Sebastien Zanella. A poet of photography
From the raw and innocent subculture of Surf and Skate to the melancholy romance of people behind the noise of everyday life.
A photographer constantly moving to many places in the world has captured many kinds of images with his camera. He has photographed notable brands such as Louis Vuitton and Hermes and magazines such as Vogue France and W.
Backyard Opera: What kind of images are you seeking?
Sebastien Zanella: I'm mainly looking for, honestly. I prefer a lousy picture that speaks to my soul to a beautiful one that sells a dream.
Especially in this world where everything is made to be better/stronger/successful, it's meaningless.
That is the point between a commercial or artwork. It would help if you asked a question without trying to answer it.
It would help if you expressed and did not try to impress.
BYO: Do you think photography is a form of art or a life statement (political, social etc.)?
S.Z: Everything is political. Even the ones who do it just for fun or just for being famous, it's a sort of political statement.
So when you are awarded that, when you grant that you are what you shoot, you start thinking about who you are.
And then you begin to be an artist.
BYO: Has surf and skate culture transformed through the years, and how does that affect your pictures?
S.Z.: Yes and no, I will say.
I am nostalgic for the vision I used to have about surfing/skate,
When it was not commercial, everyone did it for the right reason.
It was an excuse to travel, to be with your friends, to own your landscape and create from it when all of them were artists.
But maybe I just grew up and realized I just believed the advertising.
BYO: Your work talks to your generation, or have you maybe penetrated other audiences?
S.Z.: I try to be honest in everything I produce, so maybe it talks more to my generation.
But also, I can feel that the new one is more mature and open to his sensibilities (that was not the case in the early '00s when surf/skate was just testosterone-driven)
So I connect a lot with the new ones, who want to believe that a new world exists, that it's not all about advertising.
BYO: What has been the best location for you so far?
S.Z.: My home.
I always thought the best one would be the next one, behind the sea or the mountains.
Until The Coronavirus forced us to stay home.
And then, I realized that our inside world was more significant than the outside one.
If I didn't see beauties around my place, I wasn't paying attention and didn't have the keys.
BYO: What do brands ask from a photography perspective?
S.Z.: To sell the shared dreams, I will say.
BYO: A few words about you
S.Z.: I am one of the many humans on this planet, trying to find a sense in everything when I'm sure there is no sense.
BYO: Do you have any upcoming projects you'd like to mention?
S.Z.: I am working on a new book about the past ten years, documenting my life. It's an exciting process; looking back at my archive, all I see It's a mirror.
