“Nakedness is a strong form of expression”
Nowadays, there is an overabundance of pictures of women which are very often sexualized. It was always hard for me to identify myself with these pictures. That is why I want to give a representation of the female body and what it means to me.
A strong form of expression
Nakedness is a very strong form of expression, an authentic one. Photographing a naked person is a way of showing and understanding who him/her as he/she really is. I wanted to show a kind of liberty, the liberty of being naked, of loving ourselves as we are. Far from Photoshop's biddings or all those fictitious and unrealistic bodies.
Providing liberty
My projects about nudity build themselves around and with the model. I do everything that is possible to provide him/her with the liberty they need to be themselves. Manon Sabatier went along with me since the very beginning of the project and it is very reassuring that she is able to trust me.
Involving the other
Portrait photography is teamwork, as it always involves another human being. I enjoy thinking about the project on my own, but in the end I need people who are involved in the creational process. Also, I fully trust the people assisting me, like Clémence Lavigne. She is my friend, knows the mood board and the kind of lights I fancy. Having her as my assistant allows me to focus on the shooting and my interaction with the models.
Creating a strong picture
I am first and foremost lured by a face or a way to move. For this project, I essentially called on people I knew and who believed in the project as much as I did. I enjoy when people feel free and do not feel the need of feeling attractive and seductive, in order to create a strong picture.. Frei von dem Bedürfnis attraktiv oder verführerisch wirken zu müssen.
Building on light
I start building my pictures on the light that is available and the studio allows me to come off the ordinary. The unusual reflecting surface was my starting point and the blue series came after. The latter was just supposed to be a test, but I eventually decided to go on and Clémence Lavigne helped me build the lights. But as soon the model comes into play, technique becomes secondary. I then go along with the process and see what my subject wants to give me from her/him.
What’s next?
This project is one of the most intimate I've been able to produce. I am interested in creating a series of photos that are responding to one another, so I’d like to continue this series with more mirrors, the same people I've been working with, but also with new people.
Caroline Sénécal was born in 1994 in the Normandy. She lives and works in Paris