France - Born in 1965

True Winter Sports

What drives a surfer to pursue their passion in waters of around 3°C amid the snowy fjords? “They just don’t have a choice,” says Olivier Morin, head of the AFP’s photo department, formerly based in Stockholm and a lover of the Scandinavian countries he continues to document. “For Norwegians, who represent the vast majority of people I photograph, extreme temperatures are not a problem: they live with them all year round.” Living with the cold all your life changes your relationship with freezing temperatures. “There’s even a point at which we develop a kind of addiction to the physiological and psychological sensations it procures,” Morin continues. “I am a fan of cold weather!”
Conditions such as these force photographers to adapt, both logistically and psychologically. Leaving equipment in the cold when not at work to prevent misting, choosing a diving suit that is warm enough to work in but light enough to be able to move quickly if there’s suddenly a problem… “It’s a whole routine that you learn as you go along,” explains Morin. “The first time I went into the water with my camera, I had to stop working after 10 minutes.” From freedivers and ice divers to surfers, he captures the intimate relationship between these somewhat crazy athletes and the extreme cold. “They don’t suffer, and neither do I,” Morin concludes. “It’s fun, more than anything! Real and authentic.”

RUE SAINT-VINCENT

Views Across the Far North
For the second year of this partnership between the AFP and the La Gacilly Photo Festival, two photographers have been selected to illustrate the French press agency’s view of the Far North. Both deal with a theme that is dear to our hearts: the connection between Humans and Earth.

Exhibition organised in partnership with Agence France-Presse and produced with the support and guidance of the Initial Labo photo laboratory.