Photographer Bérangère Fromont's République Portraits

Photographer Bérangère Fromont has released a photo book and exhibition titled 'République,' featuring portraits of the young skateboarders who frequent Paris's Place de la République. The project, which took three years to complete using a Mamiya medium-format film camera, presents these youths as the 'Princes of the Square.'

Fromont tells Dazed that she initially aimed to document the square itself but quickly realized the skateboarders were its constant inhabitants. "I call them the Princes of the Square - as boys vastly outnumber girls - because they have this performative side," she said.

The series moves away from the location's history of political protests to focus on a different form of resistance. Fromont sees their choice of a gentle, playful lifestyle as a radical act against contemporary uncertainties.

A Quieter Form of Resistance

According to Fromont, resistance in 'République' is shown through skaters launching themselves into the unknown and repurposing public architecture for non-commercial play. She argues that choosing gentleness is itself a radical stance for youth facing an unstable future.

"They're not raising their fists or shouting slogans," Fromont explains. "They're engaged in a quieter, more poetic kind of resistance, expressed by their lifestyle. I was really drawn to that."

Her work draws comparisons to other chroniclers of adolescence like Gus Van Sant and photographer Paul Graham. Fromont sought to capture the grace and vulnerability of her subjects, noting the contrast between their visible scars and moments of nonchalant self-assurance.

The Demanding Analog Process

A key distinction in Fromont's method is her complete avoidance of posed shots. She undertook a labor-intensive process, shooting under harsh sunlight with a heavy medium-format film camera and a 50mm lens.

The photographer describes the physical and mental challenge of the project. Returning daily in 40-degree heat with four kilograms of equipment, even after long periods without a successful shot, required significant persistence.

She compares her 'failure-plagued' process to that of the skaters themselves, who endure repeated falls before landing a trick. Fromont notes that both photography and skateboarding require a precise alignment of variables-from technique and environment to a moment of grace.

Sculpting Light and Form

Fromont's use of stark, sculptural light intentionally echoes the bronze and stone statues that populate Place de la République. She sought a visual harmony that would give her subjects a timeless, marble-like quality.

"I sought such visual harmony in my selection of images," she recalls. "To draw out that kind of timeless, marble-like quality in the faces and bodies."

The 'République' photo book is published by Chose Commune. An accompanying exhibition will be held at the Institut pour la Photographie in Lille from September 18, 2026, to January 16, 2027.