Becoming an Athlete

“You are not born an Athlete. You become one.”

This project was designed for the French National Sports Institute (INSEP) based on a personal original idea. It aims to present the journey of athletes, some aspiring, some already well established, from the start of their training to the highest levels of performance.
Several of the following athletes qualified for the 2012 London Olympic games and hold World Champion titles in their discipline.

Capturing their evolution through a typical movement of their sport, as they progressively put on their competition outfits, the photographs aim to become a symbol that describes the mission of INSEP, as well as a unique graphic metaphor for the mental and physical progression of the athletes.

The series received the EISA Maestro Award, Photographer of the Year, 2012, from the European Imaging and Sound Association.