All images by Louis Dazy. Used with Creative Commons permission.
Film photography remains a popular medium for today’s generation of visual storytellers not only for its nostalgic look. It’s also loved for the level of experimentation that it encourages. One such photographer, Paris-based Louis Dazy, appears to have mastered the look of medium and used it to craft his own visual style.
In his recent work simply titled Hong Kong on film, Louis transforms the dizzying cityscapes of Hong Kong into a dreamy collection of double exposures. Majority of these photos were taken at night, giving him free rein to take doubles of street lights and a pensive subject seeming lost in thought as he takes it in.
Louis has in fact been making rounds in social media and film photography circles precisely for this technique. I’d even go as far as saying, if the (mostly digital) trend of neon night portraits has Brandon Woelfel, the doubles-struck community of film photographers has Louis Dazy. And I can’t really blame them for wanting to emulate the look of his work. He offers us a great perspective of city life and the different moods it brings. Sometimes, it’s melancholy; other times, it’s youthful and energetic.
What I think is most striking about Louis’ work in general is how he makes creative use of light to tell a story. In his Hong Kong photos, for example, there’s a feeling of getting lost in the busy streets and getting dazzled by its city lights. Throw in the elements of nostalgia and a tinge of adventure, and you get his distinct way of seeing and depicting a bustling metropolis.
If you’re curious about his film photography and want to learn more about his creative style, I strongly suggest also checking out our interview with him from a while back.
Make sure to also visit his website and Behance portfolio to see the rest of his work.
