Interview with Photographer Quentin Ritz

In conversation with French photographer Quentin Ritz.

I am very pleased to introduce you to Quentin Ritz. We had the opportunity to chat with the talented French photographer about his profession. Just read more below the following image.

How did you get into photography?

“First, I am pretty sure there is something with photography flowing in my family. We never really talked about it but a few months after I began photoshoots, I discovered that both my mother and my father were fond of photography in their youth. And in addition, my sister did some alternative modeling. So I guess it does not come out of nowhere. Actually, the real turning point was the fact I danced (breakdance) for about 6 or 7 years, and that during my six years of studying (master’s degree in political science) I couldn’t keep up with training. But I still had the urge to express myself, to create. So at Christmas, I asked Santa for a camera and it was on! I started with dance photography of my friends who did what I could not.”

What inspires you the most?

“This might be kind of cliché but I’d say people and movies. I tend to “nourish” myself from people, I have a very developed empathy that allows me to really get into people’s shoes, their emotions, their opinions. And this opens me doors to express things I feel by exchanging with them, especially my models. The other part is the cinema, I confess to being a bit jealous of cinematographers in the way they convey a full story. I love my pictures to be “cinematographic” like they were part of a movie. Movies are technically impressive and in my opinion way harder than setting a picture. This both impresses me and inspires me, in the use of framing, colors, and subtlety in the details. I think it is Kubrick who said “If you really want to communicate something, even if it’s just an emotion or an attitude, let alone an idea, the least effective and least enjoyable way is directly”. I try to be subtle as much as possible with little details.”

How would you describe your photographic style?

“I would say that in my portraits I try to emphasize something feminine, melancholic, and delicate while playing with light. I mainly focus on the eyes. I might have an obsession on that matter but to me eyes say a lot about people, and if you watch the eyes of my model you can see a whole story, a piece of them. So I’d say a mix of lights and emotions combined. Recently, I have been trying to incorporate a bit of fashion vibe to it. We’ll see where it goes!”

What makes a good picture?

“To me, a good picture is when something is happening either in the frame or inside you, with a human component in it. This is why my favorite style to watch is street photography even if I don’t do it. They are pieces of life, raw, or anecdotes, but they convey something strong in which you can relate or at least feel something. I would say the technicality also, which would be the colors, lights and framing, making it look easy while it is hard. This is a good picture to me.”

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be doing?

“Tricky question: I already have a job on the side! I try to manage it all and I hope that I can pursue all of my dreams at once.”

What are your goals for the future?

“I won’t lie, as hard and as weird that year was, I accomplished everything I wanted for 2020 regarding photography so I feel a bit dry and I needed to take a step back recently. Being published in an article was definitely one of them! Thank you so much for such an opportunity. I will be extra careful about what I wish or set as a goal in the future because it might happen in the end…! Right now, I would say it is pursuing my research, still learning and experimenting, shooting more analogs and meeting new inspiring people. Why not work for a magazine or a big brand in 2021? Or an exhibition? We’ll see, it is only the beginning of an interesting journey.”

Below you can find some more photographs shot by Quentin Ritz. we also recommend you to visit his website or follow him on Instagram.

All images © by Quentin Ritz. Do not hesitate to browse through our Photography section to find other inspiring images.