The Parisian photographer who shoots under the names PhilipKA and PhilArty was born Philippe K. Afantchawo in Russia to a Russian mom and Togolese dad. Growing up, he lived in both countries before moving to Paris, France, to study. He got a degree in law, but photography was his passion.
“Practicing law wasn’t really a vocation,” PhilArty tells Pink Ticket Travel. “So I studied photography in Paris. Of course, no one was waiting for me at the end of school, saying, ‘Let’s do an exhibition of your work.’ So I started doing photography for tourists, first for friends from Russia and the U.S. Then I started doing weddings. I love meeting new people and travellers.”
During the COVID lockdowns, PhilArty started specializing in photographing queer couples against classic Parisian backgrounds. Being gay himself, he wanted to celebrate same-gender love. “When people see the LGBTQ+ community, it’s almost always about Pride, with people wearing extravagant outfits and being extravagant. Which is great. But I wanted to show LGBTQ+ love. I think people are scared about things they don’t know and don’t understand, so I want to show that love is love.” The project has helped boost his career. His photos have been on exhibition in Le Centre LGBTQI+ de Paris et d’Île-de-France (63 Rue Beaubourg, Paris).
We asked PhilArty about his favourite spots to shoot queer romance in Paris—and the wildest things that have happened to him while on the job. He spoke to us while he was taking care of his seven-month-old baby.
Many of the people you photograph are visiting Paris for the first time. Maybe they’re getting married or honeymooning, so they’re out of their element and potentially nervous. How do you get people to relax and show their true selves and their relationship?
I don’t do photoshoots for less than one hour because you need some time to forge a connection with the couple. Sometimes it’s only at the end of the hour when people start feeling really comfortable. For some people it’s easy and for some it takes some time. I tell them to be natural, imagining they are just by themselves. Pretend I’m not there.
What’s been the most challenging photo request you’ve had?
I had a couple of women from Atlanta, Georgia. They had the most spectacular outfits. One of them had a gorgeous red gown with a crown. But they arrived late so we didn’t have enough time to shoot all the things we wanted to shoot.
Some people want to do a surprise proposal. That’s really stressful for the photographer, because you can’t miss the moment. I have to pretend to be just someone on the street, like I’m just there randomly. I’m undercover. Until the proposal itself, they are just walking on the street and you have to follow them and hide and take pictures from a distance. Then the person who made the plan will be like, “Excuse me, can you take a picture of us?” I take their phone and I say, “Oh, maybe I can take a few with my camera?” Then they do the proposal, with one of them down on their knee. It’s fun but stressful.
You’d make a good spy.
Yes, yes.
You’re married to a man yourself. Do you think that makes you better at taking pictures of queer people in love?
I’ll tell you a funny story. Ninety percent of people want the Eiffel Tower as a location for their photo shoots. Sometimes I’m like, “There are a lot of other beautiful places in Paris.” But people are like, “We want the tower, we want the tower.” So me and my partner were travelling to Santorini in Greece. There is this Instagrammable view with the white and blue houses with a view of the sea. I decided I wanted us to do a photo shoot. I contacted a photographer and he was like, “Let me bring you to some other place that is very authentic, not crowded and dirty like this touristy place.” I said, “Okay, show me the place.” He showed me the pictures. It was very nice, very authentic. But it didn’t look like Santorini. I was like, “No, bring me to the dirty, touristy place. I want this view.” So when people ask for the Eiffel Tower, I understand.
What are your secrets for shooting at famous locations like the Eiffel Tower or the Palais Royale? How do you keep it fresh and avoid getting all the crowds in the shots?
We professional photographers have a few spots where we can shoot even if it’s crowded. If you take a picture at a certain angle, it will look like there is no one there. To make it easier, we have to start early, when there are fewer people around. In summer it can be at six in the morning because the sun rises earlier. Photographers doing professional photo shoots, we all know each other and give each other space. We’re colleagues. You see people you like, you have people gossiping. Trocadero Square is like our office because that’s the most popular spot for photo shoots. You can see the Eiffel Tower very well from there.
What’s your favourite spot for photos?
I very much love the Palais Royale, especially in the spring, when the magnolia trees are blooming. It’s just gorgeous. I also love the Luxembourg Garden. I don’t shoot there often, because I don’t get many requests for it, but it’s really beautiful.
You shoot couples in cafés and restaurants. What are your favourites?
My favourite café is one where I can do photo shoots and also just go there for the coffee. It’s called Brasserie Le Royal (250 Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris), not to be confused with La Royale. It’s near the Louvre and Palais Royale. The guys there are nice and local people go there, so the prices are quite fair. It’s a beautiful place.
North Americans sometimes think that Parisians can be a little rude or impatient. Is that true?
Impatient, yes. But I think it’s the same in other big cities. Maybe in Canada people are more relaxed. We did surrogacy in Nova Scotia and we spent a few weeks in Halifax and were very surprised at how kind people are there. I can imagine that Parisians don’t have a good reputation, but I’ve heard we’re doing better and better. If you ask for directions, people will show you.
Another stereotype is that central Paris is locked in time, that it’s eternally beautiful. Do you think it’s changed much in the last few years?
During the COVID lockdown they closed a lot of streets for cars and they enlarged the bicycle lanes. And they kept it this way. They say the city is fighting against cars to fight pollution and noise, but traffic has become really terrible. It’s easier to use public transportation. They also made a lot of renovations for the Olympics last year, so the city is very clean and beautiful.
You’re obviously preoccupied with taking care of a new baby, which must keep you busy. But when you go out, where do you like to go?
No, we don’t go out much these days. We’ll meet some friends at local cafés nearby. For a special occasion, we’ll go to Le Tout-Paris at Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf (8 Quai du Louvre, Paris), which has a gorgeous view. Bonnie (10 Rue Agrippa d’Aubigné, Paris) is a New York-style restaurant that also has a great view of the river. There are also a few bouillon restaurants—a traditional kind of restaurant like a brasserie, from the end of the 19th century. They’re good places for lunch. Bouillon Julien (16 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, Paris) has a modern nouveau style, it’s just gorgeous. For €15 you can have a good lunch there, traditional French food.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
