Lionel DeLuy & Impossible Project Shoot BANGSTYLE [INTERVIEW]

Posted on November 24th, 2011 by Cici

   

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“I never did it for the business. I did it for the passion- for the love of it.”-Lionel Deluy

Interview by: Cici Andersen for BANGSTYLE.com

Friday, Oct 7th 2011- 11:45am –  I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself as I pulled up to Wild Honey Studios, a private photography warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. I was nervous and hadn’t had a bite to eat since the night before. I had rushed over from BANGSTYLE’s headquarters to catch the action as Lionel Deluy and his team of beauty and style gurus prepped models and set up to shoot the new BANGSTYLE Campaign.

Before I go on though, let me take you guys back to the very start. We all know what Polaroid cameras are, and most of us remember when Polaroid announced in February 2008 that it was pulling away from using analog instant film. It was a sad day for us all; Polaroid cameras were a classic and we were going to be the last generation to get to experience using them. Only a few months later, the closing event for Polaroid film was held at the factory in Enschede, Netherlands.

It was at that very event that Austrian artist and businessman, Florian Kaps (Co-Foundr & CMO of The Impossible Project), met floorer Polaroid Product and Process Engineer, André Bosman (Co-Founder & COO of the Impossible Project). In short, after 2 hours of intense discussions and a few drinks, the two made a decision that would affect all of us, Polaroid instant-film will live!

In October of 2008, The Impossible Project kicked off after buying production machinery from Polaroid and only a year later, the giant production machines were rebooted and the instant analog film was born again. In March of 2010, Impossible had a whole new instant film: the PX 100 and PX 600 Silver Shade. You can thank Impossible for making your Polaroid (which is 1 of 300,000,000 in case you were wondering) usable with their new film.

Simply put, The Impossible Project took the impossible task of recreating Polaroid instant-film (extremely hard to produce) and made it possible. Impossible Project wasn’t going to let it stop there. That is why we are honored to have had a shoot with French fashion, celebrity and music photographer,Lionel Deluy, using film from Impossible.

Now, back to my story…

A long time fan of Deluy’s work, I spotted him immediately upon entering the studio. A mixture of vintage and new clothes-to-kill-for lined the far wall as hair and makeup were busy creating effortlessly-cool looks that made me go “why don’t I do that in the morning?” (Of course, they make it look easy). I caught Lionel’s eye and smiled. He gave me a wink before ducking into the Jack-and-Jill style storage room that led from the inside of the warehouse to an outside area where we would later be shooting.

Suddenly I felt at ease. Before I could make my move, Lionel emerged from the back shouting, “Let’s go, people–let’s shoot!” in a thick, French accent.  I watched as he snapped away, shot after shot…and before I knew it, it was lunch time –this was my chance.  Below is BANGSTYLE’s interview with the Lionel Deluy:

BANGSTYLE: In an interview with Digital Photo Pro, you were quoted saying some photographers take ages to set up a shot and then keep shooting to make sure they’ve got it. What is your process? Do you see the shot before you capture it, or just take it as it comes?

Deluy: No. Everything is pretty raw. I go with the mood… [we] play, have fun, and [I] go from there…
I don’t like to make something ‘pre-ready’. [It's better when] something is instinctive and pure, when you ask someone to laugh, you won’t get a real laugh, but a good ambiance can give you that. I work with the mood. You can tell a real laugh or smile from a fake one.

BANGSTYLE: How did you get started in photography? What is your background?

Deluy: It was my dream since I can remember, to work and live in California. I come from a small village in the South of France. We didn’t have a computer or the internet back then-nothing. The only way to connect with the magazine world was a magazine called Photo in the early 80′s, late 70′s. It [showed me images] with the sky, the beach, and bright colors and this made me dream! When I was 12, my mom gave me a camera. I never did it for the business. I did it for the passion– for the love of it.

BANGSTYLE: You’ve shot everyone in Hollywood it seems, is there a a celebrity or public figure you’d like to capture? Who’s on your to-do list?

Deluy: Mos Def. I like to photograph interesting people. He’s a good actor, good musician, and he does it well. Javier Bardem too- for a year, I’ve been trying to shoot him! It kept getting pushed back, and one day I was in Fred Segal and I heard this man speaking broken English like me, and when I looked behind me,  I said in Spanish “OSTIA! No WAY!“–but he was leaving the next day. Two weeks later, he won an Oscar. I’d also like to shoot Angelina Jolie [again].

“Digital photography is so affordable, everyone wants to have a camera and a website and say they are a photographer. It takes more than that to be a photographer.”

BANGSTYLE: Who is your biggest influence?

Deluy: Now we have too much information, I try not to look at photo websites. I try not to get reference from other places. There is too much happening…like when the Beatles started touring, everyone everywhere had that haircut. Everyone is trying to be cool, but they end up looking the same. Digital photography is so affordable, everyone wants to have a camera and a website and say they are a photographer. It takes more than that to be a photographer.

BANGSTYLE: How do you define what is beautiful?

Deluy: Since the computer and all these blogs and everything, there is a new generation of photographers that come out of nowhere and are very good. They were born with the technology, and they’ve known it all their life. In my time, there was only two channels on the television, newspapers, and only a few photographers. Today, if you really want to be a photographer then you have no excuse.

BANGSTYLE: Did you teach yourself Photoshop? Did you find it difficult to learn?

Deluy:  Yes, I’m self taught. I didn’t find it difficult. I made the jump from film to photography a long time ago. Back then, people didn’t want digital- [because] there was no contact sheets etc, and it took them time to adapt. It was confusing. Now, if you’re not digital– forget it. Fifteen years ago it was not the same story. Back then they wanted to see negatives. Shooting digital was like ‘WHAT?!’  [The first time I worked with] Photoshop I was like oh my G-d– this is it! It opened up a revolution. I use to spend time at the lab, LOTS of time, now I can see the images instantly, I don’t even need a printer.

BANGSTYLE: What attracted you to the BANGSTYLE project?

Deluy: I think Geoff [the founder or BANGSTYLE] is a really smart guy who comes out with fresh ideas. In the world, sometimes you meet people like him, who are just different–a little eccentric, and I love it! It’s a cool idea. I love BANGSTYLE.

BANGSTYLE: I have to say, I’m a huge fan of your work. I was pretty intimidated to come interview you–is there anyone whom you’ve found to be intimidating?

Deluy: No. I always say ‘We go the same place to go pee pee and caca.’ It’s true. Even if it’s a bigger actor, they still have to use the restroom…we’re all the same. I like to work with feeling, look into the eyes, to touch them, to laugh and to connect with them. To capture them from them inside.  You can take so much from some people, some give less…but it’s interesting to see something coming out from someone. It’s funny, you start to feel like you have power over them, you’re taking something from inside, you know?

–

(More details on the new BANGSTYLE Image Campaign to come!)

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