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Paris 2020 | Boris Allin x Niccolò Lapo Latini in collaboration with Libération and Leica

Boris Allin - Photo Reporter for Liberation France in Partnership with Leica Camera France - is a controversial figure with a strong journalistic intuition. His straightforward and heterogeneous works (from the Covers for Liberation France to Chanel up to the world of French Pop Music) have a common denominator: freedom of expression. Here we report some of Boris Allin's best shots for Liberation France under the period of BLM riots in Paris and a chat between him and the Creative Director Niccolò Lapo Latini for Kein Studio about Photography, Contemporaneity and New Generations.

Niccolò Lapo Latini says of him: "Why do Boby's shots work? Simple. Because in an environment where specialization dominates, he is one of the few who manages to bring together three worlds at the same time: music, news and culture and fashion one. Eclecticism is its talent and its strong character, certainly what distinguishes him from others."
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Paris 2020 | Boris Allin x Niccolò Lapo Latini in collaboration with Libération and Leica

1) You started your career as a Journalist and then moved on to photography as a Photo Reporter. Can a photo shoot reach feelings and emotions that are more intimate anddeep than the pen?

Yes definitely. I think people nowadays develop more and more of their visual memory, and get really touched by what their eyes catch. Our collective memory as a society is filled with memorable photos (such as the falling man). That being said, I would never suggest any hierarchy between these 2 activities. A good article will always be enriched by good photographs and a good photograph can really strike the public when accompanied by a strong caption or written reportage. It is a win win situation and it just happened that I am better behind my camera than on my writing desk (ed. He smiles)

2) You have worked both in the fashion world and in the news and culture - current affairs sector. What differences do you notice between the two worlds at a photographic and visual communication level? Where do you feel most comfortable and why?

In my work and in the way I function, I make no difference between covering a Chanel fashion event or a french protest in the streets. My goal : get the best picture in terms of reality of the moment and aesthetic vision. The funny thing is when I do a lot of fashion / music coverage, I miss the streets and politics, and when I cover a lot of actuality, I miss the culture events. Like a musician missing the live concerts when in studio, and vice versa. At the end of the day, whether it is LVMH as a client or Liberation as a journal, I am such a curious person that I deep dive in the subject and I try to learn as much as I can regarding my subject. Learning new stuff everyday, traveling, discovering new locations, people, jobs, ways of thinking, is such a privilege for me. I am a rural guy from a small village in the south of France, and I don't take that aspect of my career for granted.

3) Shooting a cover for a professional in our sector is a great recognition and privilege but this was not an editorial project but a merciless shot, a sad news, a dark moment of society, does it have a different flavor? How emotionally and socially involved are you with your job?

I have to mention that you refer to the Migrants cover : the scene was describing some cops brutally evacuating some migrants camp in Place de la Republique. Actually, I was not sent by Liberation, I was at home, reading Twitter, frankly I was sleepy and not motivated to go on the streets but at some point I said to myself : you have nothing todo tonight, something huge is happening right under your nose, if you don't go and shoot this, what the point of being a photo reporter ? So I went, with no other purpose than taking some shots and to inform my followers, and in the end I sent my pics to Liberation, and they completed the reportage of Michael Bunel with my pic.
I was thrilled because for me, this pic is the epitome of what happened that night and what I witnessed. The cops brutality makes the cover more and more, and I think a lot of people identified in this cover. It doesn't point out one cop in particular, but the institution. The problem is systemic and not particular.

4) How do you interpret your professional figure? Do you feel more like an artist or a journalist? Today, especially after the advent of social media, do you think there is still a lot of difference between creating art and telling current events?

I think my reportage are as aesthetic as informative. This is what I aim for, always. The feedback I receive the most when presenting my shots on Instagram is people being really touched by the aesthetic aspect of my work.
I realized more and more that in order to reach people's attention and feelings, you have to bring beauty in what you do.And I feel like the media reportage on TV or Newspapers (besides Libe which is THE best practice in terms of photo) are less and less aesthetical and more and more 'informative' only. maybe because of the 'news race' logic in which you have to be the first to relate the news on twitter, on non stop news channels. I deplore that and I am glad new info media emerge : more visual and artistic oriented !
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Paris 2020 | Boris Allin x Niccolò Lapo Latini in collaboration with Libération and Leica

5) A look at future generations. If you had to make a prediction about today's society, and specifically about Generation Z, how do you see their future at work and in private life?

Work and private life will be more and more intertwined, as younger generations want their work to fulfill their system of values, and their personal life to have a meaning and a reflection into their professional path. I also think that the return to wildness and nature will be a main criteria for the younger generation. We observe it already inChina, South Korea, societies that turned their back for decades on nature, and now their grand-children want to be farmers again ! A crucial stake for our future. but we have to realize The young generation that fights for survival and basic needs, that is to say the majority of humanity, don"t have the luxury to think about their system of value reflecting their career.

6) Does it still make sense today to speak of "revolution" "struggles against power" "peaceful demonstrations" "riots"? They are concepts and events that have always happened and have been a constant part of human life. Today are they interpreted in the same way, with the same motivations, ideals and sincere interest / spirit of aggregation?

The main difference between historic riots / revolutions and protest nowadays is the media coverage and the power of social networks. A small gathering of people protesting against anything can trigger a lot of press coverage if the message is shocking, provocative, or the movement is visually striking. a huge/ crowded but peaceful walking on the contrary can go unnoticed if not interesting in terms of modern criteria (does the motives create debate? is it controversial ?) everything is biased and in the end, we never really know what the people are massively in favor of / against. You are the only judge of that, and of course you are always biased by your own opinions ;)

7) Have merciless marketing and social media taken away the spontaneity, sincerity and security of man's actions and deeds?

I don't think so. Instagram for example shows us everyday that you can start from 0, have no networks or contacts in the field you want to succeed, still live at your parents place, and gain an audience, showcasing directly your work, no agent or commission needed. It is wonderful. I decided to focus on the silver lining of social networks. and I play with social networks a lot, being just me and showing my personality behind my pics, the good and the bad. I really think my little audience on Instagram is here because of my work, but also because of my strong personality. That is something I am proud of ! I never flattened who I am in order to have a larger audience and I never accepted silly influencer partnership.
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Paris 2020 | Boris Allin x Niccolò Lapo Latini in collaboration with Libération and Leica

Kein Kollektiv

IG:
@odieuxboby
@niccololapolatini
@liberationfr
@leicacamerafrance




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