Your portrait, just like in the 19th century

Hi, I'm Gilles!

I’ve been a photographer for 30 years and spent 15 of them in the world of advertising and fashion. I loved it, but over time, digital photography started to wear me down: hundreds of images stored on a phone or computer, ready to vanish at the slightest glitch.

So I decided to rediscover what first made me fall in love with photography: the joy of chemistry, precise techniques, and above all, an image you can hold in your hands. With wet collodion—a 19th-century process now celebrating its 175th anniversary—each portrait is a unique, tangible object, made to last and be passed down.

I’m passionate about traditional photography, and I love sharing my knowledge. During a session, I listen carefully, I take my time… and my goal is simple: for you to have a great time and leave with a photo that truly captures who you are.

Welcome to my world!

A portrait session, just like in 1851. Forget the traditional photo studio. Here, you step back in time.

In my studio in the 19th

arrondissement, just a stone’s throw from the Ourcq Canal, I use the

wet collodion process—the same one used by 19th-century

photographers, even before

the invention of film. A metal plate, sensitized by hand just before the shot, a silver bath, an antique view camera… and you, holding still

for a few seconds, just as our ancestors did in front of the lens.

This isn’t just a photo we’re taking. It’s an image we create, together, right before your eyes.

You’ll watch me prepare the plate, pour the solution, sensitize it in the darkroom, and then develop your

portrait live—an almost magical moment, when the silver darkens and your face appears. No retouching, no digital file: a

precious object—an ambrotype or a ferrotype—and you’ll leave that evening with it in your hands.

I’ve been sharing this passion for years, both as a practitioner and as an instructor. What you’re about to discover isn’t just a technique from the past—it’s the thrill of

seeing an image come to life right before your eyes, the old-fashioned way, with all the slowness and authenticity that

it entails.

Come experience a moment outside of time and leave with a portrait that captures your essence,

19th-century style.

Aluminum plate, 13x18 or 18x18 cm.

• English
• French