Spéos Alumni Testimonials

Tunisia, France
www.samirtlatli.com

Graduated from a business school, and long passionate about photography, I decided to try a reconversion. Spéos, a school recognized by the best professionals, had the training that suited me. It offers the opportunity for time-sensitive people like me to train and catch up very quickly. A Professional Photography in 1 year program, well-built modules, very professional teachers with impeccable follow-up.

Today, I am a professional photographer and laureate of several competitions. Belonging to a well-managed Alumni network is a major asset that Spéos brings to us during our career. A real resource that offered me many professional and personal opportunities.

I strongly recommend Spéos to anyone who wants to have a safe training in photography and who wants to evolve in the world of image and art. However, you will have to be ready to work a lot!

So I have only one word to say to you: Get started! It’s so exciting.

British, lives in New Zealand
www.chloelodge.com

After a decade working in the event management industry, I realized it was time to follow my dream of becoming a photographer. I set about looking for a comprehensive, intensive course to support my move into the market of professional photography. The Spéos program was exactly what I was looking for and it delivered in spades.

The Professional Photography in 1 year course in Paris gave me a fantastic foundation, however, it was the Expert Modules which truly took me to a whole other level. The knowledge and confidence I gained meant that I was able to begin my business as soon as I finished and turn a profit within the first two years of establishing in a country I’d never lived or worked in before. I have since relocated countries five times since my studies in Paris and have successfully created businesses in each new market. I believe this is largely down to the basic principles and artistic growth I experienced at Spéos. I have go on to win awards and have also recently written my first book ‘For the Love of the Photograph’, an educational and inspirational guide.
> See Chloe Lodge & the WYWH Collaborative exhibition at the Spéos Gallery

France
www.photographe-architecture.fr

I absolutely wanted to have a complete training in photography before starting my photography business. I chose Spéos for several reasons: complete training in one year with the Professional Photography in 1 year program, self-service studios for practice and personal work, and the international environment.

The training allowed me to go beyond the expected technical level. In addition to the technical courses, the photography market and ways to promote his work were addressed, topics very important when you create your own business. I really appreciated the analytical approach of some courses that allow me today to deal with the many constraints encountered during shootings.

I would recommend Spéos to anyone wishing to work in photography. My advice: The more technical knowledge you have before training, the more you will learn details that make the difference!

Cihan ÜNALAN
Turkey
www.cihanunalan.com

Having a background in advertising, I thought I had a very clear understanding of what I wanted to do in terms of photography.

After just a few months into my education at Spéos, I began to realize how much more that I could do and how to do it in order to differentiate myself in my field.

With a very thorough education and so many wonderful memories, Spéos is a time of my life that I will always treasure.

USA
www.fotofemmeunited.com

After completing my BFA in photography in the States, I decided it was time for a new challenge elsewhere. I discovered the Fashion Photography program and I found it interesting in terms of the curriculum and instruction, not to mention learning in one of the fashion capitals of the world was quite thrilling. Studying fashion photography in Paris has its advantages.

The program provides a huge network of make-up artists, designers and stylists to collaborate with, which will give you a professional portfolio at the end of the year. Having a lot of the technical skills already, my focus was finding my visual voice, and the guidance was very useful in helping me pinpoint that. Another great aspect is guest lectures by iconic fashion photographers living in the city and being able to ask them questions about their experiences or for advice.

Spéos has created lifelong friendships, connections and bonds. I’m in touch with quite a few people still to this day. It ended up being a very rewarding experience that changed my life completely, as I still live in Paris now!
> See April Wiser’s exhibition with Foto Femme United at the Spéos Gallery

USA
www.medinadugger.com

Spéos was so much more than a photography school, it was a major life experience. It provided me the opportunity to develop and refine photographic skills in the dream setting of Paris alongside classmates and instructors from all over the world. Spéos is as valuable for the networking and contacts it provides as the photographic knowledge gained. I developed friendships and connections I know will last my lifetime and which have led me to very exciting places.

I am now a freelance photographer working for the African Artists’ Foundation in Lagos Nigeria, where I just assisted coordinating and curating the 2nd annual LagosPhoto Festival.

I give Spéos my highest recommendation to aspiring photographers. It is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity that exceeded my expectations in every way imaginable.

Cerise DOUCÈDE
France
www.cerisedoucede.fr

After a Master’s in graphic design, I got interested in photography. To be able to work as quickly as possible, I was looking for a short and efficient program.

At Spéos I gained within a year during the Professional Photography in 1 year program a good technical level and a personal style, mainly through the courses in visual identity. The Expert Modules after the 32-week Program allowed me to further develop my personal project. With these essential skills, which allowed me to start working professionally, I managed to reach my main objective.

The school later introduced me to the competition of the Royal Monceau, which was a perfect match for my recent photographic work. Having won the first prize is a milestone for me, which was followed by the prestigious Prix HSBC won in 2013.

China
www.louyang.net

I studied at Spéos in 2010 and I have been working as a professional photographer since then.

I chose Spéos because it is one of the best photography school in France and it is based in Paris.
If you work in the fashion industry, then Paris is the best place to be to find resources and opportunities!

To work as a fashion photographer, I needed a team: Spéos connected with make-up and fashion designer schools. It really helped me start my career!

Brazil, UK
https://www.julimanara.com/

I was living in Sao Paulo/Brazil after graduating in communication and media, I had a camera and as an emerging amateur photographer I started to get some freelance jobs. I then realized that photography was something I wanted to specialize into and I needed to learn more to be able to became a professional!

Paris was a city that attracted me by the cultural and inspiring life style and it’s also famous for its creative schools and Spéos is part of it. The reason I chose Spéos, instead of another institution, was because it provided a complete photography program (in a shorter time then universities with the Professional Photography in 1 year program) exploring all the areas of the fields that help students to identify themselves and experiment a bit of everything before specializing in one area.

I had an amazing year at Spéos and it is one of my favorite memories. I learned a lot of lighting techniques from studio, printing and computer imaging and visual identity changed the way I see photography. I developed a new photographic style what I thought was never possible. I had lectures with 2 well known photographers (Paolo Roversi and Bettina Rheims) and listening to their advices and experiences through their amazing careers brought me a lot.

I felt in love with fine art photography and I realized it was a possible career: it opened my mind to create more personal projects.I had my first artwork sold during Spéos end-of-the-year Exhibition and a first award from an assignment project I developed during the classes!

Such recognition wouldn’t be possible or wouldn’t happen if I were not enrolled. It changed my direction completely.

In 2014 Spéos invited me to lecture at London (where I live now) and it has been also another great experience to teach and share all I have learned through all those years.

France
pierrepherivong.com

I was looking for a photography school whose program would be efficient – very focused on the practice of photography and retouching – and whose teaching would be provided by recognized professionals. What’s more, a school with professional equipment and enough space to work.
That’s exactly what I found at Spéos. I had the opportunity to freely use the studios to experiment and retouch at leisure on school computers, and I had the means to work much what we had studied during classes.

I had a wonderful experience at Spéos. The Professional Photography in 1 year Program allowed me to master the artificial light and gave me confidence in my artistic choices. The following year, I worked for modeling agencies. I was able to perfect the learning received at Spéos by releasing myself from the technique and be thus exclusively focused on coaching the model or models as well as on my artistic research.

I would recommend Spéos because, in this school, everything is done to succeed – human and material resources. The only very good learning at Spéos is not enough: it is also necessary to experiment, read and learn to express all its own individuality, its vision of the world.

France
www.BrodbeckDebarbuat.com

During my year at Spéos, what I liked was to be able to get in touch with all aspects of photography: the theory, the studio, the digital work, the lab.
This enrichment allows to quickly acquire a global technical background. Once this base is integrated, it is really easier to focus on its own work and approach: what do I want to express and how will it fit into photography today?

Puerto Rico
www.tariberoszi.com

Having studied at Spéos is one of the best things that has happened to me in my life.
France is the country where photography was invented and it was a privilege to study in its capital.

Spéos is a great school which gave me an ideal atmosphere to develop my photographic skills both technically as well as conceptually. During the year I studied there, I was able to refine my artistic language and make high quality photos which also carry a message.

Being surrounded by classmates from many different countries and cultures exposed me to diversity, which made my experience highly enriching and inspiring.

Spéos strengthened my confidence as a photographer and artist.

> See Tari Beroszi’s exhibition at the Spéos Gallery
> Tari Beroszi, Spéos graduate, has been awarded the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant

France
www.celinetravers.com

As my future husband, Éric Travers, studied at Spéos Paris in 2000 and became an international reporter, I naturally chose the same school for my professional training a year later.

I arrived without a lot of technical skills, just with artistic sensitivity. I thus had to learn everything from scratch: from photo development to digital retouching, from reportage to studio photography. We had the opportunity to learn from exceptional teachers from the professional world and in permanent contact with the environment of professional photography.

Thanks to Spéos, at the end of my program, I was able to obtain a position within the team of Studio Peter Lindbergh, which allowed me to further extend my image skills.
> See Céline Travers’s exhibition at the Spéos Gallery

France
www.mariepreaud-photography.com

I was able to study the basics of Black and White Photography at Spéos while working as an actress in Paris.
Back then, Spéos offered an amazing Developing and Printing yearly program.

Going to the darkroom with excellent teachers made my experience unique. Learning the basics of photography enabled me to start a career in New York City, where I have pursued my passion ever since.

I would highly recommend Spéos to anyone who wants to learn photography or to broaden their skills. Many possibilities without borders!
> See Marie Preaud’s exhibition at the Spéos Gallery