Laurent Baheux, a renowned French photographer specializing in black and white wildlife photography, serves as the guest of honor at the inaugural Estivales Photo de Saintes festival. The 55-year-old artist from Poitou is showcasing his striking animal portraits throughout the city, with exhibitions running until September 13.
The first edition of the Estivales Photo de Saintes was launched in mid-June by the Nouvel Œil association, presided over by Philippe Stimaridis. The festival features multiple exhibitions scattered throughout the city, with Baheux's powerful images displayed on suspended banners along Alsace-Lorraine Street and Victor-Hugo Street, as well as at the Imaginart gallery located at 25 Saint-Michel Street. Baheux is scheduled to give a conference on Saturday, August 9, at 4 PM at the gallery.
Baheux's journey into photography began in sports journalism at Centre Presse in Poitiers, where he initially worked as a freelance sports writer. "I started as a sports freelancer at Centre Presse in Poitiers. Very quickly, they asked me to take photos. I developed a taste for it on the field - it was a good school, first through sports and then local news," Baheux explained. As the newspaper had significant image needs, he transitioned from writing to photography full-time.
For fifteen years, Baheux built his career in sports photography, offering his services to sports agencies and covering major international events. He photographed 15 French Open tennis tournaments, Olympic Games, and other significant sporting events, establishing himself in the competitive world of sports photography.
However, despite his success in sports photography, Baheux felt a growing need for change. Having grown up in the tranquil Poitou countryside, he became saturated with Parisian life and the crowds of large stadiums. "I had managed to make a place for myself in the sports world. But having grown up in the tranquility of the Poitou countryside, I became saturated with Parisian life and the crowds of big stadiums. I felt the need to refocus on essential things," he reflected.
This desire for change led Baheux to East Africa, where he sought respite and new inspiration. A friend who was organizing an event in Collioure offered him the opportunity to exhibit his work - something he had never done before. The public's reaction to his wildlife photographs was overwhelming and unexpected. "I saw people's reactions to my work; I never imagined I could move people so much by proxy. That's where you measure the power of the image," Baheux said.
Over the course of five years, Baheux gradually shifted away from sports photography to dedicate himself entirely to wildlife photography. His work began to be distributed through galleries and published in books, marking a complete career transformation.
Baheux's distinctive artistic signature lies in his masterful use of black and white photography. This aesthetic choice stems from his early experience with film photography in the 1990s, when he learned his craft in the darkroom during an era when most newspaper pages were printed in black and white. "I'm old enough to have known film photography in the 90s. At that time, all pages were in black and white. I learned everything about photography in the film darkroom. I kept that taste," he explained.
The photographer's philosophy centers on the emotional impact of beautiful imagery. "I like to magnify these animals because I like to move people through beauty," Baheux stated, explaining his approach to wildlife photography. His black and white aesthetic serves to elevate and celebrate the natural world, stripping away distractions to focus on the essential beauty and power of wild animals.
