Tania Cohen is a unique Parisian photographer who transports her clients into parallel worlds, combining time travel with varied and intimate settings. Passionate about light, she creates photo shoots that combine romance, mystery, and a touch of intimacy, offering everyone an unforgettable experience.
I met the Parisian photographer Tania Cohen during a photo shoot in the Dubai desert, and I was immediately fascinated by her way of working. Passionate about light, she plays with it as if it were a hypnotic dance, transporting her clients to worlds where intimacy blends with sumptuous settings, whether from another time or another place. It is this alchemy between light, setting, and emotions that gives her photos a character that is both surprising and mysterious.
1. I have seen various photos of you, photos of women in suits, wedding photos, photos of children... What is the connection between all these photos and how would you define your photographic style?
My photos reflect the style of my clients, their lives, their emotions. I photograph them in a natural style in order to bring out as much emotion as possible. My photos are their story, their life, their memories. And sometimes, we escape to another time, to exceptional places where I take my models on a journey to a parallel world of dreams and mystery. My clients are pampered during a shoot, sometimes dressed in costumes, each one more beautiful than the last. I like to play with time: one session in the 1930s, another in the shoes of Bridgerton, becoming the princess of a castle, or even a painter with a severed ear...
2. Looking at your photos, I noticed a lot of work went into the lighting, costumes, and romantic atmosphere. Can you tell us more about that?
Lighting is the foundation of photography. We photographers tell stories through light. In fact, the word “photography” comes from the Greek words phôs, meaning light, and graphê, meaning to write or draw. And when the light isn't right, or simply isn't suited to what we want to create, then we bring out our “sun.” That's the name I give to my flash. I love this romantic, mysterious aspect that transports the “reader” wherever they want to go when they look at my photos.
3. How do you get your models, whether children or adults, involved in the process?
Regardless of the models' ages, the important thing is to take them where I want them to go. I can't just tell a child to “sit down and smile :)”. I tell them a story, make them laugh (or not, depending on the photo I want), and capture those moments in the same way I would with an adult. It's just the story we'll go on together that will change. A photo shoot isn't just “photos,” it's a real moment of sharing, laughter... and often tears during my boudoir, pregnancy, or newborn shoots. Emotion is the keyword for my sessions.
4. I noticed several of your photos taken in the streets of Paris with your models. How do you stage the shots between the city and the models?
To answer that question, I'll tell you a little story. An Italian couple got married in France and wanted photos of themselves at the Eiffel Tower for their photo shoot. It was the middle of January at the Eiffel Tower. An icy wind was blowing across Paris. Tourists were strolling around. And to top it all off, it was drizzling. I suggested we go to the Place du Palais Royal, where the Buren columns are located, to avoid the wind. We still needed to warm up. So my session was based on movement, laughter, and anything else that could help them forget the cold. Once we were sitting on one of the columns, I took out my “sun” because the real one was hidden behind the clouds, and I asked them to snuggle up to keep warm... Of course, this was just another strategy :) to get the photo I wanted. After a nice hot chocolate, we went to the Eiffel Tower. My goal was to focus the light on my beautiful Italian bride and groom and not on the many tourists. The light from the Eiffel Tower, the light from my “sun,” the tourists in the shadows...
5. I had the opportunity to take boudoir photos with you. What are the difficulties involved in taking this type of photo?
The session we did together was different from the boudoir sessions I usually do. We started with some very specific ideas for our session: highlighting your books, very joyful and dynamic photos. It was a wonderful experience. When I photograph my models in boudoir shoots, they don't really know what to expect. I reassure them, explain the purpose of the session, and we walk this path together to reconnect their minds with their bodies. It's often an emotionally charged session. Some of them express how they feel after this experience in their own way: “Wow... I feel like a different woman!”, “I want to be the woman I see in these photos,” “My body and I are leaving together.”!
6. You told me that you enjoy photographing cities at night because of the play of light. What attracts you to this work, and what results are you looking to achieve?
I love the night. No one in sight, just shadows on the cobblestones created by the streetlights. A cat passing by. A bicycle. Everything is peaceful. I also love that moment when the moon wanders by... it passes by and hides behind monuments or clouds... it sometimes plays tricks on us, playing hide-and-seek when it shouldn't... it's simply magical. I always try to write this story, even at night. And if someone lingers over my photo as they would over a painting in the Louvre or elsewhere, then I've won, it tells a story, their story.
7. I saw some of your photos of women taken in the desert. The light must be absolutely magnificent there, with the purity of the air, the sand, and the strong sun. What are the difficulties associated with this type of situation, and how do you work?
It's a moment that is both magnificent because of the beauty of the place, the model, and the atmosphere. And very contrasting because of the difficulty of the shoot, when wind, sandstorms, and intense heat all come together. I work on my photos before I even arrive on location. I check the weather, check the shooting schedule to know where the sun will be, and see if I need equipment such as filters, diffusers, or anything else. Desert photos are special. First of all, there's the dress with a long train that needs to be made to fly in order to achieve that sense of feminine grace. At the same time as the train is flying, I make sure my models are comfortable (even with a 5-meter train behind them :)... The light and the wind sometimes work in harmony, but not always... so I adapt and move my “sun” if necessary. There's often a moment when I have the girls run with the train behind them flying in the wind... these often make for very beautiful photos because they feel free, feminine, and light. The Dubai desert, Burj al Arab beach, the rocks and sea of Port Grimaud (France), the Louvre, the Alexandre III bridge, or even the Eiffel Tower, Flying Dress shoots always make an impact.
8. How did you get started in photography? And what is different about your work today compared to before?
I started quite naturally during a family trip. I went on vacation with my parents and my three brothers and sister. I was 15, maybe younger. Everyone was allowed two disposable cameras for the trip. After negotiating with my parents, I came back with seven cameras to develop. I felt that something was happening... I haven't stopped since.
Today, it's my job. And I love it! I'm still learning, creating, telling stories, sharing... And as long as I can help bring your memories and stories to life, I'll do it.
9. What would you like to do that you haven't done yet?
It's difficult to answer that question without writing a novel... I have a few projects in the works and many others in mind... shhh! :)
10. What do you think of the photos of women we see on Instagram? In your opinion, have social networks given rise to a particular feminine photographic style?
I think social networks are increasingly distorting the image of women. Women identify with AI. Which, in my opinion, is dangerous. I feel this during my boudoir shoots and other shoots. Today, everyone lives through their phones and can change the background of any photo, film fireworks and watch them at the same time on a small screen, etc. Photo shoots and other moments in life are meant to be experienced. Let's not create false memories! LIVE and REMEMBER!
Dress : Les ateliers Barbara Gunia
Model : AnaÏs
Photographe : Tania Cohen
Maxime - Art & Culture
Bonjour, my name is Maxime. I obtained my name because my grandmother always took me to Maxime’s in Paris for my birthday, always in the company of her best girlfriend! When I was fourteen years old, I was already enamoured with their Parisian chatter. Now, when with friends, I know everything about the art of invisible make-up and light cocktails! The Parisian really has a very distinct character: she’s surprising and interesting. And she’s so feminine! As for invitations, it a real task: each day Paris offers new exhibitions, previews and vernissages. With a Parisian, you absolutely have to be in the right place at the right time!
