Édouard Boubat

Édouard Boubat, was a French photographer born on September 13th, 1923 in Paris. Édouard went to school at Ecole Estienne where he studied to become a photo-engraver but in 1943 he was called to serve two years of complusory labour in a factory in Germany. When he returned to Paris in 1946, Édouard sold his six-volume dictionary to pay for his first camera, which was a 6X6 Rolleicord. Boubat took his first photograph in 1946 and was awarded the Kodak Prize the following year. Boubat loved to see the world through his camera and was curios about the human spirit and when he took his portraits he described himself as a constant foreigner entering people's lives. Jacques Prévert (French poet) described Boubat as 'a poet with a camera' and his photographs were know to reveal his poetic nature. 

I have chosen to study Édouard Boubat because of the simplistic nature of his images, the use of monochrome and the emotions he has captured in each photograph. I like the way Boubat experiments and explores different angles and locations as it creates interest and captures the viewers interest. 

In the above image the viewer is instantly drawn in to the figures peaceful expression and the way it strikingly contrasts between the harsh monochrome background. One of the obvious props in the photograph is the shell which is against the figures ear. This could suggest that Boubat wanted to represent children as peaceful and free when they are connected with nature which is reinforced by the boy's expression and how close the shell is to his face. 

What I like about this image is how Boubat captured the lighting which highlights the figures hair and the side of her face. This contrasts the dark persona the figure is portraying which is reinforced with her dark lipstick and the cigarette hanging from her mouth. Boubat has also captured her emotion through her eyes which allows the viewer to instantly be involved with the figures story.

I have chosen this image by Édouard because I like the way he shows the figure's emotion and story by her stance which symbolises she is a strong character. This is reinforced by her strong body language. However, there is a contrast between the peaceful and free background and the strong, powerful pose the figure portrays.