Deborah Farnault
Deborah Farnault
Photographer
Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA
www.deborahfarnault.com
instagram @deborahfarnault
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I’m a photographer from Paris, currently living in Los Angeles.”
I work with local and international brands, as well as high-circulation magazines. From portraiture to travel, fashion to still life, I shoot a wide variety of subjects and love a well-lit composition. Connecting with people on and off set, I enjoy bringing their story and branding to life through beautiful image making.
My personal work has been featured in solo and group shows in France, Italy, the UK, and the USA. I pursue it whenever time allows.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I’ve received my Master in Fine Arts from HEAR (France) and University of the Arts (Finland), as well as a Master in Political Science from Sciences Po (France).
I moved to New York to write my graduation thesis and ended up living there for seven years – instead of six months. At the time, I was freelancing in the creative industry and working as an artist.
My freelance work encompassed the fields of contemporary art, dance, cinema, museum, and advertising for both non-profit and commercial institutions. While my missions were multifaceted, I mostly worked in management and production for art organizations.
As an artist, I showed my work in various institutions in New York and Europe, and was represented by a Brooklyn gallery. My work is part of a French Public Collection. I have been invited for various art residencies in France and the US, as well as to present my creative process at The New School-Parsons in New York on several occasions.
When moving to Los Angeles in 2016, I felt like I needed a break from the art world and left my gallery. That’s when I decided to pursue photography as a career.
It’s been a winding path.
How do you stand out in your field?
For the past eleven years, I've worked as an executive manager and producer, as well as an artist and photographer. Wearing these hats has given me a deeper knowledge of what is needed for a shoot to run smoothly, including communicating with all the different parties involved in production and post-production. This experience has made me more flexible, adaptable and attentive to my team and the client’s needs.
From a creative standpoint, I’m comfortable shooting both small and medium format, film and digital, in natural light and studio environment; this gives my work a versatile approach while focusing on a clean, well-lit composition. My images are also at the crossroads of art, documentary, and commercial photography, which gives them an uncanny quality and, I’ve been told, makes them stand out.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
For my personal work, I’m currently developing two book projects: the first one is a series of portraits conceived as an atlas referencing the surfboard shapers of California; the second one focuses on the region around the Salton Sea and stands at the crossroads of ecology, landscape, society, and alternative economies.
For my commercial work, I’ve recently reshaped my website, which took quite some time. I also just signed with a Paris-based agency for my landscape and travel photography, and I need to do a lot of work to establish my portfolio with them. In addition to developing this new relationship, I’m multiplying marketing and outreach efforts.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
I love shooting at dawn, golden hour, and dusk. This time in between dream and reality is really magical to me and brings out a feeling of uncertainty that always tells a compelling story. I find those in between moments and the tension they hold fascinating. They also allow for more softness, which is something I’m always drawn to. A recent project that allowed for that was a shoot I did for the online boutique Fuggiamo, in collaboration with the label Orenda Tribe. We shot a mother-daughter duo on the Eastside hills at dusk and it was wonderful.
My style keeps evolving as I grow as a photographer. It’s a lifelong journey, isn’t it? :)
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
I wish I had more time and resources to develop my motion work. I’ve directed and shot a couple of music videos, as well as a few art videos. I’d like to have more opportunities and budget to bring this passion to the next level, start shooting with cinema cameras, and eventually get the budgets needed to assemble a team.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
The lack of time and resources to develop my work as a director is quite frustrating at the moment.
I also find that whenever I am not working for a client, I am catching up with administrative tasks, which require so much time and mental bandwidth. Marketing efforts and archiving rolls of film are also very time consuming. For all these reasons, my personal projects often end up being postponed to less pressing times that rarely come. This leaves little time for play, which in my opinion is crucial to being creative.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
I would love to have someone take care of all the administrative burden of everyday life, as well as someone who could scan my rolls of film and work on my archives. This would allow me to focus my energy on the creative part of my job.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
I wish I could tell my young self that I didn’t have to be what other people projected on me, that overextending myself for others wouldn’t make me feel more seen or valued. I wish I could tell my young self to be who I am, believe in myself, and that making a living doing what you love is within reach. I wish I could tell my young self that I should just own my life without apology, because time flies and that is one thing that we do not get back.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I’d love to talk to someone about how to get bigger jobs – bigger budgets that allow for a great team and larger sets. I’d also love to get insight on how to be signed to a commercial agent and how to bring my motion work to the next level.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I would love to shoot more fashion for both brands and magazines. I love connecting with people and revealing their natural beauty, whether they are professional models or not. I’d also like to develop more still life and motion work.
Regarding my art career, I’m keen to work with interior designers and give my personal work more exposure. I also miss the art world, the space it gives for conversations to happen; I’d like to work with curators and galleries again.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
My ideal client is someone who is passionate about what they do, loves beautiful visuals, believes in the power of assembling a great team of people, and wants to elevate their brand.
Good communication and connection are also key and make everything so much better.
If the business is sustainable, then it’s checking all the boxes!
WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE, RETAINER, OR SALARY RANGE?
My fee varies depending on the job and the client – from $500 to $2,000 which includes rights for web and social media.
In addition to the photographer’s fee, I charge $10–$200/image for retouching depending on the type of work that is needed. Licensing for print varies according to multiple factors.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
I find email to be the easiest and most efficient way to get the conversation going about new projects. Tell me a bit about yourself, what it is you are looking for in as much or as little details as you’d like, and we’ll take it from there. Never be afraid to ask questions. I’m also always happy to hop on the phone and/or meet in person to further develop a project. Whatever your vision is, let’s talk and make something beautiful together.
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
art, cinema, literature, travel, outdoors, horses
This member profile was originally published in November 2019.