In his series Mexico Surreal, Quebec photographer Benoit Paillé experiments with just colored gels and flash to produce the most eclectic documentation of the country and its people, as well as the exploitation of mass tourism.
Avoiding extensive digital retouching, and using only Lightroom for development – Benoit’s editing facilities are limited due to his current living situation – he’s spent the past three years being on the road, living in a small camper van that’s wired with its own solar panel.
In 2013, he chose to transform his life in an attempt to transform his art. It was a radical decision, but one that since has offered plenty of opportunities to be creative. Traveling to places that interest him the most, Benoit likes to settle himself in countryside or city locations – that’s whether he’s by the sea or stuck in the middle of an industrial district or strange parking lot – and document what he sees. He explains:
“All the pictures I take are not set-up, they are spontaneous using the real flash effect and people on site. My subjects remains mostly strangers or friends that I often juxtapose to a cheesy panorama with a powerful immersive aesthetic.”
[via creative boom]
