New, wild species – Interview with Jennifer Latour

Can you tell us a bit about how you became a photographer? And tell us something about your pictures.

I began experimenting with photography back in 2006 whilst I was living in working in the UK. My love for cinema, art, and fashion editorials were the driving force at first. My main interest back then was trying to achieve the look of a cinematic film still. My best friend at the time had just bought the lastest Canon digital camera which made shooting very addictive. I was photographing everything from objects at work to ideas I had combining my friends with fashion and storytelling around in the city. I’ve always had an overactive imagination and lucky for me all my friends at the time were the same, so several projects flowed every week.

Photo: Jennifer Latour

Please share something about your images. What is your special interest? How do you choose the colors, composition, themes etc.? 

My Bound Species series came out of being in the first lockdown of 2020. I was able to channel all my pent up energy into experimentation at home and had at least 4 projects on the go at once. I remember vividly having a reoccurring dream that giant flora was growing out of the drowns with multiple flowers growing off each stem. I think I started playing round with the concept quite soon after. When my first piece was spliced and balanced I felt something really special and I was hooked.

I’ve always liked the quote “less is more”, I’m drawn to minimalism in many aspects and felt that was the best way, for me, to keep the compositions impactful. Color wise it’s all about balance. I am obsessed with color and feel it’s just as important as forms created. I sometimes choose the colors before but it almost always the work takes its own abstract path from there. Theme and lighting fall into the same scenario, I do choose locations and light sources but I never really know where the work will take me from there.

Photo: Jennifer Latour

Where does this interest come from?

I left Montreal in 2003 and moved to the UK to pursue my dream of becoming a Special Effects makeup artist. The job combines so much of what I love in art, such as sculpture, creating characters, painting, collaborating with other specialized artists and story tellers, etc. And I was able to see first hand how films were created. One aspect of the job is applying prosthetics to actors faces and I love focusing intently to bonding the prosthetics pieces to body parts. I personally think that my ability to splice and balance my floral art derives from my fx makeup applications. The delicate nature of both the works allow me to tap into hyper focus and intuitively feel what will “stick” and what will not.

Photo: Jennifer Latour

How do you get inspired? And what inspires you the most? Films, books, or magazines? Or what surrounds you?

This is a very loaded question and I’ll try my best to keep it short. Definitely cinema and art are my top two inspirations. I guess it’s pre-y obvious from my job that I like Thriller/horror but I also love the complete opposite found in Eastern European cinema, like what director Bela Tarr creates. It’s the cinematography that wins me over most of the time. I get completely immersed in the aesthetic visuals of motion pictures, for me it’s a constant source of inspiration. Also, magazines. I think my all-time favourite magazine is Acne Paper. It’s visual candy to me every time I flip through. I also love Dezeen, The Gentlewoman, Juxtapoz, Artforum, American Cinematographer and so much more.

Another big source driving around to get inspired - I can drive for hours. Location hunting is definitely a constant source of inspiration. I love discovering a new place and often develop an idea for new work quite quickly from taking in the scenery.

What are your plans for the rest of the day?

I am editing new Species in my studio here in Vancouver. It’s a beautiful Autumn day and I’m always so inspired by the change of season. Lots of new ideas on where to take the series next!