Chris Rajaon has explored some of the infinite nuances of photography, reflecting his own distinctive vision in each one of them. His artistic journey has taken him from the Parisian chic runways to the roaring engines of car races and, most recently, to the grand spectacle of the Olympics. Amidst the dynamism and excitement of athletic gestures, Chris discovered a new dimension that echoes in his long-standing love and connection with sports imagery, evolving and expanding his multidimensional style. 

Can you share with us your photographic journey? What initially drew you to this art form?

“Photography started as a passion at first, I was taking everything in pictures and saw it as a way to express my creativity. What I always liked in photography is the freedom of it, to shoot whatever you want, being able to travel, visit new places, meet new people from all around the world.”

“I think I’ve wanted to do fashion photography ever since, and started to follow a few photographers doing street style around 2014, and since the fashion week happens in Paris, I wanted to give it a try. It might be the “easiest” way to start fashion photography as it happens on the streets, in a public space. It shaped my eyes, my vision, and because of the competition you have to be more creative and stand out. So it forced me to explore new things that evolved my style over the years. Now I try to touch a bit of everything and sports photography is actually pretty recent. I started doing some race car events last year and the Olympics are my second sports event. It was a blast.”

How did you develop your style as a photographer? Were there any particular influences?

“Through fashion weeks. For me it’s the best school; in a certain way it’s not really different from sports photography. You have to be quick and seize the moment in a few seconds, a few minutes if you are lucky. You have to be aware of the environment. That’s why in my opinion there’s a link between sports photography and fashion week street style. That’s what I liked about sports photography: it may be new to me, but at the same time it is not.”

“Most of my inspirations are coming from my friends who are photographers too. We keep pushing ourselves for almost 10 years now and I think that’s what helped me grow. I definitely want to do more sports events now. Like a lot of people, I’ve always loved and watched sports, mostly football and basketball since I was a kid, so being able to portray some of the greatest athletes in the world was a really amazing feeling.”

What was it like to be a part of the Paris 2024 Olympics ?

“I was born and raised in Paris and I was really hyped about the Olympic Games taking place here, at home, but I was a little bit scared too, because in the last few years there were big troubles in France. The city was completely on lock, security and police were everywhere and for the Parisians it was really horrible – we were exposed to a lot of traffic, and a lot of problems. We didn’t know if the city was able to handle such a big event like this. But after the success of the opening ceremony, I think everything went pretty smoothly. I joined events almost every day and the atmosphere was incredible. I’m happy that Paris shared a good image of French people and shaped a unique atmosphere.”

After the experience of the Olympics, what do you think makes a sports photograph great?

“For me it depends on two criteria: the context – the power of an historical moment – and the athletes’ facial expressions, whether they are related to joy or sadness. Plus, there are like hundreds of photographers during these events, so you have to stand out. If a photographer manages to succeed in standing out and composing something different in a few seconds…. That’s what makes a great photo. During the Olympics I was in the crowd, I wasn’t accredited and didn’t work with the Olympic organization. I was just by myself, in the stands, and I manage to shoot different sports. It was a crazy experience. The best event I did was probably the Track and Field, that’s what represents the Olympics the most for me. It was a dream come true.”