Undertow

With his allegorical analogue photography, the French photographer Damien Daufresne enters into the realm of the subconscious, thus opening up a broad range of emotions in the viewer. He speaks with us about the connection between photography and painting, as well as his motivation to take pictures.

LFI: How did you get into photography?
Damien Daufresne: I was 15 when I got the opportunity to do a traineeship in the archive and laboratory of the Magnum Agency in Paris, which opened up a window for me that has since never closed. Later on, I studied Photography at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. While drawing, and during the etching workshop, I learnt more about photography. A long and solitary journey, as well as a couple of important encounters, were what moved my work ahead.

The pictures in this series are quite graphic, and work very well with the charcoal sketches. How do these two art forms influence your work?
I’ve always sketched, and I still believe that drawing is essential. Drawing and photography are two separate tools. They don’t require the same amount of time – either for the actual process or for discovering images. The way the body is involved is different: the movements are different; but, just like breathing in and breathing out, they are complimentary. With time, they crossed over – speaking to each other, and speaking with one voice.

Please explain more about the series, published here, that will soon appear as a book!
This photo series is part of a larger project that I’m currently working on with Blow Up Press, a publishing house in Poland. It should be completed this year. The project began as the result of a prod from Robert Delpire, over ten years ago. This book will include my photos, as well as my drawings.

What do you hope to achieve with your photography?
I don’t intend for my work to inform or describe; my photographs are not proof of something. I like the idea of entering the work as if you are entering a labyrinth; you should be confused, and you may not find exactly what you were looking for.

Which camera did you use?
I mainly use the M7 with a Summicron 35mm lens. I like its weight, its feel, its discretion and its dependability. I also like the extreme sharpness of the lens, as well as its softness. I’ve been using it since 2003, and I can no longer do without it.

All images on this page: © Damien Daufresne
Equipment: Leica M7 with Summicron-M 35 f/2 Asph