Born in Nice, Benoit Grimalt spent 15 years in Paris shooting for various magazines before migrating to Brussels a year ago, where he’s now based. Now working on more personal projects, such as the book Do You Know Syd Barrett? – in which he documented everyday scenes and landscapes of Cambridge, where Pink Floyd’s founding member spent the rest of his life as a recluse – as well as moving images.
Photography by Benoit Grimalt (C).
When did you get into photography full-time?
Ten years ago. After I graduated from a photography school where we mainly studied studio photography. But now I prefer being outdoors, I prefer natural light.
What drew you to this medium?
I like family albums.
What is your first ever memory about photography?
The old pictures in family albums.
How would you define your style/practice?
Spontaneous and directed at the same time.
Who are your top 3 favourite photographers?
Irving Penn, Henrich Kuhn, and Bernard Plossu.
Who/what is your Holy Grail? (A person, location, scene that you dream of capturing someday)
What’s your fondest photography moment?
Shooting landscapes.
One that you would like to forget about?
A commission for a magazine with rockabillies
What are the habits you get into whilst shooting? Is there one word you constantly use, or one person you always need with you as a lucky charm?
“A little bit more on your right…a little bit more on your left…”
What do you listen to in the studio?
I have no studio but I used to listen to Tindersticks, the last two Talk Talk albums, Jim O’Rourke, Ned Collette, Hamilton Yarns.
