Catherine Henriette

In 1989, caught in the turbulence of the events at Tiananmen Square, Catherine Henriette embraced photography. Visiting China for a few months after her master's degree in Oriental Languages, she discovered a world, China, and her profession: photography.

Back in Paris, she used her knowledge of this country by producing her first report for Le Figaro Magazine. The French press was at the time in search of topics on this growing China. Commissions followed one after another: Géo, L'Express, ELLE, Marie Claire ... and Catherine Henriette joined the prestigious agency of photographers Rapho.

Whether in Ethiopia, China or the Basque Country, light is essential in her images, the color draws the scene, the characters jostle the lens and her amused eye triggers. "I was very influenced by William Klein and his way of photographing people without their knowledge. I am very clumsy in composing a photo, in contrast I can spend hours watching people go by, and wait for a chance to set up the scenography of the image.

These trips for the cultural service of the French Embassy in Ethiopia, as well as reports made for the magazine Géo, gave her the opportunity to exhibit her photographs at the house of Harar in 2003 and publish her first book, the magnificent "Ethiopia, itineraries" with the writer Fabrice Gaignaud. A book on her moments of life in China is currently being prepared.

In 2013, Catherine Henriette was named laureate of the prestigious photography prize Marc Ladreit De Lacharrière - Academy of Fine Arts for her project "Winter tale, summer tale".