Valérie Jardin and Gina Williams – Fusion of Street Photography and Fiction

Street Photography Magazine

In Street Photography Magazine, we publish many personal projects and discuss them with photographers on the podcast. In this episode, I had an opportunity to speak with street photographer Valérie and writer (and photographer) Gina Williams about their collaboration on one of the most creative projects I’ve seen in a long time.

Gina, a very talented writer, photographer, and artist, attended one of Valérie’s Paris workshops several years ago where they became friends. Several times over the years, they discussed a collaboration where Gina would create fictional vignettes inspired by subjects in a selection of Valérie’s street photos.

Last year, they made it a reality. Valérie gave Gina access to her archive to choose photos that resonated with her. That in and of itself was a challenge because Valérie has a huge archive of very powerful street images. Some stories came to her instantly while others marinated in the back of her mind, only to be revealed while she was gardening or taking a walk.

The result is an ebook titled Street Stories. It’s a collection of about 50 of Valérie’s street photos. Each photo with its vignette is depicted in a short chapter. The chapter opens with a title, assigned by Gina, on its own page followed by the photo on another with the page on the next page. This format can get very expensive in a printed book but works well in an ebook.

We’ve reproduced one of my favorite stories from the book in the show notes of this episode to give you an example of what Gina and Valérie created. The title is Resistance.

This type of book is best consumed a few chapters at a time rather than in long sittings. I imported my copy of the book into the Kindle app on my iPad. It gives me the ability to move between pages by sliding the screen right to left just like any book on the app. That way, I can glide through the images and titles and stop on whatever catches my attention. Each time, I’ve come away with new inspiration.

Valérie’s strong images combined with Gina’s imagination and mastery of the language is a magical combination.

Street Stories costs only $12.00, and Valérie has offered our listeners a $2.00 discount (so it’s only 10 bucks) by using the code SPM on checkout.

In the meantime, give the podcast a listen. I know you’ll be inspired by their story.

Here’s a sample chapter from Street Stories

RESISTANCE

I can hear their voices and feel their spirits in the wind when I visit this place. The horror. Fear. Desperation. Determination. Bravery.

My father was on this beach in the summer of 1944. A resistance fighter, he guided the Americans to a river crossing, then helped stand guard over German prisoners as they cleared the beach of obstacles and brutal tangles of barbed wire.

He didn’t talk much about it after the war—none of them did. But I can feel their presence here. Every gust of wind feels like youth leaving the body and I want to push it back like a rescue breath, return to them what they lost.

Places like this hold memories forever.

Now, the message of peace is peace itself. Lovers strolling arm-in-arm. Tourists sipping cocktails. Children splashing about and making castles in the once dangerous sand.

No matter the weather, I let it chill me. I never cover my head or button my coat. I want to feel the cold air in my bones until it hurts.

I scoop up a bit of soft sand and let it fall through my fingers, each grain a reminder of someone who sacrificed everything for the freedom I now enjoy.

And then I look to the horizon, watch the storm clouds swirl in the distance, and offer a humble prayer of gratitude and remembrance.

Links from the show

• Street Stories Download Use Discount code: SPM
• Valérie’s Website
• Gina’s Primary Website
• Gina’s Photography and Art Website
• Valerie’s Instagram
• Gina’s Instagram