Photographer profile: Gyslain Yarhi

With the work I do, I get exposed to some amazingly talented people so I thought I would start a mini-series using some of the people I get to meet up with and give them some blog love.

I only wish I could claim to have worked with Gyslain, I know him rather through a dear friend of mine. Gyslain pronounced [gee-slan] is based out of Paris but works around the world and has shot for a number of notable magazines and fashion houses including Tom Ford while he was at Gucci.

The thing that always strikes me with his work is his sense of light which I've never seen with another photographer [at least the ones I deal with]. I had the pleasure to hang out with him a couple of times and since digital vs film is the conversation du jour in our office [we prefer film/but the client likes digital] I asked him the same question film or digital? He said it depends on what he's shooting but with people and skin it's always film. Digital just isn't there yet. It seems to be everyones sentiment. Digital is great and hopefully it will get there eventually.

I also asked him about the differences working here vs. Paris/Europe he mentioned that he doesn't care for the models here [the fake boobs are a no-no/they all look the same he says], the makeup artists are too heavy handed [interesting] and through his broken French he essentially said LA isn't always known for their "high fashion" [jeans and flip flops anyone?] I would agree because based on his work, it doesn't look anything- like anything I've seen come out of LA.

I hope some day I get to sit in a studio with him and watch him work. Mostly I'm just plain curious about the lights. I come
from a world of making chrome pretty so I have no idea what it takes to light a great face.

If you want some more eye candy check out some of his other work at Gyslain Yarhi.com