The work of photographer Gerard Uferas (b. 1954, Paris) covers a compelling and charming array of subjects, from glimpses of life behind the scenes at the opera and ballet, to marrying couples and their families on their wedding day, to the spontaneous energy and interaction of crowds at carnivals and sporting events. With the discreet but unerring eye of the seasoned photojournalist (he began a long association with Liberation newspaper in the 1980s), Gerard Uferas captures people from all walks of life in moments of contemplation, creation and camaraderie, resulting in a body of work that offers a rich and nuanced picture of humanity. Published to coincide with a retrospective of his work in 2025, this book presents the photographer's own choice of some of his finest work from a long and distinguished career. What emerges most strongly from this collection is Gerard Uferas's great passion for favourite themes such as music, theatre and dance, but, perhaps more resoundingly still, his profound empathy and respect for his human subjects. AUTHOR: Born in Paris in 1954, Gerard Uferas first picked up a camera at the tender age of eight, and throughout his childhood he pursued the two great passions - photography and art - which were to define his career. In 1984 he began to work regularly for the French newspaper Liberation, which published many of his photographs and organised the first exhibition of his work. In 1986 he was involved in the creation of the photographers' agency Vu, while in 1993 at another agency, Rapho, he met Willy Ronis, who with Henri Cartier-Bresson and Andre Kertesz was to influence his subsequent work. Another of his great loves was opera and the theatre, resulting in publications and exhibitions such as Un fantome a l'opera (on Europe's greatest opera houses) and Un pas vers les etoiles (on ballet at the Paris Opera). After a series of immensely successful exhibitions in some of the most prestigious locations - including the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France - in 2023 Gerard Uferas was made a chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and his work entered the collections of the Mediatheque du patrimoine et de la photographie (MPP), the home of France's photographic heritage. SELLING POINTS: . One of France's most celebrated photographers of the last 40 years . Photographer's own selection of images from his long and distinguished career . Great variety of subjects, from the arts to public festivals: there is something for everyone here . A master of colour and black & white photography, both represented here . Published to coincide with a retrospective of Gerard Uferas's work at the Villa Tamaris in La Seyne-sur-Mer, on the Cote d'Azur, from 1 February to 27 April 2025 46 colour, 195 b/w illustrations
