Photography | Creators of universes | The Press

In a disused industrial area of ​​Montreal, curious characters roam: a mage armed with a scepter, a survivor looking like Mad Max, a scientist with cyberpunk sauce… Around them, a dozen photographers shoot them according to this dilapidated decor, between two costume adjustments. A professional photo shoot for a magazine? Not quite: a meeting of amateurs fueling passion and creativity.

Sylvain Sarrazin
The Press

Martin Chamberland
The Press

It all started in the minds of Josée Houle and Hélène Groulx. In 2019, the duo of friends is thinking of setting up a series of events, “creatives”, bringing together photography enthusiasts and volunteer models around a theme, to draw polished and magical images.

Quickly, a small network of amateur artists is formed around these projects for which are mobilized large means, as well as all their heart. For what purposes? ” For pleasure ! », answer the two accomplices with one voice. But not only: it’s an opportunity for some to develop their talents, expand their portfolio (in return for their participation, the models receive photos) or build a network.

“This puts make-up and hair-dressed models within the reach of amateur photographers, and excellent conditions for creating original photos. It’s give and take, everyone contributes, photos are shared… and we make friends! “says Josée Houle, IT representative by trade, exercising the 8^e art for eight years.

At his side, Hélène Groulx, graphic designer passionate about manual work. The specialty of this ex-hairdresser: recover and recycle clothes and accessories to make the costumes worn by the models during the “creatives”.

She also takes care of the make-up, very elaborate. “When I was younger, I wanted to be a fashion designer, but life took me elsewhere. DIY keeps me alive. The costumes prepared for the creatives are ephemeral, we avoid reusing the same ones from one project to another, but we recover the elements and modify them”, she explains.

Although all the participants invited to the sessions are volunteers, the logistics in the background turn out to be almost as cumbersome as that of a professional production; less budgetary pressure, only a modest contribution from the artists being sometimes required. “It can take a month and a half of planning and preparation,” said Ms.^me Houle, which concocts several sessions annually. From a germ of idea, a theme and a universe are chiselled, then characters and their costumes are imagined and meticulously detailed. Finally, it remains to find an appropriate setting, make calls to photographers or models, then organize an appointment for D-Day.

Objectives: communion, passion and creation

On this summer Saturday, the “post-apocalyptic” theme was chosen – after having explored retrofuturism, witches or steam-punk in previous events. The models, prepared for a long time in the morning, are paired in rotation with the participating photographers, who strive to immortalize them in original poses or scenes, at the mercy of abandoned hangars in Montreal.

At the top of a ruined building, Jonathan Senécal gravitates around Fay, a model embodying a quantum physicist, in search of an angle or an expression. This manager in the sale of tires thus comes to perfect his photographic techniques as a dabbler, such as his sense of composition or the rendering of light on the skin. “We create our own little world. When you see the reaction of people when giving them the photos, it’s very rewarding for everyone, ”says the one who also comes with a view to socialization.

Fay, who has been involved in the artistic world since 2011, participates and poses to “meet creative minds, share ideas, experiences, advice”.

“We are not restricted as in a corporate or professional setting, we start from a flash rather than a target audience”, appreciates the one who also has professional experience.

For others, like Annie Lalonde, who came to sketch a few portraits with her husband, the passion has turned into a profession: a former social worker, she became a professional photographer just a few months ago. “I come to create and have fun. When you do that, you forget everything, it’s the outlet par excellence! “says the one who wishes to specialize in portraits of diversity and transgender people.

For co-organizer Josée Houle, seeing this anthill having fun polishing amazing images is worth all the money in the world. “Bringing these people together, providing them with opportunities, seeing them tripping, creating universes and seeing the results, makes me feel good. Each time, we are drained of energy and we say to ourselves that it is the last, but the next day, another idea will arise…”, admits the one who will share, from October, a studio dedicated to becoming an “artistic lobby for enthusiasts.