Willy Ronis Books

Featuring personal and previously unpublished photo albums, this definitive reference showcases the work of master French photographer Willy Ronis. Curated and commented on by Ronis himself, the volume provides unique insights into his artistic journey and perspective, highlighting the depth and significance of his contributions to photography.

Humanist photographer Willy Ronis’s most iconic images of Paris are beautifully produced in this affordable volume. Unparalleled in his ability to portray the Parisian joie de vivre, Willy Ronis captured sheer delight on the faces he photographed, from the Parisian gamin running with an oversized baguette to the cheerful Parisiennes behind the bakery counter, and from dancers in full swing at a summer festival to a gaggle of children in a bumper-car tangle. His images are iconic and varied, ranging from lovers embracing in front of the Eiffel Tower to monuments softened by gauzy fog to a determined factory worker protesting for her rights. The Parisian-born Ronis bought his first Rolleiflex camera in 1937 at the age of 27. He strolled the streets of his beloved city, training his camera on the working-class neighborhoods of Belleville and Ménilmontant, capturing the essence of everyday life in Paris. He memorialized the urban landscape—a lamp-lit bridge or the leafy horse chestnut trees bordering the Seine—and typical Parisians—in the metro, sunbathing on the Île de la Cité, or ice-skating in the park. This pocket volume of high-quality reproductions is a joyful tribute to Paris and the esteemed photographer’s finest work.

"J'ai la mémoire de toutes mes photos, elles forment le tissu de ma vie et parfois, bien sûr, elles se font des signes par-delà les années. Elles se répondent, elles conversent, elles tissent des secrets." À partir d'une cinquantaine de photos, Willy Ronis dessine son autoportrait. On le suit dans ses voyages, ses virées dans les rues de Paris et sur les bords de la Marne, ses reportages aussi. Une photo, c'est un moment pris sur le vif, mais c'est aussi l'histoire d'un jour. Ce jour-là : un autoportrait à la manière d'un "Je me souviens". C'est avec émotion que ce livre feuillette à la fois son être le plus intime, son talent de photographe et son talent de conteur.