Born in 1956 in Angers, lives and works in Paris, France.
As a photographer and reporter, GOVIN SOREL has devoted himself to the art of portraiture and still life, both personally and on behalf of advertising, communications and public relations agencies, publishers and press magazines.
During his studies at the Beaux arts d'Angers, he assisted M. Petitjean, a renowned French portrait painter, and discovered an approach that would undoubtedly be the guiding principle of his career. However, movement and documentary became part of his lens when he photographed the Contemporary Ballet Theatre of Angers for two years, followed by motor racing. This led to a long stay in Central and North America from 1980 to 1983. Back in Paris, he worked with Frédérico Cimatti, Peter Winfield, Eric Cuvillier and Alain Gilquin.
GOVIN SOREL does more with his subjects than just freeze them to create a targeted, desired aesthetic. He establishes a natural, spontaneous complicity with his subjects to highlight their sincerity. Writers, comedians, artists, designers, sportsmen and politicians have all given up their image to allow a snapshot of their personality to appear with humour, elegance and simplicity: Tadao Ando, Nino Cerruti, Wim Wenders, Philippe Starck, Diane Keaton, Gérard Depardieu, Alain Delon, Robert Doisneau, César, Madame Mitterrand [first lady for 14 years], Sophie Marceau, Wim Wenders, Garouste & Bonnetti, Andie Mac Dowell... Always with a sense of humor and quirkiness, in a series of high-contrast black and white photographs, with an omnipresent central subject.
