Douce d'Ivry: Authentic Emotion in Photography

Douce Ogier d’Ivry

Douce Ogier d’Ivry is a French photographer based in Hong Kong. Douce mainly focuses on street and fashion photography. Douce’s shots are bright, vivid, and full of authentic emotions. It’s been a great pleasure for us to take an interview with Douce d’Ivry, and we wish you a pleasant reading of her amazing story.

Table of Contents

The First Steps in Photography

AP: Douce, thank you very much for finding the time to give us the interview. It’s an immense pleasure for us, and we hope you will enjoy all the questions we have prepared for you today. So, let’s begin. How it all started?

Douce: I only started taking pictures two years ago. My first passion was for music videos. As such, I began working as an assistant producer in Paris, then London and Singapore. This allowed me to experience all facets of the creative process by working very closely with each member of the production team and in particular directors, stylists, and makeup artists until the day I moved to Hong Kong in 2016, where I could finally try to create my own universe by jumping into photography.

Life in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong Photo Series

AP: Do you have any formal education in photography, or were you self-taught?

Douce: I am self-taught. I learned basic skills by watching YouTube tutorials and photography manuals. But now that I know the basics, I work mostly intuitively. If you think too much about how you should take the shot, you lose its magic.

AP: Well said! What genre are your photos?

Douce: I mainly focus on street and fashion photography. I try to keep my shots spontaneous with movement to share a real emotion. I am not a fan of studio shoots; I have much more fun playing with the outside world, finding attractive decor, loud colors, and unexpected details.

Life in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong Photo Series

Equipment

AP: What equipment and techniques do you use to take such photographs?

Douce: For fashion shoots, I use my Canon EOS 5D Mark III, but for street photography, I use mostly film cameras such as Nikon F100, Olympus OM1, Fujifilm Polaroid, and a Minolta AF-Tele. I favor natural light and minimize editing to keep my pictures as natural as possible.

AP: What is the latest project you’ve worked on in Hong Kong? What inspired you to start working on it?

Douce: I’m fascinated by Hong Kong. It’s a dream place for street photographers. I recently started a series of shots using only a $10 second-hand Minolta film camera (AF Tele 1985). This series captures the everyday life of my Hong Kong neighborhood, Sai Ying Pun. The faded and imperfect aspect of these pictures matches Sai Ying Pun’s derelict but charming atmosphere.

Life in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong Photo Series

The Formula for Success

AP: We would like to admit that your Hong Kong photo series looks fascinating. What is the formula for success in your activity?

Practice daily, be curious, and don’t be afraid to share your work. Instagram is still an excellent way to showcase your pictures.

AP: Who is one person you would like to see interviewed on Astrum People?

Douce: Sailor Moon!

AP: We wish we could take an interview with Sailor Moon!:) Is there someone who supports you in your creativity?

Douce: Friends, family, and all the persons who have believed in my work. I must also mention my very patient husband!

Life in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong Photo Series

AP: Please share three lessons you believe are essential for every photographer.

Douce:

Develop your own style
Practice as much as you can
And share the magic!

Douce, it has been a great honor for us to have an interview with you. Thank you so much for sharing such an amazing story with us. We wish you constant inspiration, great achievements, and continued success. To learn more about Douce d’Ivry photography, visit her website featuring her images.