Cyril Polito
Cyril Polito is a French photographer with an interesting approach to capturing life via the camera.
In his own words:
Quickly after getting to know about photography, I felt a lack of meaning in most pictures we are given to see. I spent a lot of films on experimentation, without expecting any result in particular. It brought me a lot concerning technique, but still my pics looked “hollow” to me. Then I saw a portrait by Andrzej Dragan, who inspired me a lot. An elder man, softly smiling at the camera. I felt I had always known him, some very intimate feeling spreads from this portrait. That is what I am looking for since. I spend a lot of time with my model, to get to show something deeper than the surface. I have been nicknamed “Soul Photographer”, but my psy would say you can see more about me than about my models, on these portraits.
Concerning inspirations, I have to admit I am extremely difficult when it comes to appreciate others’ work. Still, Andrzej Dragan and Loretta Lux have all my respect. I like impressionist painters’ approach: they show personal impressions, not the cold and boring reality. And Vermeer’s light, of course. Oh, and my actual idol, Wong Kar Wai.
My equipment isn’t anything interesting. I use an old digital reflex camera with sharp lenses. Never studio. It all has to fit in my backpack. The challenge of taking the picture in sometimes difficult situations, the relationship to my model are maybe more important than the result itself. In any way, a portrait is a way to make interesting encounters, not to make a “nice picture”.
Polito has an exhibition planned for September/October in Nice, France, at Le Volume.
For more information on this up and coming photographer, visit his website at www.cyril-le.tk. He also has a Myspace page, www.myspace.com/cyril_le.
Check out previously featured photographers here.
