‘Monochrome is a way of finding poetry in everyday life’: Mélissa David’s best phone picture

‘Monochrome is a way of finding poetry in everyday life’: Mélissa David’s best phone picture

French photographer Mélissa David captured a striking monochrome image in a bustling public square in Paris. The scene, set against the backdrop of construction work at the Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, unfolded when David was en route to an appointment. She had intended to use her camera but found its battery dead. Instead, she turned to her iPhone 4, seizing the opportunity to document the interplay of light and shadow.

David was drawn to the large panels installed to shield the ongoing construction work. These panels bore images that, combined with the sunlight, created a canvas of shadows cast by strangers passing by. Among these, a girl holding balloons became a focal point for David’s photograph, capturing the transient beauty of an ordinary day in Paris.

Embracing the spontaneity of the moment, David edited the image using Photoshop Express, converting it to black and white. She believes that monochrome photography allows her to discover poetry in the mundane aspects of life, creating a bridge between her inner emotions and the external world she observes.

David reflects on her creative process, noting that her photographs often reveal her own inner world. She appreciates how viewers interpret her images in unexpected ways, allowing the photographs to transcend her personal vision and resonate with others’ emotions and perspectives.