Art photographer Pierre Carreau focuses on images of waves, and this combination of art and artist is the stuff dreams are made of. He has been shooting waves over the past five years for his series AquaViva, and he remains intensely inspired by his subject matter.
Tell us about your career path.
“I came to St Barth 12 years ago, when my wife had a job opportunity here. I didn’t know the island at all, but surprisingly it gave me the desire and courage to restart my career from the ground up. I am originally from Paris, and I lived for a long time in Bordeaux then in Cap Ferret. I worked in management and finance as well as the organization of distribution networks. I represented every aspect of a business, but I did not feel at home in that commercial philosophy, I wanted to convey my own values! I was always interested in images. I made films about kite surfing, another one of my interests, when I was still in France, but once I was in Saint Barth I really focused on photography. That much is clear.”
How did you become a photographer—are you self-taught?
“Yes, I taught myself the fundamentals of the profession. First I specialized in architectural and interior design photography, for villas and luxury hotels. That gave me time to perfect my technique and allow my artistic project to ripen, as well as give free reign to my creativity and sensitivity. It took me several years to find the subject that I wanted to reveal through my lens. Five years ago, I started the series of AquaViva images and I knew that my muse was the waves. I always wanted to live close to the ocean and Saint Barth gives me the perfect place to take my photos in the most beautiful of open-air
My MacroWave and WaterPower series met with immediate success and I was lucky to quickly work with a gallery that is both in Saint Barth and New York. That gave a young artist like myself a lot of visibility. I found sense through my images, and I found personal fulfillment in my life, and that’s what I was looking for.”
What is your artistic process? How do you work?
“The originality of my work rests in the effects I give to the waves. It is important for me to try and give them a sculptural appearance and to give them volume. In addition to appearance, I like my work to make sense. I hope to transmit the positive energy of the elements to those who view my work. In advance of taking photographs, I continually look at the weather forecast. A certain number of factors must be favorable for me to take good images: the size of the swells, their orientation, and the period during which the wind meets certain criteria. In relation to these elements, I select the beach that is the most favorable and the equipment that is required (telephoto lens or waterproof case). However, even when the conditions are optimal, it is still unpredictable if I will take a photo that I like. That suits me perfectly, I would not thrive if I were able control everything. That’s the price I pay to get images that transcend reality. Because contrary to what a lot of people think, my photos are not retouched. I recently had the chance to come to the attention of an important collector of contemporary art, Charles Saatchi, who acquired an important number of my prints. He plans to show them in the museum at his Saatchi Gallery in London.”
His work is available at Space gallery in Gustavia.
