Featured Photographer:
Matthieu Alexandre

International Photojournalist and Humanitarian Documentary Photographer; "Using a lens, a creative eye and a compas-sionate heart to tell poignant stories that must be told..."

Photo Credit: © Vianney Prouvost

Bio:

Subject:
Matthieu Alexandre, born 1974

Home:
Paris, France

Education:
Masters Degree in Ethnology, University Paris X (Université de Paris), 1997

International Documentary Work Assignments:
Afghanistan, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Burkina-Faso, Cambodia, Canada (arctic), China, Congo, Denmark, India, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Moldova, Nepal, Niger, Norway, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Syria, USA

Notable Publications:
The Guardian; The Times; and The Independent (Major UK Daily Newspapers); Le Figaro (France- based Magazine); Paris-Match (French Weekly Magazine); Libération (French Daily Magazine);, Le Monde (French Daily Newspaper);, Panorama (Italian Weekly Magazine); La Vie (French Christian Weekly Magazine); and The Kathmandu Post (Nepal's largest-selling English Daily Newspaper)

Extended Bio:
Matthieu began developing his skills as a shutterbug in 1989 and has worked as a professional photographer since 1997.  He is an accomplished photojournalist/documentary photographer, covering all types of stories in both cosmopolitan and remote parts of the world.  He has a passion for photo assignments that focus on the plight of people who have been victimized by the collateral effects of war, insurgency, political strife and human rights abuses.

It didn't take him long to find photo/news agencies and Non-Governmental Agencies (NGO's) to carry his work.  The inescapably human element of his work, combined with a highly artistic sense of composition makes him a remarkable photographer whose works are difficult to forget.  The ill-fated Sigma Agency carried his work within a year of his graduation.  He has also had his photography represented through Corbis and Vu.

Several NGO's have also commissioned or supported Matthieu's work.  Among them are:  Caritas France le Secours Catholique (French Catholic Charity); Médecins Du Monde (Doctors of the World); Reporters Sans Frontieres ("Reporters Without Borders"); Pharmaciens Sans Frontieres (Pharmacists Without Borders); Enfants du Monde Droits de l'Homme (Children of the World - Human Rights); Aide et Action; Emmaus International (international organization fighting poverty and homelessness); Millennium Foundation (U.N. Organization to fight disease); and , La Guilde Europeenne Du Raid.


When you see his compelling photographic compositions below, you'll quickly realize that his pictures, characterized largely by moment-in-time portraits, get right to the heart of the matter.  He is not afraid to work amidst conditions that most people would find highly uncomfortable and even threatening on a personal level.  In conversations with Matthieu, our FreePhotoCourse.com staff realized that he is driven to use his talent to tell sharply personal stories that truly need to be told.  He tells these stories through photography that is as thought-provoking as it is beautiful.  He is a skilled artist who works with vision and compassion.

Beyond seeing his images in major international newspapers, magazines and NGO publications, Matthieu also has a blog that updates readers with the stories behind what the pictures can tell.

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Click on any of the photos below to see the full-
size version of Matthieu's work:

*All images are special to FreePhotoCourse.com and are the property of Matthieu Alexandre.  All rights reserved; these photos may not be copied, stored, transmitted or published.

2006, Democratic Republic of Congo: A child soldier in the Goma region holds a wooden replica of a Kalishnikov rifle. NGO's sometimes replace their real rifles with wooden ones as part of the therapeutic process. Photographed with a Canon EOS 1D; f/2.8 - 17-35mm lens at 17mm; f/2.8; ISO 800. © 2006, Matthieu Alexandre, all rights reserved

2004, Nepal: Open for over 30 years, the Jhapa Buthanese refugee camp is home to these girls shown singing in the school courtyard. A local NGO runs the schools in the large camp. Photographed with a Canon EOS 1; 2.8 20-35mm lens at 24mm; f/5.6; Fuji Provia 100 film. © 2004, Matthieu Alexandre, all rights reserved.

Our Interview with Matthieu...

FreePhotoCourse.com:  Who is your favorite photographer of all time and why?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "William Eugene Smith for his dedication to his work, his aesthetic and his darkroom work."

(ed. note: William Eugene Smith was an iconic American photographer who authored some of the most honest, yet brutal images of WW II; images that underscored the inhumane reality of war.  Smith also photographed famous picture series of coal miners, the early American Jazz scene, Pittsburg steel workers and Dr. Albert Schweitzer.  See more of his work here.)


FreePhotoCourse.com:  Your formal education was in Ethnology; why did you switch directions in your career and get into photography?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "I do not consider the relation between my studies in Sociology, Ethnology and Anthropology and my photographic work as much a switch as it is a strong link. The common point is the question, 'How are human beings living and thinking around the world ?'.

When it comes right down to it, only the methods and tools to answer to this question are different between photography and anthropology, but the goal is the same."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  What one “famous” photo image stands out in your mind above the rest? Why?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "So many, it is very difficult to pick just one. The one I have at the  moment  on  my  desk  near my computer is  the  one  showing Dr. Albert Schweitzer working at his desk in the light of an oil lamp. (Photograph taken in Lambaréné, Gabon by Eugene Smith in 1954).

Maybe I admire this photo so much because it inspires me to see such a gifted man dedicating his life to his work, late at night, no rest. I am talking of Schweitzer as well as Smith! This photograph is a double portrait for me."

FreePhotoCourse.com:  Which one of your own photographs do you feel is the best you've ever produced?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "Maybe it's a photo I took in South India in 1998.  It depicts three men breaking-up stone in a quarry, using manual tools.  It's hard to imagine, but this is their career.  (Ed. Note: Matthieu is talking about the image below.)


FreePhotoCourse.com:  Why did you choose this one?  What is it about this particular photo that really grabs you?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "It's hard to put it in words...maybe I like this one so much because this photograph is the result of the equation between wide angle view and human scale.  The combination is powerful.  These are two points of view I try to focus on.  I try to keep a wide and large angle to give context and use interesting perspectives to give a human scale to some concepts."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  Matthieu, this is a spell-binding photograph!  Your perspective makes the worker's job seem insurmountable, which is likely a feeling he experiences.  Although faceless, the all of these workers' bodies communicate a great deal.  The man in the immediate foreground appears to be looking at, perhaps, the massive difficulty of the job ahead.  The composition sweeps the eye up the tall cliff.  What an intense picture! 

1998, Tindivinam, Tamil Nadu, India: 'Workless Hopeful Workers'; three laborers standing and working in a stone quarry. These 'untouchables' work in salt and stone, often shielding themselves from the shards of stone falling on them while blasting occurs. This compelling image uses a wide angle and strong, interesting perspective to create a sense of the overwhelming - a feeling surely experienced by these workers. In this story, Matthieu learned that at local NGO run by a fellow untouchable dalit who become a lawyer, provides proper medical care for these desperate manual laborers.
Shot with a Canon F1, 19mm f 3.5 fixed lens; f/8; Tri-X Pan monochromatic film at 400 ISO.

1998, Nepal: Part of the 'Workless Hopeful Workers' Series. This man throws a fishing net in a river in the Nuwakot district of Nepal. Most people living in the remote areas of Nepal try to make a living doing whatever they can. Photographed with a Leica M6 with an f/2 35mm fixed lens; f/8 aperture; shot on Kodak Tri-X Pan film at 400 ISO.

We are particularly impressed with Matthieu's ability to tell human stories pictorially while using an artist's eye to make images aesthetically moving as well.  See how the image above moves the eye and straddles a line between light and dark.  The image below deftly uses symmetry, perspective and a vignetted light to establish a focal point.

2003, Mazlar Camp, Afghanistan: 'Doctors of the World' (Medicins Du Monde) running a contraception workshop for women in this remote area of Afghanistan.
Canon EOS1; f2.8 20-35mm L lens at 20mm; Fuji Provia film at 400 ISO.

2002, Khyam, Lebanon: This man stands alone in a courtyard of a former prison in Lebanon. The man was a prisoner here for 6 years, during which time he was tortured. Now that the prison is closed, he comes back as a tour leader to serve as a testiment to the true history of the suffering that occurred on this ground.
Canon EOS 1 with an f/2.8 20-35mm lens at 20mm.
Fuji Provia film at 100 ISO.

Our interview continued:

FreePhotoCourse.com:  What do you hope to accomplish before you retire?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "Books. That’s the only testimony that survives."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  It sounds like you like keeping busy!  On that note, what do you think about the idea of a photographer actually “retiring”?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "Henri Cartier Bresson did retire quite early and his work is still present and inspiring."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  Good point.  Matthieu, many of your photo assignments have taken you to war-torn and dangerous parts of the world, where human rights abuses are commonplace. Most people would never willingly step foot in these areas, let alone get in the 'line of fire', so to speak.

Matthieu Alexandre:  "I do not consider myself as a “war photographer” but rather as a “peace correspondent”.  I am not running to the front line, but rather, I try to gather the testimonies of the victims of war that are in the shadow, in the backstage."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  How do you keep yourself safe?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "What has kept me safe may be the trust I have in local people welcoming me while I'm on location working the field."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  You did some feature work on Christians in Iraq. What do you think has happened to these people since then and to their ability to practice their religion?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "I made this story with Christians in Iraq in 2003 and 2004. Most of them have fled to other countries."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  In addition to your work for photo agencies, you've also worked on contract/assignment for various NGO's. What generally happens with these particular photos?

Matthieu Alexandre:  My photographs are featured in the monthly magazines published by these NGOs and in the slideshows that are often carried on their web sites. Some were used as greetings postcards or wall posters; these are generally to bring worldwide attention to the desperate situations and to the work being done by the particular NGO."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  What have you learned about the world through your work as a photo journalist?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "I have learned some very basic truths about the world and its people.  Namely, that we can believe in human faith and that we need to fight for freedom."


FreePhotoCourse.com:  What overall message do you hope your photography sends to the world?

Matthieu Alexandre:  "That all men and women should be free and equals in terms of their rights."



Editor's Note: You can see more of Matthieu Alexandre's compelling photo work and read entries from his blog by visiting his site: http://matthieualexandre.net/

More of Matthieu's work is showcased below; some picks from a body of work that is
as gripping and authentic as it is artistically expressive:

Click on any image to see the expanded version.

* reminder - all images are property of the photographer and may not be copied, stored, transmitted, published or used in any way; all rights reserved.

Leica M6, f/4 21mm fixed Lens, Tri-X 400 film, 1/15

2010, Paris, France: A French air hostess carries an
Iraqi child in her arms at Orly Airport, south of Paris,
France, on November 8, 2010. A group of 35 wounded Iraqis arrived at Orly airport in Paris for hospital treatment following a deadly Al-Qaeda hostage attack in a Baghdadi church on October 31, 2010.

Leica M6, f/3.4 21mm fixed lens; f/8, 1/250, Tri-X 400 film

2002, Fortaleza (state capital of Ceará), Brazil:
Part of Matthieu's "Workless Hopeful Workers" series.
Workers with NGO Emmaus gather at a truck to go
to a work site where they are building shelters for the homeless living in the favela (ghetto).

Matthieu's parents gave him his first Leica when he was 17 as a graduation gift. He purchased his most recent Leica (a new M6) in 2001.

Editor's Note: Matthieu photographed the above two images with one of his favourite cameras, the legendary German-made Leica M6 rangefinder.  He mentioned that he never uses a tripod and often uses slow shutter speeds - even up to 1 full second while hand-holding!  In doing so, he is able to capture and reveal motion, while using his experienced and steady hand to freeze intensely emotional focal points that are paused in thought.  Look at the incredible image on the top left.  The slow shutter speed captures the hustle and bustle of the airport, while the stewardess holding the child is crystal clear.  Beautiful work Matthieu!

Canon Eos 1d MKii, f2.8 16-35mm L at 20mm; 1/15', f/2.8, ISO 800

2009, Tyr, Lebanon:  A Sunni Iraqi refugee staying in Tyr, in the South of Lebanon, shows a picture of her husband who has been missing as a result of the displacement.  Many Iraqi people fled from their country during the conflicts. Most of them are in Lebanon or Syria, waiting to be relocated abroad in Europe or the US.

Canon EOS 1, f/2.8 20-35mm Lens at 20mm; f/8; Fuji Provia 100

2003, Hazaradjat, Afghanistan:  Hazara children in an open area adjacent to their school.  In this particularly harsh area of Afghanistan, life is difficult as winters are very cold and long.  Life, of course, is impacted by poverty and the result of decades of war.  Legend suggests that the Hazara people originally came to this area from Mongolia. 

Caritas International, continues to be involved in this area, helping to run the schools and health services.

Canon EOS 1, f/2.8 24-70mm Lens at 35mm; f/5.6; Kodak Tri-X 400

2007, Ganvie, Benin:  More out of work people, this time, in the stilt lake village of Ganvie.  Said to be one of the largest lake villages in Africa, this entire town is built on stilts over water. 

Transportation by boat is a must, but the prospect of life itself becomes a major challenge when there is no work and when the water on which your life exists...is terribly polluted.  The reality is that there is no drinkable water in this area that is built on top of and is surrounded by water.

Canon F1, f/1.4 50mm fixed lens; f/1.4, Kodak Tri-X 400 film

1998, New Delhi, India:  One of Matthieu Alexandre's first professional assignments was covering the real-life plight of people living in the slums of New Delhi.  In this heart-wrenching picture, a boy waits in line for an eye examination provided by a local NGO. 

Matthieu's work with sharp, direct lighting provided the high contrast necessary to emphasize the dramatic nature of the situation.  Including the eye chart provided necessary context, but shooting at f/1.4 provided the short depth of field necessary to blur it out.  The blurred chart allows the viewer's eye to focus on the boy's expression and provides an interesting irony in terms of it being out-of-focus.

Canon EOS 1d, f/2.8 17-35mm L lens at 17mm; f/8, ISO 200

2006, Democratic Republic of Congo:  Part of a story on "Exiles"; in this photo, displaced people queu-up for non-food distribution in Kibirizi (Rutshuru area of North Kivu).  In this case, an NGO is helping people who have fell victim to the ravages of civil war.

Canon EOS 1, f/2.8 20-35mm Lens at 20mm; f/8; Kodak Tri-X 400

2002, Tyr, Lebanon:  From the "Workless Hopeful Workers" series; a local man uses a primitive wooden hammer to fix a fishing boat.  After the war, most families lost their jobs and income.  A local NGO came to the rescue, providing funding in
the form of micro-credits for feasible small job proposals.

The composition of this photo is highly engaging, with its low perspective, distorted background and sun flare bridging the man's face with the tool.  These elements, together, make the image seem rather surreal; in a sense, much like life in general here.

Leica M6, f/2 35mm fixed lens; f/4, Kodak Tri-X 400 film.

2001, Fortaleza, Brazil:  It's challenging enough living in the "favela" (shanty town), but even more so when there simply isn't enough food for survival.  This woman waits with her child for help provided through a local NGO nutrition program.

The image is hauntingly familiar and its message is simple.  Matthieu's pictures tell it like it is.

Canon EOS 1, f/2.8 20-35mm Lens at 35mm; f/5.6; Fuji Provia 100

2002, Beirut, Lebanon:  A woman shows a picture she carries around her neck, depicting her missing son.  Her concern is almost palpable.  The ruins in the background provide context, while the backlit sun partially obscures the father's face.  The focal point, obviously, is the woman's expression.

Adding insult to injury, although the family had previously moved from the Bekka area due to war, they would once again, flee Beirut for the same reason. 

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