Hi Thibault, it's nice to talk to you! First, would you like to tell us a bit about yourself? Who are you, where are you from, where do you live now? Tell us a bit about your personal background!
Hi! I'm Thibault Pageot. I was born in Paris but moved to the Mediterranean in the south of France at a very young age. It was there that I first discovered my passion for the sea, which made me a sailor for almost two decades. It was during this time of sailing and discovering the world that my passion for photography was awakened! I just had to capture all these new, fascinating and wonderful horizons!
I practiced photography for many years while continuing to work as a mechanic on ships and crossing the oceans. Traveling while working was no longer enough for me... To satisfy my passion for photography, I also started traveling in my free time to take photos.
Finally, after almost 20 years of working, I quit my job last year to devote myself full-time to photography. I also left my home country France and settled in Denmark with my wife, whom I met on a trip to Cuba.
For photography lovers, Denmark is an ideal country to photograph as it is incredibly photogenic and is home to many talented photographers who are an incredible source of inspiration.
You specialize in urban landscape photography and share some very exciting perspectives - how did you develop your style? What is the biggest challenge when photographing landscapes?
Oh yes, I really like urban landscapes because I'm attracted to the architecture, the lines, the shapes that you can discover in them. Sometimes I also like to add a scene from life or, for example, a character in action. I like to play with all of this and the hardest thing for me is finding the right composition that makes me say: this is it! To do this you have to walk a lot, explore, try different framing and not be afraid of losing. If possible, it's worth returning to a place to get the right lighting conditions.
But if you look at my Instagram account or my website, you'll see that I also like to photograph simple landscapes and portraits, even if I don't publish that much of them. Sometimes I create more original things that spring from my imagination (grins)
You seem to love traveling a lot! What is your favorite place you've visited so far? Where would you like to go next?
As a photography lover, the list can be very long.
Although I know I won't be very original here, two countries stand out for different reasons: Cuba and Iceland. Cuba because of the scenes of life, the colors that can be found there, and Iceland because of its breathtaking landscapes.
You might notice that these are two countries where there is almost no architecture and urban landscapes (laughs)
I also love the wide landscapes and nature, so my next trip is already planned for the Faroe Islands! I'm really looking forward to photographing these untouched landscapes.
(By the time we were able to publish the interview, Thibault was already in the Faroe Islands and shared some wonderful photos with us: )
Would you like to tell us a little about your creative process? How do you come up with your ideas and how do you edit your pictures? Do you plan ahead a lot or do you prefer to take pictures spontaneously?
I think I work with two different types of processes: one that is planned and one that is more spontaneous. But both can complement each other well. It can start with a place that I have decided on beforehand and then quickly become something spontaneous as soon as I am there or on the way there. But I can also tell you right away that neither process is guaranteed to be successful (laughs)
When I'm post-processing, I try to follow a guideline. I play a lot with the colors, saturation and contrast of the image by working in zones. Depending on the inspiration, I sometimes create an image from different images, but I usually plan this during the shoot.
What inspires you and why?
I am inspired by the world around me. Some places, the architectural lines, the scenes of life, the weather conditions are a delight to my eyes and I try to capture the essence of it. I try to take an interesting picture that conveys certain emotions.
I also try to imagine how the photo would be edited at the time it was taken and that inspires me a lot.
How and why did you start using Instagram as a platform to share your photography?
I didn't share my work for many years. I wanted to train and have fun regardless of everything. In 2018, on my wife's advice, I started sharing some of my photos on Instagram because they could be appreciated by the community, it could give me some exposure and I could see pictures from other photographers. She knew how much I love photography and that it could be useful for me.
It wasn't until late 2020 that I made the decision to pursue a second career and I started using Instagram more seriously and being active more regularly. I found a sense of community and the opportunity for photographers like me to find commercial partnerships.
You can find a lot of both color and black and white pictures on your Instagram account. What do you think defines each style?
Not all images are well suited to black and white images, quite the opposite. In fact, a black and white image is easier to read than a color one.
In black and white, certain details become visible, but also certain defects. For example, the viewer of a black and white image is more likely to pay attention to the framing and composition. Black and white has a dramatic and mysterious effect that I really appreciate. It gives a different interpretation of reality. The eye is no longer attracted by the bright or pale colors, but by the shapes, silhouettes and contours. Black and white photography makes it possible to express a creative inclination by restoring more textures, contrasts or light, for example.
On the other hand, colors offer a very wide range of possibilities. They can convey so many emotions. The possibilities are endless and unfortunately, in my opinion, the most difficult thing about choosing to shoot in color rather than black and white is maintaining consistency in post-production, because it is very easy to deviate from that.
Personally, I like the so-called moody style, which plays a lot with the contrasts of the photos and the light sources. The colors are often desaturated, which I really like. The monochrome style is also one of my favorites, a style that conveys a lot of emotions for me.
Do you have a favorite picture of yourself? Can you tell us the story behind it?
Yes, I have one and for a very simple reason. My personal memories behind it are very strong.
The picture shows a scene from life in Havana, Cuba.
It shows the young and not so young Cuban generations sharing a convivial moment during sunset on the famous Malecón overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
I especially like the rays of sunlight penetrating the people and the shadows of the people in the foreground.
As always, I had my camera with me, but my presence at that place at that time was not planned at all. We happened to be there in the company of Cubans to discuss things. Once there, I took the opportunity to take a picture, it was an incredible moment.
How do you feel about your IG community? Do you connect with them a lot? Do they help you find new ideas?
I really like my IG community. I've been able to make friends online that have helped me grow.
So many talented, funny and supportive people have become part of my journey.
I like to log in regularly to discuss our work. Sometimes I find ideas for places I would like to photograph, which I also find very useful.
Can you tell us some of your favorite Instagrammers who inspire you?
Some of my favorite Instagrammers who inspire me are
@david_burdeny , @cimkedi , @pat_kay , @askejorgensen and finally fellow countryman @pierretlambert
Do you like hanging photographs or art posters on your wall?
Yes, I do! I also offer art prints on my website thibaultpageot.com using high-quality paper, which is often cited as the favorite paper of photographers. Before I decided on this paper with my partner, I did several tests and it turned out that the most successful one is currently on the walls of our house, to the delight of my wife (smiles)
Did you know about Pickmotion before our cooperation? If so, how did you discover us?
I don't think so, but I'm sure I've seen your products at one of your many outlets in Europe.
Finally, would you like to share a little anecdote or story with us? You can tell us whatever comes to mind!
Yes gladly.
Like many photographers, I plan my images in advance. The goal is to capture the perfect moment we imagine and sometimes... things don't work out as planned!
I traveled to Cambodia to photograph the sunrise on the very special day of the equinox - a specific time of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the Earth's equator and day and night are equal in length, which only happens twice a year. The special charm of the sunrise on this day is that it occurs exactly at the height of the top of an extraordinary temple. The most magical and mysterious ever built on the entire Asian continent: Angkor Wat! It is hard to believe that people were able to build such amazing structures even in ancient times.
Archaeologists believe that ancient kings wanted to connect the earth with the sky, so they integrated celestial events with their temple, not only in Angkor but all over the world. The equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat is just one of these events.
My whole trip was planned around that day! Of course I arrived a few days before the event, the weather was incredibly sunny... The night before I went to bed early and was already excited about the following day. I set the alarm for 3:30 am, guys! I got ready and took a tuk tuk straight to the temple... The sky was still very dark.... I set up my tripod and cameras and waited.... And I waited... And the sun didn't show up all day... It was a great experience and a very cloudy shoot that I'd rather keep to myself (laughs)
In our online shop you will find a beautiful PICKMOTION art poster with a picture by @thibaultpageot.dk ! Also discover our picture frames in two colors that will perfectly frame your art poster! Follow Thibault on Instagram and leave him a few kind words!
