For French snapper Franck Juery, photography ticks the boxes of both work and play, which goes a long way to explaining why he's so darn handy with a camera. We sent him a few questions to find out more about his art.



What is your name and how old are you? My name is Franck Juery, I'm 41 years old.

Where were you born and where do you live now? I am from France. I was born in Chantilly near Paris and now I live in Paris.



How does where you grew up and where you live now affect your photography? I grew up in a small town surrounded by forest, as a child I spent a lot of time playing outside, imagining strange stories. The nature and the world of childhood has been a great inspiration for me to start my photographic work. The place I'm in now is very different to that, I don't shoot that much in the city, but sometimes I find some magic, like the 'Haïku' work, visible on my website.

What areas, things or people in your neighbourhood do you most like to photograph? A table in my living room with interesting objects, a friend, a piece of garden can be the beginning of a great story.

What do you shoot on (digital or analogue) and why do you choose to use that type? For commercial work, I photograph with a digital Nikon D800E; for personal work I shoot with analogue. My favourite analogue cameras are the Pentax 67, the Rolleiflex f 2.8 f and Hasselblad.



Is there a certain camera or type of film that you wish you could own? Yes, in digital the new Leica S, and for analogue, a 4X5 inch camera.

Is there a running theme to the work you create, or do you just make whatever comes to mind? Definitely what comes to mind. I work instinctively - I can start several projects simultaneously and sometimes take years to finish them (or not), I like to feel free.

What kind of subjects interest you the most? Still life, portraits, landscape, childhood, animals.



Do you prefer to create set-up photographs, or just wander the streets until you see a photo? For my regular work, most of the time I only create set-up pictures because I like to construct and feel comfortable controlling most of the elements during the shoot. I love to spend time choosing the right object, the right people and the right place for a photograph. But I also like taking pictures in the street, it's like recreation for me.

If you were to teach a photography appreciation class, what kind of lessons would you try to teach your students? I would begin with the basics, like aperture and speed, light... Technique in photography is the first step and the best way to be free in any creative project. Then I would tell them to be curious and to be interested in all forms of art. Try different cameras and processes, have fun and experiment with all the ways, even the most outlandish, to find your own style.



What is the strangest thing or thought that has inspired a photo? An old school notebook found at a flea market inspired my polaroid 'Ni-na' series.

What other budding photographers do you love? My friends Yann Orhan, Jean Baptiste Courtier and Benoit Linero.

What do you enjoy doing when not taking photos? Listen to music, play with my daughter, read, go walking...



Where can we see more of your work? On my website franckjuery.com and sometimes in festivals or exhibitions.