biography

Jean-François was born in Aix-en-Provence, France. He begins his career in 1988 in Berlin, where he will return regularly until 1992. His first work, a photo essay realized before, during, and after the fall of the Berlin Wall is exhibited in 1990 in a traveling European exhibition at the FNAC Gallery called Berlin, Open Heart. The same year he is awarded Prix de la Fondation Angenieux. 

In 1991, Jean-Francois is invited to join the French daily newspaper, Libération, as a correspondent. During a seven year tenure, he is given his own daily column where he will create an ongoing visual portrait of France. It is with this series that Jean-Francois hones his unique style - an acidic yet tender vision that tells a complete story within one image. The culmination of this work will be published in 1997 as Jean-Francois’ first monograph Aprés la Pluie. 

He will then realize a long term photo essay about the presidential race of candidate and future president Chirac. Later on, he will address the critical situations of Rwandan refugees in Northern Zaire and conflicts in the Middle East. In July of 1995, he joins Agence Vu in Paris, and starts collaborating to international publications, such as The New York Times. 

During his career as a photojournalist, which spans almost 15 years, Jean-François earns eminent recognition for his captivating images, including Under Thirty Award given by the French National Center of Photography and the World Press Photo Masterclass prize. 

After a seminal trip to Rwanda, Jean-François’ journey takes him to explore a new form of photography. He decides to cross France from North to South, on the mythical road Nationale 7, and create a new portrait of France, in color and "a la chambre”, made of people and landscapes he encounters along the way. 

Between 2000-2002, he will return to his hometown, Port de Bouc, where his interest turns internal and Finding Christine G is created. This series of large format, color portraits and landscapes, about Jean-François’ search for his first love Christine, is largely noticed by the worlds of advertising and fashion photography. 

With his extensive visual palette, from black and white to color, and from reportage to narrative, Jean-François will develop an ultra-creative and highly sophisticated visual style that will captivate the realms of luxury and high-end commercial fashion and beauty photography. 

His ability to create strong, eye catching visuals that make readers dream, will lead him to execute numerous award-winning campaigns and editorials. Throughout his commercial career, he remains devoted to exploring the "real world" through the lens of portraiture, and creates The American Beauty, a series focused around the youth of New York. This project sparks a continuous underlying inspiration, the documentation of adolescences, and leads Jean-François to produce a new portrait project about Los Angeles teens called LA Stories. 

Jean-François has contributed to prestigious publications including ELLE US, V Magazine, Flair, various editions of Vogue, and worked on prestigious accounts such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Celine, and Shiseido. 

awards

• 2014:  Winner of American Photography 30 in the Editorial Portraiture category for portrait of Mary Ann Schoettly, an ordained priest
• 2012: Corporate Award at 27th Grand Prix de la Publicité Presse Magazine for LVMH; "Les Journées Particulières"
• 2004: 1st Prize Club des AD for Sony Playstation campaign
• 1997: HSBC Foundation for Photography winner
• 1997: Nominated for the AFP award
• 1997: Laureate World Press Photo Masterclass
• 1996: Prix Moins Trente from the Centre National de la Photographie
• 1991: Laureate of the Biennale des Jeunes Createurs de l’Europe de la Mediterranee
• 1990: Laureate of the Fondation Angenieux

exhibitions

• 2009: Sara, just Sara : in the mirror of my myths – Milk Gallery, New York
• 2006: Comment ça va avec l’amour – Maison de la Villette, Paris
• 2001: Le Collectif HSBC – Paris Photo, Paris
• 1999: Le Collectif Vu - Paris
• 1998: The French President - Mois de la Photo, Moscow
• 1997: Après la Pluie – Galerie Beaudoin Lebon, Paris
• 1997: Neighbours – Netherlands Institute for Photography, Rotterdam
• 1996: New Photography from France - International Center of Photography, New York
• 1996: Politique et Société – Centre National de la Photographie, Paris
• 1995: La Solitude du Candidat Chirac – Festival Visa pour l’Image, Perpignan
• 1991: Souvenirs de Berlin – Nuit de la photo, Musée de l'Élysée, Lausanne
• 1991: Fragments - Musée de la Vieille Charité, Marseille • 1990: Berlin, à Coeur Ouvert – FNAC Galeries in Marseille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Paris, Berlin

publications

• Unbalanced (Group64, 2014) 
• Sara, just Sara (Miedzy Nami Cafe, Issue #28, 2009)
• Photographies Contemporaines (Textuel, 2006) 
• Je ne vois pas ce qu'on me trouve (Actes Sud Collection Cinema et Photographie, 1997)
• Apres la Pluie (Actes Sud Monographie, 1997)