By — Victoria Fleischer Victoria Fleischer Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/photographer-implores-you-to-enjoy-small-moments-of-happiness Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter French photographer glances down on happy moments and finds a new perspective Arts Sep 10, 2014 2:18 PM EDT French photographer Florian Beaudenon is very tall. At over 6’4″, he has to look down to see much of the world around him. Once, while in the middle of a fashion shoot, the photographer was struck by his bird’s-eye view of his model, seated on a couch, eating Japanese food. He realized that he had created a scenario that rendered the model anonymous, and therefore potentially anyone. Baudenon launched a series, “Instant Life,” capturing small moments of happiness in French life. Photo by Florian Beaudenon “I want all people who see my photo to believe it can be anybody,” Beaudenon told Art Beat. “If you see one of my pictures of a girl who likes a lot of shoes, if you see her eyes, it would be more difficult for you to identify with the picture and the scene. I want everyone to be able to say, ‘Oh, it’s like me.’” Many people have misconstrued “Instant Life” as a commentary on the public and the private persona, as a deep-seated human desire for voyeurism, but Beaudenon says that’s not the goal. Photo by Florian Beaudenon “The main aim for me is to say, enjoy these little moments in the day, when you are in your bed and you wake up slowly. Enjoy when you cook for friends. It’s the main thing I want to get across. I take a part of voyeurism to get at that.” After the initial photo shoot, the photographer stopped using fashion models. “I asked my friends to do a photo shoot for this project and there are a lot of women [among] my friends,” said Beaudenon. “I asked them which scene in your life do you enjoy the most …. They chose — I never chose for them.” Photo by Florian Beaudenon Beaudenon has started a new project, one he calls “more fashion-oriented.” Working with a costumer who fabricates garments, the new work is “about the transformation of humans from animals.” In the meantime, remember what “Instant Life” invites you to do: “Enjoy the good moments.” View more photos from Florian Beaudenon’s “Instant Life” below: Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Victoria Fleischer Victoria Fleischer @vlfleischer
French photographer Florian Beaudenon is very tall. At over 6’4″, he has to look down to see much of the world around him. Once, while in the middle of a fashion shoot, the photographer was struck by his bird’s-eye view of his model, seated on a couch, eating Japanese food. He realized that he had created a scenario that rendered the model anonymous, and therefore potentially anyone. Baudenon launched a series, “Instant Life,” capturing small moments of happiness in French life. Photo by Florian Beaudenon “I want all people who see my photo to believe it can be anybody,” Beaudenon told Art Beat. “If you see one of my pictures of a girl who likes a lot of shoes, if you see her eyes, it would be more difficult for you to identify with the picture and the scene. I want everyone to be able to say, ‘Oh, it’s like me.’” Many people have misconstrued “Instant Life” as a commentary on the public and the private persona, as a deep-seated human desire for voyeurism, but Beaudenon says that’s not the goal. Photo by Florian Beaudenon “The main aim for me is to say, enjoy these little moments in the day, when you are in your bed and you wake up slowly. Enjoy when you cook for friends. It’s the main thing I want to get across. I take a part of voyeurism to get at that.” After the initial photo shoot, the photographer stopped using fashion models. “I asked my friends to do a photo shoot for this project and there are a lot of women [among] my friends,” said Beaudenon. “I asked them which scene in your life do you enjoy the most …. They chose — I never chose for them.” Photo by Florian Beaudenon Beaudenon has started a new project, one he calls “more fashion-oriented.” Working with a costumer who fabricates garments, the new work is “about the transformation of humans from animals.” In the meantime, remember what “Instant Life” invites you to do: “Enjoy the good moments.” View more photos from Florian Beaudenon’s “Instant Life” below: Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon Photo by Florian Beaudenon We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now