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Philippe Henry was born in France. He worked as a photographer in the French
Air Force for many years, then specialized in Wildlife Photography. He was
several times sponsored by the French Explorers and Travelers Society for
the excellence of his work. Since moving to Canada in 1994, Philippe covers
stories for
international magazines and write books. European and North American
agencies market his images worldwide.
"I enjoy to be out in the field taking photographs but I am not interested
in just any adventure. I often work in remote places with wildlife biologists
involved with conservation projects. I can tell about their work and their
conservation message to a broad audience. At the time when much of the planet
degradation is caused by man, it is rewarding to create images and write
articles to serve the purpose of conserving nature. I photograph healthy
ecosystems and tell about their importance to the planet and the effects
of their destruction. Compelling stories along with powerful images can touch
people's heart, and make them aware of environmental problems. I am presently
working in Ecuador and Venezuela where deforestation and poaching pose the largest threats
to the
andean bear. In both countries the species is facing a major risk of extinction in the
medium term. The story and a book will feature images of wild Andean bears and will tell
about
my encounters with the species and how hard it is to lead a conservation project
in these countries. Such a project gives a sense to my photography.
To cover a story about a
conservation project often takes me far away from home for several months.
It is time consuming. When I am not working in those remote places (what I like
most), I just enjoy to be a photo-reporter and go on assignments to cover
stories and to take photographs of everyday's life. It can be stories as diverse
as piglet's farming, ice fishing, beagle dogs, bow hunting....
Paradoxe: I like to be in remote areas but also in frenzy-busy-noisy cities
where I can photograph without any limitations. I have fun and I am inspired
when I take pictures in crowded places. I particularly like to capture motion,
ligthts and forms with special photo techniques like deliberate pannings and
blurs. -Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth- said John F.
Kennedy. In photography, conformity freezes photographer's creative freedom.
Creativity works with emotional activity of the mind and the way it is used
allows photographers to make unique images. It is important for me to experiment
through the camera. I have new visual experience. I am a bit more creative.
Cecil Beaton, best known for his fashion photographs and society portraits
said: -Un échec technique qui démontre une certaine tentative d'expression
esthétique vaut infiniment mieux qu'un succès sans âme-.
Either in the busy city or in the silent wilderness it is only with an artistic
vision that a photographer will take the pictures that will slap people in the
face".
Since he arrived in Canada, Philippe has worked with biologists in Quebec,
Yukon, Newfoundland, in the USA and South America. Two new books featuring the alligators
of Texas and the spectacled bears will be published in 2010-2011.
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