and perceptions of their school. The high-school students were introduced to the world of photography through a presentation of the technique and a visit to Carine Deambrosis’ studio at La Ruche, an emblematic venue for artistic creation in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. Equipped with silver cameras, they then got down to the practical side of photography: they looked for subjects to photograph, moments to capture, and then learned how to develop their film in a darkroom. Playing an active role throughout the project, they also took part in a digital workshop to prepare the various communication elements (poster, explanatory texts, etc.). They also took part in setting up the exhibition and welcomed the public on the opening day.
The young people also worked on writing and emotions, producing haiku, short poems of Japanese origin. All of the work produced by the two groups was presented at the Tous en photo exhibition on the occasion of the school’s Open Day on June 17, 2023.
As the sessions progressed, the young people learned about photography techniques, constraints and possibilities, and were confronted with the question of choice: which subject to photograph? What elements should I choose to compose my cyanotype/portrait?
These projects have encouraged young people to get involved by (re)awakening their sensibilities and offering them the chance to take a fresh – perhaps artistic – look at themselves and the environment around them.
