Strong portraits mixed with melancholy moments. Get to know 20 year young photographer from Switzerland Edwin Charmillot.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Switzerland, Delémont and I am still living here.
A lot of your work is black and white. What do you like about it?
What fascinates me about black and white is “chiaroscuro”. Sometimes I may be a little depressing, but I like this sad side of b&w.
A word that describes your work.
I think: Subtle.
“Sometimes I may be a little depressing, but I like this sad side of b&w.”
How do you find your models, and when do you feel that you want to work with that special girl?
I find them via instagram and some of them are my friends. In the first case, I look at her account. If it’s a private account it’s usually a bad sign. (laughs) And if I like what I see, we start to talk a little bit, as it´s important to feel a connection with the person. The most important features for me are her eyes and her skin.
A photographer is always on the search of the perfect picture. Do you think something like a perfect picture exist?
I have seen images that have been in my memory for a really long time. Some photos can definitely touch us. I’ts about our feelings, our sensitivity and our memories.
And talking on favorite image. Do you have a current fav image, if yes, which one and why?
There is a picture for me that is perfect : “Le baiser de l’hôtel de ville” from Robert Doisneau. This picture looks like a stolen moment. Everything is moving except this couple. If it’s a staging, then bravo. But I prefer to “do not know”, and continue to dream.
Where can we find you on a friday night?
Certainly on my laptop, busy processing my photos or writing on my script. If I’m not at home, I sip a mojito in town.
