Frederico Stauffer: The Artist Behind-The-Lens In Paris

Frederico Stauffer: The Artist Behind-The-Lens In Paris

Frederico Stauffer is a born and raised Brazilian photographer, videographer, and content creator based in Paris, France. All shots are captivating, intimate, and at the moment, with his experimental poetics in each snap. Stauffer’s magic has many spectators in the field traveling into different depths of his visionary artwork.
From his personal work to his partnerships with various brands in the fashion world, Stauffer is leaving an indelible, fresh, chichi, eccentric mark of his vision behind the lens. Frederico has worked with Balmain, Hugo Boss, Hermes, Prada, MIUMIU, Vogue, Paris Fashion Week, Max Mara, Nina Ricci, Cyril Lignac, Louvre, Uniqlo, Tory Burch, Paco Rabanne, and Air France. He is currently signed with PHOTO/GENICS EUROPE, “a fresh, highly driven, trend-setting fashion agency that strives to make a lasting mark in the industry,” which was created and founded by Bordeaux Models owner Nicole Bordeaux and co-owners Dean and Davis Factor (founders of Smashbox Cosmetics and Smashbox Studios.)

This is Frederico Stauffer’s photography and videography story; a peak behind the scenes of a one-of-a-kind visionary who is setting his own movement within film-craft.

Where are you from and how does that affect your work?

I’m from Brazil. I moved around as a kid and landed in France when I was 14. Moving countries, while I was growing up , made me more flexible, very observant and open minded. Being flexible and patient is super important in my work – especially in video. Always having to adapt as a kid definitely foreshadows my life today!

When did you discover photography was a passion? How old were you?

I discovered my passion for photography in 2009, I was 16. My grandfather took photos on a Yashica Mat, I even have the exact camera tattoo’d on my arm. I just picked up the camera one day and really liked it. Little did I know, I’d go study media production and be where I am today.

Do you remember your first camera? What was it?

Of course, I will never forget. It was a waterproof compact camera from Olympus. A few years later, I got my hands on a Canon 450D and really started leaning more on photography. Photography was always just a passion and fun hobby. I went to university for engineering and ended up in the media room and said “sorry mom and dad, I’ll have to stay here longer and pursue this instead!”

Have you ever developed your photographs in a dark room? If so, do you still have those photographs? What were they?

I have developed some rolls of film because I wanted to learn how to do it, but I never had an official dark room so I use to do it in my bathroom with a developing tank. And yeah, I still have these photos scanned in my apartment.

Are there any favorite themes you follow when it comes to the type of photographs you like to take? Why?

I really love street photography. I love when the person is in their natural habitat or in the zone and are unaware I’m capturing them. It makes for the most realistic and precious moments. I especially love capturing the older community in Paris. They have such a chicness and charm. I really love capturing them in this modern day world.

What types of digital photography are you looking at right now? What trends are you following?

I always prefer film. I just bought my first Leica camera and I really can’t wait to use it. It will arrive next week!! When it comes to trends, I do what I like and not what is trending. If I’m passionate about a style, like black and white images, I’ll let everyone know this is what I’m into right now. I try to do my own thing and not have too much of a plan. It’s important things happen naturally and in action versus me trying to recreate moments.

Who are your influences in photography and film? What techniques have you applied to your own photographs and films that echo the people who have inspired you?

Sebastião Salgado is a Brazilian photographer I have always looked up to. He shoots a lot in black and white, which maybe is my favorite at the moment. For video, I really admire Kevin Parry and Zach King. They are incredible creators and dads. I have a vision to have a family and still be able to create from my own home, just like they do.

You have done many sets in the Fashion World. Which ones have been your favorite and which ones were a challenge, but you still pulled through?

I mainly work with Fashion brands at an intersection between creative direction and content production for short form pieces of content like reels and Tik-Tok’s that are supporting pieces of content to the main campaign. Video is more challenging than photography, especially because it is very precise/specific and if I don’t have the space to create, it gets difficult. Whereas in photography, I’m more free to run around and capture without specific boundaries.

The most challenging, but I totally pulled through, was this previous Paris Women’s Fashion Week. The week is filled with buzz and so many “cooks in the kitchen” and moving parts. I was contracted to make 1 video per show and without pre-planning production and visibility for each set. The challenge is being a one man show and having to grab models behind the scenes, quickly approve the shot, show the right product, still be precise, and so on. I’m proud of my work that week, I teamed up with Vogue and we created great content.

What are you working on now? Is it a personal project or does it involve the fashion world?

I’m putting myself in school right now. I’m teaching myself 3D and new techniques to perfect my video work. It’s super important I continue to perfect my post production process. When it comes to photography, I just purchased my first Leica camera and I will dive back into Paris Street Photography once I get it in the mail!

As a photographer and filmmaker, all your subjects are important, but is there any that have touched your soul? Do you have any projects that moved you?

I really enjoy shooting product focused content with or without models, and I adore fashion. But, my inspo and motivation always comes from the environment I’m shooting in. I love to shoot on a big set, but shooting at the beach is really special. Nina Ricci invited me on a project to shoot their new perfume in Rio, my hometown, and this was a project that really touched me, really inspired me, and one I’m really proud of. I got to be in my Cairoca environment while working and this was so epic. I think my content was also ten times better, simply because I was so happy being there.

@weareninaricci

Giant love for Nina Soleil! ☀️@cassandracano7 enjoying our new limited edition in Rio de Janeiro 🎥 @Frederico Stauffer

♬ son original – NinaRicci

Where has been your favorite place or places to photograph? What have you noticed about those places that made you photograph them?

My favourite place to photograph is in the ocean, shooting waves. To shoot in the water is the challenge, it’s all about positioning. I have to be moving all the time in order to perfectly capture a wave and I love that. I feel like I really have to work for the shot and I’m obsessed with the way waves crash and you can’t predict that, so you have to move, move, move!

Describe a day that you didn’t have a project to do for work and you took your camera with you to document your personal experiences. What photographs or films did you do?

When I don’t have projects, that’s when I get to work more on my craft and learn new techniques by making videos for myself. If I want to take photos I would just take my camera and go outside to shoot people on the streets. I try and fill up my creative bubble with as many activities that I want to do. I’m really passionate about film, video, and photography, so when I have free time, I’d rather dive more into those than watch television. My girlfriend always says I never miss a minute, from sunrise to 2am, I use every moment of the day!

To the young photographers and film makers that are creating, what words of encouragement do you have for those that want to follow in your foot steps?

Work hard on your craft with passion and patience. No matter how long it takes, hard work pays off. Just do YOU. Finally the last advice is to be flexible, stay humble and smile all the time. This industry needs more smiles!

Frederico Stauffer’s short form video content is changing the game of content creation on social media platforms. His unprecedented success plays with style, poise, and topical-cultural-fashion-centrics which follows the codes of individual brand platforms. Every transition taking you into different dimensions in most of his works, Stauffer’s unique expertise allows the fashion world to better understand these new uses and the world gets to see Frederico’s work radiate through these mediums with every snap taken by him.