那些美麗和趣味，都藏在無足輕重的小細節里
Francois_Aubret 是來自法國的街頭攝影師，他通過攝影記錄了日常生活中隱藏的幾何、圖案，使每日平凡的事物變成奇特的影像。
我們採訪了他，一起聊了聊攝影的那些事兒。
採訪、翻譯 / 鹹魚茄子煲
編輯 / 杜揚、陳升
Francois 你好，感謝來圖蟲分享你的大作！給大家介紹一下你自己和你的作品吧～
大家好！謝謝你們喜歡我的作品。
我是一個法國街頭攝影師，我現在住在洛杉磯。我在上海讀了環境設計的碩士研究生，畢業後，我作為展覽室內設計師工作了 5 年。
我最近一直在洛杉磯的蓋蒂美術館為展覽做室內設計，不過我也開始用我自己的創意去實現我的藝術實踐。我製作了我自己的藝術作品紙質版。我會出門拍照，然後把我最喜歡的作品印刷出來，在我自己的線上店售賣。
我把我的作品描述為「偶遇平面」。它是對日常生活中隱藏的幾何、圖案的記錄，使每日平凡的事物變成奇特的影像。
在 街 頭 的 平 面 邂 逅
你的作品中無論是色彩還是元素都極為簡潔利落。你是如何在雜亂的生活環境中捕捉到這樣純凈的畫面的？更依賴前期還是後期？
確實，我的照片都很乾凈，因為我自己就是這樣子的。你們真應該來看看我的公寓！水槽里從來不會有堆積的臟盤子。我在一個髒亂的環境里沒法清醒思考和富有創造力。
當我外出拍照時，我會花很多時間來構圖，去等待那個正確的時刻。所以我比較依賴前期！在戶外花時間，不被打擾地去做你想做的事，是非常令人愉悅的事情。 當我回家後，當然我會做一些後期處理，但基本上只是修飾一些我拍攝時沒有注意到的小細節，比如說灰塵，牆上的裂縫等。我只會把照片處理到和我看到時候一樣的感覺。我對我的作品也十分挑剔。
你在個人網站上寫道：「這些照片揭示了在熟視無睹的城市景觀中隱藏的美麗和幽默」，確實，你有很強的觀察力，擅長為你的作品營造幽默的氣氛。
你是有意抱著這樣的目的去大街上拍照，還是在日常生活中隨時就保持著敏銳的觀察力？
其實都有點。經常我會因為沒帶相機而錯過一個非常好的「平面邂逅」，所以我現在都隨身帶著相機。不過我也會計劃花幾天的時間在洛杉磯掃街，看看我能發現什麼。簡直就像尋寶遊戲！有時候我去不熟悉的地方，有時候我也會在熟悉的地方拍攝。
我總是能在每天都經過的街道發現新的感覺。這是攝影的魔力：在正確的時間，在場。
你的作品都是在 LA 拍攝的，你是否十分熱愛這個城市？你在這個城市中發生過什麼有趣的事情？
洛杉磯是個奇怪的城市，它慢慢地會讓你愛上它。當然你會立刻愛上它的天氣和棕櫚樹，但是這個城市太大了，而且道路、城市都是專門是為汽車而設計的，所以對於新來的人要找到歸屬感還是挺難的。它跟我去過的其他城市都不一樣，不過我現在是真的很愛它。它非常悠閑。而且，文創產業在這裡發展得很好，這也是很棒的一點。
我最近遇到的有趣的事情是，當我在市中心拍照時，一個大樓管理員停下來跟我說「抬頭看！抬頭看！」他指著一個坐在樓頂的鷹給我看。他告訴我，它的主人養這隻鷹是為了驅趕鴿子。在城市的心臟之處看到這麼個動物太令人意外了，而且我最喜歡的是我能因為攝影，跟陌生人產生一些短暫但是有意義的互動。
除了加州的好天氣，還有哪些因素對於一幅色彩明快、賞心悅目的作品來說是必要的？
確實，洛杉磯的好天氣對於我的照片來說很重要，但並不是唯一的因素。我尋找的是高度平面化，經常是一個不同表面、不同顏色、不同紋理物件的組合。如果它很古怪，比如說是一種奇異的顏色組合，或者是建築物在建造時留下的怪異的細節，那會更好。
我的作品還非常扁平，而且不會有人出現。我喜歡這種介於抽象和現實之間的界限，對我來說，景深和人物會讓我的作品太過現實。
起 個 好 標 題 很 重 要
我看到你不僅攝影，還有非常棒的插畫作品「泳池麵條」系列。能看出不論是色彩還是風格，都十分「Francois」，你在創作攝影和插畫時有哪些相同和不同的感受？
太好玩了！我的「泳池麵條」系列其實是我拍的照片，不過我真的很高興你會認為它是一組插畫作品。我倒不是故意誤導觀者，但是我喜歡這種構圖和顏色的小把戲能讓人誤以為是插畫。
所以我要強調我上一個問題所說的，我喜歡這種抽象和現實之間模糊不清的界線，在這個地帶中，平凡會成為不凡，這就是我想讓人們在日常生活中能得到的如夢般的視覺體驗。
泳池麵條
你的作品有著有趣的標題。比如Genesis中，乍一看只是樹影之間和諧的對比，但是看到你的標題是「創世紀」，立刻就讓人聯想到米開朗琪羅的油畫。這非常有意思！作品Penrose也給人這種感覺。
你認為一幅攝影作品，標題和內容之間的關係是什麼？這是否也是一種畫面以外的幽默？
給作品取名字其實不太容易，尤其是當我依著本能拍照時。我大多數的照片都是本能地被拍下的。只是之後我才會意識到它們是那麼引人入勝。你給你的作品起的標題能夠為「你是誰」和「你想與誰對話」定下基調。所以當說到標題，我發現我能夠讓它們跟我的照片本身一樣地簡單，有趣又簡潔。
我會盡量使我的標題成為某種線索，能讓人們看到我看到的，或者讓他們發笑。我希望人們看到我的作品會感覺很舒服。所以，一點幽默和輕鬆能讓這樣的對話順利地開始。誰不喜歡笑一笑呢！
Genesis（《創世紀》） | Los Angeles | 2017
米開朗基羅作品《創世紀》之創造亞當
Penrose（彭羅斯） | Los Angeles | 2017
彭羅斯階梯（英語：Penrose stairs）是一個有名的幾何學悖論，指的是一個始終向上或向下但卻無限循環的階梯，可以被視為彭羅斯三角形的一個變體，在此階梯上永遠無法找到最高的一點或者最低的一點。
你在將多幅作品擺放在一起的時候，尤其是用於室內空間設計時，是根據什麼因素來考慮他們之間的編排的？
現在是一個室內設計師身份的我在回答這個問題。要裝飾一面畫廊的牆壁，我會同時考慮三個因素：布局，畫面，以及牆邊的傢具。照片對一個布局平衡、舒服的畫廊牆有很大的影響。牆前的傢具會給你一個框架，幫助你尋找牆上的興趣點。
我會建議人們從放置大幅作品開始布置他們的牆面。先把它們放在牆前面的地板，然後找到一個你喜歡的位置。它會給你一個沒有風險的預知它看起來是什麼樣子的感覺。一旦被掛起來了，嘗試在周圍布置中幅和小幅作品。畫廊牆最關鍵的是和諧，所以要多嘗試，膽大心細。大大小小，高高低低，排成一排還是排成格子狀——試到你爽為止。相信你自己的眼光，最主要的是開心。
出自 Francois 個人網站
關 於 更 多 的 可 能
你接下來的計劃是什麼？除了室內設計，你有想過以其他形式呈現你的作品嗎？
如果能辦展會很 cool。這樣就完成了我從一個展廳設計師到藝術家的轉變。我挺喜歡全職做這事兒的。除此以外，街頭藝術也不錯？我只是很好奇我的照片如果以這種方式再次介入城市環境，看起來會怎麼樣？會有趣嗎？其實我也不知道。但我樂意開放接受一切想法和合作。
你曾在上海住過 6 年。如果「色彩」和「陽光」是你眼中的洛杉磯，那麼你眼中的上海會是什麼？
上海其實不是一個很多彩的城市，當然晚上那些霓虹燈還是超棒的。所以我會用「迷霧」和「水泥」來形容它，很適合拍攝單色的，神秘色彩的照片。我在上海的時候還不是一個攝影師，所以我挺想回去找找看有沒有符合我創作「偶遇平面」系列的作品。不過我拍攝的方式會徹底改變，想想就有點小激動。
想對圖蟲的大家說些什麼？
我想感謝大家如此欣賞我的作品，我希望這篇採訪也能讓你讀著覺得有趣。我知道最近是中國春節，在這裡祝福大家過年團團圓圓！新年快樂！
附：英文原版採訪內容
Attached: original interview in English
Hi Francois! Thanks for uploading your great works! Would you like to introduce yourself and your work to us?
Hello everyone and thank you for your interest in my work.
I am a French street photographer living in Los Angeles. After graduating from a Masters degree in Environmental Design in Shanghai, I worked as an exhibition and interior designer for five years. I was recently still designing shows at the Getty Museum, here in LA, but left to use my creativity towards my own artistic practice. That』s when I created Fran?ois Aubret | fine art prints. I go out, take photos and sell my favorites as prints on my own online shop.
I describe my body of work as 「Graphic Encounters.」 It is a documentation of hidden geometry and patterns I come across in my daily life. My discoveries turn the mundane of everyday errands into extraordinary captures.
In your work, no matter the color or the subject, everything is concise and well composed. How do you make such clean image despite of the chaos of environment? Do you rely more on shooting, or more on the retouching?
It is true, my photos are very clean because I am very much this way myself. You should see my apartment! There is never a dirty plate in the sink. I just can』t think straight and be creative in a messy environment.
When I am out shooting I spend a lot of time composing my photos and waiting for the right moment. That』s what I rely on the most! It is very enjoyable to be outside and take the time to do what you like without being rushed. Once I get home I, of course, do a bit of editing but it is usually just clean ups of distracting details that I didn』t even notice while shooting (like dirt or cracks on a wall). I only edit my images to get back to what I felt when looking at the scene. I am also very selective with my photos.
You write on your website, 『These photographs reveal the hidden beauty and humor in overlooked urban scenes』.
Indeed, you have great ability of observation, and are very talented at create humorous atmosphere. Do you go to the street on the purpose of finding this kind of humor, or just keep sensitive and come across them in daily life?
A little bit of both. It is always when I don』t have my camera with me that I miss great 「Graphic Encounters.」 So I always take it with me now. But I also plan shooting days around LA and see what I can find. It is like treasure hunting! Somedays I go explore parts of the city I don』t know and some other days I walk around familiar places. I am always amazed to find new shots on streets that I walk on everyday. That』s the magic of photography: being there at the right time.
You shoot the series of 『Graphic Encounters』 in Los Angeles. Do you love this city? What』s the most interesting thing happened there during your work?
Los Angeles is a strange city that grows slowly on you. Of course you immediately fall in love with the weather and the palm trees. But the city is so spread out and made for cars that it is difficult for a new comer to find a sense of belonging and community. It is very different than any other city I have been to, but I do love it now. It is very laid back. Plus, creative industries are emerging everywhere here and it is great to see.
The most interesting thing that happened to me recently was when I was taking photos around Downtown LA. A building keeper stopped and told me 「Look up! Look up!」 He was pointing at a falcon sitting atop a building. He told me everything about it and how the owner is using it to chase pigeons away. Seeing such a creature in the heart of the city was so unexpected and I loved how my camera created a short but meaningful interaction with a stranger.
Besides of the amazing weather in LA, what else are essential to your pleasant and enjoyable style?
Indeed, the amazing LA weather plays a big part in my photos but it is not the only element. What I am looking at has to be highly graphic, usually a combination of different surfaces with different colors and textures. It is even better if it is quirky like an odd combination of colors or a weird detail on a building that has been left out during its construction. It also has to be very flat and no people. I like the fine line between abstraction and reality and, to me, depth of field and people add too much reality to my photos.
You uploaded your illustration 『Pool Noodle』 on Facebook. I can see both the color and style of your illustration are very 『Francois』, too. What』s the different and the same, between the feeling of photographing and painting?
This is too funny! My 「Pool Noodle」 series is actually a series of photos and I am so glad you thought it was a series of illustrations. It wasn』t my intention to mislead the viewer but I like that the compositions and play of colors tricked your mind into thinking it was an illustration. To reinforce what I said earlier, I like the fine line between abstraction and reality. That』s where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and that』s how I want to make people dream in their own daily lives.
You make interesting captions. Take the 『Genesis』 for example. I just see the shadow of leaves forms a harmonious duality at first glance, but when I notice the caption 『Genesis』, I suddenly get the metaphor of the oil painting of Michelangelo.
It』s very interesting! 『Penrose』 gives me this feeling too. What』s your opinion on the relation between the caption and the image? Is it another kind of humor in your works?
It is not an easy task to name your work, especially as I act so instinctively with photography. Most of my photos are the results of visceral reactions. It is only afterwards that I analyze what is so compelling about this or that shot. The name you give your creations sets the tone of who you are and who you want to be talking to. So when it comes to that, I realized I could keep it simple, fun and concise like my photos. As much as I can, I like to use the names as clues for people to see what I see or make them laugh. I want people to feel comfortable with my art. So starting a conversation with humor and ease is the best way to do it to me. Everyone loves a good laugh!
When you put several prints together, especially when to decorate the interior space, how do you decide the layout?
This is going to be the interior designer in me talking. To create gallery walls I take 3 elements into consideration at the same time: the layout, the imagery and the furniture sitting in front of the wall. What the image is about has a big influence on a well balanced gallery wall. The furniture placed in front will give you a framework to work with and help you create points of interests on your wall. I would advise people to start placing their large prints first. Lay them on the ground in front of the wall you are working on first, and find the spacing you like. It will give you a sense of how it will look without taking any risk. Once it』s up, play with the medium and small ones around. Gallery walls are about harmony so play with what is bold and subtle, large and small, high and low, in line and off the grid until you are happy with it. Trust your vision and have fun with it!
What』s your next plan? Except for interior decoration, what else forms you want to try to take to present your works?
Some exhibition would definitely be cool. That would complete my journey of exhibition designer to artist of a show. I kind of like the idea of going full circle on that. Other than that I was thinking street art maybe? I am just wondering how these photos would look if reintroduced in an urban environment. Would that be interesting? I don』t know. I keep myself open to any ideas and collaborations.
You have lived in Shanghai for 6 years. If color and sunshine is the key words of Los Angeles, then what』s the key words of Shanghai?
Shanghai is not a very colorful city, except for all the awesome neon signs and lights everywhere at night. So I would say mist and concrete. That would make some pretty cool monochromatic and mysterious shots. I wasn』t a photographer at that time so I would love to go back and see what kind of 「Graphic Encounters」 I could find there. My approach might totally change and that』s kind of exciting.
What do you want to say to people on Tuchong?
I simply want to thank you all for the love and I hope reading this has been interesting. I know Chinese New Year is coming up and I wish you all a great time with your family!
附 Francois 個人網站：
https://www.francoisaubret.com/
我是圖蟲攝影師，Francois_Aubret
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