Dubai: The spirit of exploring new places was always a big draw to photographer Vincent Laforet who believes the perfect photograph is a marriage of aesthetics and content.
He is on a perpetual search to discover new things and freeze those moments through his lens.
Laforet says he is not impressed by a newsworthy image but an aesthetically pleasing one. However, according to him, a combination of both is what makes the best photographs.
He likes to elicit some type of reaction in people with the images that he produces and hopes to make them aware of new things. "My goal is to make an image that will be good enough to force others to react to it in some way.
Some may get to see another part of life or the world, while others will simply feel a certain emotion. Others will simply find an image ‘beautiful' or ‘different.' That's enough for me," he said.
Creative vision
Asked about the large number of photographers today, Laforet said, "It's an interesting phenomenon, but I feel that good photographers will always stand out from the rest due to their creative vision, understanding and adapting to newer technologies and being able to consistently producing good work."
He uses a variety of cameras but primarily he's shooting with the Canon HD-DSLRs: the 5D Mark II and the 1D Mark IV. He also shoots with the Red Camera for some projects.
Speaking of the advanced technology of digital cameras, he notes that these cameras can help, but that the most important skill is to be able to produce authentic and creative work and to be able to create imagery that appeals to all.
The New York-based photographer said that some of his work revolves around the city. "Well, I think that it's incredibly crucial to value things that happen every day. It's all too easy to pass by things that we see on a daily basis and take them for granted.
"So many of the people I photograph find that what they do is ‘boring', "Why would you want to photograph me?" they ask, and I answer that there is beauty in even the smallest things, no matter how often it is repeated." He explains this interest further, "Everyone is unique and I find that it's my job to try to capture that, even if it's a simple scene that we see every day. In 50 years I guarantee you that we will cherish these visual documents," he said.
Locations
Asked which locations he visited, Laforte said he had the opportunity to visit several locations within Dubai: the DIFC, the desert, the Shindagha area and around the Knowledge Village and Dubai Media City. "I hope to be able to come back soon enough to do more work in Dubai and the Emirates. The people, the geography, and the architecture in this city are simply stunning."
Vincent recently was on a quick business visit to Dubai. He said he admires dozens of photographers such as "Bresson, Nachtwey, Stephen Wilkes, Nadav Kander just to name a few, I admire their ability to produce stunning images that have an impact on society or the arts."
"I am really pleased to see a growing movement of photography in Dubai, that's very promising."
Regarding his upcoming projects, he said, "Currently I'm working on a series of projects. One personal project that I am looking into is a series of aerials worldwide that bring to light the incredible variety of cultures, geographies, and architecture.
"I am dying to return to Dubai to do an aerial essay on the architecture there, which is unlike anything I have ever seen anywhere in the world."
