Amel Kerkeni

The thing I like the most about her photographs are the tones. The colours warm your heart just by looking at them. Secondly, her models are really gorgeous and they obviously know what they are doing. I like her imagination - the ideas for shoots are particular. She doesn´t just go somewhere and shoot - she sets up the place, gets all the things which are needed. Plus she gets a fashion designer and a hair-stylist and the show may begin. In the end, what comes out of her trying are those precious pictures.




The artist´s words:

1. Where were you born, do you still live there and do you wish you lived somewhere else?
- I was born in the north of France, a town called Valenciennes. I'm living not very far from Lille, the bigger town of North. I really like this town, we're near to paris, england, it's really dynamic and nice.

2. How did it all become? Do you remember if there was a particular reason why you started taking photographs?
- I can't really explain it. My most distant memory with photography was a lesson about darkroom, seven years ago. We had to bring an old film for learning to develop traditionnal photography. My father gave me this film, it was a picture of my grand father. When I saw it appear in the developer, it stucked on me forever. And i never stop to take picture since this moment. Also i really love stage, the photography is an easier way to realise all my ideas.

3. What equipment do you use?
- I've got a Canon EOS 7D and a 30mm object-glass.

4. Where do you go for inspiration? What makes you keep shooting?
- Anything could be an inspiration. A book, a movie, a personn, a light, a music... I don't have special rules for it! It's the renewal of picture in my head which gives me the desire to carry on.

5. What are your interests beside photography?
- I've got a theater diploma. I love it! I also like cinema and music.

6. Who are your favourite photographers/painters/musicians/film-makers?
- Very very very many! To give some names: Andy Julia, Bruno Dayan, Man Ray, Tim Walker for photography. In cinema I like Coppola, Nola, Avedjan, Burton,...

7. Tell us what does your usual day look like..
- It's very difficult to describe a tipical day when days don't look like the same! With this job it depends when I work or not. But overall, I wake up, I read my e-mails (so many every day!). I take care of my publications on my website, I plan my month, my appointments, my prospecting, and I contact my clients. The afternoon I touch up my photos, and I prepare my next photographis session.

8. If you were an animal what would it be?
- Unhesitatingly a cat!!

9. And the last question - what was your last seen exhibition or movie?
- "J'ai tué ma mère" : I killed my mother by Xavier Dolan. Amazing!!

Show some love to Amel´s work at her flickr, facebook page, tumblr or take a look at her website.