Interview with Martin Beaulieu

After photographing theatre and contemporary dance in Montreal for three years, Martin Beaulieu chose to focus on personal photography assignments, documenting cultural and social issues in Asia. Now a successful freelance documentary photographer, Beaulieu always portrays his subjects with dignity and compassion as people, not victims. The Montreal-based photographer has had his work published in numerous magazines including Canadian Geographic and Photolife, as well as various humanitarian associations such as Amnesty International and Doctors without Borders.

		PHOTOGRAPHER Martin Beaulieu In addition to working in Canada, this award winning photographer has covered stories and personal assignments all over the globe in countries like China, Haiti, Malawi and Mozambique. Read more about St. Lawrence Seaway in the July/August 2009 issue of Canadian Geographic. To view more of Beaulieu's work, visit: www.martinbeaulieu.ca
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Q How did you get started as a professional photographer?

A I began as a theatre and contemporary dance photographer in Montreal from 1995 to 1998. In 1998, I  travelled to China for three months on a personal photography assignment looking at society the same way I looked at dance or a show. Just like in a performance, you have to understand and anticipate the situation, placing yourself at the right place at the right time in order to snap the best shot.

During that same trip, I ended up in Tibet. I was very close to my subject and the situation. I barely knew about the political situation at that time, so it was more an observation of the Tibetan culture and society. When I returned to Canada, I met some people with Amnesty International and together, organized an exhibition of my photos from that trip.

I have returned to Asia twice since, once in the fall of 1999 and the second in 2001.

Q Where do you draw your inspiration?

A When I first started, Sebasti∆o Salgado, a Brazilian photojournalist, inspired me very much. His photos depict the person before the drama. In the images from his 1980 project in Ethiopia for Doctors without Borders, you could see  hope in the person's eyes before the fact that they were starving. Showing the person before the situation is why I decided to get into reportage.

Q How did you approach the St. Lawrence Seaway assignment compared to your previous Canadian Geographic assignments?

A I usually take photos of people, social issues and things like that. This time I had to photograph the first ship to sail the seaway on this 50th anniversary season, the Spruceglen, and the seaway. Of course, the assignment included the people on the ship, but my main subject was the Spruceglen itself. This was a challenge for me. With my previous assignment photographing the Carnaval de QuÇbec, I took more of a straightforward approach following the journalist's family. I really enjoyed spending time observing and understanding people without provoking anything, just going with the flow.

For this assignment, I spent about two weeks over the course of two months photographing the ship from Verchäres, QuÇbec up to Valleyfield, QuÇbec. Everything was a matter of timing and logistics. I boarded the Spruceglen for this assignment, my first time on a vessel like that, for one day from noon on March 31st until 6 a.m. the following morning. I think I slept two or three hours that night, since there's always someone working and something to document. I couldn't imagine life on a ship like that.

Q What was your biggest challenge on the St. Lawrence Seaway assignment?

AMy biggest challenge was dealing with my impatience. The Spruceglen sailed the seaway at the end of March. It's possible to take some pretty good shots at this time of year, but I had to consider that these photos would be published in the July/August issue. The ship could be at the perfect location and everything else but it was too grey outside for an appropriate photo. Because of this, I had to continue on this assignment further into the season, until the grass was green and there were leaves on the trees.

Also, there were three aspects to consider on this assignment: being at the right location, having a person at that location and having the ship arrive at the right time. So, I had to manage those three at the same time. I'm a spontaneous type of photographer who waits for the perfect shot instead of creating it. Everything was a matter of timing and patience. I developed a very close relationship with the seaway employees to coordinate all these things.

QYour night photos are spectacular and a creative approach to this assignment. Why did you choose to photograph from the ship that night?

A Doing night photography is very interesting. But, the result is not something we can always predict. Those photos were long exposures, 15 seconds up to 16 seconds each. It captures lots of light and creates an effect similar to a day shot.

There's one shot where I'm in the cabin with the captain and everyone navigating the ship. That cabin has to be dark since it's surrounded by windows and having a light on would create too many reflections, impairing their vision. When you know that you're on a ship with no lights, it gives you a different perspective.

Another reason for taking these night shots is that on a ship like this, people are always working. So, there's always something to document.

I always try to get a different point of view and cover as many topics as possible.

QYes, I noticed you have great variety in your images.

A With this assignment, while the writer and I were together, we didn't really see each other on the ship besides when we'd get together to recount what we'd done that day. My responsibility was to get as many angles of the subject as possible, so that the editorial department at Canadian Geographic could find something to go with the text.

My goal for any assignment is to live the experience and be able to illustrate that through my photographs or a multi-media presentation.

Q And do you create multi-media projects and videos?

A I'm starting to. I would approach it the same way as I approach photography, trying to be as invisible as possible and capturing the spontaneity of the situation. Also, I always keep in mind the goal of educating.

QWhat is the best piece of advice you've been given about photography?

A I have a few. Be persistent and determined. In this industry, especially in Canada, you also have to be creative and patient. You need to photograph for yourself first, because if you're waiting for assignments to be handed to you, you'll be waiting forever. Also, you need to develop your own style or approach to photography: your signature.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, a photographer's signature was really important. However since digital photography exploded, the signature seems less important to people. It seems to be more about who can deliver photos the quickest.

However, I still think it's important to develop a signature and your own personal approach. Even if it means you work less in the beginning, it doesn't mean you're not doing good work.

QDo you have any other tips for photographers new to the industry?

A Besides those I mentioned previously, I would say capture spontaneity. You can get very unique photos from this, especially in photojournalism. The more you are in contact with your subject, the more freedom you will have to capture the moment.

Interview by Michela Rosano.