A Garden Party at Brécy Castle

Garden Party during Patrimony Day 2018 to commemorate Barbara Wirth at Brécy Castle Gardens, Saint Gabriel Brécy, France.

A Garden Party at Brécy Castle Patrimony Day in France happens once a year and enables curious visitors to see and experience treasures of French patrimony that are not typically open to the public.  This year, I had the pleasure of experiencing several special places dressed for the occasion under beautiful blue sky of mid-September all in one weekend.  The first and foremost is Brécy Castle Gardens, which I had already photographed in 2012 with a large format film camera. This year, a private invitation was launched to commemorate the fifth year of the passing of Barbara Wirth.  Gardener extraordinaire, she and her husband Didier orchestrated the restoration of the gardens of Brécy from their purchase of the château in 1992. We learn, in reading the marvelous and freshly published Florilegium of Brécy Garden by Béatrice Saalburg and Catherine Watters, that the key to the elegance of this garden is a striking harmony of “just enough” in Barbara’s selection of plants.  To complement graphically dominant yew, hornbeam and boxwood topiary, of which an intricate parterre de broderie on the ground level sets the stage for the terraces, Barbara added a savvy selection of roses, clematis, hellebore, lily and iris.  She … Read More

Wedding Reception at the Cercle de l’Union Interalliée

Table setting for formal dinner at wedding reception at the Cercle de l'Union Interalliée, Paris, France.

Georgina and Amal’s Wedding Reception at the Cercle de l’Union Interalliée The mother of the bride called me to ask if I could photograph her daughter’s wedding reception at a beautiful venue in Paris, France – Le Cercle de l’Union Interalliée, and naturally I accepted.  What a thrill to penetrate the halls of such a venerable institution as this and for a perfect reason; to photograph a young couple about to engage in the vows of marriage.  Indeed the real wedding will take place in India, so this Parisian event was the only moment that friends and family unable to travel to India could celebrate the bride and groom to be. A little history.  The Union Interalliée was founded in 1917 at the point when the United States entered into the war.  The founders conceived of a place where officers and personalities of the Allied nations could rejoin and give each other moral support and share resources.  Receiving support from many, they were able to acquire the hotel Henri de Rothschild in 1920 and thereby encourage diplomatic relations between the allied nations.  The building is situated on rue Faubourg Saint Honoré, just down the street from the Elysée Palace and … Read More

Cruising with the Rough Riders

Elise Prudhomme, photographer, on the catwalk of the USS Theodore Roosevelt during the Friends and Family Cruise on June 20, 2017.

Theodore Roosevelt Association Fundraising Dinner and Cruise on the USS Theodore Roosevelt The Theodore Roosevelt Association published this 30-page spread in their Winter-Spring-Summer 2017 Journal.  This exceptional professional opportunity was handed to me by Tweed Roosevelt, the great-grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, when he hired me to photograph the annual Theodore Roosevelt Association fundraising dinner in San Diego followed by a day-cruise in the Pacific aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.  The TR Association visits the nuclear aircraft carrier every 8 or 9 years, so this event was clearly not to be missed. The fundraising dinner took place in Mission Valley and officers of the USS Theodore Roosevelt were invited.  Thus, before even boarding the vessel, members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association got a glimpse of the U.S. Navy in full splendor. From the Commanding Officer to the sailors, the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt was open, warm, friendly, and totally human.  Meeting with this team off-duty was a real treat for guests who were curious to learn more about their job and experience in the Navy.  Highly qualified specialists in many fields, this crew seamlessly communicated with everyone including a small group of youngsters eager to figure out if they … Read More

Modern residence and garden by Taliesin West architect

A modern example of Organic Architecture by Taliesin West architect This modern residence and formal garden located in Western Oregon was designed and constructed by a graduate of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture at Taliesin West.  His interest in learning the principles of Organic Architecture, as Frank Lloyd Wright referred to his own work, is underlined by Wright’s words; “Learn the principles and do not copy me.” The principles of Organic Architecture encompass an overall design process where everything relates to one another both on the inside and the outside. The relationship of the building to its natural surroundings is as important as the details in its interior – from the windows, to the floors, to the furniture that fills the space. Organic Architecture covers the construction materials, motifs and design principles which work together as a unified whole to build a central mood and theme. The fundamental design of this architect’s home which includes broad cantilevers, horizontal lines and open interior space, all strong elements of Organic Architecture, give this private residence a ‘Wright look’.  After twenty one years, this house still maintains that timeless quality that Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes are known for. A quote from … Read More

Mother and daughter, a newborn studio portrait session

Mother and daughter, a newborn studio portrait session A quick photo session was in order after Meg gave birth to her lovely baby daughter Kloé.  In order to bring out the adorable design of Kloé’s natural diapers and newborn pink skin, I set up a simple black background in the studio.  Kloé gave a great performance for Mom and the camera before deciding that she’d had enough.  It was a lovely morning at Studio Galerie B&B.

Parisian interiors: design and architecture

Photograph of the designer interior of Le Georges restaurant, Paris, France.  This image is included in the Architecture Portfolio of Elise Prudhomme Photographer

Paris, seen from the inside For the past several years, I have been photographing Parisian interiors for home owners and rental agencies.  Using ambient light and tripod, working with long exposures and a low ISO, I render these spaces without artifice.  I am beginning to amass quite a collection of images showing the Parisian lifestyle at it’s most intimate: “chez soi” (seen from the inside).  The above chapter on Residential Interiors from my Architecture Portfolio includes some of this work.

Open House at DLP Paris

Open house event photo shoot at DLP Paris DLP Paris, a production/animation company in Paris, asked me to photograph their open house cocktail party.  They could not decide between a standard photo shoot and formal studio portraits of their clients to be offered as gifts, so they chose both. I set up a Mad Men-style studio on site, using office furniture as a backdrop; a couple of stylish leather and chrome armchairs and a decorative Fresnel-ish lamp.  While encouraging guests to step into the ‘boudoir’ for a studio shoot, I worked the event with an on-camera flash (Mark III for the reportage and Hasselblad digital back for the studio portraits).  The art director was very pleased with the results! www.dlpparis.com

Photographing the work of artist and sculptor Raâk

Photographing the work of artist and sculptor Raâk A chance encounter with Raâk during her successful exhibition of sculptures at Studio Galerie B&B led to a series of photographs of the remaining pieces in her collection.  Raâk works with different types of media, including terracotta, wood and stone.  Working in a controlled studio environment, we selected a black background to bring out the terracotta clay and ocre pigments that she adds when firing them.  Having gotten close to her work while photographing it, I can attest to the spiritual and spontaneous quality that it exudes and which so many admirers find enticing.

Parisian Prom Portraits

Large format film portrait taken during Prom night at the Lawn Tennis Club in Saint Mande, France 2014 by Elise Prudhomme.

Parisian Prom Portraits I was asked to photograph a Parisian school prom and the theme was The Roaring 20’s.  Two outdoor studio setups, a 4×5 film camera, a Hasselblad digital back and a tennis club.  It was a challenging technical adventure and a wonderful portrait opportunity! Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose Gertrude Stein