SOPHIE TAJAN
Last issue we featured the creative duo behind the emerging arts focused, limited run print only magazine Sucre Paper. This issue we delve further into the artistic mind of Sophie Tajan, one half of the project and an astoundingly talented photographer in her own right. Her images are full of soft, muted colours, smooth edges and a variety of techniques and subject matter from incorporated collage and illustration, to fashion and still life.
The 23 year old, now based in Paris, spent her childhood and teenage years in the picturesque south west French countryside and began taking photos through sheer boredom. “I've always been somewhat creative, I used to draw, do collages, that kind of thing. And one day I thought I should try taking photos, so my parents offered me a Kodak "Easyshare" camera for my birthday. It was a tiny cheap point and shoot camera... I’ve never stopped taking photos since,” explains Tajan. “My first photographs were terribly bad, and I was disturbed by the violent aspect of photography. By that I mean that when you have missed a photograph, there’s not much you can do about it to make it good; It’s not like a drawing that you can work on for days until you’re satisfied. A photograph is like an accident, there’s always an element that you can’t control; that you have to learn how to play with, how to master. That’s why I like photography. It’s always weird and intriguing to play with reality I think.”
Starting out as a self taught photographer, Tajan admits that she was initially not very interested in the technical aspects of photography, but rather more the aesthetics. She has since recently graduated from photographic studies in Paris, which has given her a full understanding of studio and analogue techniques, adding to the richness and depth of her work and allowing her to experiment with fashion photography. “I don't have only one particular way to practice
photography. When I plan a fashion shoot or a portrait session, of course I have a rather precise idea in mind, even if the result can come out completely differently. But I also like more and more to carry my analog camera everywhere with me and shoot whatever I find interesting. Those two kinds of practice are also very complimentary to me because sometimes I’m disturbed by the very artificial aspect of fashion photography and I need to go back to something more honest.” Tajan continues “I tend to prefer film in this way because I prefer its aesthetic and the whole process. I like it because you're more focused on the photos you shoot, and the results always have deeper value to me in the end; I'm more attached to them even if they're not always perfect, contrary to the digital photos with which I don't have any "emotional" connection to and I get sick of them pretty quickly.”
Anyone who has experimented with photography can attest to the fact that creating something truly worthwhile is a lengthy process, but it is entirely this process which captivates Tajan. “I like the whole process (of photography), from shooting, to editing, to printing. But the part that fascinates me the most is editing. When I pick the most powerful images and put them all together, you have a lot of possibilities to edit them and you have to find the right way to present your work. It’s a crucial part to me,” explains Tajan. “My photos work as a system. I like to put them all together and to confront them; confront the still lives to the portraits, the black and whites to the colors... things that are originally completely unrelated, and see what happens. I spend a lot of time sorting out my photos, trying to create layouts, trying out new things. I started doing collages a few years ago and liked it. It adds a new dimension to the photograph.”
With such freshness of attitude, I was curious to find out Tajan’s main source of inspiration. “It’s a combination of things I guess. My general interest for contemporary photography, for what’s being done now, is what influences me the most. I spend a lot of time checking out magazine editorials which can be very creative, checking out photo books, photo zines, going to exhibitions and so on. But also what shapes my work is not only inspirational sources, it’s a personal process. Sometimes, like right now, I’m inspired by a special thing, and I’m going to experiment with it, and that’s another step in my practice that makes me evolve.” says Tajan. “A great photograph is one that you're never tired of looking at. There's no special magic recipe for it I think, except maybe a good light and an interesting subject; something unusual that makes you want to look at that photograph for hours.”
Current Tajan is currently focusing her efforts on a series of still life images, shot with pure natural light as well as another series focusing on light, distortions and reflections. “Glass, mirrors, water, crystal...” On her plans for the future, Tajan exclaims “to take photos and work as much as possible. I'd like to collaborate with fashion designers, and set designers as well. I’m working on Sucre Paper’s second issue with my friend Angela Blumen right now, and I’m also going to work on a photo zine with a friend this year too, I'm looking forward to it!”
All images courtesy of Sophie Tajan
Published in PITCH Zine Issue# 20, August 2013