This photo album brings together a series of portraits taken during my trip to French Polynesia, the Fenua, in April-May 2024. Over 18 days, I met and photographed men and women in their daily lives, capturing the essence of these remote volcanic islands in the heart of the Pacific. With these photos, my goal was to pay tribute to the authenticity of the people, far from the postcard clichés often associated with Polynesia.
Each of these individuals—beekeepers, fishermen, artisans, surfers, flight attendants, and many more—lives in harmony with the natural elements. I chose to focus on faces, expressions, and moments of life, as it is in these details that the true story of the inhabitants of Fenua is revealed.
Each face tells a unique story, reflecting the bond between the individual and their land, between tradition and modernity. This work seeks to reveal the humanity and authenticity of these people.
The idea for this series came from Paulette, a woman I met at the Papeete market during my first trip to Polynesia in 2019. Paulette, a fruit seller, had me taste the produce from her garden before agreeing to let me photograph her. This encounter left a lasting impression on me, and in her memory, I set out to capture other lives, other stories, through portraits that reflect the soul of Fenua.
Her black-and-white portrait, taken with my Leica, opens this album as a nod to that first meeting.
