Spéos professional photography programs are taught by a dynamic team of high-level professional photographers who are active in their fields, and a few permanent teachers, all of them bilingual. Most of Spéos’ courses are accessible at the A-level.
Administration
Spéos – Paris Photographic Institute
- Anne-Laure Koning – Managing Director
- Félix Cornu – Recruitment Officer
- Anne-Marie Norikane – Admissions Coordinator
- Eva Ellenberger – Student Life Coordinator
- Romain Boyer – Pedagogical Advisor
Spéos Group – Subsidiaries & Affiliates
- Pierre-Yves Mahé – President
- Claire Saint-Jean – Vice President and Director of External Communications
Advertising photography / Studio / Fashion photography
- Romain Boyer – Fashion Stylist
- Fabrice Dunou – Architecture and Interior Photographer
A graduate of Spéos, Fabrice Dunou has practiced architecture, interior, and luxury photography (hospitality, heritage, jewelry, gastronomy) for more than fifteen years. His studio handles both contemporary buildings and high-end product photography. He passes on to students the technical rigor, spatial awareness, and attention to detail that define commercial photography. - Gabriella Lincoln – Portrait and Product Photographer
A French-American photographer based in Paris, Gabriella Lincoln is a graduate of Spéos.
She specializes in portraiture, product photography, and e-commerce content, combining still imagery with video. She supports students in developing a coherent visual approach, with an emphasis on storytelling and image direction, as well as the fundamentals of studio work, safety, and professionalism, all in line with current market realities. - Molly SJ Lowe – Fashion Photographer
- Sasha Sparks – Multimedia Artist, Photographer, and Instructor of AI Applied to Image-Making
A Paris-based visual artist and founder of Kinetic Kunst, Sasha Sparks works at the intersection of contemporary photography and generative artificial intelligence. Exhibited at the Venice Biennale (Personal Structures, 2022) and recognized by TIFA, PX3, and MIFA, she teaches students a practice in which cutting-edge visual research and professional rigor are built together, and she is developing a teaching approach centered on AI applied to image-making. - Cihan Unalan – Advertising Photographer / Image Maker
Based between Paris and Istanbul, Cihan Unalan specializes in advertising campaigns, CGI imagery, and high-end post-production. Represented by Rpresenter Studio, he works for major national and international brands, moving fluidly between people, still life, and photo-manipulation. He passes on to students the visual language of advertising and the workings of commercial production. - Ksenia Usacheva – Visual Artist & Photographer in Fine Jewelry and Fashion / Art Direction
Ksenia Usacheva collaborates with jewelry designers and luxury houses around the world, producing images that translate craftsmanship and brand identity into singular visual narratives. Her visual language is deeply rooted in the fine arts. Trained in art in Russia, she went on to study graphic design in Florence, graduated from Spéos, and holds a Master’s in Arts from Paris-Sorbonne University. A teacher at Spéos since 2023, she shares with students an approach to art that is at once editorial, exacting, and sensitive. - Xiaowen Yan – Stylist / Fashion Designer
A Paris-based stylist and designer, Xiaowen Yan has built an international career spanning design, art direction, and image-making. Trained in styling and pattern-making, she began her career at Printemps before joining Balmain, and has since collaborated as a freelancer with houses such as Lanvin Japan Homme and with fashion consultancies. Her work spans collection design, leather goods, fashion styling, and international projects. She brings students a concrete vision of styling applied to fashion photography production. - Azadeh Zoraghi – Fashion Art Director, Editor-in-Chief of Narcisse
Founder and creative director of Narcisse magazine and Narcisse agency, Azadeh Zoraghi has led, since 2012, a biannual publication devoted to fashion, beauty, and contemporary art. She works with Spéos as an art director and shares with students a demanding editorial culture – from the choice of photographers to the rhythm of a magazine – that is essential to designing a fashion editorial.
Photojournalism / Photo Reportage
- Leonardo Antoniadis – Photojournalist
An Argentine photojournalist based in Paris since 1991, Leonardo Antoniadis holds degrees in anthropology from the University of Buenos Aires and from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris. He worked with the French and international press from 1995 to 2015. He is currently developing a long-form documentary body of work (in both photography and video) on migration and minorities (“Chronicle of a Roma Migration”). He passes on to students the fundamentals of humanist photojournalism: taking time, earning the trust of the subject, and crafting the coherent narrative of a reportage. - David Balicki – Photojournalist
David Balicki is a photojournalist and portrait photographer. Over the years, he has contributed to leading newspapers (Le Monde, Libération, Aden) and magazines (Le Nouvel Obs, L’Express, Le Point, Lire). For ten years, he worked regularly for Les Inrockuptibles, where he photographed many figures from the cultural world and notably covered the Cannes Film Festival on two occasions. His work has been exhibited at the Rencontres d’Arles (“Portraits arlésiens”), and he received the contemporary documentary photography grant from the Centre National des Arts Plastiques for a project on South Africa. He continues his documentary work today and instills in students a high standard of press photography along with the art of the authored portrait. - Christophe Calais – Agence France-Presse
A field photojournalist for 25 years, Christophe Calais is the author of three books on Rwanda – Le cri des morts, le silence des vivants (1998); Rwanda, le pays hanté (2006); Un destin rwandais (2014) – and a book on the former Yugoslavia, FK Jugoslavija (2015). A former editor-in-chief at Magnum Photos, he is now Head of Special Photo Projects at Agence France-Presse (AFP). In charge of the Spéos–AFP partnership, he passes on to students the rigor of journalistic investigation, historical depth, and the culture of news agencies. - Edwin Cohas – Photographer
Trained first in his father’s studio and then at a Paris design school, Edwin Cohas has worked for around ten years with prestige clients – Fondation Cartier, Rolex, Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, Vivacy. Based in Boulogne-Billancourt, he shares with students the balance between commissioned constraints and personal artistic vision that shapes a professional photographer’s career. - Jennifer Huxta – Photographer, Writer
An American who lived in Paris and then in Nairobi between 2012 and 2018, Jennifer Huxta has been published in the New York Times, Time, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, and Libération. She has covered the Burundi crisis, the Westgate attack, and many stories on climate and women’s health, and has worked with The New Humanitarian. She passes on to students a humanist approach to storytelling in which photography and writing reinforce one another.
Computer imaging
- Arvin Emtiazi – Photographer, Retoucher
- Federico Garcia-Mochales – Creative Director
A graduate of ENSAD (the Paris National School of Decorative Arts) and a lecturer at Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Federico Garcia-Mochales is a creative director working at the crossroads of photography, graphic design, video, and event scenography. His transdisciplinary approach informs his teaching: he shows students how to develop a coherent visual project, from concept to final form. - Emmanuel Molia – Photographer, Retoucher, Director, and Graphic Designer
A portrait photographer and a specialist in Photoshop and Lightroom (Adobe Certified Expert and Adobe Certified Instructor), Emmanuel Molia draws on his experience as a photographer and retoucher to bring students a hands-on approach focused on the new AI features of these programs and on the current demands of production. - Emmanuel Pineau – Photographer and Filmmaker
Emmanuel Pineau worked as a camera assistant on feature films for around ten years before becoming a director of photography in 2004. A long-standing collaborator of Sophie Delaporte, the two work together for editorial titles (i-D, Vogue) and for brands (Dior, Le Bon Marché). He passes on to students a cinematographic culture applied to photography – light, framing, and rhythm. - Cihan Unalan – Advertising Photographer / Image Maker
See “Fashion” section.
Printing techniques
- Hervé Gergaud – Photographer and Printer
A printer and retoucher with thirty-five years of experience, Hervé Gergaud spent thirteen years at Magnum Photos, working alongside Sebastião Salgado, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Raymond Depardon. A member of the Millennium Images agency (London) since 2019, he continues to support Salgado’s exhibitions worldwide. He passes on to students the culture of fine-art printing, from the silver darkroom to digital post-processing. - Hervé Petit – Consultant (Color and Printing)
A specialist in color management and printing technologies, Hervé Petit consults for Calibrite and several professional monitor brands after spending more than 10 years at LaCie and then at Getty Images. He gives students the essentials of colorimetry, how to work with a professional lab, and the techniques and tips for mastering the entire graphic chain – in both color and black and white – to reduce the gap between screen display and digital print.
Image management and publication
- Fabrice Dunou – Architecture and Interior Photographer
See “Fashion” section. - Claire Stalder – Photo Editor, Image Management Specialist – Academic Coordinator
With a background as a photo editor and academic advisor at Spéos, Claire Stalder teaches students how to organize their archives using Lightroom Classic and how to effectively use metadata. She also helps them understand the photography market and build their online presence, from social media to websites.
Storytelling
- Karen Lajon – Senior Reporter
A senior reporter at Le Journal du Dimanche from 1986 to 2023, Karen Lajon covered the major conflicts of recent decades – the Gulf War, the Balkans, Iran – over her 35 years on the international news desk. A 1998 Lagardère Foundation laureate, she writes the column “Femmes du Monde.” She passes on to students a form of storytelling grounded in investigation and on-the-ground immersion.
Visual identity
- Alice Santinelli – Photo Editor – Project Management
After studying languages and geopolitics and spending several years in Paris labs, Alice Santinelli has worked independently since 2016, supporting photographers with their books, exhibitions, and the fundraising tied to their archives (Cameraphoto, Rouchon Heritage). Co-president of the ANI (the French National Association of Photo Editors), a juror (Prix Nadar 2025, Prix Mentor 2025, jury president of Bièvres 2025), and a speaker (Arles 2025), she shares with students a grounding in art history and aesthetics, as well as a wide-ranging view of modern and contemporary photographic practice. - Antoaneta Metchanova – Founder of La Maison Hush Hush
Creative Director with an international career (Ogilvy & Mather, BBDO, Publicis), Antoaneta Metchanova has led numerous campaigns for iconic global brands in luxury, beauty, technology, automotive, and lifestyle. She has been awarded more than 100 industry distinctions. Founder of La Maison Hush Hush (2015), she develops brands at the intersection of authentic brand values, the high standards of luxury craftsmanship, and contemporary culture. At Spéos, she shares her expertise in visual identity and international communication strategy.
Video
- Luc Detours – Founder of the Luzylux Agency
Luc Detours began as an assistant in the film industry before becoming a first assistant director in advertising. As a photographer in the music world, he produced reportages and music videos for emerging artists. After founding a photography festival in a rural area, he led urban projects for luxury brands within a communications agency. Today, he creates short promotional films for ethical and socially driven brands, where his command of photo and video production tools and techniques is highly valued. His career combines creativity, rigor, and engagement. He shares with students the workings of a turnkey production, from brief to delivery. - Federico Garcia-Mochales – Creative Director
See “Digital Image Processing” section. - Stéphanie Haski – Director, Camera Operator, and Editor (Documentary, Web Reportages, Video Installations)
A director and video technician for more than 15 years, Stéphanie Haski works on projects that share a common interest in how individuals relate to their environments – both social and spatial. She directed Accorps, a 2015 documentary in which she filmed two socio-aestheticians working with vulnerable groups (those facing illness or hardship). She also produces web series for the Joséphine and Sierra Prod organizations, as well as participatory films through the Artou collective. To Spéos students, she teaches the fundamentals of documentary filmmaking and video tools (framing, sound, editing) with an emphasis on autonomy.
Business
- Nedim Imre – Photographer
A Paris-based photographer and director specializing in industrial and construction photography (Bouygues, Total) and a licensed drone pilot since 2014, Nedim Imre also serves as Secretary General of the Union of Professional Photographers (UPP). He shares with students the expertise of commissioned photography for major corporate clients, along with an organizational vision of the profession informed by his work with the UPP. - Antoine Soubrier – Photographer’s Agent and Partner at Bildung
A graduate of CELSA, a former contributor to L’Œil de la Photographie, and previously a collaborator with the VU’ agency and Talent & Partner, Antoine Soubrier became a partner in 2020 at the Bildung consultancy – conceived as an alternative agenting model that frees photographers from the traditional system. He brings students sharp expertise in career management and professional positioning. - Delphine Toutain – Founder of TADA Agency
Delphine Toutain, a trained intellectual property lawyer, founded TADA in 2015 with the mission of advising and training visual-arts creatives in the administrative management of their work. Committed to the empowerment of artists, she co-founded the ASAP association (Association de soutien aux artistes professionnels) and co-authored Le Backpack de l’Artiste, a book featuring 500 references and tools to support artists in their development. She passes on to students the administrative and strategic foundations needed to set up as an author.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Sasha Sparks – Photographer, Multimedia Artist, and Creative Director
See “Fashion” section. - Thierry Van Biesen – Photographer and Promptographer
A fashion and advertising photographer for 30 years – Castelbajac, Kate Spade, Cirque du Soleil, Neiman Marcus, Sony, Marie-Claire US, ELLE Japan, Madame Figaro, TANK – and the 2013 ASMP Fashion Photographer of the Year, Thierry Van Biesen is a pioneer of creative AI (using DALL·E from 2022) and publishes regularly on photography in the era of generative AI. He passes on to students a clear-headed strategy for evolving toward the role of “promptographer.”
Photographic Culture
- Véronique Besnard – Photographer
A documentary photographer with an MA from the University of Brighton and a degree from Sciences Po Grenoble, Véronique Besnard is the author of the Kings Road series on asylum seekers in Brighton – selected by the Royal Photographic Society, The Guardian, and the HSBC Foundation. She has published Additional Satellite (2012) and La mise en images du conflit afghan (L’Harmattan, 2005). She shares with students an engaged photographic culture and a critical sensibility for visual storytelling.
French as a Foreign Language
- Emily Chabenat – Teacher of French as a Foreign Language (FLE)
English as a Foreign Language
- Nezha Kandoussi – Language Consultant
Black & White Laboratory
- Pierre-Yves Mahé – Photographer, Inventor of the Stop-System Method, President of the Spéos Group
Founder of Spéos in 1985 – the first photography school in France to offer professional programs in English – Pierre-Yves Mahé is a graduate of HEC and worked as an advertising photographer before devoting himself to teaching. The inventor of the Stop-System method, he is co-author of Photographier comme un pro avec la méthode du Stop-System and has directed the Maison Nicéphore Niépce since 1999. He passes on to students mastery of silver-halide printing and a historical perspective on photography. - Note: This list is accurate at the time of publication, and is indicative of the range of professors at Spéos.
However, the faculty is subject to change at any time due to their other professional obligations.