Few fields of art have evolved as much as photography over the last three decades. From my photo studies until today, the technique, and consequently the use, of the photo has been completely reversed.

I spare you the genealogy and the advent of digital photography, which almost everyone today has in his pocket.
Is that good? Certainly, we can only welcome this easy access to the photography by a general public, especially when our clichés become means of sharing.
Is that an evil? For everyone to judge, even though it is easy today to have their photos printed online, how many of us still have shoe boxes full of photos at the bottom of their closet? Whether it is family photos or art prints, paper prints are rarer, while they are also good sharing media, or even works of art on its own.

"C'est ce constat que j'ai fait après 20 ans de voyages réguliers en Asie, près de 6000 photographies cumulées et... toujours aucune accrochée sur mes murs !"

So let's take pictures, but let's print them too!

I've been a professional photographer for more than 30 years, in the fields of music and entertainment, and I cannot help, as often as possible, going away from the agitations, preferably on the dusty little paths of the early Himalayas.

"Je ne suis jamais parti en voyage avec l'objectif principal de faire des photos, l'idée est de partir dans des endroits reculés, là où normalement je n'ai rien à y faire, là où je ne suis pas attendu, car c'est toujours loin de tout qu'on se retrouve le mieux."

Despite all this, I quickly realized that when I travel alone I only rarely leave my camera. After accumulating more than 6,000 photographs over 19 years, it was then time to sort out ... what was originally planned as a simple personal portfolio, ended up as this site.

This country is quite special to me, it is there that my grandfather chose to finish his last days, with his son, it is also in Thailand that my father (known also as my grandfather's son) has lived for more than twenty years.

And also my brother stayed there for ten years and now only thinks about going back soon, and I hope so for him, for good this time. And I'm not talking about my uncles' regular trips, aunts, cousins...

Although having crossed Thailand from north to south and from east to west, having often overflowed with neighbouring countries, some sites known for debauchery and overtourism remain unknown to me. This is not really what I am looking for, when I cross a country I prefer to live among the inhabitants and if possible like the inhabitants.

"Mais ce que je préfère par dessus tout, c'est partir loger dans une petite chambre en bambou dans les villages Hmong ou Khmu du nord de la Thailande ou du Laos"

Like many photographers and photo lovers, I find the photos in levels of blacks much more expressive, especially this square format that allows a much more direct reading and allows to add a more personal vision. It also reminds me of the time when I myself made my prints in the laboratory.

"Les photos en niveaux de noirs bien plus expressives, malgré tout, la couleur dans certaines situations s'impose de part elle-même, j'évite de me restreindre à un style particulier et j'essaie de garder une vision la plus large possible."

And just like in the field of entertainment, on a trip I always just photograph what's happening in front of me, and without any staging, it's always the country that I'm going through that makes itself my subject. So logically I do not necessarily seek to make the images beautiful, but rather attractive, in the sense that it gives rise to attraction, questioning.

Color or black & white for Lake Hano?

I have often wondered about the relationship between the Human and the Sacred in Asian countries. These religions, such as Buddhism or animism, supposed not to have a god, and whose monks and peoples still bear full devotion.
A devotion yes, but to what? To the person of the Buddha, or the values of wisdom he represents? Or a selfish devotion in the hope of gaining merit? Or a devotion to a community whose mutual assistance and solidarity are, in certain areas, essential?

"Vous trouverez donc dans mes photographies, de manière récurrente, cette relation entre l'Icone et l'Humain."

in order to photograph the monks in their surroundings, there are certain rules, codes to be respected, to ensure that you do not disturb and express some respect, otherwise one takes the risk either of ending up with stolen and superficial photos, or at worst of being reminded to order by some nearby believers.
And if you notice that I often take photos from behind the monks, it's because what interests me is not their portraits, but this relationship between the Human, the Icon, and the architecture that houses them, sometimes millennia.
This results in a lot of time to visit temples, and sometimes even the "backstage" ...

One anecdote among others, I still remember that morning in particular when I went to the Wat Thong Nai Pan (Beer Pagoda!), to enjoy the rising sunlight and hope for some beautiful images.
When I arrived, I am warmly welcomed by the older monk who offers to share the meal with them.
How can I refuse?
Then my camera would remain aside, even though all the graphic elements were present, the light, the monk who played with the dogs on the lawn with the pagoda in the background ...

Actually, I photographed my neighbor's bowl while I was doing my dishes!

Another time in Luang Prabang a young monk told me that I am a good person, he saw me delighted and I thanked him at length, even though he had to lack experience to reach such a conclusion.

And so much more than the colorful landscapes and desert beaches of the small islands, it is above all these encounters that remain the best engraved in our memories, this is exactly where I find all the interest of going so far from home.

For what we can see throughout this region, but especially in the poorest areas, is that the monastic community is everywhere reflecting the population, they are calm and helpful, many times I have been offered a bottle of water, sometimes a meal, bracelets of fabric, or just engaged in conversation, without even ever asking for anything. A clearly spontaneous hospitality.

So I designed this entire site myself.
Ce qui ne veut pas dire que ce site soit parfait, mais justement, j'ai tenu à ce qu'il ne ressemble pas à tous les autres sites marchands formatés, qu'il y reste une part artisanale, et même si ce n'est pas vraiment "UX" (dans les règles de navigations habituelles), j'ai tenu aussi à séparer la partie galerie de la partie boutique, ne surtout pas encombrer de suite le visiteur avec la partie commerce, car tout comme dans une galerie on peut faire le choix de s'arrêter à la boutique, ou pas, pour y acheter un petit (ou un gros) souvenir, ou une pièce à collectionner, suivant l'intérêt qu'on y porte, mais sans y être obligé.

The important thing for me is to make all these images live, so that they can take air outside their boxes, in a disorder often voluntary. The important thing for me is that you take pleasure in browsing through the various gallery pages, rediscovering with a look perhaps different from the places you know, or that you would like to discover on your next trip, or just out of curiosity.

It may be difficult for you to appreciate (or not) all these photos at once, so don't hesitate to come back, as much as you want, and leave your opinion through the contact form.

"Do not hesitate to come back, as much as you want, it is free and open 24 hours"

Eric Ménard - Photographer and author of this website