Us, French have such a reputation abroad. My peers and I are considered effortlessly chic and seductive. Even our capital is considered the most romantic in the world and I don't even want to speak about our language. It was not even a few days ago while speaking, someone told me "be it in German or English, I really love hearing your French accent, there is something so sensual about it" . I guess this sentence that can be said to any of my fellowcountrymen expresses how much French appeals as a fascinating language. No wonder then, when discovering the location of our shooting was called Bel-Ami I couldn't help but giving a hint of a smile.I don't know if this place was named after Guy de Maupassant's novel Bel-Ami but I find this choice utterly evocative whether you know or not Georges Duroy, the hero of the book. You don't need to speak French nor to know that Maupassant's hero is the most charming scoundrel on earth- read your professional gigolo- to understand the meaning of these two words. What matters is the fact that put together they imply love and desire to foreigners.
So what if I told you the owner of this exuberant location did a great job naming it this way? Frank did only tell me the morning we went shooting that Bel-Ami was actually a strip-tease club and love hotel*, a place meant for love and desire. Thanks to photography I am having all kind of experiences. Some years ago I would have cringed if I were to shoot in such a place but instead it made me curious and above all, what mattered was the location met our expections for the photos.
Few weeks ago while taking breakfast with Frank we discussed about a burlesque inspired shooting. Even before knowing the purpose of this club, I was totally mesmerized by its hushed atmosphere which perfectly matched our theme. Burlesque being a mix of theatre, strip-tease and subtile seduction, I believe Bel-Ami was the best choice ever.I was wondering how the heck will I be able to have this poise burlesque performers have, but soon after we started shooting this thought didn't matter anymore as I was looking to enhance my own poise (if ever I do have some) while taking advantage of our magnificent setting.
I selected three pictures of our shooting which according to me show you different sides of femininity.
I believe Frank did a really great job in finding this location. Setting the right light to shoot was tricky for him since there was no natural light, nonetheless he managed to work it out pretty well, don't you think? What I appreciated the most about this shooting was the fact that eventhough we had in mind burlesque the final result of our collaboration is really cinematographic.
I am completely fond of the second picture for its game with the mirror and rightly because amongst the three chosen it is the most reminiscent of a movie scene from the 40's or 50's. And you, what's your favorite one?
*Prostitution is legal in Germany which I find great to avoid human exploitation. I knew the concept of love hotels from Asia but I never went to a place such as Bel-Ami before this shooting. In Asia, mostly couples are going to these hotels that are furnished with everything to have pleasure with your partner, but at Bel-Ami it was a mix between couples going there and people coming for the girls. It looked like a mix of brothel and love hotel. All pictures by Frank Busch
