FROM FLORIST TO PHOTOGRAPHER
Before making a living from photography, Denis Dailleux worked for a decade for Christian Tortu, the florist who revolutionized flower arrangements in Paris in the Eighties. Born in Anjou like Denis, Christian Tortu is a lover of nature: his parents' garden was his first playground. His unpretentious arrangements combine flowers, plants, fruit and vegetables to offer a raw depiction of the wild and free natural world. Today, Denis' lengthy experience in floral composition and love of plants is found in delicate touches in many of his works, in particular those created in India. An attentive and patient photographer, Denis has a very personal approach to his portraits. He has an incredible talent for capturing the intensity of an expression, a gaze or body position. He plays with light and shade to lend his images their pictorial aspect. Denis lived in Egypt for many years and initially won acclaim for his book Le Caire (Cairo) published by Editions du Chêne, together with his awardwinning series Mère et fils (Mother and Son). A long-hauler, who loves really getting to know his subjects, he forges true friendships with the men and women he photographs. His approach is heartfelt and based on respect for others, honoring their differences and individual personality. He takes time to return regularly - often if necessary - to his favorite hunting grounds. His projects take shape over months and even years, as witnessed by his magnificent series of black & white portraits of his great-aunt Juliette, documenting the passage of time. In India, Denis Dailleux visited two emblematic flower hubs: Tamil Nadu, the cradle of flower plantations in the south-east, and the Kolkata Flower Market.