Thibault Poret, street photographer
Whether perched on the rooftops of Montreal or strolling through the streets of Saint-Martin, Thibault Poret has developed a passion for street photography. Initially captivated by vertiginous shots, he has honed his style and now captures scenes from everyday life.
Originally from Saint Martin, and more specifically from Oyster Pond, Thibault Poret currently lives in Montreal. He moved there in 2016 to study hotel management. Ten years on, and still living in Canada, his focus has shifted. During his studies in Quebec, Thibault discovered photography, symmetry, and the thrill of taking shots from the tops of buildings. “At first, I took photos with my phone, then with a Nikon camera. I’d climb onto rooftops and cranes. That shaped my style for two or three years.” Images that catch the eye – and sometimes even that of the authorities. Stopped by the Canadian police, the Saint-Martin native escaped prosecution but shifted his perspective on his practice.
Back down to earth, then. Thibault swapped the heights for the pavement and dedicated himself entirely to street photography. With this new approach came a whole new style. For him, no more rapid-fire shots: “I capture funny moments; I’m learning to observe and take photos as if I were using film equipment.” As his approach evolved, his kit changed too. Gone are the multiple cameras and lenses; in comes a single body, a Fujifilm X100V, with a 35mm fixed focal length. “I realised that a lot of my photos were just sitting on my SD card and that I didn’t like spending time editing them on my computer. This camera is simple, with presets that mean I don’t have to edit my photos. I fell in love with Fujifilm’s aesthetic and black and white,” explains the amateur photographer.
In Montreal, he developed a documentary photography style. In 2023, he found himself at the centre of the news when a historic site opposite his home, the Bon-Pasteur Chapel, caught fire. He captured the event, and his images were acquired by the city archives, whilst his time-lapse footage was broadcast by Quebec media. For him, this recognition remains outside the scope of a pre-determined career path. “I never set out to make photography my profession,” he explains. Preferring to keep things varied, he is now preparing to become a rope access technician, a job working at height that is not unlike his early photography. Still very attached to Saint-Martin, he plans to join the Fuji X Photographer programme one day and, why not, become a brand ambassador in the Caribbean.
