Jean Chamoux
Encyclopedia
Jean Chamoux was a French
photographer who started his career during World War II
in the Savoyard
bush. He first covered the landings by parachute
during the Battle of Glières (1 August 1944).
He settled in Paris
in 1947 and worked actively until the 1980s. He did a number of coverages in France
and in the Middle East
. Although he worked together with Robert Doisneau
and Edouard Boubat
in particular, he has always remained very discreet and has only exhibited his works once in the near suburbs of Paris.
He nevertheless took photograph
s of such various figures as Blaise Cendrars
, Jean Cocteau
, Paul Fort
, Lino Ventura
, Habib Bourguiba
or Madame René Coty
in their homes, and was regarded as a first rank photographer in fashion
and industry. More particularly he was one of the first to take coloured photographs on a wide scale and in big format print (4"x 5" and 5"x17"m) and the first to process his proper colour films in Paris (Ektachrome
E3).
This technical skill - rather unusual at the time - coupled with an ability to carry out special tricks and effects (stroboscopic effect through multiple exposure
, use of electric lighting on a large scale with flash ramps) has contributed to his success in the press and industry (EDF
, Ribet-Desjardins, L'Oréal
, Formica, Synergie ...)"
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
photographer who started his career during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the Savoyard
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
bush. He first covered the landings by parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
during the Battle of Glières (1 August 1944).
He settled in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1947 and worked actively until the 1980s. He did a number of coverages in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Although he worked together with Robert Doisneau
Robert Doisneau
Robert Doisneau was a French photographer. In the 1930s he used a Leica on the streets of Paris; together with Henri Cartier-Bresson he was a pioneer of photojournalism...
and Edouard Boubat
Edouard Boubat
Edouard Boubat was a French art photographer.-Life and work:Boubat was born in Montmartre, Paris. He studied typography and graphic arts at the Ecole Estienne, and then worked for a printing company before becoming a photographer after WWII. He took his first photograph in 1946 and was awarded the...
in particular, he has always remained very discreet and has only exhibited his works once in the near suburbs of Paris.
He nevertheless took photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
s of such various figures as Blaise Cendrars
Blaise Cendrars
Frédéric Louis Sauser , better known as Blaise Cendrars, was a Swiss novelist and poet naturalized French in 1916. He was a writer of considerable influence in the modernist movement.-Early years:...
, Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
, Paul Fort
Paul Fort
Paul Fort was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. At the age of 18, reacting against the Naturalistic theatre, Fort founded the Théâtre d’Art...
, Lino Ventura
Lino Ventura
Lino Ventura , was an Italian actor who starred in French movies.-Biography:Born as Angiolino Giuseppe Pasquale Ventura in Parma, Italy to Giovanni Ventura and Luisa Borrini, "Lino" dropped out of school at the age of eight and later took on a variety of jobs...
, Habib Bourguiba
Habib Bourguiba
Habib Bourguiba was a Tunisian statesman, the Founder and the first President of the Republic of Tunisia from July 25, 1957 until 7 November 1987...
or Madame René Coty
René Coty
René Jules Gustave Coty was President of France from 1954 to 1959. He was the second and last president under the French Fourth Republic.-Early life and politics:...
in their homes, and was regarded as a first rank photographer in fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
and industry. More particularly he was one of the first to take coloured photographs on a wide scale and in big format print (4"x 5" and 5"x17"m) and the first to process his proper colour films in Paris (Ektachrome
Ektachrome
Ektachrome is a brand name owned by Kodak for a range of transparency, still, and motion picture films available in most formats, including 35 mm and sheet sizes to 11x14 inch size. Ektachrome has a distinctive look that became familiar to many readers of National Geographic, which used it...
E3).
This technical skill - rather unusual at the time - coupled with an ability to carry out special tricks and effects (stroboscopic effect through multiple exposure
Multiple exposure
In photography, a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more individual exposures to create a single photograph. The exposure values may or may not be identical to each other.-Overview:...
, use of electric lighting on a large scale with flash ramps) has contributed to his success in the press and industry (EDF
EDF
- Military :* Elmendorf Air Force Base, a United States Air Force Base in Alaska* Estonian Defence Forces, military of the Republic of Estonia* European Defence Force, an international military force by the European Council- Organizations :...
, Ribet-Desjardins, L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
, Formica, Synergie ...)"