Florian Huguenin
Photographer & Visual Storyteller
About Florian Huguenin
A French-born photographer and relentless explorer, Florian Huguenin has spent years navigating the world’s most diverse landscapes. However, it was in 2021 that his journey took a definitive turn when he chose to make Cameroon his home. This immersion was the catalyst for ‘The Eshu Project’.
Moving beyond the role of a mere globetrotter, Florian uses his lens as a tool for social documentation and humanist advocacy. His photography in Africa is defined by a commitment to total authenticity, capturing the intricate textures of the continent and the profound, universal Humanity of its people. For Florian, the camera is not just a device. It is a bridge built between cultures, designed to silence the noise of division and amplify the shared pulse of life.
The Eshu Project
The Philosophy of the Essential
In the vibrant heart of Africa, Florian Huguenin perceives color as a magnificent distraction. While the visual world is often mesmerized by the surface hues of landscapes and garments, he chooses the rigorous discipline of the monochrome. By removing the spectrum of color, he enters a state of visual silence where the true essence of Humanity can finally be heard.
For him, this is not a subtraction, but an extraction of truth. Through his photography, he seeks the permanent over the fleeting—prioritizing the soul over the skin and the structure over the ornament.
The Haptic Witness
In his work, the grain of a weathered wooden door carries the same weight as the lines etched onto a human face. By focusing on the raw textures of Africa, the resilience of iron, the ancient narratives held within wood, and the luminous depth of skin, Florian aims to pay tribute to the tangible, shared reality of our world.
These textures are the physical manifestations of a collective history. In the high-contrast world of The Eshu Project, he treats every detail as an invitation to touch the surface of our common Humanity.
When color is stripped away, he reveals the undeniable substance that unites all people, rendering tribal divisions invisible against the backdrop of our shared material existence.
The Silent Bridge
Since making Cameroon his home in 2021, Florian Huguenin has dedicated his work to observing the country’s profound social landscape from within. Rather than a tool for protest, he views his camera as a medium for quiet dialogue and mutual understanding.
Through ‘The Eshu Project’, he seeks to illuminate the shared threads of Humanity that weave through the country’s diverse communities.
His photography in Africa serves as a gentle reminder of the peace found in coexistence. By capturing moments of shared grace and universal emotion, he invites the viewer to move past labels and instead recognize the familiar pulse of life that connects one individual to another.
The Ethics of Visual Integrity
In a world increasingly saturated with digital manipulation, Florian Huguenin adheres to a strict protocol of visual integrity. He believes that to honor the Humanity of his subjects, the image must remain as raw and authentic as the moment it was captured. There are no denaturing retouches or artificial enhancements in his work; instead, he relies on the natural interplay of light, shadow, and the lens.
Whether using a 35mm, 50mm, or 85mm focal length, his goal is total transparency. This commitment to “pure” photography ensures that the textures of Africa and the souls of the people he encounters are presented with the dignity and honesty they deserve.
