Art-watchers in a selfie-world

For an assignment from his agency, French photographer Jean-Michel Clajot took pictures in the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Soon he noticed visitors were more busy taking selfies than looking at the art.

What did you focus on in this series?

I have been working with Cosmos Photo Press Agency in Paris for the past 10 years. For the last five years, I traveled to UEA each year. The picture editor at Cosmos asked me to shoot the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, because it was missing from their database. I didn’t know which angle to use. But once there, the first thing I noticed, over and over, was the people with their phones.
We are living in a «Selfie-world»: The people don’t take the time to observe things carefully.


Was it allowed to photograph the veiled women outside the museum?

UEA is not Morocco and I’m convinced that the photographer’s behavior is very important when you are working in such places.
So, yes you can shoot the veiled women outside, IF you respect for the human being.

Which camera did you use and what was your experience?

I’m used to working with Leica M. In this case, it was the M10. For me, this camera is the most advanced of the Leica M series.
You don’t need to go to the menu: ISO and shutter speed are the main things. With this camera, it’s just you and the people you are shooting. Concerning the lens, there are only two lenses in my bag, since I prefer to travel light.

Anything you want to share about your stay in UAE?

If you enjoy experiencing very different cultures, UAE is perfect to get a glimpse. Dubai is a great starting point. It’s a lot more liberal in the western sense. The second one is Abu Dhabi with the Mosque and the famous Louvre.

All images on this page © Jean-Michel Clajot
Equipment: Leica M 10 and Summilux-M 35 mm f/1.4 Asph as well as Summicron-M 28 mm f/2 Asph