Wilfrid Esteve

Wilfrid Estève (born in Carcassonne, France in 1968) is a French photojournalist and portraitist. Since 1995 he has worked with various publications, such as ELLE, Liberation, Le Monde, Geo France, Marie-Claire, National Geographic France, Paris Match or VSD, and was awarded a special distinction during the prix Nadar 2005, for his writings in the book "Photojournalisme, à la croisée des chemins".

Focused on testimonies and investigations, his photographic work is carried out in the field of action or in areas of hostility (West Africa, Europe, Middle East). In parallel he continues a societal work on France and immigration.

In 2005 his takes part in the creation of the photographic collective Picturetank and takes on the role of vice-president. At the same time he develops the multidisciplinary project Territoires de fictions. In 2006 he co-founds the studio of creation and broadcasting Hans Lucas.

In 2008 he becomes co-director of the photo agency MYOP, and takes part in the creation of the website Photojournalism.fr, dedicated to news photography and photojournalism.

MYOP

Since June 2008 Wilfrid Estève shares the management of [http://www.myop.fr MYOP] along with Guillaume Binet and Lionel Charrier. This photo agency was created in 2005 and counts 12 independent photographers ; its originality lies in its ability to show a diversity of points of views.

The members of the agency come from various backgrounds including conceptual photography, photojournalism and documentary, thereby, they bring about a pertinent questioning of the contemporary world. Anchored in the political photography of the newspaper Liberation where most of the members of the agency do freelance work, the photographers of MYOP have done some assignments for the most notorious French and international newspapers such as Le Monde and magazines such as Elle, Géo, Marie Claire, National Geographic, Newsweek, Paris Match or The Times.

Works from the photographers of MYOP have been rewarded with prizes such as W. Eugene Smith grant (Alain Keler in 1997), Agena best humanitarian reportage prize (Alexis Cordesse in 1992), Bourse 3P de Yann Arthus Bertrand (Alain Keler in 2004), two Bourses FIACR (Oan Kim in 2008), Nadar prize (Wilfrid Estève in 2005), Paris Match prize (Alain Keler in 1986), World Press Photo (Alain Keler in the nature section, 1986), World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass (Alexis Cordesse in 1993), third prize Observer Hodge Award (Alexis Cordesse in 1995), Prix des Voies Off des rencontres photographiques d'Arles (Wilfrid Estève in 2000).

MYOP's offices are in Paris, and its field of expertise covers a wide range, from information to venture communication to the development of cultural projects. MYOP is free to develop its political, artistic and marketing editorial strategies. It is one of the last independent agencies in France. M.Y.O.P stands for "Mind Your Own Photography"

FREELENS-FRANCE

Since 2004, Wilfrid Estève has been presiding over [http://www.freelens.fr Freelens-France] , formerly know as l'Association nationale des Journalistes Reporters Photographes et Cinéastes-FreeLens (The National Association of FreeLens Journalist Reporters, Photographers and Filmmakers).

Since its creation, the association strives to assert the place, the importance as well as the role of photography within a democratic debate. This pole of reflection, founded in 1962, has united over the past four decades some of the major protagonist of photojournalism, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Raymond Depardon, Gisèle Freund, Marc Riboud, Sebastião Salgado. The association was presided over by Robert Doisneau, Roger Pic, Patrick Bard and Lorenzo Virgili. In July 2008, FreeLens-France launched the website [http://www.photojournalisme.fr Photojournalisme.fr] , dedicated to news photography and photojournalists.

ENSEIGNEMENT

Since 1996, Wilfrid Estève has been teaching photojournalism in many renowned schools (l'École supérieure de journalisme de Lille), specialized training centers (CFPJ or [http://www.emi-cfd.com l'École des Métiers de l'Information] , in Paris) as well as workshops taking place in festivals.

In 2006 he became the educational director within the photographic division of l'École des Métiers de l'Information, also known as the Other school. In 2007, he put together the [http://www.tremplinphoto.net Prix Tremplin Photo] , the first scholarship awarded during the festival Visa pour l'image and dedicated to photojournalism.

The technical and professional higher education course in photojournalism, which he co-manages with Mat Jacob of the collective Tendance floue and Lorenzo Virgili, counts among its former students : the 2008 recipient of the prix Mark Grosset (Elisabeth Schneider) ; the 2007 recipient of the award Visa d'or Magazin au Festival International du Photojournalism Visa pour l'image and the Festival du scoop et du journalism d'Angers' Prix Special du Jury (Lizzie Sadin), the two recipients 2004 and 2002 of the (Julien Daniel and Jérômine Derigny); the 2005 recipient of the grand Prix Calderon (Jérôme Sessini) of the festival du Scoop et du journalisme d'Angers; the two recipients, 2004 and 2005, of the 3P scholarship (Lizzie Sadin and Frederique Jouval); the 2003 recipient of the grand Prix International du Reportage Humanitaire CARE (Florence Gaty); the recipient of the Prix Fnac Attention Talents 2002 and the Prix Fuji 2002 (Julien Daniel) and two recipients of the , 2001 and 2002, (Julien Daniel).

TERRITOIRES DE FICTIONS

In 2005 Wilfrid Estève developed the project Territoires de fictions with Virginie Terrasse and Benjamin Boccas acting as artistic editors. The exhibition resulting from this project took a look at France through one hundred artists, 13 sounds designers, 2 graphic designers, 28 filmmakers and 57 photographers. This collection included contemporary artistic productions in both fields of photography and video. By exploring different forms to represent photography, Territoires de ficitions has developed a concept called POM, Petite Oeuvre Multimédia (Small Works of Multimedia).

The exhibit combined different media (photography, video, sounds and graphics creations) ; over a period of 24 months it was shown over 30 times in France, Belgium, Italy and Poland. Territoires de fictions had around a million visitors since 2006 through a social project that combined 600 photographies and 62 videos (presented in the form of a giant mosaic or giant posters). The exhibit also took over some major public spaces of major cities. For its launching in September 2006, the project, on top of being shown in the [http://www.galeriechateaudeau.org/expos%202002/tdf.htm Galerie du Château d'eau] , could be seen on the metro the walls in Toulouse, a space usually dedicated to advertisement.

For Marta Eloy Cichocka, journalist and university professor, "thanks to this bridge between information and art, French society is socially engaged, and the artists face the social frustration, the lack of confidence in politics and democracy, the revival of radical political parties, as well as the problems linked to immigration and integration. The questions regarding France today are the questions regarding France tomorrow and at the same time are questions about the world of today which is in a state of constant change." [Marta Eloy Cichocka, « Fin de saison : Transfotografia w Trójmiescie », "POZYTYW", 08-09/2006] .

According to the French art critic Christian Gattinoni, " The other interest of this undertaking resides in the reflection on the broadcasting of these pieces of multimedia, they find themselves in neighborhood meetings that have a political flavor, in cultural reflections in places such as la Maison Européenne de la Photography, but manly thanks to a partnership, these P.O.M are shown on a daily basis on the site lemonde.fr [Christian Gattinoni, "Territoires de fictions, l’identité en diffusion", "Area revue)s(", n°14, 03/2007, pages 155-159] .

OEIL PUBLIC

Co-founder of the photo agency [http://www.oeilpublic.com Oeil Public] which he left in 2004, Wilfrid Estève was involved with the creation of the broadcasting structure and the rise of the collective for 8 years. Oeil Public came into existence in 1995 and employs ten independent photographers. The agency was distinguished by many prestigious photography awards (including the and ) and contributes to renowned international publications. Oeil Public is one of the last independent photo agencies in France.

According to Michel Guerrin, the journalist in charge of the cultural department of the newspaper Le Monde, specialized in photography "Oeil Public is a structure that fits in a well defined linage, like Magnum (Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson) as a reference for independence and aesthetic, but also like Viva, a superb team of rabble-rousers created in the aftermath of may 68, that indicated a revival of the societal issue (French) as opposed to the far away "phenomenon", a taking part, a simplicity in the photography, the right of the photographer to his "own poetry", as Le Querrec used to say. [Michel Guerrin, "L'Oeil Public tourne son regard social vers le festival Visa pour l'image", Le Monde, 02/09/2001] .

CITATIONS/QUOTES

"For the past ten years the photographic world has been destabilized. New technologies have redefined the performance of a profession. Major changes have taken places in the fields of production, distribution and consumption. A new e-economy has emerged. It shakes our ways of thinking, of working, of seeing the world, without having given us time to prepare for it."

"While photography has become a consumer good, it has become necessary to act. Are we to encourage a bulimic consumption of information and strengthen a feeling of urgency? Should we be satisfied with feeding the illusion making machines that are stock agencies and thus submerge and intoxicate the public with photographies? Can the current application of the news lead to a state of media like junk food? In this market of over-consumption, it is necessary to take a step back, to analyze, and to hold on to the thread of our history? Try not to focalize on the events while forgetting the profound conditions that created them."

"To try and understand the way in which the public builds its vision of the world. Fight against the rise of ignorance, of intolerance and the fear of the other. Fear kills the spirit. This curiosity that comes along with taking a picture is a necessary bridge toward other cultures. Let us prevent the reader from being swallowed by the sensational and the author to turn into peeper. The media has imposed on us its realities, the editorial staff is pushing for a informational show."

"Contemporary photography is at a crossroad. Preceding generations were focused around a journalistic approach based on testimonies. Were does it stand today? It is unusual in France that a young photographer claims to be a photojournalist, that he develops a relevant side and states a point of view. However, erasing the traces of a political standpoint in reporting results in going against its initial meaning. It is as if it disembodied the dream for the rebellion. By entering history photography lost its desire to reshape the world."

"We do not have the desire to mold a culture of unanimity. Today, we don't know how to show anymore, we don't even know how to see. The threat lies in the fact that financial outcomes take the place of testimonies and emotions. The motivation of an underdog culture has succeeded the one world vision." "Let's not forget that to exclude also means to be deprived of the other's vision and that the way through which we inform and get information is a major democratic stake."

Wilfrid Estève during the conference "Is photojournalism a political action?" organized in 2005 by Visa pour l'image. ["Actes du colloque Visa pour l'Image du 1er et 2 septembre 2005" ed. Images-Évidence, 2005 (ISBN-10: 2952026823).]

References

* Marval (2005). "Photojournalisme à la croisée des chemins" (isbn 2862343757).

Notes