Patrice Berchery is a fashion photographer based in Marseille, who also works internationally for productions. He has created catalogs and other materials in Africa, Asia, the USA, Europe, Cuba, Dubai, and more.

His favorite place remains California, where he has conducted numerous photo shoots for ready-to-wear brands and other accessories, including Wgal, Charlie Jo, Kaporal, Impudique, Deeluxe, Havacoa, Milasand, Jott, Maison Catanzaro, and GDS.

What inspired you to become a photographer?
After studying fine arts and working in the Navy’s photo service, the idea of becoming a fashion photographer came to me during a trip to the Middle East, where I was captivated by the beauty of the silhouettes emerging from the desert. I immediately felt the desire to photograph these scenes that seemed to come out of nowhere, where veiled women facing the wind allowed my imagination and visual interpretation to have total creative freedom.

What is your preferred style of photography?
I enjoy photographing models and mannequins in situ and in settings that highlight the clothing and silhouettes created by the brands in the fashion world.

How do you select subjects and settings to photograph?
The choice of models and shooting locations are considered, shared, and approved with my clients based on the theme and spirit of the collections, as well as makeup, hairstyles, and accessories styling.

What has been your favorite photographic project to date?
One of my favorite productions will always be an editorial photo shoot I organized and conducted in Nevada, deep in the desert, in a ghost town, with a very beautiful French model, for Patrice Catanzaro. The theme had a bit of a vintage feel, and the surroundings were perfect for it.

What camera equipment do you use and why?
I am loyal to Nikon and their range of lenses for both outdoor and studio shoots. I also use medium format cameras for closer "beauty" shots and portraits when I am in the studio.

What is your post-production process?
For retouching, I outsource the work to a specialist who executes it based on the directions I provide. Then, I personally work on the color grading, depending on the theme.

What has been your greatest challenge as a photographer?
My biggest challenge was shooting a ready-to-wear production inside the Mont Blanc glacier, where we could only work at night when no one else was around. It was an enormous challenge because it was extremely cold, and the ice made impressive sounds. Plus, the batteries drained very quickly due to the cold, and the clothes stuck to the ice. The next morning, we were all exhausted and freezing, but it was an unforgettable experience, and the result exceeded our expectations.

What advice would you give someone just starting out in photography?
Seek advice from professionals and let your imagination flow in your creations to get as close as possible to your sensitivity. Don’t be afraid to start over and over again to free yourself from the technical aspects that, with time, will become tools to give you the freedom of expression.

How do you think technology has impacted your work as a photographer?
I don’t think the evolution of technology (digitization, software, AI) is an issue in creating the image itself, quite the opposite. It’s just the nostalgia for films, their development, prints, and craft techniques that I miss a bit, especially the Polaroids that validated the start of our production and were often pinned to the wall as memories for the team.

What types of events or projects do you enjoy participating in as a photographer?
I have participated in various exhibitions: the Fashion and Beauty Photography Festival in Cannes, Fiesta des Suds, Forum des Halles in Paris, International Fashion Photography Institute in Marseille, and more. These are wonderful moments of sharing with the public and fellow photographers. I also enjoy being featured in the press and magazines that give my work great visibility. This has been the case with magazines like Playboy, Côté Sud, Glint, Runway USA, Faust, Most, and others. I collaborated with a graphic designer on a 196-page book titled Femmes Elément's, which gave me the opportunity to be published in bookstores. The 2022 calendar edition for Clara Morgane was also a great recognition of my work through a very active public figure.

Do you have a funny anecdote to share?
One day, during a swimwear shoot on the Îles des Saintes, we lost a small part of the collection that was hanging on one of our rental scooters. We were the only ones on the spot, and there was no one in sight! Despite our futile search around the area, we returned to the port disappointed and still amazed at the disappearance. When we told the scooter rental owner what had happened, he burst out laughing and asked if there was anything else in the bag along with the swimsuits. We told him, yes, our sandwiches for the break! In fact, the theft had been carried out by a group of wild goats, who spend their time on the island stealing small bags when they sense food! Focused on our photos, we hadn’t heard or seen the thieving goats who had hidden and were enjoying our food. The swimsuits didn’t interest them and must have been carried away during a storm. Fortunately, we had similar sizes back at the hotel, so we were able to finish our production!

Patrice Berchery Photographer
Email: dipzonestudio@gmail.com
Phone: (+33) 06 07 04 10 52
Instagram: @patrice.berchery.photographe
Website: www.patricebercheryphotographe