Mobile Photography Intimate Interview with Paul-André Hamel from Montréal, Québec, Canada
Our seventy sixth interview in this series of intimate interviews is with talented mobile photographer and artist Paul-André Hamel from Montréal, Québec, Canada. This is a sumptuous interview – a gleaming work of someone at the peak of their craft. Enjoy!
To read the other published interviews in this series including artists, Adria Ellis, Rino Rossi, Mehmet Duyulmus, Alexis Rotella, Lou Ann Sanford Donahue, Irene Oleksiuk, Kerry Mitchell, Filiz Ak, Dale Botha, Lisa Mitchell, M. Cecilia Sao Thiago, Deborah McMillion, Rita Colantonio, Amy Ecenbarger, Jane Schultz, Anca Balaj, Joyce Harkin, Armineh Hovanesian, Kate Zari Roberts, Vicki Cooper, Peter Wilkin, Barbara Braman, Becky Menzies, Sukru Mehmet Omur, Sarah Bichachi, Michel Pretterklieber, Alon Goldsmith, Judy Lurie Whalberg, Andrea Bigiarini, Sean Hayes, Oola Cristina, Kathleen Magner-Rios, Linda Toki, Deb Field, Emilo Nadales, Lydia Cassatt, David Hayes, Jean Hutter, Frederic Deschênes, Mark Schnidman, Fatma Korkut, Fleur Schim, Rob Pearson-Wright, Dieter Gaebel, James Ellis, Marco P Prado, Jeronimo Sanz, Manuela Matos Monteiro, Bleu Chemiko, Manuela Basaldella, Stefania Piccioni, Luis Rodríguez, Marilisa Andriani (@mitrydate) Mayte Balcells (@artofmayte), Nicole Christophe, Jennifer Graham, Cathrine Halsør, Paul Toussaint, Carol Wiebe, Julie Denning, Kim Clayton (@berleyart), Karen Messick, Serap Utaş, MaryJane Rosenfeld, Paul Suciu, Susan Latty (@pause.and.breathe), John Nieto, Phyllis Shenny, Joy Barry, Max Lies Derdonk, Rita Tipunina, Violet Martins, Nizzar Ben Chekroune, Lynette Sheppard and myself, go here.
All images ©Paul-André Hamel
What was your earliest childhood ambition?
To become a writer, which did not happen, and for many reasons. Each book I read in my childhood was a chance to discover new world. However, storytelling has taken on a different meaning with photography.
First Recognition?
A prize at the end of the high school, of which I sadly have only a vague memory.
First Job?
An office job in a government agency. After 3 weeks of training, I was made to understand that I was too efficient, and that it bothered other. So, I moved on…
Private or State school?
In my environment, everyone went to public school. It was not an option or an issue.
University or Work?
Both at the same time. A full-time job and 3 classes in the evening in Literary Studies. And, with a friend, hosting a community radio show about literature. This did not leave much room for any social life.
Who was or is still your mentor?
No one in particular; but a few friends have influenced me over time and give me their support and love.
How physically fit are you?
Ever since I received a pedometer as a gift, walking at least 10,000 steps a day has become the routine, which allows me to keep fit.
Ambition or talent: What matters more to success?
Neither. It is a drive to discover and explore that fuels everything. I do, however, keep in mind that undiscovered work is unlikely to be recognized.
How politically committed are you?
Less than I was in the past, even though some causes still deeply matter to me like Environment, Better living conditions for people in need and Animal protection.
What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
The most recent iPhone, but I think it is too large.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
Escape for a few days to the seaside, the closest instance of which is about six hours from my home.
In what places are you happiest?
In Montréal and by the sea.
What ambitions do you still have?
Continue to create images and have a little more exposure for my photo work.
What drives you on?
Curiosity and the desire to discover.
What is the greatest achievement of your life so far?
In my career at a local government, I had the pleasure to be a mentor to some of my colleagues. It was a way of giving back to others.
What do you find most irritating in other people?
Nonchalance and general lack of care about much of what is happening.
If your 20 year old self could see you now, what would he think?
That he was lucky to live in that particular time and place, where everything seemed possible.
Which object that you’ve lost do you wish you still had?
Nothing that comes to mind.
What is the greatest challenge of our time?
The survival of democracy, “the worst system, if you exclude all others” in the famous words of Churchill. Not to succumb to populism or sectarianism, and this from both the left and the right.
Do you believe in an afterlife?
Having been raised in a Catholic setting, life after life seems like an insurance policy.
Please read…
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
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