Portfolio Review: Photographer Cedric Viollet Explains His Favorite Fashion and Editorial Portraits

Image via Complex Original

"This was taken between two shots while we were in the studio. Another freezing, rainy day in Paris. I got my camera to capture Alex Yuryeva smoking a cigarette behind the window."

"I met Johnny Harrington for a job. He is a really cool guy from England, with strong, piercing eyes. It was freezing cold with mist everywhere. All he had to do was to look through the lenses, and that was it."

"I was off on holiday in Etretat, Normandy. I was walking on the beach and taking pictures, like always, and I bumped into this. I love accidental encounters!"

"This is my first and almost last test for a model agency. We were in Park Des Buttes Chaumont in Paris with my Hasselblad and two rolls. Karolin and I walked around to find a spot, and I honestly had no idea what to do. I remember I saw how beautiful the light was on her body, and it all came together."

"Those two kids were on the shoot with M.I.A. They were posing like pros! They were my favorites guys. If you forget about the context, this is image reminds me of a war photographer's images, no?"

"M.I.A. was shooting in collaboration with Romain Gavras. We were in a castle in southeast Paris. Romain was doing his story using cinematographic light, whilst I was doing my story with a rawer feel. It was epic and great fun as well."

"Alice Dellal and his tom boy bag at Chanel's HQ in Rue Cambon. This photo looks almost spontaneous, surprisingly spontaneous, because there were almost 10 people looking at us! Sometimes images don't really relate to reality."

"This was a project for Levi's. The concept was to take some portraits of beautiful girls who are also very relevant in the music scene. We only got thirty minutes with Alix Brown, and we had to have both hair and makeup and the photo shoot during that time. She was very natural and sexy, as always. After 10 shots, we got the shot we wanted."

"This is a shot from Kenzo's lookbook that I did in March 2012. It was right at the moment when Kenzo was about to change, so it was really exciting."

"We spent the whole day in a museum. Haley was really fun and charismatic. Doing this story for Jalouse was like a walk in the park."

"Three years ago, I was on a skateboard tour with Lucien Clarke. He landed a few tricks so we decided to chill for a bit. I snapped him very quick, without him even noticing."

"This is my very first commission with Olympia LeTan. I was really honored to shoot her first collection last year."