A unique photograph, which depicts the finished product (the sugar grains) within the crystallization process. In my photographic process, you should know that I work in Black & White before composing: the black materials will disappear to become "stencils" for the lighter materials. This is why these sugar grains, placed on a black tablecloth on site, are as if levitating in the composition, giving this almost "spatial" tone to the final image.
Welcome to the amazing world of sugar factories
I must tell you the story of a wonderful commission for the 25th anniversary of the Cristal Union group, which specializes in the production of sugar (and alcohol) from sugar beets.
A sugar factory is, first of all, very impressive.
When you discover, as I did, what a sugar factory is one early winter morning, you can't remain indifferent. A gigantic structure, with metal columns belching out immense clouds of steam under the light of hundreds of spotlights, in short, you enter a world apart.
In addition, a slight smell of caramel disrupts the industrial atmosphere of the place. Yes, there's a bit of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" floating in the air. It's very cold outside (the report took place last winter), and it's pleasant to stay in the heart of the sugar factory near the "cuites," these huge metal pots that crystallize the syrup from the beet juice (basically caramel).
But be warned, this is heavy industry, with colossal machines and APEX zones. In short, the tone is set from the start: yes to creativity, but we don't do just anything either. I understand then that I will be accompanied at all times while taking my photos. Okay, now I'm starting to get used to it :)
I had two missions at each site:
to be inspired and create a series of original works directly on site
also to produce a more traditional report (live portraits, scenes from life, machines, etc.)
A big thank you to Cristal Union for the very warm welcome at each site, and a big thank you to the Box Conseil agency, which offered my work to illustrate the group's industrial sites in an artistic and original way in a beautiful book.
Another highly technical photograph to create, showcasing the basic product (beet) and a fundamental element in the entire process: water. Indeed, via a huge network of pipes, the sugar factories operate in a closed circuit for water management (beet washing, field spreading, ponds).
The weather is one of the most important parameters for creating a composition, and fortunately, I was very lucky with this image. An almost saturated blue sky reflected in the pond, a sun not completely obscured by clouds, providing soft lighting on the freshly picked beet: everything was there at hand to create a unique photograph.
I really enjoyed both assignments.
As always with my art series, I discovered the fascinating atmospheres of the world of sweets, and I also loved capturing these everyday scenes in a more "traditional" way.
